Patents Assigned to Boku, Inc.
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Patent number: 8768778Abstract: Effecting an electronic payment from customers to vendors over the Internet is disclosed. A vendor offers a product to potential customer over the Internet. A customer browsers the Internet and the customer has a mobile cellular phone configured to receive premium rate mobile terminating text messages. Transaction details are transmitted from the vendor to the browsing customer. Order details are then transmitted from the browsing customer to the vendor that require a payment to be made by the customer. In order to effect payment, a plurality of premium rate text messages are transmitted to the mobile cellular phone.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Boku, Inc.Inventor: Glyn Barry Smith
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Publication number: 20140171020Abstract: Systems and methods to accelerate transactions made via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes: a data storage facility to store information associated with past payment transactions and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats, and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. After a payment request identifying the phone number is received in the interchange, the common format processor is to determine whether to skip mobile communications with a mobile phone at the phone number to confirm/authenticate the request, based on real time information about the current transaction, the historical transaction data related to the phone number, and other data such as social graph data related to the user of the phone number.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2014Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventors: Jang Kim, Ron Hirson
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Publication number: 20140172538Abstract: The invention provides a computer system and method for managing electronic transactions. A plurality of consumer and merchant accounts are stored in a data store. Each consumer account has a first consumer account identifier. Each merchant account has a merchant account identifier. A merchant offer is stored in the data store in association with the merchant account having the respective merchant account identifier. A push module associates the merchant offer with the consumer account identifier. A communication and routing module receives a charge request over the network interface device, the charge request including an amount and a second consumer account identifier and identifies a selected one of the consumer accounts by associating one of the first consumer account identifiers with the second consumer account identifier. A transaction processing system that processes the charge request based on an account detail of the selected consumer account.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2014Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventor: David Yoo
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Publication number: 20140141745Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to process transactions initiated by users of mobile devices. In one aspect, a system includes a data storage facility to store phone numbers of users, and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the common format processor in a common format and to communicate with the controllers in different formats. The interchange uses the converters to transmit at least one premium message to a mobile phone at a first telephone number to provide an amount to the mobile phone using funds associated with a second telephone number, in response to a request initiated from a mobile phone at the second telephone number.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2014Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventor: Glyn Barry Smith
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Patent number: 8700530Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to process transactions initiated by users of mobile devices. In one aspect, a system includes a data storage facility to store phone numbers of users, and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the common format processor in a common format and to communicate with the controllers in different formats. The interchange uses the converters to transmit at least one premium message to a mobile phone at a first telephone number to provide an amount to the mobile phone using funds associated with a second telephone number, in response to a request initiated from a mobile phone at the second telephone number.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2009Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Boku, Inc.Inventor: Glyn Barry Smith
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Patent number: 8700524Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to selectively restrict payment transactions. In one aspect, a system includes: a data storage facility to store restriction data in association with a phone number; and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with mobile controllers. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. In response to a payment request identifying the phone number and a merchant, the common format processor determines whether to reject the payment request based at least in part on the restriction data and the identity of the merchant. If the request is not rejected, the common format processor uses one of the converters to communicate with a telephonic apparatus at the phone number to confirm the payment request.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2011Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Boku, Inc.Inventors: Michael Williams, Jonathan Michael Kingston, Kelly Jane Mullins
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Patent number: 8699994Abstract: Systems and methods to accelerate transactions made via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes: a data storage facility to store information associated with past payment transactions and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats, and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. After a payment request identifying the phone number is received in the interchange, the common format processor is to determine whether to skip mobile communications with a mobile phone at the phone number to confirm/authenticate the request, based on real time information about the current transaction, the historical transaction data related to the phone number, and other data such as social graph data related to the user of the phone number.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2010Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Boku, Inc.Inventors: Jang Kim, Ron Hirson
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Patent number: 8688512Abstract: The invention provides a computer system and method for managing electronic transactions. A plurality of consumer and merchant accounts are stored in a data store. Each consumer account has a first consumer account identifier. Each merchant account has a merchant account identifier. A merchant offer is stored in the data store in association with the merchant account having the respective merchant account identifier. A push module associates the merchant offer with the consumer account identifier. A communication and routing module receives a charge request over the network interface device, the charge request including an amount and a second consumer account identifier and identifies a selected one of the consumer accounts by associating one of the first consumer account identifiers with the second consumer account identifier. A transaction processing system that processes the charge request based on an account detail of the selected consumer account.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Boku, Inc.Inventor: David Yoo
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Publication number: 20140089175Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate online transactions via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a communication interface to receive an input from a merchant; a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers for delivery of premium messages sent by the system to collect funds for purchases made by customers; and a common format processor coupled with the plurality of converters to send the premium messages. The common format processor determines a combination of one or more premium messages, in response to a first customer making a first purchase from the merchant at a first price. The total price of the one or more premium messages is based on the first price and a portion of service charges associated with the one or more premium messages, where the portion is specified by the input received via the interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2013Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventors: Ron Hirson, Michael Cahill
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Publication number: 20140087690Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to selectively restrict payment transactions. In one aspect, a system includes: a data storage facility to store restriction data in association with a phone number; and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with mobile controllers. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. In response to a payment request identifying the phone number and a merchant, the common format processor determines whether to reject the payment request based at least in part on the restriction data and the identity of the merchant. If the request is not rejected, the common format processor uses one of the converters to communicate with a telephonic apparatus at the phone number to confirm the payment request.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2013Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventors: Michael Williams, Jonathan Michael Kingston, Kelly Jane Mullins
