What is claimed is: 1. (**Methods and Systems for Payment Transactions in a Mobile Environment**) A method for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with one or more payment instruction recipients that can make a payment to a payee in behalf of the user, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payment instruction recipients and/or payees, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; receiving payment to make information at the MFTS corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee; generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP; displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payments to make at the user mobile device, the one or more selectable payments to make including the summarized payment to make information associated with a payee; at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make and selection of a payment source for making a payment; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a selected
payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS; at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the mobile payment instruction; at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the selected payment instruction recipient; whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the identified payee.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is one or more of a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to one or more payments to make displayed at the user mobile device comprises summarized bill information.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payments to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payments to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make is provided in response to display of a View Bills command.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein user activation of the View Bills selectable command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from a bill presentment system and communicate summarized bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein user activation of the View Payment
Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile device utilizes the payee identifier in the summarized payment to make information and retrieves payee name information from a mobile device local memory corresponding to an identified payee and displays the payee name information to the user.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction
identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
24. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and at the user mobile device in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value
(SV) card.
26. The method of claim 1, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via user's computer.
28. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile financial payment includes a balance transfer from one account associated with a user to another account associated with the same user.
29. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; communicating with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; wirelessly communicating updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
30. A system for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for wirelessly receiving summarized payment to make information from the MFTS, displaying one or more selectable payments to make, displaying one or more selectable accounts for making the payment, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make and selection of a payment source for making a payment, generating a mobile payment instruction to the MFTS indicating a payment to make, and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database associated with the MFTS for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information
associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider of a user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; a mobile communication interface for coupling user mobile devices to the
MFTS via a mobile communication service provider (MSCP); an interface for coupling the MFTS to at least one payment instruction recipient; a bill presentment interface for coupling the MFTS to at least one billing entity that provides information corresponding to a payment to be made; and MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving payment to make information via the bill presentment interface corresponding to a payment to be made by a user to a payee; generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make information relating to a payment that is to be made, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP; in response to receipt of a mobile payment instruction from a mobile device, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated in the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, and information corresponding to the identified payee; and
communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, makes a payment to the identified payee utilizing the selected account at the select financial service provider.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
32. The system of claim 30, wherein the payment instruction recipient comprises a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
33. The system of claim 30, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
34. The system of claim 33, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is selected from the group comprising: a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
35. The system of claim 30, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
36. The system of claim 30, wherein user mobile device displays information corresponding to one or more payment to make in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
37. The system of claim 30, wherein the information corresponding to one or more payments to make displayed at the user mobile device comprises summarized payment to make information.
38. The system of claim 30, wherein the user mobile device displays information corresponding to one or more payments to make in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
39. The system of claim 30, wherein the MFTS provides a Mobile Wallet application for execution on the user mobile device.
40. The system of claim 39, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a
View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
41. The system of claim 40, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make is provided in response to display of a View Bills command.
42. The system of claim 40, wherein user activation of the View Bills selectable command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from a bill presentment system and communicate the payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
43. The system of claim 40, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
44. The system of claim 43, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the paj'ment.
45. The system of claim 40, wherein user activation of the View Payment
Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
46. The system of claim 30, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
47. The system of claim 30, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device by the MFTS is limited to a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
48. The system of claim 47, wherein the mobile device utilizes the payee identifier in the payment to make information and retrieves payee name information from a mobile device local memory corresponding to an identified payee and displays the payee name information to the user.
49. The system of claim 30, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information stored including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
50. The system of claim 49, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
51. The system of claim 30, further comprising receiving at the MFTS a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage of completion of making the payment.
52. The system of claim 51, wherein the MFTS communicates a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
53. The system of claim 30, wherein the user mobile device receives user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in
response to the user input, the user mobile device includes information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
54. The system of claim 53, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value
(SV) card.
55. The system of claim 30, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising program code in the MFTS software comprising a web application operative for receiving user information corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and wherein the MFTS is operative for storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
56. The system of claim 55, further comprising program code in the MFTS software for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via a user's computer.
57. The system of claim 30, wherein the mobile financial payment includes a balance transfer from one account associated with a user to another account associated with the same user.
58. The system of claim 30, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the MFTS communicates with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account and wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and
wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
59. A method for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: receiving summarized payment to make information from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) transmitted wirelessly to the mobile device via a mobile communication service provider, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information stored at the MFTS; displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payments to make at a user mobile device, the one or more selectable payments to make including the summarized payment to make information received from the MFTS; displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payment sources at the user mobile device, the one or more selectable payment sources comprising financial service providers at which the user maintains at least one account selectable for making a payment; receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make and selection of a payment source for making a payment; generating a mobile payment instruction in the user mobile device comprising information corresponding to a selected payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS, whereby in response to the mobile payment instruction the MFTS effects a payment to the identified payee.
60. The method of claim 59, wherein the information corresponding to one or more payments to make displayed at the user mobile device comprises summarized payment to make information.
61. The method of claim 59, wherein the information corresponding to one or more selectable payment sources displayed at the user mobile device comprises summarized payment source information.
62. The method of claim 59, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
63. The method of claim 62, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is selected from the group comprising: a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
64. The method of claim 59, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
65. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payments to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
66. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payments to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
67. The method of claim 59, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
68. The method of claim 67, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
69. The method of claim 68, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make is provided in response to display of a View Bills command.
70. The method of claim 68, wherein user activation of the View Bills selectable command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from a bill presentment system and communicate the payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
71. The method of claim 68, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a
View Payment Sources command.
72. The method of claim 71, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
73. The method of claim 68, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
74. The method of claim 59, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
75. The method of claim 59, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device from the MFTS is limited to a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
76. The method of claim 75, wherein the mobile device utilizes the payee identifier in the payment to make information and retrieves payee name information from a mobile device local memory corresponding to an identified payee and displays the payee name information to the user.
77. The method of claim 59, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the mobile device provided by the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage of completion of making the payment.
78. The method of claim 59, further comprising the steps of receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
79. The method of claim 78, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
80. The method of claim 59, wherein the mobile financial payment includes a balance transfer from one account associated with a user to another account associated with the same user.
81. The method of claim 59, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS at the user mobile device; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
82. A mobile device for making a mobile financial payment via a wireless network, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system
(MFTS)5 the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; and mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving summarized payment to make information from the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) transmitted wirelessly to the mobile device via the mobile communication service provider, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information stored at the MFTS; displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payments to make on the mobile device display, the one or more selectable payments to make including the summarized payment to make information received from the MFTS; displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payment sources on the mobile device display, the one or more selectable payment sources comprising financial service providers at which the user maintains at least one account selectable for making a payment; receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make and selection of a payment source for making a payment; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a selected payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS for effecting a payment to the identified payee.
82. The device of claim 82, wherein the information corresponding to one or more payments to make displayed at the user mobile device comprises summarized payment to make information.
83. The device of claim 82, wherein the information corresponding to one or more selectable payment sources displayed at the user mobile device comprises summarized payment source information.
83. The device of claim 82, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
84. The device of claim 83, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is selected from the group comprising: a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
85. The device of claim 82, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
86, The device of claim 82, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payment to make is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
87. The device of claim 82, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payment to make is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
88. The device of claim 82, wherein the mobile device software comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
89. The device of claim 88, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
90. The device of claim 89, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make is provided in response to display of a View Bills command.
91. The device of claim 89, wherein user activation of the View Bills selectable command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from a bill presentment system and communicate the payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
92. The device of claim 89, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a
View Payment Sources command.
93. The device of claim 92, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
94. The device of claim 89, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
95. The device of claim 82, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
96. The device of claim 82, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device from the MFTS is limited to a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
97. The device of claim 96, wherein the mobile device utilizes the payee identifier in the payment to make information and retrieves payee name information from a mobile device local memory corresponding to an identified payee and displays the payee name information to the user.
98. The device of claim 82, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message provided by the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the selected financial service provider at a predetermined stage of completion of making the payment.
99. The device of claim 82, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for malting a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
100. The device of claim 99, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value
(SV) card.
101. The device of claim 82, wherein the mobile financial payment includes a balance transfer from one account associated with a user to another account associated with the same user.
102. The device of claim 82, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
103. A computer-implemented method for a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) to facilitate a mobile financial payment initiated by a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information, and payment source
information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; receiving payment to make information corresponding to a payment to be made by a mobile device user to a payee; generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information to the user mobile device; receiving a payment instruction communicated from the user mobile device, the payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a user's selected payment to make and a user's selected payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; in response to receipt of the payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to a payment instruction recipient for making the payment; generating a MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient.
104. The method of claim 103 , wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
105. The method of claim 103, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
106. The method of claim 103, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
107. The method of claim 106, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is one of a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or a single billing entity.
108. The method of claim 103, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
109. The method of claim 103, further comprising the step of communicating a text message to a user mobile device in response to receipt of bill information from a billing entity.
110. The method of claim 103, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for a user mobile device to facilitate communications between mobile devices and the MFTS.
111. The method of claim 110, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
112. The method of claim 111, further comprising the steps of retrieving payment to make information from a bill presentment system and communicating the payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system, in response to user activation of a View Bills selectable command at the mobile device.
113. The method of claim 111, further comprising the steps of retrieving current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicating the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers in response to user activation of the View Payment Sources command at the mobile device.
114. The method of claim 103, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
115. The method of claim 103, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device is limited to a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
116. The method of claim 103, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's mobile financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
117. The method of claim 116, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
118. The method of claim 103, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage in making the payment.
119. The method of claim 118, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
120. The method of claim 103, further comprising the steps of receiving information from the user mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment, and providing information corresponding to the selected payment method to the selected payment instruction recipient.
121. The method of claim 120, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
122. The method of claim 103, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
123. The method of claim 122, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via a user's computer.
124. The method of claim 103, wherein the mobile financial payment includes a balance transfer from one account associated with a user to another account associated with the same user.
125. The method of claim 103, further comprising the steps of: communicating with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; and wirelessly communicating updated account balance information from the
MFTS to the user mobile device; whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
126. A mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) for facilitating a mobile financial payment initiated by a user mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with at least one
account associated with at least one financial service provider associated with a mobile device user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving payment to make information corresponding to a payment to be made by a mobile device user to a payee; generating summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; communicating the summarized payment to make information to a user mobile device via a mobile communication service provider associated with the user mobile device; receiving a mobile payment instruction communicated from the user mobile device, the payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a user's selected payment to make and a user's selected payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to a selected account at a selected financial service provider; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient,
whereby in response to the MFTS payment instruction the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee.
127. The system of claim 126, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
128. The system of claim 126, wherein the payment instruction recipient comprises a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
129. The system of claim 126, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
130. The system of claim 129, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is one or more of a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
131. The system of claim 126, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
132. The system of claim 126, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a text message to a user mobile device in response to receipt of bill information from a billing entity.
133. The system of claim 126, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application to a user mobile device to facilitate communications between mobile devices and the MFTS.
134. The system of claim 133, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more
of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
135. The system of claim 134, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving payment to make information from a bill presentment system and communicating the payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system, in response to user activation of a View Bills selectable command at the mobile device.
136. The system of claim 134, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicating the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers in response to user activation of the View Payment Sources command at the mobile device.
137. The system of claim 126, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
138. The system of claim 126, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device is limited to a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
139. The system of claim 126, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's mobile financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
140. The system of claim 139, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
141. The system of claim 126, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message from payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage in making the payment.
142. The system of claim 141, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
143. The system of claim 126, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving information from the user mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment, and providing information corresponding to the selected payment method to the payment instruction recipient.
144. The system of claim 143, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
145. The system of claim 126, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the computer-implemented steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
146. The system of claim 145, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via a user's computer.
147. The system of claim 126, wherein the mobile financial payment includes a balance transfer from one account associated with a user to another account associated with the same user.
148. The system of claim 126, wherein the MFTS communicates with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account and wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device, whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
149. A method for making a financial payment to a payee via a paper check utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising the steps of: displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payments to make at the user mobile device; displaying information corresponding to at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device; displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payment methods at the user mobile device, the payment methods at least including a paper check payment method; at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make, selection of a payment source for making a payment, and selection of a paper check payment method; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a selected payment to make, a selected payment source for malting a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make, and the paper check payment method; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS);
at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, determining an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction; at the MFTS, generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating payment by the paper check payment method; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the selected payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, making a payment to the identified payee by printing and mailing a paper check to the payee.
150. The system of claim 149, wherein the payment instruction recipient comprises a financial service provider or a billing aggregator.
151. The method of claim 149, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and wherein the step of determining the identified payee identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction is effected by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
152. The method of claim 151, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
153. The method of claim 152, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
154. The method of claim 149, wherein the payment to make information is first provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device, and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
155. The method of claim 154, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is selected from the group comprising: a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
156. The method of claim 149, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
157. The method of claim 149, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payment to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
158. The method of claim 149, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payment to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
159. The method of claim 149, further comprising the step of providing a
Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
160. The method of claim 159, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or
more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
161. The method of claim 160, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make is provided in response to display of a View Bills command.
162. The method of claim 160, wherein user activation of the View Bills selectable command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from a bill presentment system and communicate the payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
163. The method of claim 160, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
164. The method of claim 163, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
165. The method of claim 163, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
166. The method of claim 149, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
167. The method of claim 149, wherein payment to make information is communicated to the mobile device by the MFTS for selected by the user, and wherein the payment to make information is limited to a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
168. The method of claim 149, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message from the selected financial service provider to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
169. The method of claim 168, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the selected financial service provider.
170. The method of claim 149, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
171. The method of claim 149, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
172. (**Methods and Systems for Making a Payment via a Paper Check in a Mobile Environment**) A method for making a financial payment to a payee via a paper check utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising the steps of:
receiving user input at the mobile device of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made by a paper check issued by a payment instruction recipient; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee and indicating paper check payment method; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, determining information corresponding to payment instruction recipient; at the MFTS, generating an MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including information identifying an account at a financial service provider, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating payment by the paper check payment method; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, arranging for payment to the identified payee by printing and mailing of a paper check to the payee.
173. The method of claim 172, at the user mobile device, further comprising the steps of displaying information corresponding to at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding selection of a payment source for making a payment, and including information indicating the selected payment source in the mobile payment instruction.
174. The method of claim 172, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
175. The method of claim 174, further comprising the step of determining information corresponding to a selected account at a selected financial service
provider for making the payment by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
176. The method of claim 174, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
177. The method of claim 176, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
178. The method of claim 172, wherein payee information is provided by the user by input at the mobile device.
179. The method of claim 172, wherein payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
180. The method of claim 172, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
181. The method of claim 180, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
182. The method of claim 181, further comprising the step of receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment in response to display of a Payment Source selection command.
183. The method of claim 182, further comprising the step of receiving user input of a payment source for making the payment comprising selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
184. The method of claim 181, wherein user activation of the Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from a selected financial service provider and communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
185. The method of claim 172, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
186. The method of claim 172, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message from the selected financial service provider to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
187. The method of claim 186, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the selected financial service provider.
188. The method of claim 172, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
189. The method of claim 188, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on the user's computer.
190. The method of claim 172, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; and receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; whereby, in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
191. A system for making a financial payment to a payee via a paper check utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising: a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for receiving user input identifying a payee for a payment to be made by a paper check issued by a payment instruction recipient with whom the user maintains a relationship, generating a mobile payment instruction to the MFTS indicating a payment to make, and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) including MFTS software comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, determining information corresponding to payment instruction recipient; generating an MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including information identifying an account at a financial service provider, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating payment by the paper check payment method;
communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and a payment instruction recipient responsive to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction for arranging for payment to the identified payee by printing and mailing of a paper check to the payee.
192. The system of claim 191, wherein the mobile device displays information corresponding to at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device, receives user input corresponding selection of a payment source for making a payment, and includes information indicating the selected payment source in the mobile payment instruction.
193. The system of claim 191, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
194. The system of claim 193, wherein the MFTS program code is further operative for determining information corresponding to a selected account at a selected financial service provider for making the payment by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
195. The system of claim 193, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
196. The system of claim 195, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
197. The system of claim 191, wherein payee information is provided by the user by input at the mobile device.
198. The system of claim 191, wherein payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
199. The system of claim 191, wherein the user mobile device includes a Mobile Wallet application.
200. The system of claim 199, wherein the Mobile Wallet application includes program code in the mobile device that provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
201. The system of claim 200, wherein the Mobile Wallet application is operative to receive user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment in response to display of a Payment Source selection command.
202. The system of claim 201, wherein the Mobile Wallet application is operative for receiving user input of a payment source for making the payment comprising selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
203. The system of claim 200, wherein user activation of the Payment Source selection command generates a command to the MFTS to cause the MFTS to retrieve current account information from a selected financial service provider and communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
204. The system of claim 191, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
205. The system of claim 191, wherein a payment confirmation message from the selected financial service provider is received by the MFTS upon completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
206. The system of claim 205, wherein the MFTS is operative to communicate a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message.
207. The system of claim 191, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising computer program code operative for: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
208. The system of claim 207, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on the user's computer.
209. The system of claim 191, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
210. A method for making a financial payment to a payee via a paper check utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising the steps of:
receiving user input at the mobile device of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made by a paper check issued by a payment instruction recipient with whom the user maintains a relationship; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payee and indicating paper check payment method; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); and displaying updated financial account information on the mobile device indicating a current account balance of the selected account reflecting issuance of the paper check.
211. The method of claim 210, at the user mobile device, further comprising the steps of displaying information corresponding to at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding selection of a payment source for making a payment, and including information indicating the selected payment source in the mobile payment instruction.
212. The method of claim 210, wherein payee information is provided by the user by input at the mobile device.
213. The method of claim 212, wherein one or more selectable payees is displayed on the mobile device for selection by the user.
214. The method of claim 210, wherein payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
215. The method of claim 210, further comprising the step of providing a
Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
216. The method of claim 215, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Pay
Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
217. The method of claim 216, further comprising the step of receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment in response to display of a Payment Source selection command.
218. The method of claim 217, further comprising the step of receiving user input of a payment source for making the payment comprising selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
219. The method of claim 215, wherein user activation of the Payment Source selection command causes retrieval of current account information from a selected financial service provider and communication of current account information to the mobile device.
220. The method of claim 210, wherein the payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
221. The method of claim 210, further comprising the step of displaying a payment confirmation message at the mobile device in response to receipt of a corresponding payment confirmation message from the MFTS.
222. The method of claim 210, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, wherein the MFTS provides a web application operative for receiving user information corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and further comprising the step of communicating said information to the user mobile device.
223. The method of claim 210, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;
receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
224. A mobile device for making a financial payment to a payee via a paper check via a wireless network, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; and mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving user input at the mobile device of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made by a paper check issued by a payment instruction recipient with whom the user maintains a relationship; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payee and indicating paper check payment method; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); and displaying updated financial account information on the mobile device indicating a current account balance of the selected account reflecting issuance of the paper check.
225. The mobile device of claim 224, wherein the mobile device is further operative for: displaying information corresponding to at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding selection of a payment source for making a payment, and including information indicating the selected payment source in the mobile payment instruction.
226. The mobile device of claim 224, wherein payee information is provided by the user by input at the mobile device.
227. The mobile device of claim 226, wherein one or more selectable payees is displayed on the mobile device for selection by the user.
228. The mobile device of claim 224, wherein payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
229. The mobile device of claim 224, wherein the mobile device includes a Mobile Wallet application.
230. The mobile device of claim 229, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
231. The mobile device of claim 230, wherein the Mobile Wallet application is operative for receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment in response to display of a Payment Source selection command.
232. The mobile device of claim 231, wherein the Mobile Wallet application is operative for receiving user input of a payment source for making the payment comprising selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
233. The mobile device of claim 232, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;
wherein the MFTS the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account and wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
234. The mobile device of claim 229, wherein user activation of the Payment Source selection command causes retrieval of current account information from a selected financial service provider and communication of current account information to the mobile device.
235. The mobile device of claim 224, wherein the payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
236. The mobile device of claim 224, wherein the mobile device is operative for displaying a payment confirmation message in response to receipt of a corresponding payment confirmation message from the MFTS.
237. The mobile device of claim 224, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, wherein the MFTS provides a web application operative for receiving user information corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and wherein the mobile device is further operative for receiving and displaying said information at the user mobile device.
238. A computer-implemented method for a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) to effect a financial payment to a payee via a paper check in response to a mobile device connected for communication via a wireless network, comprising the steps of: wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from a user mobile device, the mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to an identified payee and indicating a paper check payment method;
generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that maintains a relationship with a paper check issuing entity, the MFTS payment instruction including information identifying an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating payment by a paper check payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, a payment is effected to the identified payee by printing and mailing of a paper check to the payee.
