Abstract: A method of paying a second party is provided. A first party accesses the names of one or more qualified second parties. The qualified second parties are second parties that, (i) have an association with the payment service, and (ii) second parties that if they do not have an established association with the payment service then they have established one prior to payment. The first party has an association with the payment service. A tab is opened by the first party that can be selected by the qualified second party at any geographic location of a first party's mobile device. The qualified second party is only able to charge a first party's financial account when the first party's mobile device is within a defined geographic area. The tab is a relationship between the first party, the payment service and the qualified second party, The qualified second party can engage in a financial transaction with the first party is within the defined geographic area.

Abstract: A method of conducting a financial transaction includes a first party's financial account information being entered once, e.g, with a single initial entry to the payment service. For future uses of the first party's financial account to transfer funds using the payment service to a second party, the first party's financial account information need not be entered again with the payment service. The second party's personal identifying information is entered. Funds are transferred from the first party's financial account to an account of the second party with the use of the payment service.

Abstract: A method of transferring funds to and/or from a first party's financial account is provided. A first party's financial account information is entered with a single initial entry to the payment service. Funds are transferred to and/or from the first party's financial account using the payment service. The first party is registered with the payment service, or becomes registered prior to transferring funds to and/or from the financial account using the payment service. For future uses of the first party's financial account to transfer funds to and/or from the first party's financial account, the first party's financial account information need not be entered again with the payment service.

Abstract: A card reader device is provided with a housing having a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a card to complete a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. A read head is in the housing reads data stored on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. An output jack is adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a mobile device for provides the signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to the mobile device. A sourcing power device couples to an audio jack of the mobile device and sources power from the mobile device through the audio jack.

Abstract: A read head system has a housing and a read positioned in the housing with a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card with the slot utilized to enable a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head includes an output jack configured to be coupled to at least one of a audio jack or microphone port of a mobile device. The read head provides the signal to the mobile device.

Abstract: A read head is configured to be coupled to the mobile device. The read head is positioned in a housing. The read head has a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card to enable a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. The read head reads data from the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head includes an output jack adapted to be inserted at least one of the audio jack or microphone input port of the mobile appliance to provide a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to, the mobile device. The output jack extends at least 2 mm from the housing.

Abstract: A card reader device is provided that includes a housing having a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card to complete a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. A read head is positioned in the housing. The read head reads data stored on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head has sufficient impedance to set amplitude of a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. An output jack is adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a mobile device for providing the signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to the mobile device.

Abstract: A read head is provided that is configured to be coupled to a mobile device. The read head has a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card. The slot is utilized for a financial transaction between a buyer and seller and reads data on the magnetic stripe. A signal is produced indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe, An output jack of the read head is adapted to be inserted at least one of the audio input port or microphone input port of the mobile device. The output jack delivers the signal to the mobile device. A sampling rate of the signal at the audio input port or a line input port of the mobile device is at least 15 kHZ.

Abstract: A method of paying a second party is provided. A first party accesses the names of one or more qualified second parties. The second parties (i) have an association with the payment service, and (ii) if they do not have an established association with the payment service have established one prior to payment. The first party has an association with the payment service. A tab is opened by the first party that can be selected by the second party at any geographic location of a first party's mobile device. The second party is only able to charge a first party's financial account when the first party's mobile device is within a defined geographic area. The tab is a relationship between the first party, payment service and second party. The second party can engage in a financial transaction when the first party is within the defined geographic area.

Abstract: A method is providing of paying second parties where if f they do not have an established association with the payment service, have an established association with the payment service prior to payment. The first party has an association with the payment service. A tab is opened by the first party that can be selected by the qualified second party at any geographic location of a first party's mobile device. The qualified second party is only able to charge a first party's financial account when the first party's mobile device is within a defined geographic area. The tab is a relationship between the first party, the payment service and the qualified second party. The qualified second party can engage in a financial transaction with the first party when the first party is within the defined geographic area.

