Abstract: A system for enabling a payment includes a mobile wireless communications device having voice and data functionality and a payments system. The system enables a payment to be made by a user of the mobile wireless communications device to a party with which the user is in voice communication via the wireless communication link over which the voice communication is made. The voice communication link may be a wireless Voice-over-IP (VoIP) communications link.

Abstract: A method includes providing a first payment account that is issued by a first financial institution and enables an accountholder thereof to make payments at merchants via a closed-loop payments network corresponding to the first financial institution and mobile person-to-person payments using the payment account. The method includes enabling a second payment account that is issued by a second financial institution to be electronically linked to the first payment account and used as a source of funds. The method includes providing a mobile operating system and enabling a plurality of merchant-specific payment accounts to be associated with a mobile communications device having the operating system. The method includes determining whether a merchant-specific payment account that is accepted only by a particular merchant is available to the accountholder via the mobile communications device and receiving a fee when the first payment account is used for a purchase.

Abstract: A method includes providing a first payment account that is issued by a first financial institution and enables an accountholder thereof to make payments at merchants via a closed-loop payments network corresponding to the first financial institution and mobile person-to-person payments using the payment account. The method includes enabling a second payment account that is issued by a second financial institution to be electronically linked to the first payment account and used as a source of funds. The method includes providing a mobile operating system and enabling a plurality of merchant-specific payment accounts to be associated with a mobile communications device having the operating system. The method includes determining whether a merchant-specific payment account that is accepted only by a particular merchant is available to the accountholder via the mobile communications device and receiving a fee when the first payment account is used for a purchase.

Abstract: A method includes providing a first payment account that is issued by a first financial institution and enables an accountholder thereof to make payments at merchants via a closed-loop payments network corresponding to the first financial institution and mobile person-to-person payments using the payment account. The method includes enabling a second payment account that is issued by a second financial institution to be electronically linked to the first payment account and used as a source of funds. The method includes providing a mobile operating system and enabling a plurality of merchant-specific payment accounts to be associated with a mobile communications device having the operating system. The method includes determining whether a merchant-specific payment account that is accepted only by a particular merchant is available to the accountholder via the mobile communications device and receiving a fee when the first payment account is used for a purchase.

Abstract: A method includes providing a first payment account that is issued by a first financial institution and enables an accountholder thereof to make payments at merchants via a closed-loop payments network corresponding to the first financial institution and mobile person-to-person payments using the payment account. The method includes enabling a second payment account that is issued by a second financial institution to be electronically linked to the first payment account and used as a source of funds. The method includes providing a mobile operating system and enabling a plurality of merchant-specific payment accounts to be associated with a mobile communications device having the operating system. The method includes determining whether a merchant-specific payment account that is accepted only by a particular merchant is available to the accountholder via the mobile communications device and receiving a fee when the first payment account is used for a purchase.

Abstract: A method for making an electronic payment system available to a plurality of users includes storing payment account information for a first user and biometric information of the first user. Before allowing the first user to make a payment with the first user's payment account, biometric information identifying the first user is received and compared to the stored biometric information of the first user. Biometric information of a second user, who is a family member of the first user, is stored to enable confirmation of the identity of the family member as a security measure in said electronic payment system.

Abstract: A method for providing electronic access to an electronic payment system includes receiving, in conjunction with a purchase by an accountholder at a merchant, information for identifying a payment account of the accountholder based upon entry into a POS terminal of the merchant of an identifier that enables identification of the accountholder and a mobile communications device of the accountholder. The method further includes providing electronic access to an electronic payment system that further enables using a telephone number of a payee to initiate an electronic communication with an electronic device associated with the payee without requiring a communications link to be established directly between a mobile communications device of the accountholder and the electronic device of the payee in order to complete a payment from the accountholder to the payee. Methods further include providing an additional service account with which a payment account of the accountholder is associated.

Abstract: A method for providing an electronic payment system includes receiving, in conjunction with a purchase by a buyer using a personal computing device in the purchase of content, a mobile telephone number of the buyer. The electronic payment system transmits, to a mobile communications device of the buyer, information to which the buyer must respond to authorize the purchase. The electronic payment system causes, following receipt of a reply to the information sent to the buyer's mobile communications device, a monetary amount corresponding to the price to be paid for the content to be charged to a mobile subscriber account corresponding to the mobile telephone number of the buyer. Methods further include processing a payment for a purchase at a POS terminal at a retail location based upon entry of the mobile telephone number of the buyer into the POS terminal.

