Using Low-Cost Tags to Facilitate Mobile Transactions

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating payments using low-cost barcode or RFID tags are disclosed. Such tags can be attached or affixed to physical, real-world objects thus allowing the objects to be purchased using a customer mobile device, without the need for a dedicated, on-site point-of-sale system. The tags may be constructed from paper, metal, leather, plastic or some other low-cost material. The tag allows a unique visual identifier such as a tag code to be imprinted so that it can be read using a mobile camera or other sensor enabled telephone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of using a low-cost tag facilitating payment between a buyer and a seller utilizing a mobile device, comprising the steps of:
 (a) reading, via a buyer mobile device, a tag code imprinted on the tag, wherein the tag is affixed to an object or associated with a service;   (b) decrypting the tag code in order to authenticate the tag via a tag service provider;   (c) transmitting, via the buyer mobile device, a payment request to a payment service provider, the payment request associated with the tag code;   (d) receiving, from the payment service provider, a payment request authorization;   (e) recording a payment via the tag service provider, the recorded payment associated with the tag code;   (f) presenting a customer payment confirmation via the customer mobile device; and   (g) presenting a sale completion notification to the seller;   wherein the tag code is associated within a tag service provider database with a seller deposit account information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tag is constructed from a low-cost material selected from the group consisting of: paper, metal, plastic and leather. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said reading step is performed by a camera embedded in a mobile device, and the buyer mobile device comprises a mobile payment application in a local store of the buyer mobile device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said unique visual identifier code is one of: a Data Matrix 2D barcode; a MaxiCode 2D barcode; and a QR Code 2D barcode. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 (h) recording, by the seller, pricing information associated with the object, the pricing information recorded within a pricing information database operated by a tag service provider;   wherein the tag service provider associates the recorded pricing information with the unique visual identifier code.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the pricing information is a set price. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the pricing information comprises at least one of: a minimum price; a maximum price; and auction information. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 (h) displaying, via the buyer mobile device, product information.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the product information is multimedia content about the product for sale. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 (h) selecting a payment service provider from a plurality of payment applications accessible by the buyer mobile device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 (h) associating the recorded payment with a proof of payment number;   wherein associating step (h) serves as a proof of purchase.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 (i) presenting the proof of payment number and the associated transaction information to the seller; and   (j) presenting the proof of payment number to the buyer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the proof of payment number is associated with the tag. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the proof of payment number is printed on the tag. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the payment request is transmitted by a mobile wallet application on the buyer mobile device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tag serves as a buyer receipt of the transaction. 
     
     
         17 . One or more computer storage media having stored thereon multiple instructions that facilitate payment between a buyer and a seller utilizing a mobile device by, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, causing the one or more processors to:
 (a) read a tag code imprinted on the tag, wherein the tag is affixed to an object;   (b) decrypt the tag code in order to authenticate the tag;   (c) transmit a payment request from the buyer to a payment service provider, the payment request associated with the tag code;   (d) receive a payment request authorization from the payment service provider;   (e) record a payment, the recorded payment associated with the tag code;   (f) present a customer payment confirmation; and   (g) present a sale completion notification to the seller;   wherein the tag code is associated within a tag service provider database with a seller deposit account information.   
     
     
         18 . One or more computer storage media as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the multiple instructions further cause one or more processors to:
 (h) display, via the mobile device, product information associated with the object the tag is affixed to or service the tag is associated with.   
     
     
         19 . One or more computer storage media as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the multiple instructions further cause one or more processors to:
 (h) associate the recorded payment with a proof of payment number wherein the association serves as a buyer proof of purchase.   
     
     
         20 . One or more computer storage media as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the multiple instructions further cause one or more processors to:
 (i) present the proof of payment number and the associated transaction information to the seller; and   (j) present the proof of payment number to the buyer.