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Publication number: 20140074633Abstract: Each of a plurality of consumer accounts in a data store has a first consumer account identifier. Login information is received from a consumer device over the network interface device. The first consumer account identifier is received from the consumer device and stored in association the consumer account. The first consumer account identifier is storable as one of at least two types of identifiers and the storing by the consumer device of the first consumer account identifier is only permitted upon successful login based on the login information. The charge request is received over a network interface device, the charge request including the amount and the second consumer account identifier. A selected one of the consumer accounts is identified by associating one of the first consumer account identifiers with the second consumer account identifier, and the charge request is processed based on an account detail of the selected consumer account.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventor: David Yoo
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Patent number: 8660911Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate online transactions via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a communication interface to receive an input from a merchant; a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers for delivery of messages sent by the system to collect funds for purchases made by customers; and a common format processor coupled with the plurality of converters to send the messages. The common format processor determines a total price of one or more messages, in response to a first customer making a first purchase from the merchant at a first price. The total price of the one or more messages is based on the first price and a portion of service charges associated with the one or more messages, where the portion is specified by the input received via the interface.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2010Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Boku, Inc.Inventors: Ron Hirson, Michael Cahill
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Patent number: 8630904Abstract: Each of a plurality of consumer accounts in a data store has a first consumer account identifier. Login information is received from a consumer device over the network interface device. The first consumer account identifier is received from the consumer device and stored in association the consumer account. The first consumer account identifier is storable as one of at least two types of identifiers and the storing by the consumer device of the first consumer account identifier is only permitted upon successful login based on the login information. The charge request is received over a network interface device, the charge request including the amount and the second consumer account identifier. A selected one of the consumer accounts is identified by associating one of the first consumer account identifiers with the second consumer account identifier, and the charge request is processed based on an account detail of the selected consumer account.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2012Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Boku, Inc.Inventor: David Yoo
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Publication number: 20130346224Abstract: A computer-based method of managing electronic transactions is described. A plurality of consumer accounts is stored in a data store, each consumer account having a first consumer account identifier. A second consumer account identifier is received in a point-of-sale device. A charge request including an amount and a second consumer account identifier is received, wherein the second consumer account identifier is not an MSISDN. A selected one of the consumer accounts is identified by associating one of the first consumer account identifiers with the second consumer account identifier. An authorization request is transmitted to a consumer device. A response to the authorization request is received from the consumer device, and the charge request is processed based on an account detail of the selected consumer account, wherein the charge request is processed if the response is the authorization response.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2013Publication date: December 26, 2013Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventor: David Yoo
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Patent number: 8615437Abstract: A computer-based method of managing electronic transactions is described. A plurality of consumer accounts is stored in a data store, each consumer account having a first consumer account identifier. A second consumer account identifier is received in a point-of-sale device. A charge request including an amount and a second consumer account identifier is received, wherein the second consumer account identifier is not an MSISDN. A selected one of the consumer accounts is identified by associating one of the first consumer account identifiers with the second consumer account identifier. An authorization request is transmitted to a consumer device. An response to the authorization request is received from the consumer device, and the charge request is processed based on an account detail of the selected consumer account, wherein the charge request is processed if the response is the authorization response.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2012Date of Patent: December 24, 2013Assignee: Boku, Inc.Inventor: David Yoo
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Publication number: 20130317980Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate repeated purchase and payment transactions. In one aspect, a system includes an interchange and a data storage facility configured to store payment transaction records associated with phone numbers. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. The common format processor is configured to identify a prior payment transaction associated with a phone number in response to a message from a mobile phone having the phone number, communicate with a merchant to repeat a purchase according to the prior payment transaction, and transmit via one of the converters premium messages to the mobile phone to collect funds for a payment to repeat the purchase.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Applicant: Boku, IncInventors: Kurt Davis, Jang Kim, David Yoo, James Goodsall
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Publication number: 20130311377Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate repeated purchase and payment transactions. In one aspect, a system includes an interchange and a data storage facility configured to store payment transaction records associated with phone numbers. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. The common format processor is configured to identify a prior payment transaction associated with a phone number in response to a message from a mobile phone having the phone number, communicate with a merchant to repeat a purchase according to the prior payment transaction, and transmit via one of the converters premium messages to the mobile phone to collect funds for a payment to repeat the purchase.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: Boku,Inc.Inventors: Kurt Davis, Jang Kim, David Yoo, James Goodsall
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Publication number: 20130311378Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate repeated purchase and payment transactions. In one aspect, a system includes an interchange and a data storage facility configured to store payment transaction records associated with phone numbers. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. The common format processor is configured to identify a prior payment transaction associated with a phone number in response to a message from a mobile phone having the phone number, communicate with a merchant to repeat a purchase according to the prior payment transaction, and transmit via one of the converters premium messages to the mobile phone to collect funds for a payment to repeat the purchase.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: Boku,Inc.Inventors: Kurt Davis, Jang Kim, David Yoo, James Goodsall
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Publication number: 20130311262Abstract: This invention relates generally to a transactions network and to a method and system for managing electronic transactions, in particular merchant offers such as voucher entries having discounts associated with them. A voucher application module stores a record of each time that a respective voucher entry of a plurality of voucher entries stored in the data store is redeemed. A score calculator calculates a redemption rate at which the voucher entry is redeemed. A ranking module ranks the voucher entries based one the scores of the voucher entries of a plurality of the merchant accounts. A notification module preferentially transmits voucher entries that are displayed in accordance with their ranking.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2012Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventor: Ron Hirson
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Publication number: 20130311379Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to facilitate online transactions via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a data storage facility to store an account identifier of a user and a phone number of the user and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the common format processor in a common format and to communicate with the controllers in different formats. The interchange uses the converters to communicate with the mobile phone of a user to confirm the identity of the user using a user terminal separate from the mobile phone for subsequent payment requests from the user terminal to be fulfilled using the account identifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: Boku, Inc.Inventor: Glyn Barry Smith