239. The method of claim 238, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a payee as one of a plurality of names prestored at the MFTS.
240. The method of claim 238, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider and a billing aggregator.
241. The method of claim 240, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
242. The method of claim 238, wherein the mobile payment instruction further includes information selecting at least one selectable payment source of the user for the payment.
243. The method of claim 242, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
244. The method of claim 242, wherein selection of a payment source causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
245. The method of claim 242, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and further comprising the step of determining information corresponding to a selected account at a financial service provider identified in the payment instruction by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
246. The method of claim 238, wherein the MFTS stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment.
247. The method of claim 246, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
248. The method of claim 238, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter wirelessly communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
249. The method of claim 238, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for installation and use on the user mobile device.
250. The method of claim 249, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command on the Mobile Wallet application causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from the selected financial service provider and wirelessly communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
251. The method of claim 238, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
252. The method of claim 251, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
253. The method of claim 238, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and billing entities; and storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
254. The method of claim 253, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on the user's computer.
255. The method of claim 238, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a message to a payee's mobile device, the message advising the payee that a payment has been sent by the user via a paper check.
256. The method of claim 255, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device comprises a text message.
257. The method of claim 255, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device is provided via a Mobile Wallet application installed on the payee's mobile device.
258. A system for effecting a financial payment to a payee via a paper check in response to a mobile device connected for communication via a wireless network, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more mobile devices of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with a payment instruction recipient that effects a payment via issuing and mailing a paper check, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment information, the MFTS including MFTS software comprising program code for carrying out the computer- implemented steps of: wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from a user mobile device, the mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to an identified payee and indicating a paper check payment method; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that maintains a relationship with a paper check issuing entity, the MFTS payment instruction including information identifying an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating payment by a paper check payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, a payment is effected to the identified payee by printing and mailing of a paper check to the payee.
259. The system of claim 258, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a payee as one of a plurality of names prestored at the MFTS.
260. The system of claim 258, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider and a billing aggregator.
261. The system of claim 260, wherein the MFTS communicates with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; wherein the MFTS wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
262. The system of claim 258, wherein the mobile payment instruction further includes information selecting at least one selectable payment source of the user for the payment.
263. The system of claim 262, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
264. The system of claim 262, wherein selection of a payment source causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
265. The system of claim 262, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database also stores payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and further comprising the step of determining information corresponding to a selected account at a financial service provider identified in the payment instruction by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
266. The system of claim 258, wherein the MFTS stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment.
267. The system of claim 266, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
268. The system of claim 258, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter wirelessly communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
269. The system of claim 258, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for installation and use on the user mobile device.
270. The system of claim 269, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command on the Mobile Wallet application causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from the selected financial service provider and wirelessly communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
271. The system of claim 258, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
272. The system of claim 271, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
273. The system of claim 258, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and billing entities; and storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
274. The system of claim 273, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on the user's computer.
275. The system of claim 274, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device comprises a text message.
276. The system of claim 258, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a message to a payee's mobile device, the message advising the payee that a payment has been sent by the user via a paper check.
277. The system of claim 276, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device is provided via a Mobile Wallet application installed on the payee's mobile device.
278. A method for making a financial payment to a payee via a paper check utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising the steps of: displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payments to make at the user mobile device; displaying information corresponding to at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device; displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payment methods at the user mobile device, the payment methods at least including a paper check payment method; at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make, selection of a payment source for making a payment, and selection of a paper check payment method; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a selected payment to make, a selected payment source associated with at least one financial service provider for making a payment corresponding to the • selected payment to make, and the paper check payment method; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, determining an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider; at the MFTS, generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying an account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating payment by the paper check payment method; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the selected payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, making a payment to the identified payee by printing and mailing a paper check to the payee.
279. The system of claim 278, wherein the payment instruction recipient comprises a financial service provider or a billing aggregator.
280. The method of claim 278, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and wherein the step of determining the identified payee identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction is effected by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
281. The method of claim 280, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
282. The method of claim 281, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
283. The method of claim 278, wherein the payment to make information is first provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device, and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
284. The method of claim 283, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is selected from the group comprising: a bill presentment system
that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity,
285. The method of claim 278, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
286. The method of claim 278, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payment to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
287. The method of claim 278, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to one or more payment to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
288. The method of claim 278, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
289. The method of claim 288, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
290. The method of claim 289, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make is provided in response to display of a View Bills command.
291. The method of claim 288, wherein user activation of the View Bills selectable command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from a bill presentment system and communicate the payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
292. The method of claim 289, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
293. The method of claim 292, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
294. The method of claim 292, wherein user activation of the View Payment
Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
295. The method of claim 278, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
296. The method of claim 278, wherein payment to make information is communicated to the mobile device by the MFTS for selected by the user, and wherein the payment to make information is limited to a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
297. The method of claim 278, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message from the selected financial service provider to the
MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
298. The method of claim 297, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the selected financial service provider.
299. The method of claim 278, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of:
ll»" ii,,,,. Ii ,.• II,,,I' J.,,JI. Ui IUi 1," a;.;;, o ,3 '"an .'"an . . . » »,-„-,« providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
300. The method of claim 278, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
301. (**Methods and Systems for Making a Payment via a Stored Value Card in a Mobile Environment**) A method for making a financial payment to a payee via a stored value (SV) card utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising the steps of: receiving user input at the mobile device of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made by a stored value (SV) card payment method; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, determining information corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment and information indicating payment by a SV card method; at the MFTS, generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that maintains a relationship with a SV card entity, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information
ii- Ii Ii .■■ 1Ui1 -...I' ii 'i;;;ιι ..•■ n;;;;. n:;:n ..:;;iι "isii "an corresponding to the identified payee, and information corresponding to potential payment by a SV card payment method; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effecting a payment to the identified payee by a stored value card.
302. The method of claim 301, wherein the user information identifying a payee comprises identifying a payee by selection of one of a plurality of prestored names.
303. The method of claim 301, wherein the user information identifying a payee comprises identifying a payee by user entry of a mobile number.
304. The method of claim 301, further comprising the step of displaying information at the user mobile device corresponding to selection by the user/payer of use a SV card payment method for effecting the payment to the payee from among a plurality of different payment methods.
305. The method of claim 304, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
306. The method of claim 301, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, a stored value card issuer, a retail establishment that handles stored value cards.
307. The method of claim 301, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and
in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
308. The method of claim 301, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating information to the payee advising that payment by SV card may be received.
309. The method of claim 301, further comprising the step of receiving user selection of at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device.
310. The method of claim 309, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
311. The method of claim 309, wherein selection of a payment source causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
312. The method of claim 309, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and further comprising the step of determining information corresponding to a selected account at a financial service provider identified in the payment instruction by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
313. The method of claim 301, wherein the MFTS stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction
information including the payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment.
314. The method of claim 313, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
315. The method of claim 301, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter wirelessly communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
316. The method of claim 301, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
317. The method of claim 316, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
318. The method of claim 317, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from the selected financial service provider and wirelessly communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
319. The method of claim 317, further comprising the step of receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment in response to display of a Payment Source selection command via the Mobile Wallet.
320. The method of claim 317, wherein the selection of a payment source for making the payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of
a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
321. The method of claim 301, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
322. The method of claim 321, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
323. The method of claim 301, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of selectable payment methods including, in addition to a stored value (SV) card method, one or more of a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer method, and a paper check method.
324. The method of claim 301, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and billing entities; and storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
325. The method of claim 324, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on the user's computer.
326. The method of claim 301, further comprising the step of displaying a payee's pre-existing SV card account number to the user for confirmation that the payment is to be made by crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
327. The method of claim 326, wherein information corresponding to the payee's pre-existing SV card is stored in an MFTS database and wirelessly communicated to the user mobile device for display to the user and confirmation by user command.
328. The method of claim 301, further comprising the step of providing a data entry screen on the mobile device for entry of a payee's pre-existing SV card account number for purposes of crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
329. The method of claim 301, further comprising the steps of: wirelessly communicating a message to a payee's mobile device, the message advising the payee that a payment has been sent by the user via SV card; and receiving input from the payee at the payee's mobile device indicating a selected manner in which the payee wishes to receive the payment via SV card.
30. The method of claim 329, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device comprises a text message.
331. The method of claim 329, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device is provided via a Mobile Wallet application installed on the payee's mobile device.
332. The method of claim 329, wherein the selected manner in which the payee can receive payment via SV card includes crediting the payment to a payee's pre-existing SV card and issue of a new SV card.
333. The method of claim 332, further comprising the steps of, in response to an indication by the payee of receipt of payment via a new SV card: displaying a data entry screen on the payee's mobile device for receiving entry of information to identify a location for receipt of a new SV card;
receiving payee input of information for identifying a location for receipt of the new SV card; wirelessly communicating the location information to the MFTS; and in response to payee input of information identifying a location for receipt of the new SV card, wirelessly communicating information to the payee identifying a specific retail location at which the new SV card may be obtained.
334. The method of claim 332, further comprising the step of communicating card pickup information to the SV card issuer that enables the SV card issuer to issue a card to the payee and further enables a retail location that issues SV cards to verify the identity of the payee for SV card pickup.
335. The method of claim 334, wherein the card pickup information comprises a transaction number provided by the MFTS that is associated with the payment, a card number, and a mobile phone number associated with the payee.
336. The method of claim 334, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating the card pickup information to the payee's mobile device.
337. A system for effecting a stored value card payment via use of a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: at least one user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) and operative for receiving user input of payee identifying information and payment information, the mobile device further operative for generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to an identified payee and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS; and a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more mobile devices of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with a payment instruction recipient that effects a payment via a stored value card, the MFTS including a mobile
financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment, the MFTS including MFTS software comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, determining information corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment and information indicating payment by a SV card method; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that maintains a relationship with a SV card entity, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information corresponding to potential payment by a SV card payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the
MFTS payment instruction, a payment to the identified payee is effected by a stored value card.
338. The system of claim 337, wherein the user information identifying a payee comprises identifying a payee by selection of one of a plurality of prestored names.
339. The system of claim 337, wherein the user information identifying a payee comprises identifying a payee by user entry of a mobile number.
340. The system of claim 337, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying information corresponding to selection by the user/payer of a SV card payment method for effecting the payment to the payee from among a plurality of different payment methods.
341. The system of claim 340, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
342. The system of claim 337, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, a stored value card issuer, a retail establishment that handles stored value cards.
343. The system of claim 342, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account and wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
344. The system of claim 337, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for wirelessly communicating information to the payee advising that payment by SV card may be received.
345. The system of claim 337, wherein the mobile device is further operative for receiving user selection of at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device.
346. The system of claim 345, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
347. The system of claim 345, wherein selection of a payment source causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
348. The system of claim 345, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and wherein the MFTS software is further operative for determining information corresponding to a selected account at a financial service provider identified in the payment instruction by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
349. The system of claim 337, wherein the MFTS stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment.
350. The system of claim 349, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
351. The system of claim 337, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter wirelessly communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
352. The system of claim 337, further comprising the step of providing a
Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
353. The system of claim 352, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
354. The system of claim 353, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from the
selected financial service provider and wirelessly communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
355. The system of claim 353, wherein the mobile device is further operative for receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment in response to display of a Payment Source selection command via the Mobile Wallet.
356. The system of claim 353, wherein the selection of a payment source for making the payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
357. The system of claim 337, wherein the MFTS receives a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
358. The system of claim 357, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for wirelessly communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
359. The system of claim 337, wherein the mobile device is further operative to provide a plurality of selectable payment methods including, in addition to a stored value (SV) card method, one or more of a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer method, and a paper check method.
360. The system of claim 337, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and wherein the MFTS software is further operative for: providing a web application;
receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and billing entities; and storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
361. The system of claim 360, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on the user's computer.
362. The system of claim 337, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying a payee's pre-existing SV card account number to the user for confirmation that the payment is to be made by crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
363. The system of claim 362, wherein information corresponding to the payee's pre-existing SV card is stored in an MFTS database and wirelessly communicated to the user mobile device for display to the user and confirmation by user command.
364. The system of claim 337, wherein the mobile device is further operative for providing a data entry screen on the mobile device for entry of a payee's pre- existing SV card account number for purposes of crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
365. The system of claim 337, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for: wirelessly communicating a message to a payee's mobile device, the message advising the payee that a payment has been sent by the user via SV card; and
receiving input from the payee at the payee's mobile device indicating a selected manner in which the payee wishes to receive the payment via SV card.
366. The system of claim 365, wherein the message to the payee' s mobile device comprises a text message.
367. The system of claim 365, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device is provided via a Mobile Wallet application installed on the payee's mobile device.
368. The system of claim 365, wherein the selected manner in which the payee can receive payment via SV card includes crediting the payment to a payee's pre-existing SV card and issue of a new SV card.
369. The system of claim 368, wherein in response to an indication by the payee of receipt of payment via a new SV card: the payee's mobile device displays a data entry screen for receiving entry of information to identify a location for receipt of a new SV card; receives payee input of information for identifying a location for receipt of the new SV card; wirelessly communicates the location information to the MFTS; and the MFTS software, in response to payee input of information identifying a location for receipt of the new SV card, wirelessly communicates information to the payee identifying a specific retail location at which the new SV card may be obtained.
370. The system of claim 368, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating card pickup information to the SV card issuer that enables the SV card issuer to issue a card to the payee and further enables a retail location that issues SV cards to verify the identity of the payee for SV card pickup.
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371. lne system of claim 370, wherein the card pickup information comprises a transaction number provided by the MFTS that is associated with the payment, a card number, and a mobile phone number associated with the payee.
372. The system of claim 370, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating the card pickup information to the payee's mobile device.
373. A method for making a financial payment to a payee via a stored value (SV) card utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising the steps of: receiving user input at the mobile device of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made by a stored value (SV) card payment method; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the MFTS coupled for communications with a payment instruction recipient that can issue a SV card to a payee, whereby the MFTS communicates a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient and the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee via a stored value card.
374. The method of claim 373, wherein the user information identifying a payee comprises identifying a payee by selection of one of a plurality of prestored names in the mobile device.
375. The method of claim 373, wherein the user information identifying a payee comprises identifying a payee by user entry of a mobile number.
376. The method of claim 373, further comprising the step of displaying information at the mobile device corresponding to selection by the user/payer of use a SV card payment method for effecting the payment to the payee from among a plurality of different payment methods.
377. The method of claim 376, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
378. The method of claim 373, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, a stored value card issuer, a retail establishment that handles stored value cards.
379. The method of claim 378, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
380. The method of claim 373, further comprising the step of receiving user selection of at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device.
381. The method of claim 380, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
382. The method of claim 380, wherein selection of a payment source causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers, and wherein the mobile device is operative to display the current account information to the user.
383. The method of claim 373, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter wirelessly communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
384. The method of claim 373, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
385. The method of claim 384, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
386. The method of claim 385, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from the selected financial service provider and wirelessly communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
387. The method of claim 385, further comprising the step of receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment in response to display of a Payment Source selection command via the Mobile Wallet.
388. The method of claim 385, wherein the selection of a payment source for making the payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
389. The method of claim 388, further comprising the step of wirelessly receiving a payment confirmation message at the mobile device from the MFTS in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
390. The method of claim 373, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of selectable payment methods on the mobile device including, in addition to a stored value (SV) card method, one or more of a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer method, and a paper check method.
391. The method of claim 373, further comprising the step of displaying a payee's pre-existing SV card account number to the user for confirmation that the payment is to be made by crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
3^. "The method of claim 391, wherein information corresponding to the payee's pre-existing SV card is stored in an MFTS database and wirelessly communicated to the user mobile device for display to the user and confirmation by user command.
393. The method of claim 373, further comprising the step of providing a data entry screen on the mobile device for entry of a payee's pre-existing SV card account number for purposes of crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
394. A mobile device making a financial payment to a payee via a stored value (SV) card, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; and mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving user input at the mobile device of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made by a stored value (SV) card payment method; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the MFTS coupled for communications with a payment instruction recipient that can issue a SV card to a payee, whereby the MFTS communicates a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient and the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee via a stored value card.
395. The device of claim 394, wherein the user information identifying a payee comprises identifying a payee by selection of one of a plurality of prestored names in the mobile device.
396. The device of claim 394, wherein the user information identifying a payee comprises identifying a payee by user entry of a mobile number.
397. The device of claim 394, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying information corresponding to selection by the user/payer of use a SV card payment method for effecting the payment to the payee from among a plurality of different payment methods.
398. The device of claim 397, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
399. The device of claim 394, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, a stored value card issuer, a retail establishment that handles stored value cards.
400. The device of claim 399, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account and wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
401. The device of claim 394, wherein the mobile device is further operative for receiving user selection of at least one selectable payment source for the payment at the user mobile device.
402. The device of claim 401, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
403. The device of claim 401, wherein selection of a payment source causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers, and wherein the mobile device is operative to display the current account information to the user.
404. The device of claim 394, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter wirelessly communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
405. The device of claim 394, wherein the mobile software comprises a
Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
406. The device of claim 405, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
407. The device of claim 406, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from the selected financial service provider and wirelessly communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
408. The device of claim 406, wherein the mobile device is further operative for receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment in response to display of a Payment Source selection command via the Mobile Wallet.
409. The device of claim 406, wherein the selection of a payment source for making the payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
410. The device of claim 394, wherein the mobile device is further operative for wirelessly receiving a payment confirmation message at the mobile device from the MFTS in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
411. The device of claim 394, wherein the mobile device is further operative for providing a plurality of selectable payment methods on the mobile device including, in addition to a stored value (SV) card method, one or more of a recipient- defined method, an ACH funds transfer method, and a paper check method.
412. The device of claim 394, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying a payee's pre-existing SV card account number to the user for confirmation that the payment is to be made by crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
413. The device of claim 412, wherein information corresponding to the payee's pre-existing SV card is stored in an MFTS database and wirelessly communicated to the user mobile device for display to the user and confirmation by user command.
414. The device of claim 394, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for providing entry screen on the mobile device for entry of a payee's preexisting SV card account number for purposes of crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
415. A computer-implemented method for a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) to effect a financial payment to a payee via a stored value (SV) card in response to a mobile device connected for communication via a wireless network, comprising the steps of:
wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from a mobile device, the mobile payment instruction including at least information corresponding to a stored value card payment method and an amount; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, determining information corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment and information indicating payment by a SV card method; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that maintains a relationship with a SV card entity, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information corresponding to potential payment by a
SV card payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, a payment is effected to the identified payee by a stored value card.
416. The method of claim 415, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a payee as one of a plurality of names prestored at the MFTS.
417. The method of claim 415, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a payee via a mobile number.
418. The method of claim 415, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, a stored value card issuer, a retail establishment that handles stored value cards.
419. The method of claim 418, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and
Il iu Ii .-•■ o .;;;;ιi Ui ii;; in/ c; \p> ,:Ά "$ ":si> , , , . „ . in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
420. The method of claim 415, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating information to the payee advising that payment by SV card may be received.
421. The method of claim 415, wherein the mobile payment instruction further includes information selecting at least one selectable payment source of the user for the payment.
422. The method of claim 421, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
423. The method of claim 421, wherein selection of a payment source causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
424. The method of claim 421, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and further comprising the step of determining information corresponding to a selected account at a financial service provider identified in the payment instruction by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
425. The method of claim 415, wherein the MFTS stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction
information including the payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment.
426. The method of claim 425, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
427. The method of claim 415, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter wirelessly communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
428. The method of claim 415, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for installation and use on the user mobile device.
429. The method of claim 428, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command on the Mobile Wallet application causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from the selected financial service provider and wirelessly communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
430. The method of claim 415, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
431. The method of claim 430, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
432. The method of claim 415, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of:
providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and billing entities; and storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
433. The method of claim 432, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on the user's computer.
434. The method of claim 415, wherein information corresponding to a payee's pre-existing SV card is stored in an MFTS database and wirelessly communicated to the user mobile device for display to the user and confirmation by user command.
435. The method of claim 415, further comprising the step of receiving information from the mobile device corresponding to a payee's pre-existing SV card account number for purposes of crediting a payee's pre-existing SV card.
436. The method of claim 415, further comprising the steps of: wirelessly communicating a message to a payee's mobile device, the message advising the payee that a payment has been sent by the user via SV card; and receiving input from the payee at the payee's mobile device indicating a selected manner in which the payee wishes to receive the payment via SV card.
437. The method of claim 436, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device comprises a text message.
" 438. The method of claim 436, wherein the message to the payee s mobile device is provided via a Mobile Wallet application installed on the payee's mobile device.
