Payment Processing Using Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) System

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for incorporating electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems into a secure, mobile, and electronic payment processing system. Existing EBT systems capture data regarding a purchase. This record keeping functionality can be harnessed to provide retailers and marketers with data regarding marketing efforts, coupon use, and more. A mobile device can be used to interact with a presence detection system. Coupons or payment information can be received at a mobile device, and payments can be carried out between a mobile device and a points of sale (POS).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for allowing a consumer to complete a payment transaction using a payment account of the consumer with a merchant at a merchant location, the system comprising:
 a detection unit operable to detect a mobile device associated with the consumer;   a remote server in communication with the detection unit, the remote server used to verify an identity of the consumer using the mobile device and to form a virtual payment account number, the remote server further operable to send payment authorization information to the mobile device; and   an EBT point of sale terminal used to process the payment transaction at the request of the consumer, wherein the virtual payment account number is received by the EBT point of sale terminal from the remote server and is associated with the payment authorization information;   wherein the system processes the payment transaction using the virtual payment account number as a mechanism for payment using an EBT payment processing system for the purpose of identifying each item purchased by the consumer, further wherein the identity of the items purchased by consumer is sent to a remote application server separate from the point of sale terminal and associated with the consumer using the virtual payment account number; and wherein the payment account of the consumer is a non-EBT payment account.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the EBT payment processing system saves one or more data points related to the payment transaction. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the one or more data points comprises a list of items purchased. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the remote server is configured to present the consumer an offer redeemable at the merchant. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the remote server is configured to prefund the virtual payment account number with funds expected to be sufficient to cover the payment transaction. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the virtual payment account number expires after a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the one or more data points comprises coupon information. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the one or more data points comprises consumer information. 
     
     
         9 . A method of allowing a consumer to complete a payment transaction using a payment account of the consumer with a merchant at a merchant location, the method comprising:
 receiving a notification that a mobile device associated with the consumer is at a location;   verifying an identity of the consumer using the mobile device;   forming a virtual payment account number, wherein the virtual payment account number and the payment account of the consumer are associated with a coin, the coin acting as an identifier for a transaction between the merchant and consumer and is specific to the payment transaction; and   sending payment authorization information to the consumer's mobile device to allow the consumer to initiate a payment transaction with the merchant;   wherein a point of sale terminal is used to process the payment transaction using the payment authorization information at the request of the consumer, wherein the payment authorization information is associated with the virtual payment account number and the virtual payment account number is received by an EBT point of sale terminal from a remote server and used for payment using an EBT payment processing system for the purpose of identifying each item purchased by the consumer, further wherein the identity of the items purchased by consumer is sent to a remote application server separate from the point of sale terminal and associated with the consumer using the coin; and wherein the payment account of the consumer is a non-EBT payment account.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising receiving one or more data points related to the payment transaction from the EBT payment processing system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the one or more data points comprises a list of items purchased. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the one or more data points comprises consumer information. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising presenting the consumer an offer redeemable at the merchant. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising prefunding the virtual payment account number with funds expected to be sufficient to cover the payment transaction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the virtual payment account number expires after a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the one or more data points comprises coupon information. 
     
     
         17 . A system for allowing a consumer to complete a payment transaction using a payment account of the consumer with a merchant at a merchant location, the system comprising:
 a detection unit operable to detect a mobile device associated with the consumer;   a remote server in communication with the detection unit, the remote server used to verify an identity of the consumer using the mobile device and to form a virtual payment account number, the remote server further operable to send payment authorization information; and   an EBT point of sale terminal used to process the payment transaction at the request of the consumer, wherein the payment authorization information is received by the EBT point of sale terminal from the remote server;   wherein the system processes the payment transaction using the virtual payment account number as a mechanism for payment using an EBT payment processing system for the purpose of identifying each item purchased by the consumer, further wherein the identity of the items purchased by consumer is sent to a remote application server separate from the point of sale terminal and associated with the consumer using the virtual payment account number; and wherein the payment account of the consumer is a non-EBT payment account.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the EBT payment processing system saves one or more data points related to the payment transaction. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the one or more data points comprises a list of items purchased. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the one or more data points comprises coupon information.