Conducting transactions with electronic credentials

Abstract

A novel system and methodology for conducting financial and other transactions using a wireless device. Credentials may be selectively issued by issuers such as credit card companies, banks, and merchants to consumers permitting the specific consumer to conduct a transaction according to the authorization given as reflected by the credential or set of credentials. The preferred mechanism for controlling and distributing credentials according to the present invention is through one or more publicly accessible networks such as the Internet wherein the system design and operating characteristics are in conformance with the standards and other specific requirements of the chosen network or set of networks. Credentials are ultimately supplied to a handheld device such as a mobile telephone via a wireless network. The user holding the credential may then use the handheld device to conduct the authorized transaction or set of transactions via, for example, a short range wireless link with a point-of-sale terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of conducting one or more transactions using at least one electronic credential and an electronic device, the method comprising:
 storing at least one electronic credential in a memory of the electronic device;   establishing a wireless communication connection between a wireless interface communicatively coupled to a processor of the electronic device and an electronic credential reader that is separate from the electronic device;   retrieving the electronic credential from the memory by the processor communicatively coupled thereto; and   transmitting the retrieved electronic credential from the electronic device to the electronic credential reader through the wireless interface over the wireless communication connection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing the electronic credential comprises:
 storing the electronic credential in the memory such that the processor locates the electronic credential therein by an associated reader key.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving the reader key from the electronic credential reader through the wireless interface,   wherein the retrieving the electronic credential further comprises retrieving the electronic credential associated with the received reader key from the memory.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein retrieving the electronic credential from the memory further comprises:
 searching among a plurality of the electronic credentials stored in the memory for the electronic credential associated with the received reader key; and   retrieving the electronic credential located in the memory by the searching.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the searching for the electronic credential further comprises:
 searching among reader keys stored in the memory for the received reader key, the stored reader keys being respectively associated with one or more of the electronic credentials stored in the memory; and   retrieving the electronic credential for which the associated reader key stored in the memory matches the received reader key.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the electronic credential comprises:
 transmitting the electronic credential directly to the electronic credential reader over a range-limited communications (RLC) connection as the wireless communications connection.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 establishing an application layer communication session with a credential issuing device through a wireless communication interface communicatively coupled to the processor that is other than the wireless interface through which RLC communications connection is established;   receiving the electronic credential from the credential issuing device during the application layer communication session in accordance with criteria established by an external device authorized to issue the electronic credential; and   storing the received electronic credential in the memory.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving a reader key from the credential issuing device along with the electronic credential to which it is associated during the application layer communication session; and   storing the reader key in the memory such that the electronic credential is locatable therein by the processor with the reader key received from the electronic credential reader over the RLC connection.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining, in response to receiving the reader key from the electronic credential reader, whether a transaction using the associated electronic credential is to be conducted using one or more transaction-specific operations; and   executing, by the processor in response to affirming that the transaction is to be conducted through the one or more transaction-specific operations, a process associated with the electronic credential that performs the transaction-specific operations;   wherein transmitting the electronic credential comprises transmitting the electronic credential over the RLC connection according to the process executing on the processor.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 selecting the process from among a plurality of processes that are associated with respective electronic credentials; and   executing the selected process to conduct the transaction with the associated electronic credential.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the transaction is a financial transaction conducted over the RLC connection using the associated electronic credential through the selected process executing on the processor, the associated electronic credential indicating a financial account from which funds are to be used in the financial transaction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the transaction is a user authentication transaction using the associated electronic credential that identifies a user in accordance with security criteria including an authentication process to be performed with the associated electronic credential over the RLC connection by the selected process executing on the processor to authenticate the identity of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the transaction is a membership transaction conducted over the RLC connection using the associated electronic credential through the selected process executing on the processor, the associated electronic credential indicating a member account assigned to a user by the external device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 executing, by the processor, an electronic wallet operation having access to the memory to perform a financial transaction.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 executing a selected operation as an extension operation to the wallet operation.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving a second reader key from the electronic credential reader to conduct an auxiliary transaction with a second electronic credential concurrently with conducting the one or more transactions;   determining, in response to receiving the second reader key from the electronic credential reader, whether the auxiliary transaction using the second electronic credential is to be conducted through one or more second transaction-specific operations;   executing, by the processor in response to affirming that the auxiliary transaction using the second electronic credential is to be conducted through the one or more second transaction-specific operations, a second operation associated with the second electronic credential to perform the one or more second transaction-specific operations; and   transmitting the second electronic credential over the RLC connection under control of the second operation executing on the processor such that the transaction and the auxiliary transaction are conducted concurrently.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein establishing the application layer communication session comprises:
 establishing the application layer communication session in accordance with a Session Initiation Protocol.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein establishing the application layer communication session comprises:
 establishing the application layer communication session over a cellular telephone communications network.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein establishing the application layer communication session comprises:
 establishing the application layer communication session over a wireless local area communications network.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein establishing the application layer communication session comprises:
 establishing the application layer communication session over a wireless personal area communications network.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein transmitting the electronic credential comprises:
 transmitting the electronic credential to the electronic credential reader over a near-field communications (NFC) connection as the RLC connection.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein transmitting the electronic credential comprises:
 transmitting the electronic credential to the electronic credential reader over a Bluetooth connection as the RLC connection.   
     