439. The method of claim 436, wherein the selected manner in which the payee can receive payment via SV card includes crediting the payment to a payee's pre-existing SV card and issue of a new SV card.
440. The method of claim 439, further comprising the step of, in response to an indication by the payee of receipt of payment via a new SV card: in response to payee input of information identifying a location for receipt of the new SV card, wirelessly communicating information to the payee identifying a specific retail location at which the new SV card may be obtained.
441. The method of claim 439, further comprising the step of: communicating card pickup information to the SV card issuer that enables the SV card issuer to issue a card to the payee and further enables a retail location that issues SV cards to verify the identity of the payee for SV card pickup.
442. The method of claim 441, wherein the card pickup information comprises a transaction number provided by the MFTS that is associated with the payment, a card number, and a mobile phone number associated with the payee.
443. The method of claim 441, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating the card pickup information to the payee's mobile device.
444. A system for effecting a stored value card payment in response to a communication from a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more mobile devices of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with a payment instruction recipient that
.■■ 'I effects a payment via a stored value card, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment information, the MFTS including MFTS software comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from a mobile device, the mobile payment instruction including at least information corresponding to a stored value card payment method and an amount; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, determining information corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment and information indicating payment by a SV card method; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that maintains a relationship with a SV card entity, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information corresponding to potential payment by a SV card payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, a payment is effected to the identified payee by a stored value card.
445. The system of claim 444, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a payee as one of a plurality of names prestored at the MFTS.
446. The system of claim 444, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a payee via a mobile number.
447. The system of claim 444, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, a stored value card issuer, a retail establishment that handles stored value cards.
448. The system of claim 444, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for wirelessly communicating information to the payee advising that payment by SV card may be received.
449. The system of claim 444, wherein the mobile payment instruction further includes information selecting at least one selectable payment source of the user for the payment.
450. The system of claim 449, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
451. The system of claim 450, wherein the MFTS communicates with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; wherein the MFTS wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the
MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
452. The system of claim 450, wherein selection of a payment source causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
453. The system of claim 450, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database also stores payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and wherein the MFTS software is further operative for determining information corresponding to a selected account at a financial service provider identified in the
payment instruction by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
454. The system of claim 453, wherein information corresponding to a payee's pre-existing SV card is stored in an MFTS database and wirelessly communicated to the user mobile device for display to the user and confirmation by user command.
455. The system of claim 444, wherein the MFTS stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment.
456. The system of claim 455, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
457. The system of claim 444, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter wirelessly communicated to the mobile device for display to the user.
458. The system of claim 444, wherein the system provides a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for installation and use on the user mobile device.
459. The system of claim 458, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command on the Mobile Wallet application causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from a financial service provider and wirelessly communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the financial service provider.
460. The system of claim 444, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
461. The system of claim 460, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for wirelessly communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
462. The system of claim 444, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising: a web application in association with the MFTS operative for receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and billing entities; and the MFTS software further operative for storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
463. The system of claim 462, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on the user's computer.
464. The system of claim 444, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving information from the mobile device corresponding to a payee's pre-existing SV card account number for purposes of crediting a payee's preexisting SV card.
465. The system of claim 444, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for:
wirelessly communicating a message to a payee's mobile device, the message advising the payee that a payment has been sent by the user via SV card; and receiving input from the payee at the payee's mobile device indicating a selected manner in which the payee wishes to receive the payment via SV card.
466. The system of claim 465, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device comprises a text message.
467. The system of claim 465, wherein the message to the payee's mobile device is provided via a Mobile Wallet application installed on the payee's mobile device.
468. The system of claim 465, wherein the selected manner in which the payee can receive payment via SV card includes crediting the payment to a payee's pre-existing SV card and issue of a new SV card.
469. The system of claim 468, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for, in response to an indication by the payee of receipt of payment via a new SV card: in response to payee input of information identifying a location for receipt of the new SV card, wirelessly communicating information to the payee identifying a specific retail location at which the new SV card may be obtained.
470. The system of claim 468, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating card pickup information to the SV card issuer that enables the SV card issuer to issue a card to the payee and further enables a retail location that issues SV cards to verify the identity of the payee for SV card pickup.
471. The system of claim 470, wherein the card pickup information comprises a transaction number provided by the MFTS that is associated with the payment, a card number, and a mobile phone number associated with the payee.
472. the system of "claim 470, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for wirelessly communicating the card pickup information to the payee's mobile device.
473. (**Methods and Systems for Viewing Aggregated Payment Obligation in a Mobile Environment**) A method for a mobile financial transaction using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with an aggregator that collects information from a plurality of payees with whom a user has a financial relationship, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, receiving payment to make information at the MFTS from the aggregator corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee; generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP; and displaying summarized payment information at the user mobile device, the summarized payment information based on the summarized payment to make information received from the MFTS.
474. The method of claim 473, wherein the summarized payment information communicated to the mobile device consists of a payee identifier, an amount due, and a due date.
471 The method of claim 473, wherein the aggregator and the MFTS are implemented as an integrated system.
476. The method of claim 473, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
477. The method of claim 476, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve additional payee information stored locally in a mobile device memory.
478. The method of claim 477, wherein the additional payee information is a nickname associated with the payee.
479. The method of claim 477, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the aggregator.
480. The method of claim 473, further comprising the steps of: at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make from among a plurality of payments represented by summarized payment to make information; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a selected payment to make and a payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS; at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source identified in the mobile payment instruction;
at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effecting a payment to the identified payee.
481. The method of claim 480, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of the aggregator, a financial service provider, an individual billing entity.
482. The method of claim 481, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
483. The method of claim 480, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
484. The method of claim 480, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
485. The method of claim 473, wherein at least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via an Internet-accessible web site associated with the MFTS that is accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
486. The method of claim 485, wherein the portion of the payment to make information comprises payee identifying information.
487. The method of claim 473, wherein the step of displaying summarized payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
488. The method of claim 473, wherein the step of displaying summarized payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
489. The method of claim 473, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
490. The method of claim 489, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
491. The method of claim 489, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a payment to make in response to display of a View Bills command.
492. The method of claim 489, wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from the aggregator and communicate summarized payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the aggregator.
493. The method of claim 489, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
494. The method of claim 493, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
495. The method of claim 489, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
496. The method of claim 473, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.
497. The method of claim 496, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
498. The method of claim 497, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user's computer.
499. The method of claim 473, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with communications with the user mobile device.
500. A mobile financial transaction system for a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising:
at least one user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for wirelessly receiving and displaying summarized payment to make information from the MFTS, the summarized payment information based on information received from the MFTS; and a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more mobile devices of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with an aggregator that collects information from a plurality of payees with whom a user has a financial relationship, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, the MFTS including MFTS software comprising program code for carrying out the computer- implemented steps of: receiving payment to make information from the aggregator corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee; generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; and wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP.
501. The system of claim 500, wherein the summarized payment information communicated to the mobile device consists of a payee identifier, an amount due, and a due date.
502. The system of claim 500, wherein the aggregator and the MFTS are implemented as an integrated system.
503. The system of claim 500, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition
to other selected payment information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
504. The system of claim 503, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve additional payee information stored locally in a mobile device memory.
505. The system of claim 504, wherein the additional payee information is a nickname associated with the payee.
506. The system of claim 504, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the aggregator.
507. The system of claim 500, wherein the mobile device is further operative for: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make from among a plurality of payments represented by summarized payment to make information; in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a selected payment to make and a payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS.
508. The system of claim 507, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for the computer-implemented steps of: in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction from the mobile device, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source identified in the mobile payment instruction;
generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the identified payee.
509. The system of claim 508, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of the aggregator, a financial service provider, an individual billing entity.
510. The system of claim 508, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
511. The system of claim 508, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
512. The system of claim 508, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
513. The system of claim 500, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via an Internet-accessible web site associated with the MFTS that is accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
514. The system of claim 513, wherein the portion of the payment to make information comprises payee identifying information.
515. The system of claim 500, wherein the step of displaying summarized payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
516. The system of claim 500, wherein the step of displaying summarized payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
517. The system of claim 500, further comprising the step of providing a
Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
518. The system of claim 517, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
519. The system of claim 517, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a payment to make in response to display of a View Bills command.
520. The system of claim 517, wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from the aggregator and communicate summarized payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the aggregator.
521. The system of claim 517, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
522. The system of claim 521, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
523. The system of claim 517, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
524. The system of claim 500, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.
525. The system of claim 524, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
526. The system of claim 525, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user's computer.
527. The system of claim 500, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with communications with the user mobile device.
528. A method for a mobile financial transaction using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of:
wirelessly receiving summarized payment to make information at a mobile device from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the summarized payment to make information based on payment to make information received from an aggregator corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information provided to the MFTS by the aggregator; and displaying the summarized payment information at the user mobile device, the summarized payment information based on the summarized payment to make information received from the MFTS.
529. The method of claim 528, wherein the summarized payment information communicated to the mobile device consists of a payee identifier, an amount due, and a due date.
530. The method of claim 528, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
531. The method of claim 530, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve additional payee information stored locally in a mobile device memory.
532. The method of claim 531, wherein the additional payee information is a nickname associated with the payee.
533. The method of claim 531, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the aggregator.
534. The method of claim 528, further comprising the steps of: at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make from among a plurality of payments represented by summarized payment to make information;
at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a selected payment to make and a payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS; whereby the MFTS provides a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient to effect a payment to an identified payee.
535. The method of claim 534, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of the aggregator, a financial service provider, an individual billing entity.
536. The method of claim 535, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
537. The method of claim 534, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
538. The method of claim 534, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
539. The method of claim 528, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via an Internet-accessible web site associated with the MFTS that is accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
540. The method of claim 539, wherein the portion of the payment to make information comprises payee identifying information.
541. The method of claim 528, wherein the step of displaying summarized payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
542. The method of claim 528, wherein the step of displaying summarized payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
543. The method of claim 528, further comprising the step of providing a
Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
544. The method of claim 543, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
545. The method of claim 543, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a payment to make in response to display of a View Bills command.
546. The method of claim 543, wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from the aggregator and communicate summarized payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the aggregator.
547. The method of claim 543, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
548. The method of claim 547, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
549. The method of claim 543, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
550. A mobile device for viewing payments to make provided by an aggregator, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; and mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: wirelessly receiving summarized payment to make information from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the summarized payment to make information based on payment to make information received from an aggregator corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information provided to the MFTS by the aggregator; and displaying the summarized payment information at the user mobile device, the summarized payment information based on the summarized payment to make information received from the MFTS.
551. The device of claim 550, wherein the summarized payment information communicated to the mobile device consists of a payee identifier, an amount due, and a due date.
552. The device of claim 550, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition
ii,.,.. <i,.,n ,,.,,ι> ':;ii> "in1 to other selected payment information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
553. The device of claim 552, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve additional payee information stored locally in a mobile device memory.
554. The device of claim 553, wherein the additional payee information is a nickname associated with the payee.
555. The device of claim 553, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the aggregator.
556. The device of claim 550, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make from among a plurality of payments represented by summarized payment to make information; in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a selected payment to make and a payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS; whereby the MFTS provides a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient to effect a payment to an identified payee.
557. The device of claim 556, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of the aggregator, a financial service provider, an individual billing entity.
558. The device of claim 557, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account;and
wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
559. The device of claim 556, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
560. The device of claim 556, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user at one or more selectable financial service providers.
561. The device of claim 550, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via an Internet-accessible web site associated with the MFTS that is accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
562. The device of claim 561, wherein the portion of the payment to make information comprises payee identifying information.
563. The device of claim 550, wherein the step of displaying summarized payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
564. The device of claim 550, wherein the step of displaying summarized payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
565. The device of claim 550, wherein the mobile device software includes a Mobile Wallet application.
566. The device of claim 565, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
567. The device of claim 565, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a payment to make in response to display of a View Bills command.
568. The device of claim 565, wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve payment to make information from the aggregator and communicate summarized payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the aggregator.
569. The device of claim 565, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
570. The device of claim 569, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
571. The device of claim 565, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
572. A method for a mobile financial transaction in response to a user with a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with an aggregator that collects information from a plurality of payees with whom a user has a financial relationship, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment to make information associated with the one or more payees,
receiving payment to make information at the MFTS from the aggregator corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee; generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; and wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP.
573. The method of claim 572, wherein the summarized payment information communicated to the mobile device consists of a payee identifier, an amount due, and a due date.
574. The method of claim 572, wherein the aggregator and the MFTS are implemented as an integrated system.
575. The method of claim 572, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
576. The method of claim 575, further comprising the step of storing a nickname associated with a payee.
577. The method of claim 575, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the aggregator.
578. The method of claim 572, further comprising the steps of: receiving a mobile payment instruction from a user mobile device; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to a payment source identified in the mobile payment instruction;
generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the identified payee.
579. The method of claim 578, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of the aggregator, a financial service provider, an individual billing entity.
580. The method of claim 579, further comprising the steps of: communicating with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; and wirelessly communicating updated account balance information from the
MFTS to the user mobile device, whereby, in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
581. The method of claim 578, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
582. The method of claim 578, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
583. The method of claim 572, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via an Internet-accessible web site associated with the MFTS that is accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
584. The method of claim 583, wherein the portion of the payment to make information comprises payee identifying information.
585. The method of claim 572, further comprising the step of providing a text message to a user mobile device upon receipt of payment to make information from the aggregator.
586. The method of claim 572, wherein in response to user activation of a View Bills command on a mobile device, the MFTS retrieves payment to make information from the aggregator and communicates summarized payment to make information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the aggregator.
587. The method of claim 572, wherein in response to user activation of a View Payment Sources command on a mobile device, the MFTS retrieves current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicates the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
588. The method of claim 572, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.
589. The method of claim 588, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
590. The method of claim 589, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user's computer.
591. The method of claim 572, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with communications with the user mobile device.
592. A mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) for facilitating a mobile financial transaction by a user with a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment to make information associated with one or more payees associated with a mobile device user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments including an aggregator that collects information from a plurality of payees with whom a user has a financial relationship; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving payment to make information from the aggregator corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee; generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; and wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via a mobile communication service provider.
593. The system of claim 592, wherein the summarized payment information communicated to the mobile device consists of a payee identifier, an amount due, and a due date.
594. The system of claim 592, wherein the aggregator and the MFTS are implemented as an integrated system.
595. The system of claim 592, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
596. The system of claim 592, wherein the MFTS database stores a nickname associated with a payee.
597. The system of claim 596, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the aggregator.
598. The system of claim 592, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for: receiving a mobile payment instruction from a user mobile device; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to a payment source identified in the mobile payment instruction; generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the identified payee.
599. The system of claim 598, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of the aggregator, a financial service provider, an individual billing entity.
600. The system of claim 598, wherein the MFTS communicates with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; and wherein the MFTS wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
601. The system of claim 598, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
602. The system of claim 598, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
603. The system of claim 592, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via an Internet-accessible web site associated with the MFTS that is accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
604. The system of claim 603, wherein the portion of the payment to make information comprises payee identifying information.
605. The system of claim 592, further comprising the step of providing a text message to a user mobile device upon receipt of payment to make information from the aggregator.
606. The system of claim 592, wherein in response to user activation of a View Bills command on a mobile device, the MFTS retrieves payment to make information from the aggregator and communicates summarized payment to make
information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the aggregator.
607. The system of claim 592, wherein in response to user activation of a View Payment Sources command on a mobile device, the MFTS retrieves current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicates the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
608. The system of claim 592, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.
609. The system of claim 608, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
610. The system of claim 609, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user's computer.
611. The system of claim 592, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with communications with the user mobile device.
612. (** Methods and Systems for Providing a Payment in a Mobile Environment **) A method for making a financial payment to a payee from a user/payer utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising the steps of: receiving user input at the mobile device of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made, information identifying a payment source for the payment, and information corresponding to one or more selectable payment methods; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee, the payment source, and the selected payment method; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the payment source, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, making a payment to the identified payee without any required action by the payee.
613. The method of claim 612, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.
614. The method of claim 612, wherein the payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.
615. The method of claim 614, further comprising the steps of:
storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device,
616. The method of claim 614, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the identification of a payment source comprises selection of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.
617. The method of claim 612, further comprising the steps of, in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction at the MFTS: determining information corresponding to a selected account at a selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction as the payment source; generating an MFTS payment instruction to the determined financial service provider, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the selected financial service provider as the payment instruction recipient.
618. The method of claim 617, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and wherein the step of determining information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction is effected by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
619. The method of claim 612, wherein the payee information is provided by the user by input at the mobile device.
620. The method of claim 612, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display and selection by to the user.
621. The method of claim 612, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
622. The method of claim 621, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
623. The method of claim 622, wherein user input corresponding to identifying a payment source is provided in response to display of a Payment Source selection command.
624. The method of claim 623, wherein the identifying of a payment source for making the payment comprises selection of a particular account associated with a financial service provider.
625. The method of claim 622, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from a selected financial service provider and communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
626. The method of claim 612, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
627. The method of claim 612, wherein the MFTS includes a database for storing user information and transaction information.
628. The method of claim 627, wherein the transaction information comprises payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of user payments, including one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a payment method identifier, a pending/complete flag.
629. The method of claim 627, wherein the user information comprises prestored information corresponding to payees, accounts, and financial service providers associated with users.
630. The method of claim 612, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
631. The method of claim 630, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
632. The method of claim 612, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
633. The method of claim 612, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and
storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
634. The method of claim 633, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on a user's computer.
635. The method of claim 612, wherein the MFTS provides a message to the payee informing the payee that a payment has been made.
636. The method of claim 635, wherein the message is a text message provide to the payee's mobile device.
637. The method of claim 636, wherein the message is provided to a payee that has a Mobile Wallet application on the payee's mobile device, and wherein the payee is informed in the message as to an option for receiving the payment.
638. The method of claim 637, wherein the option for receiving the payment includes one or more of an existing stored value card, a new stored value card, a payment method other than the payment method indicated by the user/payer.
639. A system for facilitating a financial payment to a payee from a user/payer utilizing a mobile device connected for communications via a wireless network, comprising: a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for: receiving user input of information identifying a payee for a payment to be made, information identifying a payment source for the payment, and information corresponding to one or more selectable payment methods; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the identified payee, the payment source, and the selected payment method; and
wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system in wireless communication with a user mobile device and operative for conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; and MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the payment source, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the identified payee without any required action by the payee.
640. The system of claim 639, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.
641. The system of claim 639, wherein the payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.
642. The system of claim 641, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the identification of a payment source comprises selection on the mobile device of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.
643. The system of claim 642, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
644. The system of claim 639, further comprising the steps of, in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction at the MFTS: determining information corresponding to a selected account at a selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction as the payment source; generating an MFTS payment instruction to the determined financial service provider, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the selected financial service provider as the payment instruction recipient.
645. The system of claim 644, wherein the mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; and wherein the step of determining information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction is effected by retrieving said information from information prestored in the MFTS database.
646. The system of claim 639, wherein the payee information is provided by the user by input at the mobile device.
647. The system of claim 639, wherein at least some payee information is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payee information and is thereafter communicated to the mobile device for display and selection by to the user.
648. The system of claim 639, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
649. The system of claim 648, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a Pay Anyone command, a Payment Source selection command, and a Payment Method selection command.
650. The system of claim 649, wherein user input corresponding to identifying a payment source is provided in response to display of a Payment Source selection command.
651. The system of claim 650, wherein the identifying of a payment source for making the payment comprises selection of a particular account associated with a financial service provider.
652. The system of claim 649, wherein user activation of a Payment Source selection command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from a selected financial service provider and communicate current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the selected financial service provider.
653. The system of claim 639, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
654. The system of claim 639, wherein the MFTS includes a database for storing user information and transaction information.
655. The system of claim 654, wherein the transaction information comprises payment information in addition to other information utilized to track status of user payments, including one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a payment method identifier, a pending/complete flag.
656. The system of claim 654, wherein the user information comprises prestored information corresponding to payees, accounts, and financial service providers associated with users.
657. The system of claim 639, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
658. The system of claim 657, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
659. The system of claim 639, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
660. The system of claim 639, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in an MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user mobile device.
661. The system of claim 660, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user on a user's computer.
662. The system of claim 639, wherein the MFTS provides a message to the payee informing the payee that a payment has been made.
663. The system of claim 662, wherein the message is a text message provide to the payee's mobile device.
664. The system of claim 663, wherein the message is provided to a payee that has a Mobile Wallet application on the payee's mobile device, and wherein the payee is informed in the message as to an option for receiving the payment.
