Remote configuration of EMV terminals

1. A portable-electronic-device-implemented method for facilitating dynamic programming of a smart-card terminal, comprising:

detecting a coupling of a first portable electronic device to the smart-card terminal;

displaying, at a user interface on the first portable electronic device, a request for account information of a first merchant, wherein the account information is associated with a financial institution;

receiving, from the first merchant at the user interface, the account information of the first merchant;

providing the account information to a remote transmission hardware server using a data channel;

receiving, from the remote transmission hardware server over the data channel, a first merchant identifier and a first terminal identifier;

providing the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier to the smart-card terminal;

programming the smart-card terminal via the first portable electronic device to enable the first merchant to use the smart-card terminal for conducting a financial transaction, wherein the smart-card terminal has not been previously configured by a manufacturer or distributer of the smart-card terminal for use by the first merchant;

upon detecting a decoupling of the smart-card terminal from the first portable electronic device, ensuring that the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier are not available for use with the smart-card terminal; and

upon detecting a coupling of a second portable electronic device to the smart-card terminal, providing a second merchant identifier and a second terminal identifier to the smart-card terminal, thereby facilitating programming of the smart-card terminal to enable a second merchant to use the smart-card terminal for conducting a financial transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, a first time the smart-card terminal is programmed, the method further comprises:

receiving a smart-card-terminal configuration file which includes information specific to a financial institution associated with the smart-card terminal; and

providing the smart-card-terminal configuration file to the smart-card terminal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier provided to the smart-card terminal are encrypted.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the smart-card terminal includes a Europay MasterCard Visa terminal.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, during a financial transaction, the smart-card terminal receives a user PIN code and financial information stored in a memory on a smart card.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portable electronic device provides an electronic identity for the smart-card terminal to the remote transmission hardware server until the programming of the smart-card terminal is completed.

7. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with a portable electronic device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein, to facilitate dynamic programming of a smart-card terminal, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for detecting a coupling of a first portable electronic device to the smart-card terminal;

instructions for displaying, at a user interface on the first portable electronic device, a request for account information of a first merchant, wherein the account information is associated with a financial institution;

instructions for receiving, from the first merchant at the user interface, the account information;

instructions for providing the account information to remote transmission hardware server using a data channel;

instructions for receiving, from the remote transmission hardware server over the data channel, a first merchant identifier and a first terminal identifier;

instructions for providing the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier to the smart-card terminal;

instructions for programming the smart-card terminal via the first portable electronic device to enable the first merchant to use the smart-card terminal for conducting a financial transaction, wherein the smart-card terminal has not been previously configured by a manufacturer or distributer of the smart-card terminal for use by the first merchant;

instructions for, upon detecting a decoupling of the smart-card terminal from the first portable electronic device, ensuring that the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier are not available for use with the smart-card terminal; and

instructions for, upon detecting a coupling of a second portable electronic device to the smart-card terminal, providing a second merchant identifier and a second terminal identifier to the smart-card terminal, thereby facilitating programming of the smart-card terminal to enable a second merchant to use the smart-card terminal for conducting a financial transaction.

8. The computer-program product of claim 7 , wherein, a first time the smart-card terminal is programmed, the computer-program mechanism further includes:

instructions for receiving a smart-card-terminal configuration file which includes information specific to a financial institution associated with the smart-card terminal; and

instructions for providing the smart-card-terminal configuration file to the smart-card terminal.

9. The computer-program product of claim 7 , wherein the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier provided to the smart-card terminal are encrypted.

10. The computer-program product of claim 7 , wherein the smart-card terminal includes a Europay MasterCard Visa terminal.

11. The computer-program product of claim 7 , wherein, during a financial transaction, the smart-card terminal receives a user PIN code and financial information stored in a memory on a smart card.

12. The computer-program product of claim 7 , wherein the portable electronic device provides an electronic identity for the smart-card terminal to the remote transmission hardware server until the programming of the smart-card terminal is completed.

13. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

memory; and

a program module, wherein the program module is stored in the memory and configurable to be executed by the processor to facilitate dynamic programming of a smart-card terminal, the program module including:

instructions for detecting a coupling of a first portable electronic device to the smart-card terminal;

instructions for displaying, at a user interface on the first portable electronic device, a request for account information of a first merchant, wherein the account information is associated with a financial institution;

instructions for receiving, from the first merchant at the user-interface, the account information of the first merchant;

instructions for providing the account information to a remote transmission hardware server using a data channel;

instructions for receiving, from the remote transmission hardware server over the data channel, a first merchant identifier and a first terminal identifier;

instructions for providing the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier to the smart-card terminal;

instructions for programming the smart-card terminal via the first portable electronic device to enable the first merchant to use the smart-card terminal for conducting a financial transaction, wherein the smart-card terminal has not been previously configured by a manufacturer or distributer of the smart-card terminal for use by the first merchant;

instructions for, upon detecting a decoupling of the smart-card terminal from the first portable electronic device, ensuring that the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier are not available for use with the smart-card terminal; and

instructions for, upon detecting a coupling of a second portable electronic device to the smart-card terminal, providing a second merchant identifier and a second terminal identifier to the smart-card terminal, thereby facilitating programming of the smart-card terminal to enable a second merchant to use the smart-card terminal for conducting a financial transaction.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein, a first time the smart-card terminal is programmed, the program module further includes:

instructions for receiving a smart-card-terminal configuration file which includes information specific to a financial institution associated with the smart-card terminal; and

instructions for providing the smart-card-terminal configuration file to the smart-card terminal.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first merchant identifier and the first terminal identifier provided to the smart-card terminal are encrypted.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the smart-card terminal includes a Europay MasterCard Visa terminal.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein, during a financial transaction, the smart-card terminal receives a user PIN code and financial information stored in a memory on a smart card.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the portable electronic device provides an electronic identity for the smart-card terminal to the remote transmission hardware server until the programming of the smart-card terminal is completed.