Systems and methods to facilitate retail transactions

1. A computer system comprising:

a mobile phone configured for communicating with a server computer to confirm the transaction via pre-approving the transaction including a location of the mobile phone and an identity of a retail terminal;

retail terminal, comprising:

a user interface to display an amount to a customer and receive, after the pre-approving of the transaction, a phone number of a mobile phone the customer to facilitate a determination of the availability of the amount;

a memory;

a data communication interface; and

a processor coupled with the memory and the data communication interface to:

transmit, after displaying the amount and receiving the phone number by the user retail terminal interface, a charge request that includes both the phone number and the amount to a server computer, the server computer to communicate with the mobile phone at the phone number received as part of the charge request to confirm a transaction and the amount at the retail terminal and to determine availability of funds for the amount; and

receive funds for the transaction only if the server computer has confirmed the transaction and the amount, has determined that a pre-approved amount matches an amount of the transaction has determined that a location of the retail terminal matches the location of the mobile phone where the mobile phone pre-approves the transaction, has determined that an identity of the retail terminal matches the identity received from the mobile phone and has determined that funds for the amount are available;

wherein the retail terminal is to perform the transaction for the amount in response to receiving the funds from the server computer.

2. A method implemented computing network, the method comprising:

communicating, by a mobile phone, with a server computer to confirm the transaction via pre-approving the transaction including a location of the mobile phone and an identity of a retail terminal;

displaying, at the retail terminal, an amount to a customer;

receiving, at the retail terminal, after the pre-approving of the transaction a phone number of a mobile phone of the customer to facilitate a determination of the availability of the amount;

transmitting, from the retail terminal, after displaying the amount and receiving the phone number by the retail terminal, a charge request that includes both the phone number and the amount to a server computer, the server computer to communicate with the mobile phone at the phone number received as part of the charge request to confirm a transaction and the amount at the retail terminal and to determine availability of funds for the amount;

receiving, at the retail terminal, funds for the transaction only if the server computer has confirmed the transaction and the amount, has determined that a pre-approved amount matches an amount of the transaction, has determined that a location of the retail terminal matches the location of the mobile phone where the mobile phone pre-approves the transaction, has determined that an identity of the retail terminal matches the identity received from the mobile phone and has determined that funds for the amount are available; and

performing, at the retail terminal, the transaction for the amount in response to receiving the funds from the server computer.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the retail terminal is a point of sale (POS) terminal.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the retail terminal comprises a personal digital assistant (PDA).

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the retail terminal is positioned in a retail store for checkouts; and the mobile phone is used to communicate with the server computer to confirm the transaction prior to the retail terminal receiving the phone number.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the retail terminal is a mobile device to perform transactions at different locations.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transaction is confirmed via a message sent from the mobile phone as a response to a message sent from the server computer to the mobile phone.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the retail terminal is an automatic teller machine (ATM).

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the performing the transaction comprises providing the funds to the customer in cash.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the server computer is to transmit a first message to the mobile phone at the phone number to request a confirmation of withdrawal of the funds from the ATM; and the server computer provides the funds to a bank of the ATM after the server computer receives a confirmation reply to the first message.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the customer has no bank account with the bank.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identity of the retail terminal comprises a phone number of a merchant operating the retail terminal.

13. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

providing an electronic receipt, by the retail terminal, to the mobile phone via the server computer.

14. The method of claim 2 , wherein the server computer is to communicate with the mobile phone to confirm the transaction via short message service (SMS).

15. The method of claim 2 , wherein the server computer is to transmit the one or more premium messages to the mobile phone to collect the funds for the transaction.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions, the instructions causing a computing network to perform a method, the method comprising:

communicating, by a mobile phone, with a server computer to confirm the transaction via pre-approving the transaction including a location of the mobile phone and an identity of a retail terminal;

displaying, at the retail terminal, an amount to a customer;

receiving, at the retail terminal, after the pre-approving of the transaction a phone number of a mobile phone of the customer to facilitate a determination of the availability of the amount;

transmitting, from the retail terminal, after displaying the amount and receiving the phone number by the retail terminal, a charge request that includes both the phone number and the amount to a server computer, the server computer to communicate with the mobile phone at the phone number received as part of the charge request to confirm a transaction and the amount at the retail terminal and to determine availability of funds for the amount;

receiving, at the retail terminal, funds for the transaction only if the server computer has confirmed the transaction and the amount, has determined that a pre-approved amount matches an amount of the transaction, has determined that a location of the retail terminal matches the location of the mobile phone where the mobile phone pre-approves the transaction, has determined that an identity of the retail terminal matches the identity received from the mobile phone and has determined that funds for the amount are available; and

performing, at the retail terminal, the transaction for the amount in response to receiving the funds from the server computer.