Portable multi-function device with multiple transaction accounts

Abstract

A portable multi-function device with data memory for storing a plurality of transaction applications, each of the transaction applications configured to make payment in a transaction; program storage comprising instructions to use a selected transaction application to make payment in the transaction; and processing circuitry for performing the instructions in the program storage to use the selected transaction application to execute the transaction.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A portable multi-function device comprising:
 data memory for storing a plurality of transaction applications, each of said transaction applications configured to make payment in a transaction;   program storage comprising instructions to use a selected transaction application to make payment in the transaction; and   processing circuitry for performing the instructions in the program storage to use the selected transaction application to execute the transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of transaction applications comprises a credit card application. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of transaction applications comprises a debit card application. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a user input device for allowing a user to select the transaction application to make payment in the transaction. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the user input device comprises a button. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of transaction applications is a default account that is automatically selected to make payment in the transaction. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the default account is selected based on the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the default account is selected based on a merchant with which the device is being used for the transaction. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the selection of the default account is stored in a user profile. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the user profile is stored on the device. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the default account stored in the user profile may be changed by a user input device. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the default account stored in the user profile may be overrider by a user input device during the transaction. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1  comprising a smart card. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1  comprising a peripheral device. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 storing in a data memory on a portable multi-function device a plurality of transaction applications, each of said transaction applications configured to make payment in a transaction;   selecting using instructions in program storage on the device a transaction application to make payment in the transaction; and   performing with processing circuitry on the device the instructions in the program storage to use the selected transaction application to execute the transaction.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of transaction applications comprises a credit card application. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of transaction applications comprises a debit card application. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising selecting, with a user input device, the transaction application to make payment in the transaction. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the user input device comprises a button. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising automatically selecting a default account from the plurality of transaction applications to make payment in the transaction. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the default account is selected based on the purchase transaction. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the default account is selected based on a merchant with which the device is being used for the transaction. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the selection of the default account is stored in a user profile. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the user profile is stored on the device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising changing the default account stored in the user profile with a user input device. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising overriding the default account stored in the user profile with a user input device during the transaction. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the device comprises a smart card. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the device comprises a peripheral device.