665. The system of claim 664, wherein the option for receiving the payment includes one or more of an existing stored value card, a new stored value card, a payment method other than the payment method indicated by the user/payer.
666. A method for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more payment sources, the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with one or more sources of payee information indicative of a payee to whom a payment is to be made; the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information; the MFTS including a web application for receiving user input of user information and information relating to payees;
receiving payment to make information at the MFTS from a payee information source corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to at least one payee; generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information from a payee information source, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP; displaying information corresponding to the summarized payment to make at the user mobile device; at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment and selection of at least one payment to make; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS; at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source; at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effecting a payment to the identified payee.
667. The method of claim 666, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the payment to make at the user mobile device comprises displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable bills to pay, the one or more
selectable bills to pay including the payment to make information associated with a billing entity associated with a bill to pay.
668, The method of claim 666, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
669. The method of claim 666, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
670. The method of claim 666, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
671. The method of claim 670, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve more comprehensive billing entity information stored locally in a mobile device memory.
672. The method of claim 666, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
673. The method of claim 672, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
674. The method of claim 672, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
675. The method of claim 666, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via the web application or is input by the user at the mobile device.
676. The method of claim 666, further comprising the step of displaying payment to make information at the user mobile device in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
677. The method of claim 666, wherein the step of displaying payment to make information at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a message from the MFTS.
678. The method of claim 677, wherein the message is a text message.
679. The method of claim 677, wherein the message is displayed via a Mobile
Wallet application on the user mobile device.
680. The method of claim 666, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
681. The method of claim 680, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
682. The method of claim 681, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a bill to pay in response to display of a View Bills command.
683. The method of claim 681, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of the
View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.
684. The method of claim 683, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.
685. The method of claim 683, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.
686. The method of claim 681, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
687. The method of claim 686, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
688. The method of claim 681, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
689. The method of claim 666, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.
690. The method of claim 666, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
691. The method of claim 666, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.
692. The method of claim 691, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
693. The method of claim 666, further comprising the steps of: receiving user information via the web application corresponding to payment sources and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with transactions.
694. The method of claim 693, further comprising the steps of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user's computer.
695. The method of claim 666, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
696. The method of claim 695, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
697. The method of claim 666, further comprising the steps of: at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and at the user mobile device in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment, whereby the payment is effected via the selected payment method.
698. The method of claim 697, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
IJ66
699. A system for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS)5 the mobile device operative for wirelessly receiving summarized payment to make information from the
MFTS, receiving user input corresponding to a payment to make and a payment source for making a payment, generating a mobile payment instruction to the MFTS indicating a payment to make and a payment source, and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database associated with the MFTS for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with a user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments, the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more payment sources, the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with one or more sources of payee information indicative of a payee to whom a payment is to be made; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system including a web application for receiving user input of user information and information relating to payee, and comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving payment to make information from a payee information source corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to at least one payee; generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make information from a payee information source, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information;
wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction from a mobile device, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source; generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, a payment is effected to the identified payee.
700. The system of claim 699, wherein the mobile device displays information corresponding to one or more selectable bills to pay, the one or more selectable bills to pay including the payment to make information associated with a billing entity associated with a bill to pay.
701. The system of claim 699, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
702. The system of claim 699, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
703. The system of claim 699, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
704. The system of claim 703, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve more comprehensive billing entity information stored locally in a mobile device memory.
705. The system of claim 699, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
706. The system of claim 705, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
707. The system of claim 705, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
708. The system of claim 699, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via the web application or is input by the user at the mobile device.
709. The system of claim 699, wherein the mobile device displays payment to make information in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
710. The system of claim 699, wherein the mobile device displays payment to make information in response to receipt at the mobile device of a message from the MFTS.
711. The system of claim 710, wherein the message is a text message.
712. The system of claim 710, wherein the message is displayed on a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
713. The system of claim 699, wherein the MFTS provides a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for use on a user mobile device.
714. The system of claim 713, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
715. The system of claim 714, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a bill to pay in response to display of a View Bills command.
716. The system of claim 714, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.
717. The system of claim 716, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.
718. The system of claim 716, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.
719. The system of claim 714, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
720. The system of claim 719, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
721. The system of claim 714, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
722. The system of claim 699, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.
723. The system of claim 699, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
724. The system of claim 699, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.
725. The system of claim 724, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
726. The system of claim 699, wherein the web application is operative for receiving user information corresponding to payment sources and payees; and wherein the MFTS database stores user information input via the web application for use in connection with transactions.
727. The system of claim 726, wherein the web application is operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, to a user via the user's computer.
728. The system of claim 699, wherein the MFTS software is operative for receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
729. The system of claim 728, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
730. The system of claim 699, wherein the mobile device is operative for receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment and including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
731. The system of claim 730, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
732. A method for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: receiving user input on a mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment and selection of at least one payment to make; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more payment sources and with one or more sources of payee information indicative of an identified payee to whom a payment is to be made, whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the identified payee by communicating a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient.
733. The method of claim 732, further comprising the step of displaying information on the mobile device corresponding to the payment to make, the information corresponding to one or more selectable bills to pay, the one or more selectable bills to pay including the payment to make information associated with a billing entity associated with a bill to pay.
734. The method of claim 732, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
735. The method of claim 732, further comprising the step of receiving summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS and displaying information corresponding to the summarized payment to make information.
736. The method of claim 735, wherein the summarized payment to make information includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
737. The method of claim 736, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve more comprehensive billing entity information stored locally in a mobile device memory.
738. The method of claim 735, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
739. The method of claim 732, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
740. The method of claim 739, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;
receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
741. The method of claim 739, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
742. The method of claim 732, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information utilized in making the payment is input to the MFTS by the user via a web application associated with the MFTS or is input by the user at the mobile device.
743. The method of claim 732, further comprising the step of displaying payment to make information at the user mobile device in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
744. The method of claim 732, further comprising the step of displaying payment to make information at the user mobile device in response to receipt at the mobile device of a message from the MFTS.
745. The method of claim 744, wherein the message is a text message.
746. The method of claim 745, wherein the message is displayed via a Mobile
Wallet application on the user mobile device.
747. The method of claim 732, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
748. The method of claim 747, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
749. The method of claim 748, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a bill to pay in response to display of a View Bills command.
750. The method of claim 748, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.
751. The method of claim 750, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.
752. The method of claim 750, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.
753. The method of claim 748, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
754. The method of claim 753, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
755. The method of claim 748, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
756. The method of claim 732, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.
757. The method of claim 732, further comprising the step of wirelessly receiving a payment confirmation message at the mobile device from the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
758. The method of claim 732, further comprising the steps of: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
759. The method of claim 758, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
760. A mobile device for making a mobile financial payment via a wireless network, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; and mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment and selection of at least one payment to make; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a selected payment source for making a payment; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more payment sources and with one or more sources of payee
information indicative of an identified payee to whom a payment is to be made, whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the identified payee by communicating a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient.
761. The device of claim 760, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying information corresponding to the payment to make, the information corresponding to one or more selectable bills to pay, the one or more selectable bills to pay including the payment to make information associated with a billing entity associated with a bill to pay.
762. The device of claim 760, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
763. The device of claim 760, wherein the mobile device is further operative for receiving summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS and displaying information corresponding to the summarized payment to make information.
764. The device of claim 763, wherein the summarized payment to make information includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
765. The device of claim 764, wherein the coded payee identifier is used at the mobile device to retrieve more comprehensive billing entity information stored locally in a mobile device memory.
766. The device of claim 763, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
767. The device of claim 760, wherein the payment source comprises al least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
768. The system of claim 767, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account and wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
769. The device of claim 767, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
770. The device of claim 760, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information utilized in making the payment is input to the MFTS by the user via a web application associated with the MFTS or is input by the user at the mobile device.
771. The device of claim 760, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying payment to make information in response to user activation of a "View Bills" function.
772. The device of claim 760, wherein the mobile device is further operative for displaying payment to make information in response to receipt at the mobile device of a message from the MFTS.
773. The device of claim 772, wherein the message is a text message.
774. The device of claim 772, wherein the message is displayed via a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
775. The device of claim 760, wherein the mobile device software comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
776. The device of claim 775, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
777. The device of claim 776, wherein the display comprises user controls for user selection of a bill to pay in response to display of a View Bills command.
778. The device of claim 776, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.
779. The device of claim 778, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.
780. The device of claim 778, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.
781. The device of claim 776, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View
Payment Sources command.
782. The device of claim 781, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
783. The device of claim 776, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one
or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
784. The device of claim 760, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.
785. The device of claim 760, wherein the mobile device is further operative for wirelessly receiving a payment confirmation message at the mobile device from the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
786. The device of claim 760, wherein the mobile device is further operative for: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
787. The device of claim 786, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
788. A computer-implemented method for a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) to effect a financial payment to a payee in response to a mobile device connected for communication via a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a web application for receiving user input of user information and information relating to payees; receiving payment to make information from a payee information source corresponding to a payment to be made by a mobile device user to at least one payee; generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make information from a payee information source, the summarized
payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to a user mobile device; wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from a MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source; generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the
MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, whereby in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee.
789. The method of claim 788, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
790. The method of claim 788, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
791. The method of claim 788, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
792. The method of claim 788, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
793. The method of claim 792, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date;
receiving updated account balance information for the account; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
794. The method of claim 792, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
795. The method of claim 788, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via the web application or is input by the user at the mobile device.
796. The method of claim 788, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a message to a user mobile device in response to receipt of payment to make information from a payee information source.
797. The method of claim 796, wherein the message is configured for display on a user mobile device via a Mobile Wallet application.
798. The method of claim 796, wherein the message is a text message.
799. The method of claim 788, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for a user mobile device.
800. The method of claim 788, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of a View Bills command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.
801. The method of claim 800, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.
802. The method of claim 800, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.
803. The method of claim 788, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes user selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
804. The method of claim 788, wherein user activation of a View Payment Sources command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
805. The method of claim 788, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.
806. The method of claim 788, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
807. The method of claim 788, further comprising the step of storing transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.
808. The method of claim 807, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
809. The method of claim 788, further comprising the steps of:
receiving user information via the web application corresponding to payment sources and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application for use in connection with transactions.
810. The method of claim 809, further comprising the steps of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user's computer.
811. The method of claim 788, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from a payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment by the payment instruction recipient.
812. The method of claim 811, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
813. The method of claim 788, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment, and wherein the payment is effected via the selected payment method.
814. The method of claim 813, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
815. A mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) for effecting a payment on behalf of a user with a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment to make information associated with one or more payees associated with a mobile device user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic
communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; and MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system including a web application for receiving user input of user information and information relating to payees, the MFTS software comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving payment to make information from a payee information source corresponding to a payment to be made by a mobile device user to at least one payee; generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make information from a payee information source, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to a user mobile device; wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from a MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the payment source; generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, whereby in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee.
816. The system of claim 815, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
817. The system of claim 816, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
818. The system of claim 816, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated by the MFTS includes a coded payee identifier in addition to other selected payment to make information, the coded payee identifier being reduced in size relative to payee identifying information stored at the MFTS.
819. The system of claim 815, wherein the payment source comprises at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider.
820. The system of claim 819, wherein the payment source comprises a plurality of selectable accounts maintained by the user, at one or more selectable financial service providers.
821. The system of claim 819, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the user mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
822. The system of claim 815, wherein a least a portion of the payment to make information is input to the MFTS by the user via the web application or is input by the user at the mobile device.
823. The system of claim 815, further comprising the step of wirelessly communicating a message to a user mobile device in response to receipt of payment to make information from a payee information source.
824. The system of claim 823, wherein the message is a text message.
825. The system of claim 823, wherein the message is configured for display on a user mobile device via a Mobile Wallet application.
826. The system of claim 815, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for a user mobile device.
827. The system of claim 815, wherein the payee information source comprises at least one bill information source, and wherein user activation of a View Bills command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from the bill information source and communicate bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill information source.
828. The system of claim 827, wherein the bill information source comprises a bill aggregator.
829. The system of claim 827, wherein the bill information source comprises an individual billing entity.
830. The system of claim 815, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes user selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
831. The system of claim 815, wherein user activation of a View Payment Sources command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and wirelessly communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
832. The system of claim 815, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated payment to make information to the MFTS.
833. The system of claim 815, wherein the summarized payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a coded payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
834. The system of claim 815, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for storing transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including payment to make information received from the user upon selection of a payment to make in addition to other information utilized to track status of payments made by the user.
835. The system of claim 834, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
836. The system of claim 815, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving user information via the web application corresponding to payment sources and payees, and storing the user information input via the web application for use in connection with transactions.
837. The system of claim 836, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via the user's computer.
838. The system of claim 836, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message at the MFTS from a payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment by the payment instruction recipient.
839. The system of claim 838, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
840. The system of claim 826, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment, and wherein the payment is effected via the selected payment method.
841. The system of claim 840, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
842. (**Methods and Systems for Managing Payment Sources in a Mobile Environment **) A method for selecting a payment source for use in making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more financial service providers with which the user maintains one or more accounts, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; displaying information corresponding to a payment to make at the user mobile device; displaying information corresponding to a plurality of accounts available to the user as a payment source for use in connection with making the payment; at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making the payment; at the user mobile device in response to the user input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment and a selected payment source for making the payment; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS ; at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment
instruction and information corresponding to the selected payment source identified in the payment instruction; at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment source; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effecting a payment to the identified payee utilizing the selected payment source.
843. The method of claim 842, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.
844. The method of claim 842, wherein the selected payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.
845. The method of claim 844, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the selection of a payment source comprises selection of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.
846. The method of claim 842, further comprising the step of receiving payment to make information at the MFTS corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee.
847. The method of claim 846, further comprising the steps of: generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; and
wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP.
848. The method of claim 842, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a selected account at a selected financial service provider.
849. The method of claim 842, wherein the payment to make information comprises payment to make information provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
850. The method of claim 849, wherein the external source for the payment to make information comprises a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities as well as an individual billing entity.
851. The method of claim 842, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
852. The method of claim 842, wherein the information corresponding to the payment to make displayed at the user mobile device comprises information based on the summarized payment to make information.
853. The method of claim 842, wherein the information corresponding to the plurality of accounts available to the user as a payment source for use in connection with making the payment comprises summarized payment source information.
854. The method of claim 842, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the payment to make and/or the plurality of accounts at the user mobile device is effected in response to user activation of a predetermined function on the mobile device.
855. The method of claim 854, wherein the user activation of a predetermined function causes the MFTS retrieve information from a source of payment to make information and/or a payment source and forward the information to the user mobile device upon receipt.
856. The method of claim 842, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the payment to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
857. The method of claim 842, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
858. The method of claim 857, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
859. The method of claim 857, further comprising the step of receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make is provided in response to display of a View Bills command.
860. The method of claim 857, wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from a bill presentment system and communicate the bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
861. The method of claim 857, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
862. The method of claim 857, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information
to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
863. The method of claim 842, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
864. The method of claim 842, wherein a default payment source is stored as user information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user to use the default payment source or select another payment source, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment source by the user, the default payment source is utilized to make the payment.
865. The method of claim 842, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of user payments.
866. The method of claim 865, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
867. The method of claim 842, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment source at the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
868. The method of claim 867, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment source.
869. The method of claim 842, further comprising the steps of:
at the user mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for malting a payment; and at the user mobile device in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
870. The method of claim 869, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
871. The method of claim 842, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with transactions initiated via the user mobile device.
872. The method of claim 871, wherein the user information received via the web application includes information corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees.
873. The method of claim 872, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via user's computer.
874. The method of claim 842, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS at the user mobile device; and
in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
875. A mobile financial transaction system operative for allowing user selection of a payment source for use in making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for wirelessly receiving summarized payment source information from the MFTS, displaying one or more selectable accounts for malting the payment, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment, generating a mobile payment instruction to the MFTS indicating a payment to make, and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS; " ■ a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database associated with the MFTS for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider of a user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: providing information to a user mobile device corresponding to a payment to make; providing information to a user mobile device corresponding to a plurality of accounts available to the user as a payment source for use in connection with making the payment; in response to receipt of a mobile payment instruction from a mobile device, retrieving information from the MFTS database
corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected payment source identified in the payment instruction; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment source; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the identified payee utilizing the selected payment source.
876. The system of claim 875, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.
877. The system of claim 875, wherein the selected payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.
878. The system of claim 877, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the selection of a payment source comprises selection of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.
879. The system of claim 875, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving payment to make information corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee.
880. The system of claim 879, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for:
generating summarized payment to make information based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; and wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device via the MCSP.
881. The system of claim 875, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a selected account at a selected financial service provider.
882. The system of claim 875, wherein the payment to make information comprises payment to make information provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
883. The system of claim 882, wherein the external source for the payment to make information comprises a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities as well as an individual billing entity.
884. The system of claim 875, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
885. The system of claim 875, wherein the information corresponding to the payment to make displayed at the user mobile device comprises information based on the summarized payment to make information.
886. The system of claim 875, wherein the information corresponding to the plurality of accounts available to the user as a payment source for use in connection with making the payment comprises summarized payment source information.
887. The system of claim 875, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the payment to make and/or the plurality of accounts at the user mobile device is effected in response to user activation of a predetermined function on the mobile device.
888. The system of claim 887, wherein the user activation of a predetermined function causes the MFTS retrieve information from a source of payment to make information and/or a payment source and forward the information to the user mobile device upon receipt.
889. The system of claim 875, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the payment to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
890. The system of claim 875, further comprising a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
891. The system of claim 890, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
892. The system of claim 890, wherein the Mobile Wallet application is operative to receive user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make in response to display of a View Bills command.
893. The system of claim 890, wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from a bill presentment system and communicate the bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
894. The system of claim 890, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
895. The system of claim 890, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
896. The system of claim 875, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
897. The system of claim 875, wherein a default payment source is stored as user information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user to use the default payment source or select another payment source, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment source by the user, the default payment source is utilized to make the payment.
898. The system of claim 875, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of user payments.
899. The system of claim 898, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
900. The system of claim 875, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment source in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
901. The system of claim 900, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment source.
902. The system of claim 875, wherein the mobile device is further operative for: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
903. The system of claim 902, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
904. The system of claim 875, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with transactions initiated via the user mobile device.
905. The system of claim 904, wherein the user information received via the web application includes information corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees.
906. The system of claim 904, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via user's computer.
907. The system of claim 875, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
908. A method for selecting a payment source for use in making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: wirelessly receiving summarized payment source information at a mobile device from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the summarized payment source information based on payment source information received from a financial service provider with whom a user maintains a relationship; displaying information corresponding to a payment to make at the user mobile device; displaying information corresponding to a plurality of accounts available to the user as a payment source for use in connection with making the payment; receiving user selection of a payment source from the plurality of available accounts; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment and a selected payment source for making the payment; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user mobile device to the MFTS, whereby the MFTS effects the payment to utilizing the selected payment source.
909. The method of claim 908, wherein the MFTS utilizes information from the mobile payment instruction to provide an instruction to a payment instruction
recipient, and wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.
910. The method of claim 908, wherein the selected payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.
911. The method of claim 910, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the selection of a payment source comprises selection of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.
912. The method of claim 908, further comprising the step of receiving summarized payment to make information from the MFTS, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information received by the MFTS from a source of payment information; and displaying at least a portion of the summarized payment to make information on the mobile device.
913. The method of claim 908, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a selected account at a selected financial service provider.
914. The method of claim 908, wherein the payment to make information comprises payment to make information provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
915. The method of claim 914, wherein the external source for the payment to make information comprises a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities as well as an individual billing entity.
916. The method of claim 908, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
917. The method of claim 908, wherein the information corresponding to the payment to make displayed at the user mobile device comprises information based on the summarized payment to make information.
918. The method of claim 908, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the payment to make and/or the plurality of accounts at the user mobile device is effected in response to user activation of a predetermined function on the mobile device.
919. The method of claim 918, wherein the user activation of a predetermined function causes the MFTS retrieve information from a source of payment to make information and/or a payment source and forward the information to the user mobile device upon receipt.
920. The method of claim 908, wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the payment to make at the user mobile device is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
921. The method of claim 908, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user mobile device.
922. The method of claim 921, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
923. The method of claim 922, further comprising the step of receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make is provided in response to display of a View Bills command.
924. The method of claim 922, wherein user activation of the View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from a bill presentment system and communicate the bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
925. The method of claim 922, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
926. The method of claim 922, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
927. The method of claim 908, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
928. The method of claim 908, wherein a default payment source is stored as user information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user to use the default payment source or select another payment source, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment source by the user, the default payment source is utilized to make the payment.
