Abstract: During a financial transaction, a customer provides an identifier to a peripheral device (which may be a barcode scanner, a wireless receiver or a keyboard) coupled to the point-of-sale terminal. This identifier corresponds to a one-time payment credential token that includes financial information of the customer. Then, a service object executing on the point-of-sale terminal, which acts as a driver for the peripheral device, performs one or more operations based on at least the identifier to obtain the financial information. After providing the financial information and transaction information associated with the financial transaction to a financial institution specified in the financial information, the point-of-sale terminal receives a confirmation from the financial institution that the financial transaction has been completed.

Abstract: During an update technique, an update for the software application is received from a provider of the software application. Then, update information is either received from the provider or is generated. This update information specifies an update relationship between the update and at least a previous version of the software application. Next, inventory information associated with a portable electronic device is accessed (such as whether the previous version of the software application is currently installed on the portable electronic device). In response to the accessed inventory information, an identifier associated with the update is dynamically generated, and the update and the dynamically generated identifier are provided to the portable electronic device. Using the dynamically generated identifier, an application management system or the operating system installed on the portable electronic device determines whether an update workflow is executed.

Abstract: A technique for authenticating a user is described. During this authentication technique, an electronic device (such as a cellular telephone) captures multiple images of the user while the user moves the electronic device in a pre-defined manner (for example, along a path in 3-dimensional space), and determines positions of the electronic device when the multiple images were captured. Then, the electronic device compares the images at the positions with corresponding pre-existing images of the user captured at different points of view. If the comparisons achieve a match condition, the electronic device authenticates the user. In this way, the authentication technique may be used to prevent successful replay attacks.

Abstract: A technique for providing information about financial transactions is described. This information technique allows a user, who has conducted financial transactions with one or more other parties, to access information about these financial transactions that is maintained by a provider of financial software, which is used by the one or more other parties to manage the information about the financial transactions. In particular, in this technique, in response to an access request from the user, a portal (such as a web page), which includes the information about the financial transactions between the user and the one or more other parties, is provided by the provider of the financial software to the user.

Abstract: A method for presence based mobile payment comprises receiving, from a user, a request for registration with a mobile payment service, registering, by the mobile payment service, the user based on the request, broadcasting, by a point of sale (PoS) system and through an advertising channel, an identification of a transaction, wherein the transaction comprises an item, wherein the advertising channel is used for discovery of available devices, and wherein the user is purchasing the item at the PoS system, receiving, from a mobile device of the user, a payment authorization for the transaction, and facilitating, by the mobile payment service, payment for the transaction.

Abstract: A technique for facilitating customization of a software application is described. During this customization technique, an indicator, which indicates that a software application for an electronic device has been discovered by a user, is provided to a publisher of the software application. In response to the indicator, the publisher provides a token to the user. This token identifies a customized application-delivery service for the software application and/or a user-specific customization of the software application. Note that the customized application-delivery service and the user-specific customization are based on information about the user associated with the user's pre-existing or just-established relationship with the publisher. Next, the token is provided to an application-delivery service, and the application-delivery service provides the customized software application to the electronic device or a computer, for example, using the customized application-delivery service.

Abstract: During a security technique, an electronic device determines a name by a applying a function to a shared secret, which is shared between a user and another user. This name is advertised in a network. After discovery by another electronic device (which is associated with the other user), the electronic device generates a first encrypted message from an unencrypted message using a cryptographic key. The electronic device provides the first encrypted message to the other electronic device, and receives a second encrypted message from the other electronic device. Using the cryptographic key, the electronic device decrypts the second encrypted message. Moreover, the electronic device receives confirmation that the other electronic device was able to decrypt the first encrypted message, thereby authenticating that the secure connection has been established.

Abstract: During operation of the system, a user of a portable electronic device provides a request to enroll in a financial service associated with a provider. For example, the financial service may facilitate financial transactions via a financial application that executes on the portable electronic device. Then, an electronic device determines that the user is an existing customer of at least one of a set of financial institutions that have a business relationship with the provider, where the provider is other than one of the financial institutions. Next, the electronic device enrolls the user in the financial service without requesting additional information from the user. By leveraging the business relationship between the user and one of the financial institutions in the set of financial institutions, the user can avoid having to perform a complicated enrollment process in order to start using the financial service.

Abstract: A user registers with an automated transportation use and billing system. The user's geographical location/position is monitored and periodically compared with the geographical location/position of one or more public transportation systems. When a determination is made that the user's geographical location/position is the same as the geographical location/position of a public transportation system, an assumption is made that the user is making use of the public transportation system and once the user's geographical location/position data differs from the public transportation system's geographical location/position data, it is further assumed that the user is no longer making use of the public transportation system. Data indicating the users assumed use of the public transportation system, calculated as described above, is then recorded and credited to the user's account.

Abstract: During a financial transaction, a customer provides an identifier to a peripheral device (which may be a barcode scanner, a wireless receiver or a keyboard) coupled to the point-of-sale terminal. This identifier corresponds to a one-time payment credential token that includes financial information of the customer. Then, a service object executing on the point-of-sale terminal, which acts as a driver for the peripheral device, performs one or more operations based on at least the identifier to obtain the financial information. After providing the financial information and transaction information associated with the financial transaction to a financial institution specified in the financial information, the point-of-sale terminal receives a confirmation from the financial institution that the financial transaction has been completed.