     
         23 . An apparatus to conduct one or more transactions using at least one electronic credential, the apparatus comprising:
 a memory to store at least one electronic credential;   a wireless interface to communicate with an electronic credential reader over a wireless communication connection; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and to the wireless interface, the processor to retrieve the electronic credential from the memory; and to transmit the retrieved electronic credential to the electronic credential reader through the wireless interface over the wireless communication connection.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the electronic credential is stored in the memory so as to be located therein by the processor with an associated reader key. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the processor receives the reader key from the electronic credential reader through the wireless interface, and retrieves the electronic credential associated with the received reader key from the memory. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein a plurality of the electronic credentials are stored in the memory and respectively associated with a plurality of reader keys, and wherein the processor performs a search on the reader keys stored in the memory to locate the electronic credential associated with the reader key received from the electronic credential reader through the wireless interface. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the wireless interface is a range-limited communications (RLC) interface to transmit the electronic credential directly to the electronic credential reader over an RLC connection as the wireless communications connection. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the processor establishes an application layer communication session with a credential issuing device through a wireless communication interface communicatively coupled to the processor that is other than the RLC interface through which the RLC connection is established, receives the electronic credential from the credential issuing device through the wireless communication interface during the application layer communication session in accordance with criteria established by an external device authorized to issue the electronic credential and stores the received electronic credential in the memory. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor receives a reader key from the credential issuing device during the application layer communication session along with the electronic credential with which it is associated, and stores the reader key in the memory such that the electronic credential is locatable therein by the processor with the reader key received from the electronic credential reader over the RLC connection. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor determines, in response to receiving the reader key from the electronic credential reader, whether the transaction using the associated electronic credential is to be conducted through one or more transaction-specific operations, executes, in response to affirming that the transaction is to be conducted through the one or more transaction-specific operations, a process associated with the electronic credential that performs the transaction-specific operations, and transmits the electronic credential over the RLC connection under control of the process. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the memory stores processor instructions for a plurality of processes that, when executed by the processor, perform the respective one or more transaction-specific operations in conducting the at least one transaction using respective electronic credentials stored in the memory, and
 wherein the processor selects the process from among the stored processes to conduct the transaction using the stored electronic credential associated with the received reader key and executes the processor instructions for the selected process.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the transaction is a financial transaction conducted over the RLC connection using the associated electronic credential through the selected process executing on the processor, the associated electronic credential indicating a financial account from which funds are to be used in the financial transaction. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the transaction is a user authentication transaction using the associated electronic credential that identifies the user in accordance with security criteria including an authentication process performed with the associated electronic credential over the RLC connection by a selected process executing on the processor to authenticate the identity of the user. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the transaction is a membership transaction conducted over the RLC connection using the associated electronic credential through the selected process executing on the processor, the associated electronic credential indicating a member account assigned to a user by the external device. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the processor receives a second reader key from the electronic credential reader to conduct an auxiliary transaction using a second electronic credential concurrently with conducting the one or more transactions, to execute, in response to affirming that the auxiliary transaction is to be conducted through one or more second transaction-specific operations, a second process from among the processes that is associated with the other electronic credential and performs the one or more second transaction-specific operations, and to transmit the second electronic credential to the electronic credential reader over the RLC connection under control of the second process such that the transaction and the second transaction are conducted concurrently. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the processor executes a wallet operation having access to the memory, and selects the process from among the stored processes configured through the wallet operation. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the processor executes the selected process as an extension to the wallet operation. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the processor establishes the application layer communication session in accordance with a Session Initiation Protocol. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the wireless communication interface includes circuitry to communicate over a cellular telephone communications network. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , the wireless communication interface includes circuitry to communicate over a wireless local area communications network. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the wireless communication interface includes circuitry to communicate over a wireless personal area communications network. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the RLC interface is a near-field communications (NFC) interface. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the RLC interface is a Bluetooth interface. 
     