929. The method of claim 908, wherein a payment confirmation message is provided from the payment source to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment, and further comprising the step of receiving a mobile device payment confirmation message from the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the payment source.
930. The method of claim 908, wherein the mobile device is further operative for: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
931. The method of claim 930, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
932. The method of claim 908, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device; and whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
933. A mobile device for selecting a payment source for making a mobile financial payment via a wireless network, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; and mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: wirelessly receiving summarized payment source information from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the summarized payment source information based on payment source information received from a financial service provider with whom a user maintains a relationship; displaying information corresponding to a payment to make;
displaying information corresponding to a plurality of accounts available to the user as a payment source for use in connection with malting the payment; receiving user selection of a payment source from the plurality of available accounts; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment and a selected payment source for making the payment; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS, whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects the payment utilizing the selected payment source.
934. The device of claim 933, wherein MFTS, in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, provides an instruction to a payment instruction recipient to effect the payment, and wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.
935. The device of claim 933, wherein the selected payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.
936. The device of claim 935, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the selection of a payment source comprises selection of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.
937. The device of claim 933, wherein the mobile device software is operative for: receiving summarized payment to make information from the MFTS, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information received by the MFTS from a source of payment information; and
displaying at least a portion of the summarized payment to make information on the mobile device.
938. The device of claim 933, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a selected account at a selected financial service provider.
939. The device of claim 933, wherein the payment to make information comprises payment to make information provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
940. The device of claim 939, wherein the external source for the payment to make information comprises a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities as well as an individual billing entity.
941. The device of claim 933, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
942. The device of claim 933, wherein the information corresponding to the payment to make displayed at the user mobile device comprises information based on the summarized payment to make information.
943. The device of claim 933, wherein the displaying of information corresponding to the payment to make and/or the plurality of accounts at the user mobile device is effected in response to user activation of a predetermined function on the mobile device.
944. The device of claim 943, wherein the user activation of a predetermined function causes the MFTS retrieve information from a source of payment to make
information and/or a payment source and forward the information to the mobile device upon receipt.
945. The device of claim 933, wherein the displaying of information corresponding to the payment to make is provided in response to receipt at the mobile device of a text message from the MFTS.
946. The device of claim 933, wherein the mobile device software comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
947. The device of claim 946, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
948. The device of claim 946, wherein the Mobile Wallet application is operative for receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment to make in response to display of a View Bills command.
949. The device of claim 946, wherein user activation of a View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from a bill presentment system and communicate the bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
950. The device of claim 946, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
951. The device of claim 946, wherein user activation of a View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
952. The device of claim 933, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
953. The device of claim 933, wherein a default payment source is stored as user information, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for displaying a prompt to the user to use the default payment source or select another payment source, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment source by the user, the default payment source is utilized to make the payment.
954. The device of claim 933, wherein a payment confirmation message is provided from the payment source to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment, and further comprising the step of receiving a mobile device payment confirmation message from the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the payment source.
955. The device of claim 933, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for: receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
956. The device of claim 955, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
957. The device of claim 933, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and
wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
958. A method for allowing user selection of a payment source for use in making a mobile financial payment via a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more financial service providers with which the user maintains one or more accounts, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from a mobile device comprising information corresponding to a payment to be made on behalf of the mobile device user and a selected payment source for making the payment; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected payment source identified in the payment instruction; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment source; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee utilizing the selected payment source.
959. The method of claim 958, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.
960. The method of claim 958, wherein the selected payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.
961. The method of claim 960, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the selection of a payment source comprises selection of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.
962. The method of claim 958, further comprising the step of receiving payment to make information at the MFTS corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee.
963. The method of claim 962, further comprising the steps of: generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; and wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device.
964. The method of claim 958, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a selected account at a selected financial service provider, and further comprising the step retrieving current account balance information from the selected financial service provider and wirelessly communicating the current account balance information to the mobile device.
965. The method of claim 958, wherein the payment to make information comprises payment to make information provided to the MFTS by an external source,
is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
966. The method of claim 965, wherein the external source for the payment to make information comprises a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities as well as an individual billing entity.
967. The method of claim 958, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
968. The method of claim 958, wherein the information corresponding to the plurality of accounts available to the user as a payment source for use in connection with making the payment comprises summarized payment source information.
969. The method of claim 958, further comprising the step of wirelessly providing information to a user mobile device corresponding to the payment to make and/or a plurality of accounts in response to user activation of a predetermined function on the mobile device.
970. The method of claim 969, wherein the user activation of a predetermined function causes the MFTS retrieve information from a source of payment to make information and/or a payment source and forward the information to the user mobile device upon receipt.
971. The method of claim 958, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for execution on the user mobile device.
972. The method of claim 971, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
973. The method of claim 971, wherein user activation of a View Bills command causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from a bill presentment system and communicate the bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
974. The method of claim 971, wherein user activation of a View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
975. The method of claim 958, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
976. The method of claim 958, wherein a default payment source is stored as user information, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment source by the user, the default payment source is utilized to make the payment.
977. The method of claim 958, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of user payments.
978. The method of claim 977, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
979. The method of claim 958, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment source in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
980. The method of claim 979, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment source.
981. The method of claim 958, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information provided by the user corresponding to a selected one of a plurality of selectable payment methods for making the payment.
982. The method of claim 981, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
983. The method of claim 958, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with transactions initiated via the user mobile device.
984. The method of claim 983, wherein the user information received via the web application includes information corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees.
985. The method of claim 983, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via a user's computer.
986. The method of claim 958, further comprising the steps of: communicating with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; and
wirelessly communicating updated account balance information from the
MFTS to the user mobile device; whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
987. A mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) for allowing user selection of a payment source for use in making a mobile financial payment via a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and payment to make information, and payment source information associated with a mobile device user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments, including one or more financial service providers with which a user maintains one or more accounts selectable as a payment source; and MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from a mobile device comprising information corresponding to a payment to be made on behalf of the mobile device user and a selected payment source for making the payment; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected payment source identified in the payment instruction; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment source; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient,
whereby, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee utilizing the selected payment source.
988. The system of claim 987, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or an individual billing entity.
989. The system of claim 987, wherein the selected payment source comprises a financial service provider with whom the user maintains a relationship, and wherein the financial service provider maintains one or more accounts on behalf of the user that are selectable for use as the payment source.
990. The system of claim 989, wherein the user maintains a relationship with a plurality of financial service providers, and wherein the selection of a payment source comprises selection of an account at one of the plurality of financial service providers.
991. The system of claim 987, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving payment to make information at the MFTS corresponding to a payment to be made by the user to a payee.
992. The system of claim 991, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for: generating summarized payment to make information at the MFTS based on the payment to make information, the summarized payment to make information comprising a predetermined selected subset of the payment to make information; and wirelessly communicating the summarized payment to make information from the MFTS to the user mobile device.
993. The system of claim 987, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information identifying a selected account at a selected financial service provider, and wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving current account balance information from the selected financial service provider and
wirelessly communicating the current account balance information to the mobile device.
994. The system of claim 987, wherein the payment to make information comprises payment to make information provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet-accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
995. The system of claim 994, wherein the external source for the payment to make information comprises a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities as well as an individual billing entity.
996. The system of claim 987, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
997. The system of claim 987, wherein the information corresponding to the plurality of accounts available to the user as a payment source for use in connection with making the payment comprises summarized payment source information.
998. The system of claim 987, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for wirelessly providing information to a user mobile device corresponding to the payment to make and/or a plurality of accounts in response to user activation of a predetermined function on the mobile device.
999. The system of claim 998, wherein user activation of a predetermined function on the mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve information from a source of payment to make information and/or a payment source and forward the information to the user mobile device upon receipt.
1000. The system of claim 987, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for execution on the user mobile device.
1001. The system of claim 1000, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1002. The system of claim 1000, wherein user activation of a View Bills command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve bill information from a bill presentment system and communicate the bill information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the bill presentment system.
1003. The system of claim 1000, wherein user activation of a View Payment
Sources command on a mobile device causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
1004. The system of claim 987, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
1005. The system of claim 987, wherein a default payment source is stored as user information, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment source by the user, the default payment source is utilized to make the payment.
1006. The system of claim 987, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of user payments.
1007. The system of claim 165, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
1008. The system of claim 987, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment source in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
1009. The system of claim 987, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment source.
1010. The system of claim 987, wherein the mobile payment instruction includes information provided by the user corresponding to a selected one of a plurality of selectable payment methods for making the payment.
1011. The system of claim 1010, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
1012. The system of claim 987, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and wherein the MFTS software is further operative for: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with transactions initiated via the user mobile device.
1013. The system of claim 1012, wherein the user information received via the web application includes information corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees.
1014. The system of claim 1012, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user mobile device, via the web application, to a user via a user's computer.
1015. The system of claim 987, wherein the MFTS communicates with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account, and wherein the MFTS wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user's mobile device; whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
1016. (* * Methods and Systems for Real Time Account Balances in a Mobile
Environment **) A method for monitoring a plurality of financial accounts maintained at one or more financial service providers using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more financial service providers at which the user maintains one or more accounts, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and financial account information associated with a plurality of accounts associated with at least one financial service provider; storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the plurality of user accounts as of a particular date; communicating with at least one financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for at least one account of the user; wirelessly communicating updated account balance information to a user's mobile device; and
in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device.
1017. The method of claim 1016, further comprising the steps of: providing a user authentication function at the user's mobile device so as to authenticate a user to access the cached account balance information on the mobile device; in response to user authentication at the mobile device, providing a user identifier to the MFTS indicative of user login and connection for wireless communications; and in response to receipt of the user identifier at the MFTS, initiating communication to the one or more financial service providers so as to request updated account balance information, whereby upon user activation and login, updated account balance information is automatically obtained for the plurality of financial accounts and provided in real time to the user's mobile device.
1018. The method of claim 1016, wherein the financial service provider includes one or more of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, a stored value card provider, a credit union, a payment services company, a financial service provider.
1019. The method of claim 1016, wherein the account information displayed at the user's mobile device comprises summarized account information.
1020. The method of claim 1016, wherein the account information comprises payment source information.
1021. The method of claim 1016, further comprising the steps of: providing a device connected signal from a mobile device to the MFTS upon determination that a user's mobile device is connected and/or authenticated for wireless communications with the MFTS; and
at the MFTS, in response to receipt of the device connected signal, initiating the communication with a financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for one or more accounts of the user.
1022. The method of claim 1016, wherein the step of communicating with the financial service provider includes the steps of: receiving at the MFTS a user identifier corresponding to the user from the mobile device; in response to the user identifier, determining at least one financial service provider identifier corresponding to a financial service provider associated with the user; determining authentication information required to access account information in the financial service provider corresponding to the financial service provider identifier; providing authentication information to the financial service provider; and receiving updated accounted balance information from at least one account maintained by the at least one financial service provider.
1023. The method of claim 1022, wherein the user identifier is used to determine a plurality of financial service providers and receive updated account balances corresponding to a plurality of different accounts at a plurality of different financial service providers.
1024. The method of claim 1022, wherein the user identifier includes one of a mobile phone number, a MIN, a code, a name.
1025. The method of claim 1016, wherein the step of wirelessly communicating updated account information to a user's mobile device comprises receiving the updated account information from at least one financial service provider at the MFTS, and forwarding the updated account information to the user's mobile device in a passthrough operation.
1026. The method of claim 1016, wherein the step of communicating with a financial service provider comprises periodically communicating with the financial service provider at predetermined time intervals.
1027. The method of claim 1016, wherein the step of communicating with a financial service provider comprises a push communication initiated by the financial service provider.
1028. The method of claim 1016, further comprising the step of storing cached account balances in a database in the MFTS representative of the balances in the plurality of user accounts as of a particular date.
1029. The method of claim 1016, wherein the cached account balance of each of the plurality of user accounts stored in the mobile device is stored in association with an account identifier.
1030. The method of claim 1029, wherein the account identifier is an account nickname.
1031. The method of claim 1029, wherein the account identifier is a coded identifier.
1032. The method of claim 1029, wherein the account identifier is also stored in the MFTS in association with authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account.
1033. The method of claim 1029, further comprising the steps of: providing the account identifier from the mobile device to the MFTS; at the MFTS, retrieving prestored authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account;
providing the authentication information to the financial service provider with other information required to obtain updated account balance information; and in response to receipt of the updated account balance information from the financial service provider, providing the updated account balance information to the mobile device in association with the identifier.
1034. The method of claim 1029, wherein the identifier includes an account nickname, and wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device comprises displaying the account nickname for each account in association with account balance information.
1035. The method of claim 1016, wherein the step of displaying account balance information via the mobile device comprises displaying an account nickname in association with account balance information for each of the plurality of accounts.
1036. The method of claim 1016, wherein the step of displaying account balance information via the mobile device comprises displaying an "as of date in association with the account balance information.
1037. The method of claim 1016, wherein a plurality of financial accounts is maintained at a plurality of different financial service providers, each having its own account balance information providing system, and wherein the method involves obtaining updated account balance information from each of the plurality of different financial service providers in response to a single action by the user at the user's mobile device.
1038. The method of claim 1016, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS at the user mobile device; and
in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device,
1039. A system for monitoring a plurality of financial accounts maintained at one or more financial service providers using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for wirelessly receiving account information from the MFTS and displaying account information, the wireless device operative for storing a cached account balance representative of a balance in the plurality of user accounts as of a particular date; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database associated with the MFTS for storing user information and information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider of a user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between the MFTS and the one or more financial service providers; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: communicating with at least one financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for at least one account of the user; and wirelessly communicating updated account balance information to a user's mobile device; and the mobile device, in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, operative for updating the cached account balance and displaying updated account balance information to the user.
1040. The system of claim 1039, wherein the mobile device is further operative for:
providing a user authentication function at the user's mobile device so as to authenticate a user to access the cached account balance information on the mobile device; in response to user authentication at the mobile device, providing a user identifier to the MFTS indicative of user login and connection for wireless communications; and wherein the MFTS software is further operative, in response to receipt of the user identifier at the MFTS, for initiating communication to the one or more financial service providers so as to request updated account balance information, whereby upon user activation and login, updated account balance information is automatically obtained for the plurality of financial accounts and provided in real time to the user's mobile device.
1041. The system of claim 1039, wherein the financial service provider includes one or more of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, a stored value card provider, a credit union, a payment services company, a financial service provider.
1042. The system of claim 1039, wherein the account information displayed at the user's mobile device comprises summarized account information.
1043. The system of claim 1039, wherein the account information comprises payment source information.
1044. The system of claim 1039, wherein the mobile device is further operative for providing a device connected signal from a mobile device to the MFTS upon determination that a user's mobile device is connected and/or authenticated for wireless communications with the MFTS; and wherein the MFTS software is further operative, in response to receipt of the device connected signal, for initiating the communication with a financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for one or more accounts of the user.
1045. The system of claim 1039, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for:
receiving a user identifier corresponding Io the user from the mobile device; in response to the user identifier, determining at least one financial service provider identifier corresponding to a financial service provider associated with the user; determining authentication information required to access account information in the financial service provider corresponding to the financial service provider identifier; providing authentication information to the financial service provider; and receiving updated accounted balance information from at least one account maintained by the at least one financial service provider.
1046. The system of claim 1045, wherein the user identifier is used to determine a plurality of financial service providers and receive updated account balances corresponding to a plurality of different accounts at a plurality of different financial service providers.
1047. The system of claim 1045, wherein the user identifier includes one of a mobile phone number, a MIN, a code, a name.
1048. The system of claim 1039, wherein the operation of wirelessly communicating updated account information to a user's mobile device comprises receiving the updated account information from at least one financial service provider at the MFTS, and forwarding the updated account information to the user's mobile device in a passthrough operation.
1049. The system of claim 1039, wherein the operative of communicating with a financial service provider comprises periodically communicating with the financial service provider at predetermined time intervals.
1050. The system of claim 1039, wherein the operation of communicating with a financial service provider comprises a push communication initiated by the financial service provider.
1051. The system of claim 1039, wherein the MFTS system is further operative for storing cached account balances in a database in the MFTS representative of the balances in the plurality of user accounts as of a particular date.
1052. The system of claim 1039, wherein the cached account balance of each of the plurality of user accounts stored in the mobile device is stored in association with an account identifier.
1053. The system of claim 1052, wherein the account identifier is an account nickname.
1054. The system of claim 1052, wherein the account identifier is a coded identifier.
1055. The system of claim 1052, wherein the account identifier is also stored in the MFTS in association with authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account.
1056. The system of claim 1052, wherein the mobile device is further operative for providing the account identifier to the MFTS, and wherein the MFTS software is further operative for: retrieving prestored authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account; providing the authentication information to the financial service provider with other information required to obtain updated account balance information; and in response to receipt of the updated account balance information from the financial service provider, providing the updated account balance information to the mobile device in association with the identifier.
1057. The system of claim 1052, wherein the identifier includes an account nickname, and wherein the operation of displaying information corresponding to the
plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device comprises displaying the account nickname for each account in association with account balance information.
1058. The system of claim 1039, wherein operation of displaying account balance information via the mobile device comprises displaying an account nickname in association with account balance information for each of the plurality of accounts.
1059. The system of claim 1039, wherein the step of displaying account balance information via the mobile device comprises displaying an "as of date in association with the account balance information.
1060. The system of claim 1039, wherein a plurality of financial accounts is maintained at a plurality of different financial service providers, each having its own account balance information providing system, and wherein the method involves obtaining updated account balance information from each of the plurality of different financial service providers in response to a single action by the user at the User's mobile device.
1061. The device of claim 1039, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
1062. A method for monitoring a plurality of financial accounts maintained at one or more financial service providers using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the plurality of user accounts as of a particular date; wirelessly receiving updated account balance information from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the MFTS coupled for electronic
communication with one or more financial service providers at which the user maintains one or more accounts and operative for obtaining updated account balance information; and displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device.
1063. The method of claim 1062, further comprising the steps of: providing a user authentication function at the user's mobile device so as to authenticate a user to access the cached account balance information on the mobile device; and in response to user authentication at the mobile device, providing a user identifier to the MFTS indicative of user login and connection for wireless communications .
1064. The method of claim 1063, wherein the MFTS, in response to receipt of the user identifier at the MFTS, initiates communication to the one or more financial service providers so as to request updated account balance information, whereby upon user activation and login, updated account balance information is automatically obtained for the plurality of financial accounts and provided in real time to the user's mobile device.
1065. The method of claim 1062, wherein the financial service provider includes one or more of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, a stored value card provider, a credit union, a payment services company, a financial service provider.
1066. The method of claim 1062, wherein the account information displayed at the user's mobile device comprises summarized account information.
1067. The method of claim 1062, wherein the account information comprises payment source information.
1068. The method of claim 1062, further comprising the steps of providing a device connected signal from a mobile device to the MFTS upon determination that a
user's mobile device is connected and/or authenticated for wireless communications with the MFTS; and wherein the MFTS, in response to receipt of the device connected signal, initiates the communication with a financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for one or more accounts of the user.
1069. The method of claim 1062, further comprising the step of providing a user identifier corresponding to the user to the MFTS, whereby in response to the user identifier, the MFTS determines at least one financial service provider identifier corresponding to a financial service provider associated with the user; determines authentication information required to access account information in the financial service provider corresponding to the financial service provider identifier; provides authentication information to the financial service provider; and receives updated accounted balance information from at least one account maintained by the at least one financial service provider.
1070. The method of claim 1069, wherein the user identifier is used to determine a plurality of financial service providers and receive updated account balances corresponding to a plurality of different accounts at a plurality of different financial service providers.
1071. The method of claim 1070, wherein the user identifier includes one of a mobile phone number, a MIN, a code, a name.
1072. The method of claim 1062, wherein the cached account balance of each of the plurality of user accounts stored in the mobile device is stored in association with an account identifier.
1073. The method of claim 1072, wherein the account identifier is an account nickname.
1074. The method of claim 1072, wherein the account identifier is a coded identifier.
1075. The method of claim 1072, wherein the account identifier is also stored in the MFTS in association with authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account.
1076. The method of claim 1072, further comprising the steps of: providing the account identifier from the mobile device to the MFTS, whereby the MFTS, in response to receipt of the account identifier, is operative for retrieving prestored authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account; providing the authentication information to the financial service provider with other information required to obtain updated account balance information; and in response to receipt of the updated account balance information from the financial service provider, providing the updated account balance information to the mobile device in association with the identifier.
1077. The method of claim 1072, wherein the identifier includes an account nickname, and wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device comprises displaying the account nickname for each account in association with account balance information.
1078. The method of claim 1062, wherein the step of displaying account balance information via the mobile device comprises displaying an account nickname in association with account balance information for each of the plurality of accounts.
