Mobile phone as a point of sale (POS) device

Abstract

A system and method for provisioning one or more value added services to a postpaid/prepaid mobile account and/or a postpaid/prepaid mobile device using a wireless communication device as a point-of-sale device, is disclosed.

1 . A system for providing at least one of content and services to at least one of a prepaid and postpaid mobile account using a wireless communication device as a point of sale device, said system comprising: 
 (a) an application layer for performing transaction processing functions, said application layer including a mobile commerce server module for managing an end-to-end mobile commerce transaction, a services server module for managing the transactional processing between a retailer and a network entity of a third party provider, and an electronic wallet server module for managing interactions with a retailer's virtual wallet account;    (b) an interface layer for simplifying integration of one or more third party network entities, said interface layer comprising at least one interface module for each network entity; and    (c) a middleware layer, interposed between said application layer and said interface layer, for standardizing and managing communications between the application layer and each network entity.    
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , said mobile commerce server module comprising an agent registration and management sub-system for registering and managing one or more retailer virtual accounts.  
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , said mobile commerce server module comprising a parsing and transaction management sub-system for managing end-to-end transaction flow and interaction between all modules.  
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , said mobile commerce server module comprising a transaction log, audit and reporting sub-system for capturing and storing end-to-end transaction data.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , said mobile commerce server module comprising a settlement and reconciliation sub-system for calculating transaction fees and commissions for all parties to a transaction in real time.  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , said electronic wallet server module comprising an electronic wallet transaction management sub-system for managing interaction with a retailer's virtual account.  
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , said electronic wallet server module comprising an electronic wallet stored value sub-system for managing internal interactions within a retailer's virtual account.  
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , said electronic wallet server module comprising an agent authentication and security sub-system for authenticating requests from all modules including retailer requests.  
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , said services server module comprising a transaction management sub-system for managing delivery of at least one of content and a service.  
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , said services server module comprising a content mapping sub-system for managing confirmation of delivery of at least one of content and a service.  
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , said services server module comprising a retailer verification sub-system for managing at least one of content and a service saleable by a retailer.  
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1 , said services server module comprising a pricing and commission sub-system for managing at least one of charges and commissions for the retailer.  
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , said services server module comprising an identification database for managing each identification number for each at least one of content and a service offered for sale.  
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , said interface module consisting of a content interface for managing transaction load on a content delivery platform.  
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , said interface module consisting of a color ring tone interface for managing transaction load on a color ring tone platform.  
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1 , said interface module consisting of an alert interface for managing transaction load on an information alert platform.  
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 1 , said interface module consisting of a postpaid interface for managing transaction load on a postpaid billing platform.  
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 1 , said interface module consisting of a short message service interface for managing transaction load at a short message service center.  
     
     
         19 . In a system for provisioning one or more value added services to at least one of a prepaid and postpaid mobile account using a wireless mobile device as a point-of-sale device, a computer implemented method comprises the steps of: 
 (a) inputting a user request into said wireless mobile device;    (b) confirming at least one of inputted user information and retailer information; and    (c) initiating delivery of user request to at least one of a prepaid and postpaid mobile device of the user.    
     
     
         20 . In a system for provisioning one or more value added services to at least one of a prepaid and postpaid mobile account using a wireless communication device as a point-of-sale device, computer implemented instructions for: 
 (a) receiving user input;    (b) authenticating a desired transaction information;    (c) verifying the validity of content identification;    (d) verifying authorization of a seller to sell content data;    (e) transmitting delivery of content of said transaction to said wireless communication device; and    (f) deducting cost of content from seller's electronic account.    
     
     
         21 . In a system for provisioning one or more value added services to a prepaid mobile account using a wireless communication device as a point-of-sale device, a computer implemented method comprises the steps of: 
 (a) inputting a user request into said wireless communication device;    (b) confirming at least one of inputted user information and retailer information;    (c) initiating delivery of user request to a wireless communication device of the user; and    (d) transmitting delivery notification regarding delivery of said user request.