Point-of-sale billing via hand-held devices

Abstract

A payment resolution module is configured to communicate with hand-held devices (such as mobile phones, PDA'S, or computers) to allow purchase of products using the hand-held devices, without requiring the user of the hand-held device to enter payment information for each transaction. The user of the hand-held device may be identified as the owner of the device either by having the option to enter a personal identification code, or by using a biometric to identify himself, for example. Accordingly, only an authorized user of the hand-held device may use the hand-held device to purchase products. After the payment resolution module receives authorization for payment, an authorization code is transmitted to the mobile device. The user may be required to present the authorization code at the point of sale, such as by entering the code into a computing device at the point-of-sale, prior to completion of the transaction.

1 . A method of authenticating a transaction comprising: 
 transmitting a transaction request relating to one or more products, from a hand-held device;    receiving the transaction request at a payment resolution module;    authorizing the transaction request;    transmitting an authorization code to the hand-held device;    verifying the authorization code; and    in response to verifying the authorization code, completing the transaction request.    
     
     
         2 . A computerized method of completing a product purchase transaction, the method comprising: 
 receiving from a computing device at a first location a transaction request indicating at least one product that a user desires to purchase, wherein the transaction request is transmitted from the computing device via one or more computer networks;    receiving information indicating a payment account associated with the user;    authorizing deduction of a purchase amount from the payment account;    transmitting an authorization code to a hand-held device;    receiving at a product pickup location that is remote from the first location a representation of the authorization code that was transmitted to the hand-held device;    identifying the authorization code received at the product pickup location in a data structure comprising a plurality of authorization codes and a plurality of products associated with respective authorization codes in order to determine the at least one product of the transaction request; and    in response to identifying the authorization code in the data structure, providing to the user of the hand-held device the at least one product associated with the authorization code.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the authorization code is received at the product pickup location via an electronic keypad.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hand-held device is selected from the group including a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, and a portable computer.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 providing the authorization code to a computing system at the product pickup location, wherein the computing system is in communication with the data structure.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the authorization code is provided to the computing system via a wireless data communication between the hand-held device and a wireless receiver of the computing system.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the authorization code is provided to the computing system via an operator of the computing device keying the authorization code into a keypad of the computing system.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the payment account comprises a credit card or checking account.  
     
     
         9 . A system for completing a purchase of a product, the system comprising: 
 a payment resolution module configured to receive via one or more computer networks a transaction request indicating at least one product that a user desires to purchase;    a hand-held device in communication with said payment resolution module, wherein the hand-held device receives an authorization code from the payment resolution module indicating that purchase of the at least one product via payment from a financial account associated with the user has been authorized; and    a confirmation device located at a point-of-sale, the confirmation device configured to receive the authorization code from the user of the hand-held device, to determine the at least one product associated with the received authorization code, and to provide an indication of the determined at least one product to an operator of the confirmation device.    
     
     
         10 . A computerized method of completing a product purchase transaction, the method comprising: 
 receiving at a product pickup location an authorization code that was previously transmitted to a hand-held device, the authorization code being indicative of authorization for payment by a payment source for one or more products;    communicating the authorization code to a transaction device via one or more wired or wireless communication links between a product pickup device at the product pickup location and the transaction device storing data indicating associations between each of a plurality of authorization codes and respective products; and    receiving from the transaction device an indication of the one or more products associated with the authorization code received by the product pickup device.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , providing the indicated one or more products to the user in response to receiving the indications of the one or more products from the transaction device.