     
         44 . A non-transient computer readable medium having encoded thereon processor-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the method of:
 retrieving an electronic credential from a memory communicatively coupled to the processor of an electronic device;   establishing a wireless communication connection with an electronic credential reader through a wireless interface communicatively coupled to the processor of the electronic device; and   transmitting the retrieved electronic credential to the electronic credential reader through the wireless interface over the wireless communication connection.   
     
     
         45 . The computer readable medium of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 locating the electronic credential in the memory with an associated reader key.   
     
     
         46 . The computer readable medium of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 receiving the reader key from the electronic credential reader through the wireless interface; and   retrieving the electronic credential associated with the received reader key from the memory.   
     
     
         47 . The computer readable medium of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 performing a search on reader keys stored in the memory that are respectively associated with a plurality of electronic credentials stored in the memory to locate the electronic credential associated with the reader key received from the electronic credential reader through the wireless interface.   
     
     
         48 . The computer readable medium of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 establishing a range-limited communications (RLC) connection with the electronic credential reader as the wireless communication connection,   wherein the wireless interface communicatively coupled to the processor is an RLC interface.   
     
     
         49 . The computer readable medium of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 establishing an application layer communication session with a credential issuing device through a wireless communication interface communicatively coupled to the processor that is other than the RLC interface through which the RLC connection is established;   receiving the electronic credential from the credential issuing device through the wireless communication interface during the application layer communication session in accordance with criteria established by an external entity authorized to issue the electronic credential; and   storing the received electronic credential in the memory.   
     
     
         50 . The computer readable medium of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 receiving a reader key from the credential issuing device during the application layer communication session along with the electronic credential with which it is associated; and   storing the reader key in the memory such that the electronic credential is locatable therein by the processor with the reader key received from the electronic credential reader over the RLC connection.   
     
     
         51 . The computer readable medium of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 determining, in response to receiving the reader key from the electronic credential reader, whether the transaction using the associated electronic credential is to be conducted through one or more transaction-specific operations;   executing, in response to affirming that the transaction is to be conducted through the one or more transaction-specific operations, a process associated with the electronic credential that performs the one or more transaction-specific operations; and   transmitting the electronic credential over the RLC connection under control of the process.   
     
     
         52 . The computer readable medium of  claim 51 , further comprising:
 selecting the process from among a plurality of processes that are associated with respective electronic credentials stored in the memory; and   executing the selected process to conduct the transaction with the associated electronic credential.   
     
     
         53 . The computer readable medium of  claim 52 , further comprising:
 receiving a second reader key from the electronic credential reader over the RLC connection to conduct an auxiliary transaction using a second electronic credential concurrently with conducting the transaction;   executing, in response to affirming that the auxiliary transaction is to be conducted through the one or more second transaction-specific operations, a second process from among the processes that are associated with the other electronic credential and performs the one or more second transaction-specific operations; and   transmitting the second electronic credential to the electronic credential reader over the RLC connection under control of the other process such that the transaction and the second transaction are conducted concurrently.   
     
     
         54 . The computer readable medium of  claim 52 , further comprising:
 executing a wallet operation having access to the memory; and   selecting the process from among the processes through the wallet operation.   
     
     
         55 . The computer readable medium of  claim 54 , further comprising:
 executing the selected at least one process as an extension to the wallet operation.   
     
     
         56 . The computer readable medium of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 establishing the application layer communication session in accordance with a Session Initiation Protocol.   
     
     
         57 . The computer readable medium of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 establishing the application layer communication session over a cellular telephone communications network.   
     
     
         58 . The computer readable medium of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 establishing the application layer communication session over a wireless local area communications network.   
     
     
         59 . The computer readable medium of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 establishing the application layer communication session over a wireless personal area communications network.   
     
     
         60 . The computer readable medium of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 establishing a near-field communications (NFC) connection as the RLC connection through an NFC interface as the RLC interface coupled to the processor.   
     
     
         61 . The computer readable medium of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 establishing a Bluetooth connection as the RLC connection through a Bluetooth interface as the RLC interface coupled to the processor.