Method and apparatus for payments between mobile devices

Abstract

Techniques for mobile devices configured to support settlement of charges in electronic invoices or bills are described. A mobile device is used to read off from another mobile device data pertaining to an electronic invoice for payment. The data includes the electronic invoice and other information regarding a designated account to receive the payment. A request is sent to a third party authorized to deduct an amount related to the invoice from one account to another account. The settlement is considered complete when both devices receive a notification from the third party.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for mobile payment, the method comprising:
 providing a software module executed in a first mobile device to generate a set of data including an electronic invoice;   sending the electronic invoice from the first mobile device wirelessly to a second mobile device along with a payment request, wherein the second mobile device is operated by a user, and caused to execute a software module in response to the payment request to display the electronic invoice on the second mobile device, wherein the user verifies an amount in the electronic invoice and confirms a payment to the electronic invoice;   receiving a notification from a payment gateway that the payment has been received, wherein the payment gateway is a third party responsible for deducting the amount from an account of the user and sending the deducted amount to a designated account pertaining to the first mobile device; and   sending a payment response to the second mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the software module in the first mobile device and the software module executed in the second mobile device facilitate data communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device as well as data exchanges therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device communicate via near filed communication (NFC). 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said sending the electronic invoice from the first mobile device wirelessly to a second mobile device along with a payment request comprises:
 causing the user to verify the amount and pay the amount with a chosen payment method, wherein the chosen instrument is entered with the software module in the second mobile device.   
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the chosen payment method is selected from a group consisting of an electronic wallet already created in the second mobile device, a traditional credit or debit card, and an electronic transfer, an Internet banking and e-commerce payment system. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the first mobile device is a point of sale (POS) device coupled to the designated account. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said receiving a notification from a payment gateway that the payment has been received comprises:
 causing the second mobile device to transport the payment request with the amount over a secured channel to the payment gateway, where the payment gateway performs an authorized monetary transaction per the payment request by deducting the amount from the account owned by the user and generates the notification to the POS device.   
     
     
         8 . A method for mobile payment, the method comprising:
 receiving an electronic invoice in a first mobile device from a second mobile device, wherein the first mobile executes a software module therein, the second mobile executes a software module therein to generate a set of data including the electronic invoice;   displaying an amount on a display of the first mobile device;   generating a payment request in the first mobile device when a user using the first mobile device approves the amount;   transporting the payment request to a payment gateway, wherein the payment gateway is a third party responsible for deducting the amount from an account of the user and sending the deducted amount to a designated account pertaining to the second mobile device; and   receiving a payment response from the second mobile device after the second mobile device receives a notification from the payment gateway.   
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the software module in the first mobile device and the software module executed in the second mobile device facilitate data communication between the first mobile device and the second mobile device as well as data exchanges therebetween. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device communicate via near filed communication (NFC). 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said generating a payment request in the first mobile device comprises:
 causing the user to verify the amount and pay the amount with a chosen payment method, wherein the chosen instrument is entered with the software module in the second mobile device.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the chosen payment method is selected from a group consisting of an electronic wallet already created in the second mobile device, a traditional credit or debit card, and an electronic transfer, an Internet banking and e-commerce payment system. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the second mobile device is a point of sale (POS) device coupled to the designated account. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said receiving a notification from a payment gateway that the payment has been received comprises:
 causing the second mobile device to transport the payment request with the amount over a secured channel to the payment gateway, where the payment gateway performs an authorized monetary transaction per the payment request by deducting the amount from the account owned by the user and generates the notification to the POS device.   
     
     
         15 . A method for mobile payment, the method comprising:
 receiving an identity of a merchant in a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is associated with a user interacting with the merchant;   entering manually by the user on the mobile device an amount to be paid to the merchant according to the identity;   generating a payment request in the mobile device, wherein the payment request includes the identity and the amount;   transporting the payment request to a payment gateway, wherein the payment gateway is a third party responsible for deducting the amount from an account of the user and sending the deducted amount to a designated account pertaining to the merchant, and   receiving a payment response after the merchant receives a notification from the payment gateway that the amount has been received in the designated account pertaining to the merchant.   
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the identity includes information of the designated account, the third party sends the amount deducted from the account of the user to the designated account based on the information. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the mobile device executes a module to display an interface for the user to enter the amount and generate the payment request.