US 10,706,415 B2Granted

Money transfer smart phone methods and systems

AssigneeThe Western Union Company

InventorKimberly Dunwoody

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Abstract

A method includes establishing a first funds transfer account associated with a first device and a second funds transfer account with a second device, funding at least the first fund account, and selecting the second device as the recipient of a funds transfer from the first device. The method further includes sending a communications link request from the first device to the second device and receiving acceptance of the communications link request from the second device. The method then establishes a communications link between the first device and the second device, initiates a funds transfer from the first device to the second device, wherein the amount is designated at the first device, and verifies the funds transfer amount, the first funds transfer account, and the second funds transfer account. Then, the method transfers the amount to the second funds transfer account associated with second device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of enhancing security of transfers between smartphones, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first smartphone, an initiation of a device-to-device transfer, the first smartphone comprising a mobile application;
providing, by the first smartphone and using the mobile application, an interface including a potential recipient list;
determining, by the first smartphone and using the mobile application, one or more additional smartphones within a predetermined distance of the first smartphone and having compatible device-to-device transfer mobile applications installed, in response to the initiation of the mobile application on the first smartphone;
populating, by the first smartphone and using the mobile application, the potential recipient list displayed within the interface, based on the determined one or more additional smartphones within the predetermined distance of the first smartphone and having compatible device-to-device funds transfer mobile applications installed;
receiving, by the first smartphone and using the mobile application, a user selection of a funds transfer recipient from the potential recipient list;
establishing, by the first smartphone, a communications link between the first smartphone and a second smartphone associated with the selected funds transfer recipient, wherein establishing the communications link comprises:
sending a direct near field communications request from the first smartphone to the second smartphone;
and
in response to an acceptance received from the second smartphone, establishing a direct communications link between the first smartphone and the second smartphone;
and
initiating, by the first smartphone and using the mobile application, a funds transfer from the first smartphone to the second smartphone, wherein an amount of the funds transfer is designated at the first smartphone.

8 more elements

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive an initiation of a device-to-device funds transfer mobile application at a first smartphone;
provide an interface including a potential recipient list, in response to the initiation of the device-to-device funds transfer mobile application at the first smartphone;
determine one or more additional smartphones within a predetermined distance of the first smartphone having compatible device-to-device funds transfer mobile applications installed, in response to the initiation of the device-to-device funds transfer mobile application on the first smartphone;
populate the potential recipient list displayed within the interface, based on the determined one or more additional smartphones within the predetermined distance of the first smartphone having compatible device-to-device funds transfer mobile applications installed;
receive a user selection of a funds transfer recipient from the potential recipient list;
establish a communications link between the first smartphone and a second smartphone associated with the selected funds transfer recipient, wherein establishing the communications link comprises:
sending a direct near field communications request from the first smartphone to the second smartphone;
and
in response to an acceptance received from the second smartphone, establishing a direct communications link between the first smartphone and the second smartphone;
and
initiate a funds transfer from the first smartphone to the second smartphone, wherein an amount of the funds transfer is designated at the first smartphone.

8 more elements

A smartphone, comprising:

one or more wireless network interfaces;
a processing unit comprising one or more processors;
and
a non-volatile memory medium comprising instructions that direct the processing unit to:
receive an initiation of a device-to-device funds transfer mobile application;
provide an interface including a potential recipient list, in response to the initiation of the device-to-device funds transfer mobile application;
determine one or more additional mobile devices within a predetermined distance of the smartphone having compatible device-to-device funds transfer mobile applications installed, in response to the initiation of the device-to-device funds transfer mobile application on the smartphone;
populate the potential recipient list displayed within the interface, based on the determined one or more additional mobile devices within the predetermined distance of the smartphone having compatible device-to-device funds transfer mobile applications installed;
receive a user selection of a funds transfer recipient from the potential recipient list;
establish a communications link between the smartphone and a mobile computing device associated with the selected funds transfer recipient, wherein establishing the communications link comprises:
sending a direct near field communications request from the smartphone to the mobile computing device;
and
in response to an acceptance received from the mobile computing device, establishing a direct communications link between the smartphone and the mobile computing device;
and
initiate a funds transfer from the smartphone to the mobile computing device.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/581,391Filed 28 Apr 2017 · continuation
Priority: 8 Apr 2010
Published: US 2017/0262840 A114 Sep 2017
Granted: 7 Jul 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G06Q 20/381
Payment protocols; Details thereof: currency conversion
G06Q 20/10
Payment architectures: specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
G06Q 20/223
Payment schemes or models: based on the use of peer-to-peer networks
G06Q 20/227
Payment schemes or models: characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer

Family

Application12/756,825Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Apr 2010
US 8,458,088 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Oct 2011
Application13/894,436Parent of this continuation · filed 15 May 2013
US 2017/0262840 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Sep 2017
US 9,659,293 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2011/0251941 A1Published application
US 2013/0254103 A1Published application
US 10,706,415 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.