System and method for providing advice to consumer regarding a payment transaction

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing a consumer with an alert or other information regarding a payment transaction. When a consumer conducts a payment transaction, an alert may be sent to a device to enable the consumer to view the alert. The contents of the alert, the triggers for sending the alert, or the delivery channel for the alert may be determined by a set of preferences that the consumer set when registering for the alert service. In response to the alert, the consumer may send an SMS or other message that requests “help”, “advice”, “need information”, etc. In some embodiments, the consumer may select or activate a user interface element that enables them to obtain advice or information regarding the transaction. In some embodiments, a consumer request for help, advice, or more information may be generated by the consumer during or after a payment transaction. In response to the request for help, advice, or information, the invention may provide the consumer with a menu or list of topics of information that is available regarding the transaction.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A communications device associated with a consumer, the communications device comprising:
 a processor; and   a data storage device coupled to the processor, the data storage device comprising code, executable by the processor, for implementing a method of obtaining additional information regarding a payment transaction, the method comprising:
 receiving a transaction alert message associated with the payment transaction, the transaction alert message being generated by a server computer in response to the server computer receiving an authorization message for the payment transaction, the server computer processing the authorization message to determine if data contained in the authorization message satisfies a condition specified by the consumer participating in the payment transaction for generating the transaction alert message; 
 receiving an input for additional information from the consumer participating in the payment transaction; 
 sending a request for the additional information regarding the payment transaction to the server computer, the server computer processing the request from the consumer to determine the additional information regarding the payment transaction that can be provided to the consumer; 
 receiving a response message comprising the additional information from the server computer, wherein the additional information is information that is not included in the authorization message or in the transaction alert message; and 
 providing the additional information to the consumer. 
   
     
     
         22 . The communications device of  claim 21 , wherein receiving the input for additional information from the consumer participating in the payment transaction further comprises receiving a search term entered into a data entry field that is included with the transaction alert message. 
     
     
         23 . The communications device of  claim 21 , wherein receiving the input for additional information from the consumer participating in the payment transaction further comprises receiving an indication that the consumer has selected a selectable element that is included with the transaction alert message. 
     
     
         24 . The communications device of  claim 21 , wherein the transaction alert message further comprises a menu or list of types or categories of information available regarding the payment transaction. 
     
     
         25 . The communications device of  claim 24 , wherein the types or categories of information available include one or more of:
 information concerning a product or service that is the object of the payment transaction;   information concerning a merchant or service provider that is a party to the payment transaction; or   information concerning a manufacturer of the product or a supplier of the service that is the object of the payment transaction.   
     
     
         26 . The communications device of  claim 24 , wherein receiving the input for additional information from the consumer participating in the payment transaction further comprises receiving a selection from the consumer of an item from the list or menu provided to the consumer. 
     
     
         27 . The communications device of  claim 26 , wherein receiving the selection from the consumer of the item from the list or menu further comprises receiving a search term entered into a data entry field that is included with the list or menu. 
     
     
         28 . The communications device of  claim 21 , wherein the additional information provided to the consumer includes a selectable element, which when selected retrieves data from a communications network. 
     
     
         29 . The communications device of  claim 21 , wherein the additional information provided to the consumer includes a selectable element, which when selected places a phone call. 
     
     
         30 . The communications device of  claim 21 , wherein the additional information provided to the consumer includes a selectable element, which when selected generates a message. 
     
     
         31 . The communications device of  claim 21 , wherein the communications device is a mobile phone or personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         32 . A method of obtaining additional information regarding a payment transaction, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a communications device, a transaction alert message associated with the payment transaction, the transaction alert message being generated by a server computer in response to the server computer receiving an authorization message for the payment transaction, the server computer processing the authorization message to determine if data contained in the authorization message satisfies a condition specified by a consumer participating in the payment transaction for generating the transaction alert message;   receiving, by the communications device, an input for additional information from the consumer participating in the payment transaction;   generating, by the communications device, a request for the additional information;   sending, by the communications device, the request for the additional information regarding the payment transaction to the server computer, the server computer processing the request from the consumer to determine the additional information regarding the payment transaction that can be provided to the consumer;   receiving, by the communications device, a response message comprising the additional information from the server computer, wherein the additional information is information that is not included in the authorization message or in the transaction alert message; and   providing, by the communications device, the additional information to the consumer.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein receiving the input for additional information from the consumer participating in the payment transaction further comprises receiving a search term entered into a data entry field that is included with the transaction alert message. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein receiving the input for additional information from the consumer participating in the payment transaction further comprises receiving an indication that the consumer has selected a selectable element that is included with the transaction alert message. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the transaction alert message further comprises a menu or list of types or categories of information available regarding the payment transaction. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the types or categories of information available include one or more of:
 information concerning the product or service that is the object of the payment transaction;   information concerning a merchant or service provider that is a party to the payment transaction; or   information concerning a manufacturer of the product or a supplier of the service that is the object of the transaction.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the communications device is a mobile phone or personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         38 . A system for processing a payment transaction, the system comprising:
 a server computer communicatively coupled to a communications device, the server computer configured to:
 process the payment transaction by receiving an authorization message for the payment transaction; 
 process the authorization message to determine if data contained in the message satisfies a condition specified by a consumer participating in the payment transaction for generating a transaction alert message regarding the payment transaction; 
 generate the transaction alert message; 
 send the transaction alert message to the communications device; 
 receive a request for additional information regarding the payment transaction from the communications device; 
 process the request to determine additional information regarding the payment transaction that can be provided to the consumer, wherein the additional information is information that is not included in the authorization message or in the transaction alert message; and 
 provide the additional information to the communications device; and 
   the communications device associated with the consumer, the communications device configured to:
 receive the transaction alert message associated with the payment transaction, 
 receive an input for additional information from the consumer participating in the payment transaction; 
 send a request for the additional information regarding the payment transaction to the server computer; 
 receive a response message comprising the additional information from the server computer; and 
 provide the additional information to the consumer. 
   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein receiving a request from the consumer for additional information regarding the payment transaction further comprises receiving a search term entered into a data entry field that is included with the transaction alert message. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein receiving a request from the consumer for additional information regarding the payment transaction further comprises receiving an indication that the consumer has selected a selectable element that is included with the transaction alert message.