Method for operating a wireless end-user device mobile payment agent
A mobile end-user device includes a secure mobile payment agent. The mobile device indicates to network transaction servers, operated by various third parties, that it has the mobile payment agent capability. A user operating a not-necessarily-secure device application can indicate to a network transaction server the desire to make a purchase. The network transaction server opens a secure connection to the mobile payment agent, which verifies the transaction server as authorized to use mobile payments. The transaction server can then request that the mobile payment agent complete the desired purchase by having the user perform a confirmation action, after which the agent indicates a completed purchase transaction to the server. The mobile payment agent can communicate with a billing server to provide various aspects of the mobile payment capability.
1. A method of operating a wireless end-user device via wireless communication through a wireless network, the method comprising:
providing, in association with a device user's use of a network service via a device application on the wireless end-user device, device information to a networked transaction server, the device information indicating a central billing option is available to compatible transaction servers, wherein a party operating a compatible transaction server need not be associated with a party providing a billing server that supports the central billing option;
forming a secure connection, via the wireless network, between the networked transaction server and a secure mobile payment agent on the wireless end-user device;
verifying the networked transaction server as authorized to use the central billing option;
the mobile payment agent receiving, via the secure connection and as a result of a device user selecting a purchase via the device application and information indicating the selected purchase being forwarded to the networked transaction server, a user purchase confirmation request;
in response to the user purchase confirmation request, the mobile payment agent initiating a confirmation request to the device user to confirm the selected purchase; and
upon receiving a response from the device user confirming the initiated request, the mobile payment agent sending, via the secure connection, a purchase confirmation to the networked transaction server.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device application is one of a plurality of device applications for which the device will provide the device information indicating a central billing option.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the device information comprises embedding the device information in a web browser request.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying the networked transaction server as authorized to use the central billing option comprises checking a signature received from the networked transaction server against a stored list of approved transaction servers.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying the networked transaction server as authorized to use the central billing option comprising forwarding a signature received from the networked transaction server to the billing server for confirmation.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response from the device user requires that the user supply at least one of a secure password, a key, or a biometric response.
7. The method of claim 1 , the mobile payment agent, upon receiving the user purchase confirmation request, confirming that a user account has a sufficient credit limit to make the selected purchase.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein confirming that a user account has a sufficient credit limit comprises checking a local stored credit limit.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein confirming that a user account has a sufficient credit limit comprises querying the billing server.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the mobile payment agent receiving, via the secure connection, a purchase bill from the networked transaction server; and
the mobile payment agent indicating receipt of the purchase bill to the billing server.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the secure connection occurs in response to the information indicating the selected purchase being forwarded to the networked transaction server.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the secure connection and verifying the networked transaction server are predicates to the networked transaction server presenting an offer to the device user via the device application, the presentation of the offer resulting in the device user selecting a purchase.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless network connects the wireless end-user device to the networked transaction server via the Internet.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless network connects the wireless end-user device to the billing server via the Internet.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a secure connection comprises:
the networked transaction server requesting an Application Programming Interface (API) connection to the mobile payment agent; and
the mobile payment agent confirming the API connection.
16. The method of claim 1 , the mobile payment agent verifying the networked transaction server as authorized to use the central billing option prior to confirming the API connection.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile payment agent resides within a secure service processor on the wireless end-user device, and the device application resides outside of the secure service processor.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device application comprises a web browser.