Abstract: Among other things, a server receives from a payer an indication of a payment to be made from an account of the payer to an account of a biller. The server is hosted independently of a party that maintains the account for the payer or the biller. The server receives authentication information from the payer that authenticates an association of the payer with the account of the payer. After the association has been authenticated and without requiring the payer to obtain online access to the payer's account, the server sends to the party that maintains the account for the payer a credit transfer from the account of the payer into the account of the biller.

Abstract: Among other things, an inbound message from a customer device of a customer is received at a customer service system of an enterprise. The inbound message is part of a customer interaction and is in as first electronic interaction channel. In response to the inbound message, the customer service system automatically and electronically exposes to the customer an entry step invocable by the customer to continue the customer interaction using at least a second electronic interaction channel different from the first interaction channel. In response to an invocation by the customer of the entry step, the customer service system automatically makes available to the customer a system for sending and receiving messages in at least the second electronic interaction channel.

Abstract: A secure electronic payment transaction system includes a Secure Transaction Module (STM) and a host device. The STM includes hardware and software components that meet the security requirements of the payment card industry and provide secure payment transactions utilizing banking cards. The host device includes a communication modem for connecting to financial institutions via a network connection. The STM connects to the host device via an interface and communicates with the financial institutions via the host device's communication modem. The STM is self-sufficient and can be connected to any host device over any interface.

Abstract: A secure electronic payment transaction system includes a Secure Transaction Module (STM) and a host device. The STM includes hardware and software components that meet the security requirements of the payment card industry and provide secure payment transactions utilizing banking cards. The host device includes a communication modem for connecting to financial institutions via a network connection. The STM connects to the host device via an interface and communicates with the financial institutions via the host device's communication modem. The STM is self-sufficient and can be connected to any host device over any interface.

Abstract: A system processes a request by a customer to pay a transaction amount, using the customer's account, for a transaction between the customer and a merchant, to provide a payment to an account of the merchant. The transaction incorporates use of a mobile wireless device operated by the customer to provide identification information of the customer's account to an authentication server. A payment server coupled to the authentication server and the merchant passes merchant communications to the authentication server. The authentication server receives the transaction amount from the merchant and receives customer account information from the customer's wireless mobile device, and processes the transaction and account information and, if authenticated, routes the payment transaction to the payment server for payment to the merchant's account.

Abstract: A wireless mobile device is adapted to access a wireless network and includes a subscriber identification module (SIM) card slot and a magnetic stripe reader module electrically connected to the SIM card slot and thereby to the wireless mobile phone. The magnetic stripe reader module is adapted to receive and read information stored in a magnetic stripe and transmit this information to an entity through the wireless mobile device and the wireless network. The wireless mobile device of this invention is used to conduct financial transactions using a payment card comprising a magnetic stripe. The financial transactions include face-to-face or remote purchases and payment with the payment card through a financial institution.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for storing and elaborating user preferences for objects in response to a user's name. The invention associates a user's name with an entitlement expression that includes a reference to at least one membership map having preference information regarding the preference objects and associates with the preference objects a unique identifier that acts as an index into each membership map. The entitlement expression is evaluated for the user's name to determine a list of preferred objects for that user. The evaluation includes looking up the preference object's membership information in at least one membership map of preference using the preference object's unique identifier. The invention may further include at least one preferred group having a name, zero or more objects that are members of the preferred group, and a membership map for determining whether a particular object is a member of the group.

Abstract: A secure mobile phone-point of sale (POS) system includes a mobile phone integrated with a secure PED module. The secure PED module is integrated with the mobile phone via the phone's serial port or directly to the phone's Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA). The secure PED module conforms to security standards imposed by the payment card industry. The secure mobile phone-POS system has the functionality of both the secure PED and the mobile phone and the look and feel of the mobile phone.

Abstract: A secure electronic payment transaction system includes a Secure Transaction Module (STM) and a host device. The STM includes hardware and software components that meet the security requirements of the payment card industry and provide secure payment transactions utilizing banking cards. The host device includes a communication modem for connecting to financial institutions via a network connection. The STM connects to the host device via an interface and communicates with the financial institutions via the host device's communication modem. The STM is self-sufficient and can be connected to any host device over any interface.

Abstract: An electronic payment and fulfillment system utilized by a customer for purchasing a digital good includes a merchant server, a payment server, an authentication server, a fulfillment server and a communication device. The merchant server receives a purchase order from the customer and creates a digital order comprising purchase order information. The payment server receives the digital order from the merchant server and further routes the digital order. The authentication server receives the digital order from the payment server, formats the digital order into a first message and further routes the first message. The communication device includes a payment card module and the payment card module receives a payment card and reads payment card identification information stored in the payment card.

Abstract: A wireless mobile device is adapted to access a wireless network and includes a subscriber identification module (SIM) card slot and a contactless smart card module electrically connected to the SIM card slot and thereby to the wireless mobile phone. The contactless smart card module is adapted to receive and read information stored in the contactless smart card and transmit this information to an entity through the wireless mobile device and the wireless network. The wireless mobile device of this invention is used to conduct financial transactions using the contactless smart card. The financial transactions include face-to-face or remote purchases, payment with electronic cash stored in the contactless smart card, or payment with the contactless smart card through a financial institution, and downloading and storing of digital goods or services in the contactless smart card.

Abstract: A wireless mobile device is adapted to access a wireless network and includes a subscriber identification module (SIM) card slot and a magnetic stripe reader module electrically connected to the SIM card slot and thereby to the wireless mobile phone. The magnetic stripe reader module is adapted to receive and read information stored in a magnetic stripe and transmit this information to an entity through the wireless mobile device and the wireless network. The wireless mobile device of this invention is used to conduct financial transactions using a payment card comprising a magnetic stripe. The financial transactions include face-to-face or remote purchases and payment with the payment card through a financial institution.

Abstract: An electronic payment system utilized by a customer to pay for the purchase of a good and/or a service with a payment card. The payment system includes a merchant server, an authentication server and a communication device. The merchant server is in connection with a first network and is adapted to receive a purchase order by the customer for the purchase of a good and/or a service and to create a digital purchase order. The authentication server is in connection with the first network and is adapted to receive the digital purchase order from the merchant server over the first network, format the digital purchase order into a first message and route it over a second network to the communication device.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for storing and elaborating user preferences for objects in response to a user's name. The invention associates a user's name with an entitlement expression that includes a reference to at least one membership map having preference information regarding the preference objects and associates with the preference objects a unique identifier that acts as an index into each membership map. The entitlement expression is evaluated for the user's name to determine a list of preferred objects for that user. The evaluation includes looking up the preference object's membership information in at least one membership map of preference using the preference object's unique identifier. The invention may further include at least one preferred group having a name, zero or more objects that are members of the preferred group, and a membership map for determining whether a particular object is a member of the group.