Abstract: An integrated read head system includes a mobile device with an audio jack and at least one microphone input port. A read head is physically coupled to the mobile device. The read head has a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card to enable a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head has an output jack that physically connects the read head to at least one of the audio jack or microphone port of the mobile device. The read head provides the signal to the mobile device. The signal is decoded at the mobile device. The decoding includes determining pulses in the signal and converting at least some of the pulses to characters.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a transaction engine running on a mobile device. In response to a financial transaction between a buyer and a seller, the transaction uses the mobile device to accept information selected including but not limited to information from financial transaction or information pertaining to financial transaction card used by the buyer in the transaction. At least a portion of this information is communicated with a third party financial institution or payment network to authorize the transaction. The buyer receives confirmation of the payment.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to enable an individual to complete a financial transaction by swiping a magnetic stripe card through a card reader connected to a mobile device. The size of the card reader is miniaturized to be portable for connection with the mobile device. The card reader is configured to reliably read data encoded in a magnetic strip of the card with minimum error in a single swipe and provide a signal that corresponds to the data read to the mobile device, which then decodes the incoming signal from the card reader and acts as a point-of-sale device to complete the financial transaction. Such an approach enables a person to become either a micro-merchant (payee) or a buyer/customer (payer) without having to purchase expensive card reader devices or software.

Abstract: A financial transaction card reader device includes a housing having a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card to complete a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. A read head is in the housing, reads data stored on the magnetic stripe and for produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. An output jack is adapted to be inserted into a microphone input associated with a seller's mobile device for providing the signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to the mobile device. The signal is decoded in the mobile device.

Abstract: A method of paying a second party is provided. A first party accesses the names of one or more qualified second parties. The second parties (i) have an association with the payment service, and (ii) that if they do not have an established association with the payment service have established one prior to payment. The first party has an association with the payment service. A tab is opened by the first party that can be selected by the second party at any geographic location of a first party's mobile device. The second party is only able to charge a first party's financial account when the first party's mobile device is within a defined geographic area. The tab is a relationship between the first party, the payment service and the second party. The second party can engage in a financial transaction when the first party is within the defined geographic area.

Abstract: A method of paying a second party is provided. A first party accesses the names of one or more qualified second parties. The second parties (i) have an association with the payment service, and (ii) if they do not have an established association with the payment service have established one prior to payment. The first party has an association with the payment service. A tab is opened by the first party that can be selected by the second party at any geographic location of a first party's mobile device. The second party is only able to charge a first party's financial account when the first party's mobile device is within a defined geographic area. The tab is a relationship between the first party, payment service and second party. The second party can engage in a financial transaction when the first party is within the defined geographic area.

Abstract: A read head system has a housing and a read positioned in the housing with a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card with the slot utilized to enable a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head includes an output jack configured to be coupled to at least one of a audio jack or microphone port of a mobile device. The read head provides the signal to the mobile device.

Abstract: A read head is positioned in a housing and configured to be coupled to a mobile device. The read head has a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card. The slot is utilized to complete a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head device includes an output jack adapted to be inserted at least one of the audio jack or microphone input port of a mobile appliance for providing a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe to the mobile device. The slot is configured to maintain contact between the read head and the magnetic stripe of the financial transaction card during a swipe and decoding of the signal is performed in the mobile device. The decoding includes determining pulses in the signal and converting at least some of the pulses to characters.

Abstract: A read head system has a housing and a read positioned in the housing with a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card with the slot utilized to enable a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head includes an output jack configured to be coupled to at least one of a audio jack or microphone port of a mobile device. The read head provides the signal to the mobile device. The slot is oriented and sized to reduce torque applied on the read head as the financial transaction card is swiped through slot in order to maintain accuracy and reliability of the data read by the read head. Decoding of the signal is performed in the mobile device. The decoding includes determining pulses in the signal and converting at least some of the pulses to characters.

Abstract: A read head is provided that is configured to be coupled to a mobile device. The read head has a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card. The slot is utilized for a financial transaction between a buyer and seller and reads data on the magnetic stripe. A signal is produced indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe, An output jack of the read head is adapted to be inserted at least one of the audio input port or microphone input port of the mobile device. The output jack delivers the signal to the mobile device. A sampling rate of the signal at the audio input port or a line input port of the mobile device is at least 15 kHZ.