Payment services provider methods in connection with personalized payments system

Abstract

A method includes a processor receiving transaction information from a merchant device, which includes a transaction amount, merchant identifying information and customer addressing information. The processer transmits the merchant identifying information to a customer mobile device, and receives a payment transaction request to transfer funds from a customer account to a merchant. The processor translates the customer addressing information into a customer payment card account number, and the merchant identifying information into a merchant payment card account number. The processor then transmits the payment transaction request to the customer's issuer financial institution, which request includes the customer payment card account number, the transaction amount, and the merchant payment card account number.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor from a merchant device, transaction information comprising at least a transaction amount, merchant identifying information and customer addressing information;   transmitting, by the processor based on the customer addressing information, at least the merchant identifying information to a customer mobile device;   receiving, by the processor from the customer mobile device, a payment transaction request to transfer funds from a customer account to a merchant;   translating, by the processor, the customer addressing information into a customer payment card account number and the merchant identifying information into a merchant payment card account number; and   transmitting, by the processor, the payment transaction request to an issuer financial institution that issued the customer payment card account, the payment transaction request comprising the customer payment card account number, the transaction amount, and the merchant payment card account number.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, an authorization response from the merchant device, the authorization response confirming validity and availability of the merchant payment card account. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising transmitting, by the processor to at least one of the merchant device and the customer mobile device, a confirmation indicating that a funds transfer satisfying the payment transaction has occurred or will occur. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the merchant device is at least one of a point of sale device or a mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the customer addressing information comprises a mobile telephone number. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction information further comprises a transaction reference number generated by the merchant device, and wherein the payment transaction request includes the transaction reference number. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to receiving the payment transaction request, requiring, by the processor based on at least a portion of the transaction information, completion of an authentication procedure prior to transmitting the payment transaction request to the issuer financial institution. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least a portion of the transaction information comprises at least one of the transaction amount, a time of day, a day of the week, an item associated with the payment transaction, a customer identity, a merchant identity, recent customer account activity, and past customer account activity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the authentication procedure comprises receiving, by the processor, confirmation from the issuer financial institution that an exchange of messages between the customer mobile device and the merchant device was successfully completed. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after receiving the payment transaction request:
 detecting, by the processor based on the transaction information, that the payment transaction qualifies for partial funding equal to a partial funding amount from at least one additional funding source;   transmitting, by the processor to the customer mobile device, a request to apply the partial funding amount from the at least one additional funding source to the transaction amount;   receiving, by the processor from the customer mobile device, a positive response; and   reducing, by the processor, the transaction amount by the partial funding amount before transmitting the payment transaction request to the issuer financial institution.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one additional funding source comprises a loyalty program. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor;   a communication device operably connected to the processor; and   a storage device operably connected to the processor, wherein the storage device stores non-transient instructions configure to cause the processor to:
 receive transaction information from a merchant device comprising at least a transaction amount, merchant identifying information and customer addressing information; 
 transmit, based on the customer addressing information, at least the merchant identifying information to a customer mobile device; 
 receive a payment transaction request from the customer mobile device to transfer funds from a customer account to a merchant; 
 translate the customer addressing information into a customer payment card account number; 
 translate the merchant identifying information into a merchant payment card account number; and 
 transmit the payment transaction request to an issuer financial institution that issued the customer payment card account, the payment transaction request comprising the customer payment card account number, the transaction amount, and the merchant payment card account number. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the storage device further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to receive an authorization response from the merchant device, the authorization response confirming validity and availability of the merchant payment card account. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the storage device further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to transmit to at least one of the merchant device and the customer mobile device, a confirmation indicating that a funds transfer satisfying the payment transaction has occurred or will occur. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the storage device further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to receive a transaction reference number generated by the merchant device, and to transmit the transaction reference number with the payment transaction request. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the storage device further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to require completion of an authentication procedure before processing the instructions to transmit the payment transaction request to the issuer financial institution. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions for requiring the authentication procedure further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to receive confirmation from the issuer financial institution that an exchange of messages between the customer mobile device and the merchant device was successfully completed. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the storage device further comprises instructions, subsequent to the instructions for receiving the payment transaction request, configured to cause the processor to:
 detect that the payment transaction qualifies for partial funding equal to a partial funding amount from at least one additional funding source;   transmit a request to the customer mobile device to apply the partial funding amount from the at least one additional funding source to the transaction amount;   receive a positive response from the customer mobile device; and   reduce the transaction amount by the partial funding amount before processing the instructions to transmit the payment transaction request to the issuer financial institution.