Abstract: A method for processing payment for a purchase transaction includes enabling the provision of a first payments account to an accountholder and enabling a second payments account of the accountholder to be associated with the first payments account. A limit on the number of times the first payment account can be used for making purchase transactions within a determined time period is established. During a purchase transaction being made by the accountholder using the first account, information indicative of the first account and the purchase transaction is received. It is determined whether the limit on the number of times the first account has been used by the accountholder within the determined time period has been reached. When the limit on the number of times the account can be used in the time period has been reached, the second account of the accountholder is used for the purchase transaction.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for facilitating a purchase transaction includes enabling a deposit account of an accountholder to be associated with another account of the accountholder that is provided by a provider of media to the accountholder. The account provided by the media provider corresponds to provision of media to the accountholder or is a financial account that is associated with a media account of the accountholder. Information indicative of the account provided by the provider of media is received during a purchase transaction. The purchase transaction is settled using funds from the deposit account.

Abstract: Mobile decoupled payments account systems and computer-implemented methods provide a decoupled mobile payments account and processing for payments made with a decoupled mobile payments account. A demand deposit account of an accountholder is associated with a decoupled mobile payments account that enables a mobile device to be used in making proximity or remote payments. Embodiments include mobile decoupled payments accounts based upon open or closed loop processing networks and mobile decoupled payments accounts that are ACH-direct accounts. An issuer of the mobile decoupled payments account authorizes or declines transactions and, for approved transactions, initiates an ACH transaction to obtain funds corresponding to an approved purchase transaction from the demand deposit account of the accountholder.

Abstract: A system and method for electronically processing and settling electronic financial transactions in an environment in which a number of different service providers provide financial services in addition to their core communications, content aggregation, media or Internet search, advertising and/or auction services. More specifically, the present invention concerns an electronic financial gateway and/or middleware processing of financial transactions in an environment in which a plurality of communications, media, or Internet service providers provide also financial services to their customers. The financial transactions are settled to existing accounts associated with the service providers.

Abstract: A system and method for determining and allocating fees arising from or otherwise associated with an electronic transaction, particularly the processing of a purchase or other financial transaction, wherein the fees or portions thereof are allocated to various parties.

Abstract: A system and method for substantially increasing billing flexibility on communications or media accounts which also offer user users the ability to make electronic purchases or other financial transactions, where those transactions are accounted for with an additional account or with the same account through which the media or communications services are offered. Charges associated with use of the communications service or making of the financial transactions may be increased or reduced depending on such factors as volume of use, number of transactions, and a monetary value of the transactions.

Abstract: A system and method for depositing salary payments directly into an account that is associated with at least one of a communications service and an Internet feature, such as auction, search, communication, hosting, social community, content aggregation, media downloading or streaming, whereafter the deposited money is available to be used in electronic commerce or to be otherwise withdrawn. The account may be maintained either by a communication service provider associated with the account or by a financial service provider (e.g., a bank) in partnership with a provider of communications and/or Internet services or with the ability to support such communications/Internet offerings.

Abstract: The invention is a system and method for electronically processing electronic payment transactions. The invention provides a system and method for processing electronic payment transactions based upon a threshold amount. The system and method determine whether a monetary amount associated with a transaction meets a threshold amount and selects an account of the purchaser for settling the transaction based upon that determination. The invention thus allows micropayments, of an amount beneath a threshold, to be settled with one account, whereas non-micropayments may be settled to another account. In other embodiments, the threshold is based upon cumulative amounts, which may include amounts associated with subscriber use of the payment device, when the payment device is a subscriber device such as a wireless communications device.

Abstract: A system and method for substantially increasing billing flexibility on communications or media accounts which also offer user users the ability to make electronic purchases or other financial transactions, where those transactions are accounted for with an additional account or with the same account through which the media or communications services are offered. Charges associated with use of the communications service or making of the financial transactions may be increased or reduced depending on such factors as volume of use, number of transactions, and a monetary value of the transactions.