Secure payment method and system

Abstract

Representative embodiments of a server-based method of facilitating payment by a user registered with the server include, at the server, generating and storing, for the user, a code readable by a merchant device, transmitting the code to a mobile device of the user, facilitating provision of information characterizing a payment instrument from the user to a payment-processing entity without storing the data at the server, receiving, from the payment-processing entity, a token indicative of the payment instrument but not encoding data that would enable use of the instrument, associating the token with the user, receiving, from a merchant, the code and a payment amount, matching the received code to the user and retrieving the token associated with the user, and providing the token and the payment amount to the payment-processing entity to facilitate completion of a transaction between the user and the merchant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A server-based method of facilitating payment by a user registered with a server, the method comprising, at the server:
 generating and storing, for the user, a code readable by a merchant device;   transmitting the code to a mobile device of the user;   facilitating provision of information characterizing a payment instrument from the user to a payment-processing entity without storing the data at the server;   receiving, from the payment-processing entity, a token indicative of the payment instrument but not encoding data that would enable use of the instrument;   computationally associating the token with the user;   receiving, from a merchant device, the code and a payment amount;   matching the received code to the user and retrieving the token associated with the user; and   providing the token and the payment amount to the payment-processing entity to facilitate completion of a transaction between the user and the merchant.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the code is a QR code, a bar code, a radio-frequency identification, a near-field-communication signal, an audio signal, or an infrared signal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the code is a seed code that can further generate a unique mature code readable by a merchant device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the server comprises a database for storing records, a database record being associated with the user and including user-identifying information, the code or a seed therefor, and the token. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mobile device is selected from the group comprising a cellular phone, a smart phone, a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an Internet Protocol Television and an electronic gaming device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the code is transmitted from the server to the mobile device via wireless cell phone communication, Internet, ultrasound, Bluetooth, or near-field communication. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the code is reset, by the server, after a predetermined period of time or upon receiving a request, by the server, from the user. 
     
     
         8 . A server for facilitating payment by a user registered with the server, the server comprising:
 a processor;   a processor-executable code-generation module for generating, for the user, a code readable by a merchant device;   a communication module;   a web server for generating a form-containing web page and associated programming for execution on a client-side computer, the programming being executable to cause transmission of information entered on the form to a payment-processing entity without storing the data at the server; and   a database for storing a token received from the payment-processing entity via the communication module and associating the token with the user;   wherein the processor is configured to:   (i) operate the communication module to cause the code to be transmitted to a mobile device of the user, (ii) operate the communication module to receive, from a merchant, the readable code and a payment amount, (iii) match the received readable code to the user and retrieving the token associated with the user, and (iv) following the match, operate the communication module to provide the token and the payment amount to a payment processor to facilitate completion of a transaction between the user and the merchant.   
     
     
         9 . The server of  claim 8  wherein the transmitted form is configured to receive information characterizing a payment instrument. 
     
     
         10 . The server of  claim 8  wherein the code is a QR code, a bar code, a radio-frequency identification, a near-field-communication signal, an audio signal, or an infrared signal. 
     
     
         11 . The server of  claim 8 , wherein the code is a seed code for generation, by the code-generating module, a unique mature code readable by a merchant device. 
     
     
         12 . The server of  claim 8  wherein the database comprises a series of stored records, each record being associated with a user and including user-identifying information, the code or a seed therefor, and the token. 
     
     
         13 . The server of  claim 8 , wherein the communication module transmits the code from the server to the mobile device via wireless cell phone communication, Internet, ultrasound, Bluetooth, or near-field communication. 
     
     
         14 . The server of  claim 8 , wherein the code-generation module resets the code after a predetermined period of time or upon receiving a request from the user.