1079. The method of claim 1062, wherein the step of displaying account balance information via the mobile device comprises displaying an "as of date in association with the account balance information.
1080. The method of claim 1062, wherein a plurality of financial accounts is maintained at a plurality of different financial service providers, each having its own account balance information providing system, and wherein the method involves obtaining updated account balance information from each of the plurality of different financial service providers in response to a single action by the user at the user's mobile device.
1081. The method of claim 1062, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS at the user mobile device; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
1082. A mobile device operative for monitoring a plurality of financial accounts maintained at one or more financial service providers via wireless communications, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; and mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the plurality of user accounts as of a particular date; wirelessly receiving updated account balance information from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more financial service providers at which the user maintains one or more accounts and operative for obtaining updated account balance information; and
displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device.
1083. The device of claim 1082, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for: providing a user authentication function at the user's mobile device so as to authenticate a user to access the cached account balance information on the mobile device; in response to user authentication at the mobile device, providing a user identifier to the MFTS indicative of user login and connection for wireless communications.
1084. The device of claim 1083, wherein the MFTS, in response to receipt of the user identifier at the MFTS, initiates communication to the one or more financial service providers so as to request updated account balance information, whereby upon user activation and login, updated account balance information is automatically obtained for the plurality of financial accounts and provided in real time to the user's mobile device.
1085. The device of claim 1082, wherein the financial service provider includes one or more of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, a stored value card provider, a credit union, a payment services company, a financial service provider.
1086. The device of claim 1082, wherein the account information displayed at the user's mobile device comprises summarized account information.
1087. The device of claim 1082, wherein the account information comprises payment source information.
1088. The device of claim 1082, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for providing a device connected signal from the mobile device to the MFTS upon determination that a user's mobile device is connected and/or authenticated for wireless communications with the MFTS; and
wherein the MFTS5 in response to receipt of the device connected signal, initiates the communication with a financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for one or more accounts of the user.
1089. The device of claim 1082, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for providing a user identifier corresponding to the user to the MFTS, whereby in response to the user identifier, the MFTS determines at least one financial service provider identifier corresponding to a financial service provider associated with the user; determines authentication information required to access account information in the financial service provider corresponding to the financial service provider identifier; provides authentication information to the financial service provider; and receives updated accounted balance information from at least one account maintained by the at least one financial service provider.
1090. The device of claim 1089, wherein the user identifier is used to determine a plurality of financial service providers and receive updated account balances corresponding to a plurality of different accounts at a plurality of different financial service providers.
1091. The device of claim 1089, wherein the user identifier includes one of a mobile phone number, a MIN, a code, a name.
1092. The device of claim 1082, wherein the cached account balance of each of the plurality of user accounts stored in the mobile device is stored in association with an account identifier.
1093. The device of claim 1092, wherein the account identifier is an account nickname.
1094. The device of claim 1092, wherein the account identifier is a coded identifier.
1095. The device of claim 1092, wherein the account identifier is also stored in the MFTS in association with authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account.
1096. The device of claim 1092, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for: providing the account identifier from the mobile device to the MFTS, whereby the MFTS, in response to receipt of the account identifier, is operative for retrieving prestored authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account; providing the authentication information to the financial service provider with other information required to obtain updated account balance information; and in response to receipt of the updated account balance information from the financial service provider, providing the updated account balance information to the mobile device in association with the identifier.
1097. The device of claim 1092, wherein the identifier includes an account nickname, and wherein the operation of displaying information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device comprises displaying the account nickname for each account in association with account balance information.
1098. The device of claim 1082, wherein the operation of displaying account balance information via the mobile device comprises displaying an account nickname in association with account balance information for each of the plurality of accounts.
1099. The device of claim 1082, wherein the operation of displaying account balance information via the mobile device comprises displaying an "as of date in association with the account balance information.
1100. The device of claim 1082, wherein a plurality of financial accounts is maintained at a plurality of different financial service providers, each having its own
account balance information providing system, and wherein the device obtains updated account balance information from each of the plurality of different financial service providers in response to a single action by the user at the user's mobile device.
1101. The device of claim 1082, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
1102. A method for providing account balance information to a mobile device user who maintains a plurality of financial accounts at one or more financial service providers, the mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network and includes a cached account balance for one or more accounts at one or more financial service providers, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with one or more financial service providers at which the user maintains one or more accounts, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information and financial account information associated with a plurality of accounts associated with at least one financial service provider; communicating with at least one financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for at least one account of the user; and wirelessly communicating updated account balance information to a user's mobile device, whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user's mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user.
1103. The method of claim 1102, wherein the user mobile device includes a user authentication function so as to authenticate a user to access the cached account balance information on the mobile device, and in response to user authentication at the mobile device, provides a user identifier to the MFTS indicative of user login and connection for wireless communications; and further comprising the step of, in response to receipt of the user identifier, initiating communication to the one or more financial service providers so as to request updated account balance information, whereby upon user activation and login, updated account balance information is automatically obtained for the plurality of financial accounts and provided in real time to the user's mobile device.
1104. The method of claim 1102, wherein the financial service provider includes one or more of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, a stored value card provider, a credit union, a payment services company, a financial service provider.
1105. The method of claim 1102, wherein the account information displayed at the user's mobile device comprises summarized account information.
1106. The method of claim 1102, wherein the account information comprises payment source information.
1107. The method of claim 1102, wherein the mobile device provides a device connected signal to the MFTS upon determination that a user's mobile device is connected and/or authenticated for wireless communications with the MFTS; and further comprising the step of, in response to receipt of the device connected signal, initiating the communication with a financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for one or more accounts of the user.
1108. The method of claim 1102, wherein the step of communicating with the financial service provider includes the steps of: receiving at the MFTS a user identifier corresponding to the user from the mobile device;
in response to the user identifier, determining at least one financial service provider identifier corresponding to a financial service provider associated with the user; determining authentication information required to access account information in the financial service provider corresponding to the financial service provider identifier; providing authentication information to the financial service provider; and receiving updated accounted balance information from at least one account maintained by the at least one financial service provider.
1109. The method of claim 1108, wherein the user identifier is used to determine a plurality of financial service providers and receive updated account balances corresponding to a plurality of different accounts at a plurality of different financial service providers.
1110. The method of claim 1108, wherein the user identifier includes one of a mobile phone number, a MIN, a code, a name.
1111. The method of claim 1102, wherein the step of wirelessly communicating updated account information to a user's mobile device comprises receiving the updated account information from at least one financial service provider at the MFTS, and forwarding the updated account information to the user's mobile device in a passthrough operation.
1112. The method of claim 1102, wherein the step of communicating with a financial service provider comprises periodically communicating with the financial service provider at predetermined time intervals.
1113. The method of claim 1102, wherein the step of communicating with a financial service provider comprises a push communication initiated by the financial service provider.
1114. The method of claim 1102, further comprising the step of storing cached account balances in a database in the MFTS representative of the balances in the plurality of user accounts as of a particular date.
1115. The method of claim 1102, wherein the cached account balance of each of the plurality of user accounts stored in the mobile device is stored in association with an account identifier.
1116. The method of claim 1115, wherein the account identifier is an account nickname.
1117. The method of claim 1115, wherein the account identifier is a coded identifier.
1118. The method of claim 1115, wherein the account identifier is also stored in the MFTS in association with authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account.
1119. The method of claim 1115, wherein the mobile device provides the account identifier from the mobile device to the MFTS; and further comprising the steps of: retrieving prestored authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account; providing the authentication information to the financial service provider with other information required to obtain updated account balance information; and in response to receipt of the updated account balance information from the financial service provider, providing the updated account balance information to the mobile device in association with the identifier.
1120. The method of claim 1115, wherein the identifier includes an account nickname, and wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the
plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device comprises displaying the account nickname for each account in association with account balance information.
1121. The method of claim 1102, wherein a plurality of financial accounts is maintained at a plurality of different financial service providers, each having its own account balance information providing system, and wherein the method involves obtaining updated account balance information from each of the plurality of different financial service providers in response to a single action by the user at the user's mobile device.
1122. The method of claim 1102, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS at the user mobile device; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
1123. A system for providing account balance information to a mobile device user who maintains a plurality of financial accounts at one or more financial service providers, the mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network and including a cached account balance for one or more accounts at one or more financial service providers, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more mobile devices of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with one or more financial service providers with whom a user maintains one or more financial accounts, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, the MFTS including MFTS software comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of:
communicating with at least one financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for at least one account of the user; and wirelessly communicating updated account balance information to a user's mobile device, whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS5 the user's mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user.
1124. The system of claim 1123, wherein the user mobile device includes a user authentication function so as to authenticate a user to access the cached account balance information on the mobile device, and in response to user authentication at the mobile device, provides a user identifier to the MFTS indicative of user login and connection for wireless communications; and wherein the MFTS software is further operative, in response to receipt of the user identifier, for initiating communication to the one or more financial service providers so as to request updated account balance information, whereby upon user activation and login, updated account balance information is automatically obtained for the plurality of financial accounts and provided in real time to the user's mobile device.
1125. The system of claim 1123, wherein the financial service provider includes one or more of a bank, a credit card company, a debit card company, a stored value card provider, a credit union, a payment services company, a financial service provider.
1126. The system of claim 1123, wherein the account information displayed at the user's mobile device comprises summarized account information.
1127. The system of claim 1123, wherein the account information comprises payment source information.
1128. The system of claim 1123, wherein the mobile device provides a device connected signal to the MFTS upon determination that a user's mobile device is connected and/or authenticated for wireless communications with the MFTS; and wherein the MFTS software is further operative, in response to receipt of the device connected signal, for initiating the communication with a financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for one or more accounts of the user.
1129. The system of claim 1123, wherein the operation of communicating with the financial service provider includes the steps of: receiving at the MFTS a user identifier corresponding to the user from the mobile device; in response to the user identifier, determining at least one financial service provider identifier corresponding to a financial service provider associated with the user; determining authentication information required to access account information in the financial service provider corresponding to the financial service provider identifier; providing authentication information to the financial service provider; and receiving updated accounted balance information from at least one account maintained by the at least one financial service provider.
1130. The system of claim 1129, wherein the user identifier is used to determine a plurality of financial service providers and receive updated account balances corresponding to a plurality of different accounts at a plurality of different financial service providers.
1131. The system of claim 1129, wherein the user identifier includes one of a mobile phone number, a MIN, a code, a name.
1132. The system of claim 1123, wherein the operation of wirelessly communicating updated account information to a user's mobile device comprises receiving the updated account information from at least one financial service provider
at the MFTS, and forwarding the updated account information to the user's mobile device in a passthrough operation.
1133. The system of claim 1123, wherein the operation of communicating with a financial service provider comprises periodically communicating with the financial service provider at predetermined time intervals.
1134. The system of claim 1123, wherein the operation of communicating with a financial service provider comprises a push communication initiated by the financial service provider.
1135. The system of claim 1123, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for storing cached account balances in a database in the MFTS representative of the balances in the plurality of user accounts as of a particular date.
1136. The system of claim 1123, wherein the cached account balance of each of the plurality of user accounts stored in the mobile device is stored in association with an account identifier.
1137. The system of claim 1136, wherein the account identifier is an account nickname.
1138. The system of claim 1136, wherein the account identifier is a coded identifier.
1139. The system of claim 1136, wherein the account identifier is also stored in the MFTS in association with authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account.
1140. The system of claim 1136, wherein the mobile device provides the account identifier from the mobile device to the MFTS; and wherein the MFTS software is further operative for:
retrieving prestored authentication information required by a financial service provider associated with each account in order to access information and/or make transaction with respect to the account; providing the authentication information to the financial service provider with other information required to obtain updated account balance information; and in response to receipt of the updated account balance information from the financial service provider, providing the updated account balance information to the mobile device in association with the identifier.
1141. The system of claim 1136, wherein the identifier includes an account nickname, and wherein the step of displaying information corresponding to the plurality of user accounts to the user via the mobile device comprises displaying the account nickname for each account in association with account balance information.
1142. The system of claim 1123, wherein a plurality of financial accounts is maintained at a plurality of different financial service providers, each having its own account balance information providing system, and wherein the method involves obtaining updated account balance information from each of the plurality of different financial service providers in response to a single action by the user at the user's mobile device.
1143. The system of claim 1123, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
1144. (**Methods and Systems for Distribution of a Mobile Wallet for a Mobile Device**) A method for distributing a mobile device application for use in
malcing and receiving payments using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a downloadable mobile device application operative, when installed on a compatible mobile device, for communicating with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) that facilitates the making and receiving of payments via wireless mobile devices; providing a download system for storing the downloadable mobile device application and downloading the mobile device application to mobile devices according to download procedures appropriate for a particular type of mobile device; communicating a message to a mobile device user including information about a payment made to the mobile device user from a payer and information regarding the downloadable mobile device application; and in response to action by mobile device user to download and install the mobile device application on the user's mobile device and provide enrollment information, permitting interaction between the MFTS and the mobile device user to provide the payment to the mobile device user as user/payee.
1145. The method of claim 1144, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communication with at least one financial service provider designated to issue a payment.
1146. The method of claim 1144, wherein the MFTS includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information, and payment source information.
1147. The method of claim 1144, further comprising the steps of: receiving payment to make information at the MFTS from a payer corresponding to a payment to be made to the user/payee; generating a payment received message at the MFTS containing information corresponding to the payment to be made to the user/payee; wirelessly communicating the payment received message from the MFTS to the user/payee's mobile device;
displaying information corresponding to the payment received message at the user/payee's mobile device, the displayed information including information regarding the downloadable mobile device application; in response to action by the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application on the user/payee's mobile device and provide enrollment information, wirelessly communicating a second payment received message from the MFTS to the user/payee's mobile device; displaying information corresponding to the second payment received message at the user/payee's mobile device, the displayed information comprising information about the payment and information about a payment method for receiving the payment; at the user/payee's mobile device, receiving user input relating to a payment method for receiving the payment; at the user/payee's mobile device in response to the user input, generating a payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment method; wirelessly communicating the payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device to the MFTS; at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient for making the payment, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and identifying information corresponding to the user/payee; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, making a payment to the user/payee in accordance with the payment method.
1148. The method of claim 1147, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider at which the payer maintains one or more accounts.
1149. The method of claim 1147, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider associated with the MFTS that has possession of the funds for the payment.
1150. The method of claim 1147, wherein identifying information utilized to make the payment to the user/payee is provided to the MFTS.
1151. The method of claim 1150, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing the mobile device application on a mobile device of the payer.
1152. The method of claim 1150, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing a web application.
1153. The method of claim 1150, wherein additional identifying information is provided by the user/payee utilizing the mobile device application on the mobile device of the user/payee.
1154. The method of claim 1150, wherein the identifying information comprises information about the user/payee selected from the group: a name and mailing address, a stored value (SV) card account, an ACH account.
1155. The method of claim 1150, wherein the identifying information comprises information corresponding to a selected payment method, and wherein the information is displayed to the user/payee as default payment information.
1156. The method of claim 1155, wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the default payment information.
1157. The method of claim 1156, wherein the identifying information comprises a mailing address, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the mailing address as a default mailing address.
1158. The method of claim 1156, wherein the identifying information comprises a stored value (SV) card account, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the SV card account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1159. The method of claim 1156, wherein the identifying information comprises information identifying an ACH account of the user/payee for receiving the payment, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1160. The method of claim 1147, wherein the payment to make information identifies at least an amount, a payment source, and information identifying a mobile device of the user/payee.
1161. The method of claim 1147, wherein the information relating to a payment method in the second payment received message comprises information about one or more selectable methods for receiving the payment.
1162. The method of claim 1161, wherein the user input relating to a payment method comprises selection of a payment method for receiving the payment, and wherein the payment instruction includes information regarding the selected payment method.
1163. The method of claim 1147, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment to the user/payee.
1164. The method of claim 1163, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the payee/user's mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1165. The method of claim 1144, wherein the message comprises a text message transmitted to the mobile device user's mobile device.
1166. The method of claim 1144, wherein the enrollment information provided by the user/payee includes information identifying an account of the user/payee for receiving the payment.
1167. The method of claim 1166, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises an ACH account.
1168. The method of claim 1166, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises a stored value (SV) card account.
1169. The method of claim 1144, wherein the information regarding the downloadable mobile device application displayed to the user/payee comprises a message instructing the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application.
1170. The method of claim 1144, wherein the downloadable mobile device application comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
1171. The method of claim 1170, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides the user/payee with functionality to make payments utilizing the MFTS as well as receive payments.
1172. The method of claim 1171, wherein use of the Mobile Wallet application by the user/payee, subsequently as a payer, to make a payment to another person as user/payee, facilitates viral spreading of the Mobile Wallet application to other persons with mobile devices.
1173. The method of claim 1170, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1174. The method of claim 1144, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS;
receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, payment methods, and/or payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with making or receiving payments.
1175. A system for distributing a mobile device application for use in making and receiving payments using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) that facilitates the making and receiving of payments via wireless mobile devices, the MFTS operative for communicating a message to a mobile device user including information about a payment made to the mobile device user from a payer and information regarding a downloadable mobile device application; a server for providing user downloading of a downloadable mobile device application operative, when installed on a compatible mobile device, for communicating with the MFTS in connection with payments; and the MFTS, in response to action by mobile device user to download and install the mobile device application on the user's mobile device and provide enrollment information, permitting interaction between the MFTS and the mobile device user to provide the payment to the mobile device user as user/payee.
1176. The system of claim 1175, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communication with at least one financial service provider designated to issue a payment.
1177. The system of claim 1175, wherein the MFTS includes a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information, and payment source information.
1178. The system of claim 1175, wherein the MFTS is further operative for: receiving payment to make information at the MFTS from a payer corresponding to a payment to be made to the user/payee;
generating a payment received message at the MFTS containing information corresponding to the payment to be made to the user/payee; wirelessly communicating the payment received message from the MFTS to the user/payee's mobile device, in association with information regarding the downloadable mobile device application; in response to action by the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application on the user/payee's mobile device and provide enrollment information, wirelessly communicating a second payment received message from the MFTS to the user/payee's mobile device; the second payment received message including information about the payment and information about a payment method for receiving the payment; generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the
MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and identifying information corresponding to the user/payee; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effecting a payment to the user/payee in accordance with the payment method.
1179. The system of claim 1178, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider at which the payer maintains one or more accounts.
1180. The system of claim 1178, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider associated with the MFTS that has possession of the funds for the payment.
1181. The system of claim 1178, wherein identifying information utilized to make the payment to the user/payee is provided to the MFTS.
1182. The system of claim 1181, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing the mobile device application on a mobile device of the payer.
1183. The system of claim 1181, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing a web application.
1184. The system of claim 1181, wherein additional identifying information is provided by the user/payee utilizing the mobile device application on the mobile device of the user/payee.
1185. The system of claim 1181, wherein the identifying information comprises information about the user/payee selected from the group: a name and mailing address, a stored value (SV) card account, an ACH account.
1186. The system of claim 1181, wherein the identifying information comprises information corresponding to a selected payment method, and wherein the information is displayed to the user/payee as default payment information.
1187. The system of claim 1186, wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the default payment information.
1188. The system of claim 1187, wherein the identifying information comprises a mailing address, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the mailing address as a default mailing address.
1189. The system of claim 1187, wherein the identifying information comprises a stored value (SV) card account, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the SV card account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1190. The system of claim 1187, wherein the identifying information comprises information identifying an ACH account of the user/payee for receiving the payment, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1191. The system of claim 1178, wherein the payment to make information identifies at least an amount, a payment source, and information identifying a mobile device of the user/payee.
1192. The system of claim 1178, wherein the information relating to a payment method in the second payment received message comprises information about one or more selectable methods for receiving the payment.
1193. The system of claim 1192, wherein the user input relating to a payment method comprises selection of a payment method for receiving the payment, and wherein the payment instruction includes information regarding the selected payment method.
1194. The system of claim 1178, wherein the MFTS receives a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment to the user/payee.
1195. The system of claim 1194, wherein the MFTS is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the payee/user's mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1196. The system of claim 1175, wherein the message comprises a text message transmitted to the user's mobile device.
1197. The system of claim 1175, wherein the enrollment information provided by the user/payee includes information identifying an account of the user/payee for receiving the payment.
1198. The system of claim 1197, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises an ACH account.
1199. The system of claim 1197, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises a stored value (SV) card account.
1200. The system of claim 1175, wherein the information regarding the downloadable mobile device application displayed to the user/payee comprises a message instructing the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application.
1201. The system of claim 1175, wherein the downloadable mobile device application comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
1202. The system of claim 1201, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides the user/payee with functionality to make payments utilizing the MFTS as well as receive payments.