Abstract: During a financial transaction, a customer provides a token that identifies the customer to a peripheral device (which is other than a credit-authorization terminal or a magnetic-stripe reader) coupled to the point-of-sale terminal. Then, a unified point-of-sale service object executing on the point-of-sale terminal, which is a driver for a virtual peripheral device, performs one or more operations based on at least the token to obtain financial information associated with the customer. After providing the financial information and transaction information associated with the financial transaction to a financial institution specified in the financial information, the point-of-sale terminal receives a confirmation from the financial institution that the financial transaction has been completed. For example, the confirmation may be received via a credit-authorization-terminal service object that is a driver for the credit-authorization terminal.

Abstract: During a security technique, an electronic device determines a name by a applying a function to a shared secret, which is shared between a user and another user. This name is advertised in a network. After discovery by another electronic device (which is associated with the other user), the electronic device generates a first encrypted message from an unencrypted message using a cryptographic key. The electronic device provides the first encrypted message to the other electronic device, and receives a second encrypted message from the other electronic device. Using the cryptographic key, the electronic device decrypts the second encrypted message. Moreover, the electronic device receives confirmation that the other electronic device was able to decrypt the first encrypted message, thereby authenticating that the secure connection has been established.

Abstract: A user registers with an automated transportation use and billing system. The user's geographical location/position is monitored and periodically compared with the geographical location/position of one or more public transportation systems. When a determination is made that the user's geographical location/position is the same as the geographical location/position of a public transportation system, an assumption is made that the user is making use of the public transportation system and once the user's geographical location/position data differs from the public transportation system's geographical location/position data, it is further assumed that the user is no longer making use of the public transportation system. Data indicating the users assumed use of the public transportation system, calculated as described above, is then recorded and credited to the user's account.

Abstract: During a financial technique, electronic devices may exchange, using a first communication technique, information with each other to establish a secure connection between the electronic devices when they are proximate to each other. After the secure connection is established, the electronic devices may hand off communication with each other from the first communication technique to a second communication technique that supports communication at a higher data rate and over longer distances than the first communication technique. Moreover, the electronic devices may communicate, using the second communication technique and the secure connection, additional information associated with the financial transaction with each other to facilitate completion of the financial transaction.

Abstract: During a transaction, an electronic device (such as a cellular telephone) captures a gesture performed by a user of the electronic device. This gesture is analyzed to determine salient features, such as accelerations of the electronic device during the gesture and associated time intervals. Then, the electronic device generates a token based on the salient features, and provides the token to a server. When a second token, associated with the token, is received by the server from a second electronic device, the server establishes a secure connection between the electronic device and the second electronic device.

Abstract: Mobile payments and processing data related to electronic transactions. A near field communication connection is established between a mobile communication device of a consumer that serves as a mobile wallet and an electronic payment device of a merchant. Authorization data is shared between the mobile communication device and the electronic payment device without providing electronic payment instrument (e.g. credit card) data to the merchant. Authorization data is transmitted from the mobile communication device to a cloud computer or resource that serves as a cloud wallet and hosts respective data of respective electronic payment instruments of respective consumers, and from the electronic payment device a payment processor computer. The payment processor computer presents the authorization data to the cloud wallet, and in response, the cloud wallet transmits the credit card data to the payment processor computer, which processes the transaction.

Abstract: A method and system for providing an agreement witness service whereby when two parties desire to enter into an agreement/transaction, a first party provides contact data for a first party computing system and the second party sends an “agreement acknowledgement request message” to a witness service provider system. The witness service provider system then generates an agreement code and attaches the agreement code to the agreement acknowledgement request message, thereby transforming the agreement acknowledgement request message into an “agreement acknowledgement message”. The agreement acknowledgement message is then sent to the first party. The first party then provides the agreement code to the second party and the agreement code is stored as evidence of the first party's acknowledgement of the agreement/transaction.

Abstract: A technique for facilitating customization of a software application is described. During this customization technique, an indicator, which indicates that a software application for an electronic device has been discovered by a user, is provided to a publisher of the software application. In response to the indicator, the publisher provides a token to the user. This token identifies a customized application-delivery service for the software application and/or a user-specific customization of the software application. Note that the customized application-delivery service and the user-specific customization are based on information about the user associated with the user's pre-existing or just-established relationship with the publisher. Next, the token is provided to an application-delivery service, and the application-delivery service provides the customized software application to the electronic device or a computer, for example, using the customized application-delivery service.

Abstract: A technique for establishing a common encrypted link between a first electronic device and a second electronic device in physical proximity in a system is described. During operation of the system, a user of a first electronic device in the system provides a notification that initiates secure device pairing. In response to the notification, the first electronic device conducts a first key exchange in an audible audio spectrum to the second electronic device in the system using a first zero-knowledge protocol. After the first key is received by the second electronic device, the second electronic device conducts a second key exchange in the audible audio spectrum to the first electronic device using a second zero-knowledge protocol, thereby establishing the common encrypted link between the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

Abstract: During an update technique, an update for the software application is received from a provider of the software application. Then, update information is either received from the provider or is generated. This update information specifies an update relationship between the update and at least a previous version of the software application. Next, inventory information associated with a portable electronic device is accessed (such as whether the previous version of the software application is currently installed on the portable electronic device). In response to the accessed inventory information, an identifier associated with the update is dynamically generated, and the update and the dynamically generated identifier are provided to the portable electronic device. Using the dynamically generated identifier, an application management system or the operating system installed on the portable electronic device determines whether an update workflow is executed.