MMS Payment Authorization for Wireless Content Purchases

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face security concerns and accessibility issues when purchasing electronic content on wireless devices, as existing methods require saving payment information and creating separate accounts, which can lead to account compromises and limit access for underage or credit-inhibited users.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messaging to facilitate transactions by receiving and authorizing payment information on a wireless device, enabling secure and accessible purchase of electronic content without the need for stored payment details, using an MMS message to authenticate and authorize purchases over a wireless network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users save payment information in their accounts to facilitate purchases, then the ease of operation for purchasing electronic content is improved, but the security of payment information deteriorates due to increasing account compromises

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of purchase operationVSAvoidpayment security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary authorization by receiving and validating payment information through MMS message before the actual purchase transaction. This preliminary action ensures that payment verification is completed securely in advance, allowing users to make purchases without repeatedly submitting payment details, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining security through pre-validated authorization tokens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary authorization mechanism where payment information is transmitted through MMS messaging service as a mediator between the user and the content provider. This intermediary layer allows payment verification to occur through a trusted communication channel without requiring users to store sensitive payment information in potentially compromised accounts, thereby resolving the contradiction between operational ease and payment security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If users create separate accounts with each content provider to purchase electronic content, then the accessibility to electronic content is improved, but the complexity of account management deteriorates and increases compromise risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility to electronic contentVSAvoidaccount management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal payment authorization system that works across multiple content providers through MMS messaging. Instead of requiring separate accounts with each provider, the system uses a standardized MMS-based authorization mechanism that can be universally applied across different content providers, thereby improving accessibility while reducing account management complexity through a single unified approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the payment authorization function from traditional account-based systems and implements it through standalone MMS messages. By taking out the payment verification process from the account management framework, users can purchase electronic content from multiple providers without creating separate accounts, thus reducing complexity while maintaining broad accessibility through the extracted, portable authorization mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If traditional account-based purchasing systems are used, then the ability to track and manage purchases is improved, but the accessibility to electronic content deteriorates for underage or credit-inhibited users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepurchase management efficiencyVSAvoidaccessibility for restricted users

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable, single-use MMS messages for payment authorization instead of requiring long-term account management. Each purchase is authorized through a self-contained MMS message that contains all necessary payment information, eliminating the need for users to maintain accounts or provide credit history. This approach maintains purchase tracking capability while dramatically improving accessibility for underage or credit-inhibited users who cannot traditional account-based systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS11416841B2Device and process for purchasing electronic content using multimedia messaging service messaging

Publication Date: 2022.08.16 TRACFONE WIRELESS

AI summary

Using multimedia messaging service (“MMS”) messaging to facilitate a transaction for purchasing electronic content on a wireless device is disclosed. Initially, an indication that a user of the wireless device has selected to purchase the electronic content from among a plurality of electronic content available for purchase is received from a wireless device over a wireless network. An MMS message including payment information for the purchase of the selected electronic content is then received from the wireless device. The purchase of the selected electronic content is authorized based on the payment information included in the MMS message and the wireless device is then enabled to download the selected electronic content in response to the authorization of the purchase of the selected electronic content.