1203. The system of claim 1202, wherein use of the Mobile Wallet application by the user/payee, subsequently as a payer, to make a payment to another person as user/payee, facilitates viral spreading of the Mobile Wallet application to other persons with mobile devices.
1204. The system of claim 1201, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1205. The system of claim 1175, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, payment methods, and/or payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with making or receiving payments.
1206. A method for providing a payment to a user of a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user/payee using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with a payment instruction recipient for effecting the payment, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information, and payment source information; providing a download system for storing a downloadable mobile device application operative, when installed on a compatible mobile device, for communicating with the MFTS; receiving payment to make information at the MFTS from a payer corresponding to a payment to be made to the user/payee; generating a payment received message at the MFTS containing information corresponding to the payment to be made to the user/payee; wirelessly communicating the payment received message from the MFTS to the user/payee's mobile device, the payment received message including information regarding the downloadable mobile device application; in response to action by the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application on the user/payee's mobile device and provide enrollment information, wirelessly communicating a second payment received message from the MFTS to the user/payee's mobile device, the second payment received message comprising information about the payment and information about a payment method for receiving the payment; at the user/payee's mobile device, receiving user input relating to a payment method for receiving the payment; at the user/payee's mobile device in response to the user input, generating a payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment method; wirelessly communicating the payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device to the MFTS;
at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and identifying information corresponding to the user/payee; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, making a payment to the user/payee in accordance with the payment method.
1207. The method of claim 1206, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider at which the payer maintains one or more accounts.
1208. The method of claim 1206, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider associated with the MFTS that has possession of the funds for the payment.
1209. The method of claim 1206, wherein identifying information utilized to make the payment to the user/payee is provided to the MFTS.
1210. The method of claim 1209, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing the mobile device application on a mobile device of the payer.
1211. The method of claim 1209, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing a web application.
1212. The method of claim 1209, wherein additional identifying information is provided by the user/payee utilizing the mobile device application on the mobile device of the user/payee.
1213. The method of claim 1209, wherein the identifying information comprises information about the user/payee selected from the group: a name and mailing address, a stored value (SV) card account, an ACH account.
1214. The method of claim 1209, wherein the identifying information comprises information corresponding to a selected payment method, and wherein the information is displayed to the user/payee as default payment information.
1215. The method of claim 1214, wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the default payment information.
1216. The method of claim 1215, wherein the identifying information comprises a mailing address, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the mailing address as a default mailing address.
1217. The method of claim 1215, wherein the identifying information comprises a stored value (SV) card account, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the SV card account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1218. The method of claim 1215, wherein the identifying information comprises information identifying an ACH account of the user/payee for receiving the payment, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1219. The method of claim 1206, wherein the payment received message comprises a text message transmitted to the user/payee's mobile device.
1220. The method of claim 1206, wherein the enrollment information provided by the user/payee includes information identifying an account of the user/payee for receiving the payment.
1221. The method of claim 1220, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises an ACH account.
1222. The method of claim 1220, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises a stored value (SV) card account.
1223. The method of claim 1206, wherein the payment to make information identifies at least an amount, a payment source, and information identifying a mobile device of the user/payee.
1224. The method of claim 1206, wherein the information regarding the downloadable mobile device application displayed to the user/payee comprises a message instructing the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application.
1225. The method of claim 1206, wherein the information relating to a payment method in the second payment received message comprises information about one or more selectable methods for receiving the payment.
1226. The method of claim 1225, wherein the user input relating to a payment method comprises selection of a payment method for receiving the payment, and wherein the payment instruction includes information regarding the selected payment method.
1227. The method of claim 1206, wherein the downloadable mobile device application comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
1228. The method of claim 1227, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides the user/payee with functionality to make payments utilizing the MFTS as well as receive payments.
1229. The method of claim 1228, wherein use of the Mobile Wallet application by the user/payee, subsequently as a payer, to make a payment to another person as user/payee, facilitates viral spreading of the Mobile Wallet application to other persons with mobile devices.
1230. The method of claim 1227, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1231. The method of claim 1206, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment to the user/payee.
1232. The method of claim 1231, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the payee/user's mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1233. The method of claim 1206, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, payment methods, and/or payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with making or receiving payments.
1234. A system for providing a payment to a user/payee of a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a user/payee mobile device capable of wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user/payee using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with a payment instruction recipient to for effecting the payment, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information, and payment source information; a download system for storing a downloadable mobile device application operative, when installed on a compatible mobile device, for communicating with the MFTS; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving payment to make information from a payer corresponding to a payment to be made to the user/payee; generating a payment received message at the MFTS containing information corresponding to the payment to be made to the user/payee; wirelessly communicating the payment received message from the MFTS to the user/payee's mobile device, the payment received message including information regarding the downloadable mobile device application; in response to action by the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application on the user/payee's mobile device and provide enrollment information, wirelessly communicating a second payment received message from the MFTS to the user/payee's mobile device, the second payment received message comprising information about the payment and information about a payment method for receiving the payment; receiving a mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device comprising information corresponding to the payment method; generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount and identifying information corresponding to the user/payee; communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; and at the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the
MFTS payment instruction, making a payment to the user/payee in accordance with the payment method.
1235. The system of claim 1234, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider at which the payer maintains one or more accounts.
1236. The system of claim 1234, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider associated with the MFTS that has possession of the funds for the payment.
1237. The system of claim 1234, wherein identifying information utilized to make the payment to the user/payee is provided to the MFTS.
1238. The system of claim 1237, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing the mobile device application on a mobile device of the payer.
1239. The system of claim 1237, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing a web application.
1240. The system of claim 1237, wherein additional identifying information is provided by the user/payee utilizing the mobile device application on the mobile device of the user/payee.
1241. The system of claim 1237, wherein the identifying information comprises information about the user/payee selected from the group: a name and mailing address, a stored value (SV) card account, an ACH account.
1242. The system of claim 1237, wherein the identifying information comprises information corresponding to a selected payment method, and wherein the information is displayed to the user/payee as default payment information.
1243. The system of claim 1242, wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the default payment information.
1244. The system of claim 1242, wherein the identifying information comprises a mailing address, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the mailing address as a default mailing address.
1245. The system of claim 1243, wherein the identifying information comprises a stored value (SV) card account, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the SV card account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1246. The system of claim 1243, wherein the identifying information comprises information identifying an ACH account of the user/payee for receiving the payment, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1247. The system of claim 1234, wherein the payment received message comprises a text message transmitted to the user/payee's mobile device.
1248. The system of claim 1234, wherein the enrollment information provided by the user/payee includes information identifying an account of the user/payee for receiving the payment.
1249. The system of claim 1248, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises an ACH account.
1250. The system of claim 1248, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises a stored value (SV) card account.
1251. The system of claim 1234, wherein the payment to make information identifies at least an amount, a payment source, and information identifying a mobile device of the user/payee.
1252. The system of claim 1234, wherein the information regarding the downloadable mobile device application displayed to the user/payee comprises a message instructing the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application.
1253. The system of claim 1234, wherein the information relating to a payment method in the second payment received message comprises information about one or more selectable methods for receiving the payment.
1254. The system of claim 1253, wherein the user input relating to a payment method comprises selection of a payment method for receiving the payment, and wherein the payment instruction includes information regarding the selected payment method.
1255. The system of claim 1234, wherein the downloadable mobile device application comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
1256. The system of claim 1255, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides the user/payee with functionality to make payments utilizing the MFTS as well as receive payments.
1257. The system of claim 1256, wherein use of the Mobile Wallet application by the user/payee, subsequently as a payer, to make a payment to another person as user/payee, facilitates viral spreading of the Mobile Wallet application to other persons with mobile devices.
1258. The system of claim 1255, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1259. The system of claim 1234, wherein the MFTS is operative for receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment to the user/payee.
1260. The system of claim 1259, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the payee/user's mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1261. The system of claim 1234, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, payment methods, and/or payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with making or receiving payments.
1262. A method for distributing a mobile device application for use in making and receiving payments using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: receiving a message on a mobile device including information about a payment made to the mobile device user from a payer and information regarding a downloadable mobile device application, the downloadable mobile device application operative, when installed on a compatible mobile device, for communicating with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) that facilitates the making and receiving of payments via wireless mobile devices; and subsequent to action by the mobile device user to download and install the mobile device application on the user's mobile device and provide enrollment information, communicating with the MFTS to receive the payment by the mobile device user as user/payee.
1263. The method of claim 1262, further comprising the steps of: receiving a payment received message from the MFTS at the user/payee's mobile device, the payment received message containing information corresponding to the payment to be made to the user/payee; displaying information corresponding to the payment received message at the user/payee's mobile device, the displayed information including information regarding the downloadable mobile device application; subsequent to download and installation of the mobile device application on the user/payee's mobile device and provide enrollment information,
receiving a second payment received message from the MFTS at the user/payee's mobile device; displaying information corresponding to the second payment received message at the user/payee's mobile device, the displayed information comprising information about the payment and information about a payment method for receiving the payment; receiving user input relating to a payment method for receiving the payment; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment method; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device to the MFTS, whereby, the MFTS is operative, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, provides a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that effects the payment to the user/payee in accordance with the payment method.
1264. The method of claim 1263, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider at which the payer maintains one or more accounts.
1265. The method of claim 1263, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider associated with the MFTS that has possession of the funds for the payment.
1266. The method of claim 1263, wherein identifying information utilized to make the payment to the user/payee is provided to the MFTS.
1267. The method of claim 1266, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing the mobile device application on a mobile device of the payer.
1268. The method of claim 1266, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing a web application.
1269. The method of claim 1266, wherein additional identifying information is provided by the user/payee utilizing the mobile device application on the mobile device of the user/payee.
1270. The method of claim 1266, wherein the identifying information comprises information about the user/payee selected from the group: a name and mailing address, a stored value (SV) card account, an ACH account.
1271. The method of claim 1266, wherein the identifying information comprises information corresponding to a selected payment method, and wherein the information is displayed to the user/payee as default payment information.
1272. The method of claim 1271, wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the default payment information.
1273. The method of claim 1272, wherein the identifying information comprises a mailing address, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the mailing address as a default mailing address.
1274. The method of claim 1272, wherein the identifying information comprises a stored value (SV) card account, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the SV card account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1275. The method of claim 1272, wherein the identifying information comprises information identifying an ACH account of the user/payee for receiving the payment, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1276. The method of claim 1263, wherein the payment to make information identifies at least an amount, a payment source, and information identifying a mobile device of the user/payee.
1277. The method of claim 1263, wherein the information relating to a payment method in the second payment received message comprises information about one or more selectable methods for receiving the payment.
1278. The method of claim 1277, wherein user input relating to a payment method comprises selection of a payment method for receiving the payment, and wherein the payment instruction includes information regarding the selected payment method.
1279. The method of claim 1263, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment to the user/payee.
1280. The method of claim 1279, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the payee/user's mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1281. The method of claim 1262, wherein the message comprises a text message transmitted to the user's mobile device.
1282. The method of claim 1262, wherein the enrollment information provided by the user/payee includes information identifying an account of the user/payee for receiving the payment.
1283. The method of claim 1282, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises an ACH account.
1284. The method of claim 1282, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises a stored value (SV) card account.
1285. The method of claim 1262, wherein the information regarding the downloadable mobile device application displayed to the user/payee comprises a
message instructing the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application.
1286. The method of claim 1262, wherein the downloadable mobile device application comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
1287. The method of claim 1286, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides the user/payee with functionality to make payments utilizing the MFTS as well as receive payments.
1288. The method of claim 1287, wherein use of the Mobile Wallet application by the user/payee, subsequently as a payer, to make a payment to another person as user/payee, facilitates viral spreading of the Mobile Wallet application to other persons with mobile devices.
1289. The method of claim 1286, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1290. The method of claim 1262, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, payment methods, and/or payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with making or receiving payments.
1291. A mobile device for use in connection with receiving a payment from a payer via a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a wireless network, comprising:
a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS)5 the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; the mobile device capable of receiving a message including information about a payment made to the mobile device user from a payer and information regarding a downloadable mobile device application; a downloaded mobile device application operative for communicating with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) that facilitates the making and receiving of payments via wireless mobile devices; and the mobile device application, subsequent to action by the mobile device user to download and install the mobile device application on the user's mobile device and provide enrollment information, communicating with the MFTS to receive the payment by the mobile device user as user/payee.
1292. The device of claim 1291, wherein the mobile device is further operative for: receiving a payment received message from the MFTS at the user/payee's mobile device, the payment received message containing information corresponding to the payment to be made to the user/payee; displaying information corresponding to the payment received message at the user/payee's mobile device, the displayed information including information regarding the downloadable mobile device application; subsequent to download and installation of the mobile device application on the user/payee's mobile device and provide enrollment information, receiving a second payment received message from the MFTS at the user/payee's mobile device; displaying information corresponding to the second payment received message at the user/payee's mobile device, the displayed information comprising information about the payment and information about a payment method for receiving the payment; receiving user input relating to a payment method for receiving the payment; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment method; and
wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device to the MFTS, whereby, the MFTS is operative, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, provides a payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that effects the payment to the user/payee in accordance with the payment method.
1293. The device of claim 1292, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider at which the payer maintains one or more accounts.
1294. The device of claim 1292, wherein the payment instruction recipient is a financial service provider associated with the MFTS that has possession of the funds for the payment.
1295. The device of claim 1292, wherein identifying information utilized to make the payment to the user/payee is provided to the MFTS.
1296. The device of claim 1295, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing the mobile device application on a mobile device of the payer.
1297. The device of claim 1295, wherein the identifying information is provided by a payer to the MFTS utilizing a web application.
1298. The device of claim 1295, wherein additional identifying information is provided by the user/payee utilizing the mobile device application on the mobile device of the user/payee.
1299. The device of claim 1295, wherein the identifying information comprises information about the user/payee selected from the group: a name and mailing address, a stored value (SV) card account, an ACH account.
1300. The device of claim 1295, wherein the identifying information comprises information corresponding to a selected payment method, and wherein the information is displayed to the user/payee as default payment information.
1301. The device of claim 1300, wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the default payment information.
1302. The device of claim 1301, wherein the identifying information comprises a mailing address, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the mailing address as a default mailing address.
1303. The device of claim 1301, wherein the identifying information comprises a stored value (SV) card account, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the SV card account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1304. The device of claim 1301, wherein the identifying information comprises information identifying an ACH account of the user/payee for receiving the payment, and wherein the user/payee is prompted to confirm the account as a default method for receiving a payment.
1305. The device of claim 1292, wherein the payment to make information identifies at least an amount, a payment source, and information identifying a mobile device of the user/payee.
1306. The device of claim 1292, wherein the information relating to a payment method in the second payment received message comprises information about one or more selectable methods for receiving the payment.
1307. The device of claim 1305, wherein user input relating to a payment method comprises selection of a payment method for receiving the payment, and wherein the payment instruction includes information regarding the selected payment method.
1308. The device of claim 1292, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment to the user/payee.
1309. The device of claim 1308, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the payee/user's mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1310. The device of claim 1291, wherein the message comprises a text message transmitted to the user's mobile device.
1311. The device of claim 1291, wherein the enrollment information provided by the user/payee includes information identifying an account of the user/payee for receiving the payment.
1312. The device of claim 1311, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises an ACH account.
1313. The device of claim 1311, wherein the account of the user/payee comprises a stored value (SV) card account.
1314. The device of claim 1291, wherein the information regarding the downloadable mobile device application displayed to the user/payee comprises a message instructing the user/payee to download and install the mobile device application.
1315. The device of claim 1291, wherein the downloadable mobile device application comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
1316. The device of claim 1315, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides the user/payee with functionality to make payments utilizing the MFTS as well as receive payments.
1317. The device of claim 1316, wherein use of the Mobile Wallet application by the user/payee, subsequently as a payer, to make a payment to another person as user/payee, facilitates viral spreading of the Mobile Wallet application to other persons with mobile devices.
1318. The device of claim 1315, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1319. The device of claim 1291, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, payment methods, and/or payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with making or receiving payments.
1320. (**Methods and Systems for Indicating a Payment in a Mobile Environment **) A method for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user using a mobile communication service provider (MCSP), the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with one or more payment instruction recipients that can make a payment to a payee in behalf of the user, the
MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payment instruction recipients and/or payees, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; providing one or more selectable payees for selection by the user using the mobile device; receiving user input at the user's mobile device corresponding to selection of a payee for a payment to make and a payment source for making a payment;
in response to the user input at the user's mobile device, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a payment source for making the payment; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user's mobile device to the MFTS; at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the mobile payment instruction; at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the selected payment instruction recipient; whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the identified payee.
1321. The method of claim 1320, wherein the one or more selectable payees comprises payees for which payment information has been pre-stored at the MFTS.
1322. The method of claim 1320, wherein the one or more selectable payees comprises payees to which a payment was previously made and for which payment information is already extant on the mobile device.
1323. The method of claim 1320, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
1324. The method of claim 1320, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
1325. The method of claim 1320, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
1326. The method of claim 1325, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is one or more of a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
1327. The method of claim 1320, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
1328. The method of claim 1320, further comprising the step of providing a
Mobile Wallet application on the user's mobile device.
1329. The method of claim 1328, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1330. The method of claim 1320, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
1331. The method of claim 1329, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
1332. The method of claim 1329, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account
information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
1333. The method of claim 1320, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
1334. The method of claim 1320, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
1335. The method of claim 1334, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
1336. The method of claim 1320, further comprising the step of: communicating a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient to the MFTS in response to completion of a predetermined stage in making the payment.
1337. The method of claim 1336, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1338. The method of claim 1320, further comprising the steps of: at the user's mobile device, receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and at the user's mobile device in response to the user input, including information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
1339. The method of claim 1338, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
1340. The method of claim 1320, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user's mobile device.
1341. The method of claim 1340, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user's mobile device, via the web application, to a user via user's computer.
1342. The method of claim 1320, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS at the user mobile device; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
1343. A system for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a user mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device providing one or more selectable payees for selection by the user using the mobile device, the mobile device operative for receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payee for a payment to make and a payment source for
making a payment, the mobile device further operative for generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a payment source for making the payment and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database associated with the
MFTS for storing user information, payment to make information associated with the one or more payees, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider of a user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: in response to receipt of a mobile payment instruction from a mobile device, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated in the mobile payment instruction and information corresponding to the selected account at the selected financial service provider identified in the payment instruction; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the selected account at the selected financial service provider, an amount, and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient; whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, makes a payment to the identified payee utilizing the selected account at the select financial service provider.
1344. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more selectable payees comprises payees for which payment information has been pre-stored at the MFTS.
1345. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more selectable payees comprises payees to which a payment was previously made and for which payment information is already extant on the mobile device.
1346. The system of claim 24, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
1347. The system of claim 24, wherein the payment instruction recipient comprises a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
1348. The system of claim 24, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
1349. The system of claim 1348, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is selected from the group comprising: a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
1350. The system of claim 24, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
1351. The system of claim 24, wherein the MFTS provides a Mobile Wallet application for execution on the user's mobile device.
1352. The system of claim 1351, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1353. The system of claim 1352, wherein the user input corresponding to selection of a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
1354. The system of claim 1353, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
1355. The system of claim 1352, wherein user activation of the View
Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
1356. The system of claim 24, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
1357. The system of claim 24, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device by the MFTS consists of a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
1358. The system of claim 1357, wherein the mobile device utilizes the payee identifier in the payment to make information and retrieves payee name information from a mobile device local memory corresponding to an identified payee and displays the payee name information to the user.
1359. The system of claim 24, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's financial transactions, the transaction information stored including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
1360. The system of claim 1359, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill
due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
1361. The system of claim 24, further comprising receiving at the MFTS a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage of completion of making the payment.
1362. The system of claim 1361, wherein the MFTS communicates a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1363. The system of claim 24, wherein the user's mobile device receives user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, the user's mobile device includes information in the mobile payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
1364. The system of claim 1363, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
1365. The system of claim 24, wherein the MFTS is further coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising program code in the MFTS software comprising a web application operative for receiving user information corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and wherein the MFTS is operative for storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user's mobile device.
1366. The system of claim 1365, further comprising program code in the MFTS software for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to
transactions conducted via the user's mobile device, via the web application, to a user via a user's computer.
1367. The system of claim 24, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
1368. A method for making a mobile financial payment using a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing one or more selectable payees for selection by the user using the mobile device; receiving user input at the user's mobile device corresponding to selection of a payee for a payment to make and selection of a payment source for making a payment; in response to the user input at the user's mobile device, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a payment source for making the payment; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user's mobile device to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) that can effect a payment to the identified payee, whereby in response to the mobile payment instruction the MFTS effects a payment to the identified payee.
