Methods and systems for conducting payment transactions

Abstract

A method of eliminating the need to wait in line to conduct a payment transaction in a retail establishment includes initiating a network-based electronic payment transaction with a communications device in a retail establishment. A shopper initiates the network-based electronic payment transaction. Moreover, the method includes entering a machine readable code from at least one good with the communications device, determining a price of the at least one good and a total payment transaction cost, and displaying the total payment transaction cost on a screen of the communications device. Furthermore, the method includes determining whether to approve payment for the electronic payment transaction, authenticating the shopper, completing the electronic payment transaction in the retail establishment, and transmitting a transaction complete message to the communications device when the shopper is authenticated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining authentication data comprising:
 determining, by a portable communications device, a risk level corresponding to a transaction desired to be conducted by a user; and   determining a biometric authentication data requirement corresponding to the determined risk level with the device.   
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising:
 capturing data from the user with, and storing the captured data in, the device, the captured data corresponding to the authentication data requirement; and 
 authenticating the user with the captured data. 
 
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether a unique user identifier matches a user identifier and when there is a match conducting said determining a risk level step. 
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , said determining the authentication data requirement step comprising determining different biometric types as the authentication data requirement as the risk level increases. 
     
     
         5 . A method in accordance with  claim 2 , said authenticating step comprising comparing the captured data against user biometric data with the device, wherein the captured and user biometric data correspond to the authentication data requirement. 
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 2 , further comprising conducting the transaction after successfully authenticating the user. 
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , said determining an authentication data requirement step comprising comparing the determined risk level against an authentication policy to determine a matching risk level, the authentication data requirement corresponding to the matching risk level. 
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a list of service provider user identifiers on the device; and   selecting a service provider from the list for conducting the transaction.   
     
     
         9 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 photographing a machine readable code of a good with the device; and   displaying a price of the good on the device.   
     
     
         10 . A handset comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory configured to store policies and user authentication data, said processor being programmed to:   determine a risk level corresponding to a transaction desired to be conducted by a user;   determine an authentication data requirement corresponding to the risk level; and   authenticate the user with data corresponding to the authentication data requirement.   
     
     
         11 . A handset in accordance with  claim 10 , said processor being further programmed to determine the risk level is a default risk level requiring a biometric authentication data requirement. 
     
     
         12 . A handset in accordance with  claim 10 , said processor being further programmed to determine a different risk level for different transactions. 
     
     
         13 . A handset in accordance with  claim 10 , said processor being further programmed to determine more demanding biometric authentication data requirements as the risk level increases. 
     
     
         14 . A handset in accordance with  claim 10  being:
 a portable cellular phone; 
 a smart phone; 
 a tablet computer; 
 a laptop computer; or 
 a personal digital assistant. 
 
     
     
         15 . A handset in accordance with  claim 10 , said processor being further programmed to receive a radio frequency signal broadcast by a retail establishment that identifies a system to be used for conducting the transaction. 
     
     
         16 . A handset in accordance with  claim 10 , said processor being further programmed to display a list of different retail establishments. 
     
     
         17 . A handset in accordance with  claim 16 , said processor being further programmed to select a service provider user identifier associated with a retail establishment selected from the list. 
     
     
         18 . A method for authenticating users comprising authenticating, by a processor, a user with biometric data captured from the user, the captured biometric data corresponding to a risk level for a transaction desired to be conducted by the user. 
     
     
         19 . A method in accordance with  claim 18  further comprising conducting the transaction after successfully authenticating the user.