# US 8,788,349 B2 · Mobile payment using picture messaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,349 B2 - Document ID: US8788349B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/886,572 - Filed: 2013-05-03 - Published: 2013-09-19 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-31 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Inventors: Luis Francisco Albisu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788349B2 ## CPC - H04L 63/0861: {using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231)} - G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems - G06Q 20/3227: {using secure elements embedded in M-devices} - G06Q 20/3274: {using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device} - G06Q 20/385: {using an alias or single-use codes} - G06Q 20/425: {using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation} - H04L 63/0869: {for achieving mutual authentication (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273)} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A mobile device equipped with at least a display and an input is used to connect to a server on the mobile network. Upon authentication of a user of the mobile device, the server generates the payment key, encodes the key in an image, such as a bar code, and transmits the image to the mobile device. The user holds the display of the mobile device up to an optical scanner at a POS terminal. Logic on the POS terminal extracts the payment key from the image, and uses the payment key to bill the user. The POS terminal transmits the bill with the payment key to the server on the network. The server ensures that the key is active, and debits an account for the user based on the amount presented in the bill. The key is de-activated after a specified time period or one use, whichever occurs first. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor of a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising: receiving a key request from a mobile device performing a transaction with a point-of-sale terminal, the key request being provided via a user interface of the mobile device, and the key request comprising a store identifier identifying a store with which the point-of-sale terminal is associated; in response to receiving the key request, generating an image comprising a payment key; transmitting the image to the mobile device; receiving a bill from the point-of-sale terminal, the bill comprising the payment key extracted from the image by the point-of-sale terminal, a terminal-input store identifier, and an amount to be charged; determining whether the store identifier received in the key request is the same as the terminal-input store identifier received in the bill; and in response to determining that the store identifier is the same as the terminal-input store identifier, causing a user account associated with the mobile device to be charged the amount to be charged. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the mobile device by comparing a unique identifier received from the mobile device with an authentication database. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the unique identifier comprises a username, a password, or a biometric identifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the unique identifier comprises a voice sample. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the payment key comprises a bar code. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein transmitting the image to the mobile device comprising transmitting the image to the mobile device via a picture message. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein transmitting the image to the mobile device comprises transmitting the image to the mobile device via a direct connection between the computer and an application executing on the mobile device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise verifying that the payment key in the bill is valid, and wherein the payment key is rendered invalid upon expiration of a time period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting an authorization request to the mobile device to confirm an amount larger than a predetermined amount. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein causing the user account associated with the mobile device to be charged the amount to be charged comprises transmitting a billing request to a billing server. ### Claim 11 A point-of-sale terminal comprising: a processor; and a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising receiving output of a scanner that is in communication with the point-of-sale terminal, the output comprising results of the scanner scanning an image displayed on a display of a mobile device, the image comprising a payment key and being generated at a server in response to a key request submitted by the mobile device, and the key request comprising a user-input store identifier, extracting the payment key from the image, generating a bill, the bill comprising the payment key, a terminal-input store identifier, and an amount to be charged, and transmitting the bill to the server so that the server can determine whether the terminal-input store identifier is the same as the user-input store identifier and, in response to determining that the terminal-input store identifier is the same as the user-input store identifier, cause a user account associated with the mobile device to be charged the amount to be charged. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The point-of-sale terminal of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise receiving an insufficient funds notification from the server. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The point-of-sale terminal of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise suggesting an alternative payment method to a user associated with the mobile device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The point-of-sale terminal of claim 11, wherein the image comprises a bar code. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The point-of-sale terminal of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise translating the bar code into an alphanumeric string. ### Claim 16 A mobile device comprising: a display; a processor; and a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising receiving input of a user-input store identifier identifying a store associated with a point-of-sale terminal, generating a key request, the key request comprising the user-input store identifier, transmitting the key request to a server, receiving an image from the server, the image comprising a payment key, presenting the image on the display so that a scanner associated with the point-of-sale terminal can scan the image to extract the payment key from the image, generate a bill comprising the payment key, a terminal-input store identifier, and an amount to be charged, and send the bill to the server so that the server can determine whether the terminal-input store identifier is the same as the user-input store identifier, and receiving an indication that a user account associated with the mobile device has been charged the amount to be charged in response to the server determining that the terminal-input store identifier is the same as the user-input store identifier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a suggestion of an alternative payment method from the point-of-sale terminal in response to the server determining that the terminal-input store identifier is not the same as the user-input store identifier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The mobile device of claim 16, wherein receiving the image from the server comprises receiving the image via a picture message. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a unique identifier to the server so that the server can compare the unique identifier with an authentication database. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the user identifier comprises a username, a password, or a biometric identifier.