1369. The method of claim 1368, further comprising the steps of: displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payment sources at the user's mobile device, the one or more selectable payment sources comprising financial service providers at which the user maintains at least one account selectable for making a payment; and
receiving user selection of one of the selectable payment sources as the payment source for the payment.
1370. The method of claim 1369, wherein the information corresponding to one or more selectable payment sources displayed at the user's mobile device comprises summarized payment source information.
1371. The method of claim 1368, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
1372. The method of claim 1371, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is selected from the group comprising: a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
1373. The method of claim 1368, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
1374. The method of claim 1368, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user's mobile device.
1375. The method of claim 1374, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1376. The method of claim 1375, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
1377. The method of claim 1376, wherein the selection of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
1378. The method of claim 1375, wherein user activation of the View Payment Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
1379. The method of claim 1368, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
1380. The method of claim 1368, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device from the MFTS consists of a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
1381. The method of claim 1380, wherein the mobile device utilizes the payee identifier in the payment to make information and retrieves payee name information from a mobile device local memory corresponding to an identified payee and displays the payee name information to the user.
1382. The method of claim 1368, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message at the mobile device provided by the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage of completion of making the payment.
1383. The method of claim 1368, further comprising the step of receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
1384. The method of claim 1383, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
1385. The method of claim 1368, further comprising the steps of: storing a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; receiving updated account balance information from the MFTS at the user mobile device; and in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, displaying updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user via the mobile device.
1386. A mobile device for making a mobile financial payment via a wireless network, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, user input means, a processor, and a memory; mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: providing one or more selectable payees for selection by the user using the mobile device; receiving user input at the user's mobile device corresponding to a payee for a payment to make and a payment source for making a payment; in response to the user input at the user's mobile device, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the payment to make and a payment source for making the payment; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user's mobile device to the MFTS for effecting a payment to the identified payee.
1387. The device of claim 1386, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for: displaying information corresponding to one or more selectable payment sources on the mobile device display, the one or more selectable payment sources comprising financial service providers at which the user maintains at least one account selectable for making a payment.
1388. The device of claim 1387, wherein the information corresponding to one or more selectable payment sources displayed at the user's mobile device comprises summarized payment source information.
1389. The device of claim 1386, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
1390. The device of claim 1389, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is selected from the group comprising: a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
1391. The device of claim 1386, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
1392. The device of claim 1386, wherein the mobile device software comprises a Mobile Wallet application.
1393. The device of claim 1392, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1394. The device of claim 1393, wherein the user input corresponding to a payment source for making a payment is provided in response to display of a View Payment Sources command.
1395. The device of claim 1394, wherein the indication of a payment source for making a payment includes selection of a financial service provider and selection of a particular account associated with the selected financial service provider for making the payment.
1396. The device of claim 1393, wherein user activation of the View Payment
Sources command causes the MFTS to retrieve current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicate the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers.
1397. The device of claim 1386, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
1398. The device of claim 1386, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device from the MFTS consists of a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
1399. The device of claim 1398, wherein the mobile device utilizes the payee identifier in the payment to make information and retrieves payee name information from a mobile device local memory corresponding to an identified payee and displays the payee name information to the user.
1400. The device of claim 1386, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message provided by the MFTS in response to receipt of a payment confirmation message from a payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage of completion of making the payment.
1401. The device of claim 1386, wherein the mobile device software is further operative for:
receiving user input corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment; and in response to the user input, including information in the payment instruction corresponding to the selected method for making the payment.
1402. The device of claim 1401, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
1403. The device of claim 1386, wherein the user mobile device stores a cached account balance in the mobile device representative of the balance in the at least one account as of a particular date; wherein the mobile device receives updated account balance information for the account; and wherein in response to receipt of updated account balance information, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
1404. A computer-implemented method for a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) to facilitate a mobile financial payment initiated by a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information, and payment source information associated with at least one account associated with at least one financial service provider; receiving a mobile payment instruction communicated from a user's mobile device, the mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a user's payment to make and a payment source for making a payment corresponding to the selected payment to make; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment indicated by the payment instruction and information corresponding to a payment instruction recipient for making the payment;
generating a MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the payment source, an amount, and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient for effecting the payment.
1405. The method of claim 1404, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
1406. The method of claim 1404, wherein the payment instruction recipient is one of a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
1407. The method of claim 1404, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
1408. The method of claim 1407, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is one of a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or a single billing entity.
1409. The method of claim 1404, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
1410. The method of claim 1404, further comprising the step of communicating a message to a user's mobile device in response to receipt of bill information from a billing entity.
1411. The method of claim 1404, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for a user's mobile device to facilitate communications between mobile devices and the MFTS.
1412. The method of claim 1411, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1413. The method of claim 1412, further comprising the steps of retrieving current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicating the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers in response to user activation of the View Payment Sources command at the mobile device.
1414. The method of claim 1404, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
1415. The method of claim 1404, further comprising the step of communicating payment to make information to the mobile device consisting of a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
1416. The method of claim 1404, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's mobile financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
1417. The method of claim 1416, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
1418. The method of claim 1404, further comprising the step of receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage in making the payment.
1419. The method of claim 1418, further comprising the step of communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1420. The method of claim 1404, further comprising the steps of receiving information from the user's mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment, and providing information corresponding to the selected payment method to the payment instruction recipient.
1421. The method of claim 1420, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
1422. The method of claim 1404, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user's mobile device.
1423. The method of claim 1422, further comprising the step of retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user's mobile device, via the web application, to a user via a user's computer.
1424. The method of claim 1404, further comprising the steps of: communicating with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; and wirelessly communicating updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user mobile device;
whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the user mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
1425. A mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) for facilitating a mobile financial payment initiated by a user mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user information, payment to make information associated with one or more payees, and payment source information associated with a mobile device user; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) computer system for maintaining the MFTS database and conducting electronic communications between entities involved in mobile financial payments; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS computer system comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving a mobile payment instruction communicated from the user mobile device, the mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to a payment to make and a payment source for making a payment; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to an identified payee for receiving the payment and information corresponding to a payment source; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least information identifying the payment source, an amount, and information corresponding to the identified payee; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, whereby in response to the MFTS payment instruction the payment instruction recipient effects a payment to the identified payee.
1426. The system of claim 1425, wherein the payment to make information comprises a bill, and the payee is a billing entity.
1427. The system of claim 1425, wherein the payment instruction recipient comprises a financial service provider, a billing aggregator, or a separate billing entity.
1428. The system of claim 1425, wherein the payment to make information is provided to the MFTS by an external source, is input by the user via an Internet- accessible web site accessible by the user for input of payment to make information and payee information, or is input by the user at the mobile device.
1429. The system of claim 1428, wherein the external source for the payment to make information is one or more of a bill presentment system that provides bill information from a plurality of billing entities or an individual billing entity.
1430. The system of claim 1425, wherein the payment to make information comprises information corresponding to one or more of the following: a recurring bill, a bill from a billing aggregator, a bill from an individual billing company, a "pay anyone" payment.
1431. The system of claim 1425, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a message to a user's mobile device in response to receipt of bill information from a billing entity.
1432. The system of claim 1425, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application to a user mobile device to facilitate communications between mobile devices and the MFTS.
1433. The system of claim 1432, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on a mobile device of selectable commands including one or more of a View Bills command, a View Payment Sources command, and a Pay Bill(s) command.
1434. The system of claim 1432, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving current account information from one or more financial service providers and communicating the current account information to the mobile device upon receipt of such information from the one or more financial service providers in response to user activation of the View Payment Sources command at the mobile device.
1435. The system of claim 1425, wherein the identified payee corresponds to a billing entity that communicated bill information to the MFTS.
1436. The system of claim 1425, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating payment to make information to the mobile device, wherein the payment to make information communicated to the mobile device consists of a payee identifier, an amount, and a due date.
1437. The system of claim 1425, wherein the MFTS database stores transaction information corresponding to a user's mobile financial transactions, the transaction information including the payment to make information in addition to other information utilized to track status of the payment to make.
1438. The system of claim 1437, wherein the transaction information includes one or more of the following items of information: a user ID number, a transaction identifier, a bill received date, a bill due date, an amount, a financial service provider identifier, an account identifier, a payee identifier, a pending/complete flag.
1439. The system of claim 1425, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving a payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient at a predetermined stage in making the payment.
1440. The system of claim 1439, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for communicating a payment confirmation message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the payment confirmation message from the payment instruction recipient.
1441. The system of claim 1425, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for receiving information from the user's mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment method for making a payment, and providing information corresponding to the selected payment method to the payment instruction recipient.
1442. The system of claim 1441, wherein the selectable payment methods include: a recipient-defined method, an ACH funds transfer, a paper check, and a stored value (SV) card.
1443. The system of claim 1425, wherein the MFTS is coupled for electronic communications with a user's computer via a data communications network such as the Internet, and further comprising the computer-implemented steps of: providing a web application in association with the MFTS; receiving user information via the web application corresponding to financial service providers, accounts at financial service providers, and payees; and storing the user information input via the web application in the MFTS database for use in connection with payments initiated via the user's mobile device.
1444. The system of claim 1443, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for retrieving and displaying transaction information corresponding to transactions conducted via the user's mobile device, via the web application, to a user via a user's computer.
1445. The system of claim 1425, wherein the MFTS communicates with the financial service provider to obtain updated account balance information for the account; wherein the MFTS wirelessly communicates updated account balance information from the MFTS to the user's mobile device; and whereby in response to receipt of updated account balance information from the MFTS, the mobile device displays updated account balance information corresponding to the account to the user.
1446. (**Methods and Systems for Payment Method Selection by a Payee in a Mobile Environment**) A method for receiving a financial payment facilitated by use of a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user/payee, the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with a payment instruction recipient that effects payments by various methods, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user/payee information; providing information corresponding to a received payment to the user/payee's mobile device; displaying information corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods available to the user/payee for receiving the payment; at the mobile device, receiving user/payee input corresponding to selection of a payment method for receiving the payment; at the mobile device in response to the user/payee input, generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the selected payment method; wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device to the MFTS; at the MFTS and in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to the selected payment method identified in the payment instruction; at the MFTS, generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient, whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the user/payee utilizing the selected payment method.
1447. The method of claim 1446, wherein the user/payee maintains a relationship with a financial service provider, and wherein the selection of a payment method comprises selection of an account at the financial service provider for receiving the payment.
1448. The method of claim 1446, wherein the step of providing information corresponding to the received payment at the user/payee's mobile device comprises providing a message from the MFTS to the mobile device.
1449. The method of claim 1448, wherein the message is a text message.
1450. The method of claim 1446, wherein the step of providing information corresponding to the received payment at the user/payee's mobile device comprises displaying the information via a Mobile Wallet application.
1451. The method of claim 1446, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user/payee's mobile device.
1452. The method of claim 1451, wherein the user/payee receives a message from the MFTS indicating receipt of a payment, downloads the Mobile Wallet application to the user/payee's mobile device, and thereafter utilizes the Mobile Wallet application to receive the payment.
1453. The method of claim 1484, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Select
Payment Methods command.
1454. The method of claim 1446, wherein the selectable payment methods include one or more of an ACH payment method, a paper check method, and a stored value card method.
1455. The method of claim 1446, wherein a default payment method is stored as user/payee information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user/payee to use the default payment method or select another payment method, and
wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment method by the user/payee, the default payment method is utilized to make the payment.
1456. A system for receiving a financial payment facilitated by use of a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a mobile device coupled for wireless communications with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device operative for receiving user/payee input corresponding to selection of payment method, the mobile device further operative for generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the selected payment method and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction to the MFTS; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with the mobile device of a user/payee, the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with a payment instruction recipient that effects payments by various methods, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user/payee information; and
MFTS software operative on the MFTS system comprising computer program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: providing information corresponding to a received payment to the user/payee's mobile device; providing information corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods available to the user/payee for receiving the payment; in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to the selected payment method identified in the payment instruction; generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction from the MFTS to the payment instruction recipient,
whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the user/payee utilizing the selected payment method.
1457. The system of claim 1456, wherein the user/payee maintains a relationship with a financial service provider, and wherein the selection of a payment method comprises selection of an account at the financial service provider for receiving the payment.
1458. The system of claim 1456, wherein operation of providing information corresponding to the received payment at the user/payee's mobile device comprises providing a message from the MFTS to the mobile device.
1459. The system of claim 1458, wherein the message is a text message.
1460. The system of claim 1456, wherein the operation of providing information corresponding to the received payment at the user/payee's mobile device comprises displaying the information via a Mobile Wallet application.
1461. The system of claim 1456, wherein the MFTS software is further operative for providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user/payee's mobile device.
1462. The system of claim 1461, wherein the user/payee receives a message from the MFTS indicating receipt of a payment, downloads the Mobile Wallet application to the user/payee's mobile device, and thereafter utilizes the Mobile Wallet application to receive the payment.
1463. The system of claim 1461, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Select Payment Methods command.
1464. The system of claim 1456, wherein the selectable payment methods include one or more of an ACH payment method, a paper check method, and a stored value card method.
1465. The system of claim 1456, wherein a default payment method is stored as user/payee information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user/payee to use the default payment method or select another payment method, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment method by the user/payee, the default payment method is utilized to make the payment.
1466. A method for receiving a financial payment facilitated by use of a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: wirelessly receiving information corresponding to a received payment at the user/payee's mobile device from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); displaying information corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment on the mobile device; receiving user/payee input on the mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment method for receiving the payment; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the selected payment method; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device to the MFTS, whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the user/payee utilizing the selected payment method.
1467. The method of claim 1466, wherein the user/payee maintains a relationship with a financial service provider, and wherein the selection of a payment method comprises selection of an account at the financial service provider for receiving the payment.
1468. The method of claim 1466, wherein the step of receiving information corresponding to the received payment at the user/payee's mobile device comprises receiving a message from the MFTS to the mobile device.
1469. The method of claim 1468, wherein the message is a text message.
1470. The method of claim 1466, wherein the step of receiving information corresponding to the received payment at the user/payee's mobile device further comprises displaying the information via a Mobile Wallet application.
1471. The method of claim 1466, further comprising the step of providing a Mobile Wallet application on the user/payee's mobile device.
1472. The method of claim 1471, wherein the user/payee receives a message from the MFTS indicating receipt of a payment, downloads the Mobile Wallet application to the user/payee's mobile device, and thereafter utilizes the Mobile Wallet application to receive the payment.
1473. The method of claim 1471, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Select Payment Methods command.
1474. The method of claim 1466, wherein the selectable payment methods include one or more of an ACH payment method, a paper check method, and a stored value card method.
1475. The method of claim 1466, wherein a default payment method is stored as user/payee information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user/payee to use the default payment method or select another payment method, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment method by the user/payee, the default payment method is utilized to make the payment.
1476. A mobile device for facilitating the receipt of a financial payment, comprising: a mobile device connected for wireless communications via a mobile communication service provider to a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS), the mobile device including a display, input means, a processor, and a memory; and
mobile device software operative on the mobile device processor comprising program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: receiving information corresponding to a received payment at the user/payee's mobile device from a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS); displaying information corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods for receiving the payment on the mobile device; receiving user/payee input on the mobile device corresponding to selection of a payment method for receiving the payment; generating a mobile payment instruction comprising information corresponding to the selected payment method; and wirelessly communicating the mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device to the MFTS, whereby in response to receipt of the mobile payment instruction, the MFTS effects a payment to the user/payee utilizing the selected payment method.
1477. The device of claim 1476, wherein the user/payee maintains a relationship with a financial service provider, and wherein the selection of a payment method comprises selection of an account at the financial service provider for receiving the payment.
1478. The device of claim 1476, wherein the operation of receiving information corresponding to the received payment at the user/payee's mobile device comprises receiving a message from the MFTS at the mobile device.
1479. The device of claim 1478, wherein the message is a text message.
1480. The device of claim 1476, wherein the operation of receiving information corresponding to the received payment at the user/payee's mobile device further comprises displaying the information via a Mobile Wallet application.
1481. The device of claim 1476, wherein the mobile device include a Mobile Wallet application.
1482. The device of claim 1481, wherein the user/payee receives a message from the MFTS indicating receipt of a payment, downloads the Mobile Wallet application to the user/payee's mobile device, and thereafter utilizes the Mobile Wallet application to receive the payment.
1483. The device of claim 1481, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Select Payment Methods command.
1484. The device of claim 1476, wherein the selectable payment methods include one or more of an ACH payment method, a paper check method, and a stored value card method.
1485. The device of claim 1476, wherein a default payment method is stored as user/payee information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user/payee to use the default payment method or select another payment method, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment method by the user/payee, the default payment method is utilized to make the payment.
1486. A method for facilitating a financial payment by use of a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising the steps of: providing a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with a mobile device of a user/payee, the MFTS coupled for electronic communication with a payment instruction recipient that effects payments by various methods, the MFTS including a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user/payee information; providing information to the user/payee's mobile device corresponding to a received payment; providing information to the user/payee's mobile device corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods available to the user/payee for receiving the payment;
wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device comprising information corresponding to a selected payment method; in response to the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to the selected payment method identified in the payment instruction; generating a MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the user/payee utilizing the selected payment method.
1487. The method of claim 1486, wherein the user/payee maintains a relationship with a financial service provider, and wherein the selection of a payment method comprises selection of an account at the financial service provider for receiving the payment.
1488. The method of claim 1486, wherein the step of providing information corresponding to the received payment to the user/payee's mobile device comprises providing a message to the mobile device.
1489. The method of claim 1488, wherein the message is a text message.
1490. The method of claim 1486, wherein the step of providing information corresponding to the received payment to the user/payee's mobile device comprises providing information for display via a Mobile Wallet application.
1491. The method of claim 1486, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for use on the user/payee's mobile device.
1492. The method of claim 1491, wherein the user/payee receives a message from the MFTS indicating receipt of a payment, downloads the Mobile Wallet application to the user/payee's mobile device, and thereafter utilizes the Mobile Wallet application to receive the payment.
1493. The method of claim 1491, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Select Payment Methods command.
1494. The method of claim 1486, wherein the selectable payment methods include one or more of an ACH payment method, a paper check method, and a stored value card method.
1495. The method of claim 1486, wherein a default payment method is stored as user/payee information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user/payee to use the default payment method or select another payment method, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment method by the user/payee, the default payment method is utilized to make the payment.
1496. A system for facilitating a financial payment by use of a mobile device connected for communications with a wireless network, comprising: a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) coupled for wireless communications with one or more mobile devices including a mobile device of a user/payee to whom a payment is intended, the MFTS coupled for electronic communications with a payment instruction recipient that can effect a financial payment by various methods; a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) database for storing user/payee information; and
MFTS software comprising computer program code for carrying out the computer-implemented steps of: providing information to a user/payee's mobile device corresponding to a received payment;
providing information to the user/payee's mobile device corresponding to a plurality of selectable payment methods available to the user/payee for receiving the payment; wirelessly receiving a mobile payment instruction from the user/payee's mobile device comprising information corresponding to a selected payment method; in response to the mobile payment instruction, retrieving information from the MFTS database corresponding to the selected payment method identified in the payment instruction; generating an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient, the MFTS payment instruction including at least an amount, information corresponding to the identified payee, and information indicating the selected payment method; and communicating the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, whereby the payment instruction recipient, in response to receipt of the MFTS payment instruction, effects a payment to the user/payee utilizing the selected payment method.
1497. The system of claim 1496, wherein the user/payee maintains a relationship with a financial service provider, and wherein the selection of a payment method comprises selection of an account at the financial service provider for receiving the payment.
1498. The system of claim 1496, wherein operation of providing information corresponding to the received payment to the user/payee's mobile device comprises providing a message to the mobile device.
1499. The system of claim 1498, wherein the message is a text message.
1500. The system of claim 1496, wherein the operation of providing information corresponding to the received payment to the user/payee's mobile device comprises providing information for display via a Mobile Wallet application.
1501. The system of claim 1496, further comprising a server that provides a downloadable Mobile Wallet application for use on the user/payee's mobile device.
1502. The system of claim 1501, wherein the user/payee receives a message from the MFTS indicating receipt of a payment, downloads the Mobile Wallet application to the user/payee's mobile device, and thereafter utilizes the Mobile Wallet application to receive the payment.
1503. The system of claim 1501, wherein the Mobile Wallet application provides a display on the mobile device of selectable commands including a Select Payment Methods command.
1504. The system of claim 1496, wherein the selectable payment methods include one or more of an ACH payment method, a paper check method, and a stored value card method.
1505. The system of claim 1496, wherein a default payment method is stored as user/payee information, wherein the mobile device displays a prompt to the user/payee to use the default payment method or select another payment method, and wherein in the absence of selection of another available payment method by the user/payee, the default payment method is utilized to make the payment.