CONDUCTING A NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION TRANSACTION WITH A MOBILE DEVICE

1 . A method for conducting a purchase transaction using a hand-held mobile device, the method comprising:

executing a payment application stored in memory of a secure element coupled to a hand-held mobile device, the hand-held mobile device including a visual display, a first processor, and a first transceiver configured to support a first communication channel for data interactions at a first radio transceiver, wherein the payment application is executed by a second processor included in the secure element in response to a near field communication inductive interaction of the secure element with a point-of-sale terminal using a second communication channel configured to support near field communications, wherein the point-of-sale terminal is capable of near field communications;

facilitating a wireless transfer of payment credentials, the payment credentials maintained in the memory of the secure element and associated with a payment account, wherein the transfer of payment credentials is made to the point-of-sale terminal without prior manual user authentication in response to the near field communication trigger by the point-of-sale terminal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure element is physically coupled to the hand-held mobile device but electrically decoupled from electrical interior components of the hand-held mobile device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure element is attached to the mobile communications device as a sticker.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure element is housed in a memory card.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure element is embedded within a body of the mobile communications device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a surface of an outer shell associated with the secure element includes an advertisement.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an outer shell associated with the secure element is circular.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein payment credentials include credit information.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein payment credentials include debit card information.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a first communication channel implements a Global Systems Mobile (GSM) communication protocol.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication channel implements a Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication protocol and the second communication channel implements a Near Field Communications (NFC) communication protocol.

12 . A system for conducting a purchase transaction, the system comprising:

memory configured to maintain a payment application on a secure element, the secure element coupled to a hand-held mobile device, the hand-held mobile device including a visual display, a first processor, and a first transceiver configured to support a first communication channel for data interactions;

a processor configured to execute the payment application in response to a near field communication inductive interaction of the secure element with a point-of-sale terminal using a second communication channel configured to support near field communications, wherein the point-of-sale terminal is capable of near field communications;

a wireless transceiver configured for near field communication, the wireless transceiver operable to transfer payment credentials to the point-of-sale terminal without prior manual user authentication in response to the near field communication trigger by the point-of-sale terminal.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the secure element is physically coupled to the hand-held mobile device but electrically decoupled from electrical interior components of the hand-held mobile device.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the secure element is attached to the mobile communications device as a sticker.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the secure element is housed in a memory card.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the secure element is embedded within a body of the mobile communications device.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein a surface of an outer shell associated with the secure element includes an advertisement.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein an outer shell associated with the secure element is circular.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein payment credentials include credit information.

20 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer code for executing a payment application stored in memory of a secure element coupled to a hand-held mobile device, the hand-held mobile device including a visual display, a first processor, and a first transceiver configured to support a first communication channel for data interactions at a first radio transceiver, wherein the payment application is executed by a second processor included in the secure element in response to a near field communication inductive interaction of the secure element with a point-of-sale terminal using a second communication channel configured to support near field communications, wherein the point-of-sale terminal is capable of near field communications;

computer code for facilitating a transfer of payment credentials, the payment credentials maintained in the memory of the secure element and associated with a payment account, wherein the transfer of payment credentials is made to the point-of-sale terminal without prior manual user authentication in response to the near field communication trigger by the point-of-sale terminal; and

computer code for wirelessly transmitting the payment credentials to the remote point-of-sale terminal over the second communication channel in response to the near field communication trigger by the point-of-sale terminal.