Transferring funds between financial accounts of two accountholders

Abstract

A facility for initiating a funds transfer operation is described. The facility displays on a mobile device identity verification information for other people each associated with another mobile device within a maximum distance. For example, the displayed identity verification information may be a picture of the person. The user may select one of these in order to initiate a funds transfer operation to the selected person.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for confirming a funds transfer operation, the method performed in a first computing device associated with a first person, the method comprising:
 receiving from a second computing device a communication specifying an amount of money and an identifier of a second person associated with the second computing device, the communication indicating the second person's proposal to transfer the specified amount of money from an account belonging to the second person to an account belonging to the first person;   using the specified identifier of the second person to retrieve from a device other than the first and second computing devices information for verifying the identity of the second person;   displaying at least a portion of the retrieved information for verifying the identity of the second person, together with the specified amount of money;   receiving user input approving the proposed transfer; and   only in response to receiving the user input, sending a communication to a device other than the first and second devices instructing performance of a transfer of the specified amount of money from an account belonging to the second person to the account belonging to the first person.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sent communication includes the identifier of the second person, or an identifier of the first person, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sending is performed via a secure connection. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second computing device is physically located within a threshold distance of the first computing device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, before sending the communication instructing performance of the transfer of the specified amount, sending a communication to the second computing device seeking confirmation of the transfer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the retrieved information comprises an image of the second person. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the retrieved information comprises at least a portion of a name of the second person. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the threshold distance is based on a short-range data exchange mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-readable medium having contents adapted to cause a first computing device to perform a method for confirming a funds transfer operation, the method performed in a first computing device associated with a first person, the method comprising:
 receiving from a second computing device a communication specifying an amount of money and an identifier of a second person proposing to transfer the specified amount of money to the first person;   using the specified identifier to retrieve from a device other than the first and second devices information for verifying the identity of the second person;   displaying at least a portion of the retrieved information for verifying the identity of the second person, together with the specified amount;   receiving user input approving the proposed transfer; and   sending a communication to a device other than the first and second devices instructing performance of a transfer of the specified amount from an account belonging to the second person to the account belonging to the first person.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the sent communication includes the identifier of the second person, or an identifier of the first person, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the sending is performed via a secure connection. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the second computing device is physically located within a threshold distance of the first computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises, before sending the communication instructing performance of the transfer of the specified amount, sending a communication to the second computing device seeking confirmation of the transfer. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the retrieved information comprises an image of the second person. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 9  wherein the retrieved information comprises at least a portion of a name of the second person. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the threshold distance is based on a short-range data exchange mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . A first computing device adapted to confirm a funds transfer operation at a first computing device associated with a first person, the first computing device comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory having contents configured to, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:
 broadcasting an identifier identifying the first person from the first computing device to one or more third devices; 
 receiving from a second computing device among the one or more third devices, a communication specifying an amount of money and an identifier of a second person, associated with the second computing device, proposing to transfer the specified amount of money to the first person; 
 using the identifier of the second person to access information about the second person from a server storing account information about accountholders; 
 displaying at least a portion of the accessed information about the second person for verifying the identity of the second person, together with the specified amount; 
 receiving user input approving the proposed transfer, and 
 causing the specified amount to be transferred from an account belonging to the second person to the account belonging to the first person. 
   
     
     
         18 . The first computing device of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises sending a communication to the server instructing performance of a transfer of the specified amount from an account belonging to the second person to the account belonging to the first person. 
     
     
         19 . The first computing device of  claim 17  wherein the second computing device is physically located within a threshold distance of the first computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The first computing device of  claim 17  wherein the accessed information comprises an image of the second person, and wherein the displayed information about the second person includes the image of the second person.