Abstract: A method of authenticating, at an authentication server, a communications session between a user device and a third party device, the method comprising: receiving a connection notification from the third party device, the connection notification indicating the intention of the third party device to initiate a communications session with the user device, the connection notification comprising a user identifier and identification of a communications channel that will be used for the communications session; retrieving a user profile in dependence on the received user identifier, the user profile comprising a user device identifier; generating a communications identifier; sending, to the user device, a communications notification, the communications notification comprising data relating to the communications channel that the third party device will use to connect to the user device, third party identification data and the communications identifier; sending, to the third party device, the communications identifier

Abstract: A method of operating an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the IoT device capable of communicating with a third-party system in order to perform an autonomous task subject to authorisation by an IoT authorisation device, the method comprising: sending operating parameters relating to the autonomous task to a user for approval; receiving user-approved operating parameters for the autonomous task; configuring the IoT device to perform the autonomous task within the user approved operating parameters; registering the user approved operating parameters with the IoT device management server to enable the IoT authorisation device to check that the IoT device is operating within the user-approved operating parameters when it performs an autonomous task with the third-party system.

Abstract: A method of performing transactions using an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the method comprising: providing a payment application on the IoT device: provisioning a payment card within the payment application on the IoT device in order to allow the IoT device to operate as a payment device; initiating a transaction with a merchant using the payment card within the payment application; sending transaction data comprising payment card data relating to the payment device to the merchant; sending a device identifier for the IoT device, for use in identifying the IoT device as an IoT device, to the merchant.

Abstract: A method of monitoring performance for transactions performed by a mobile computing device with a transaction system is described. A set of performance metrics related to a transaction is defined. For a transaction, at least some of the set of performance metrics from that transaction are captured at the mobile computing device and provided so that a report on the set of performance metrics can be provided for the transaction. This report may be provided by a monitoring service external to the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A handheld portable communications terminal includes a freehand input device, such as a touch screen or a digital pen, and plural messaging applications. One messaging application allows a user to input a drawing using the freehand input device, and produces drawing data in a standard or commonly-used format representative of the drawing. A second messaging application, selected by the first messaging application, sends the drawing data in a message in a standard or commonly-used format (e.g. SMS, MMS, IM, email). This allows the drawing to be reproduced by a receiving terminal equipped with a standard or common messaging application. The first messaging application provides for the immediate entry of a drawing using a freehand input device in response to the opening of the messaging application. It provides means to allow a recipient address to be entered or selected in response to an input indicating the completion of content entry.