Over-the-Air Payment Account Provisioning for Mobile Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a delay between requesting a payment account activation on a mobile device and its actual establishment, which frustrates consumers trying to use their mobile device for immediate payment transactions.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system that allows issuers to instantly issue a payment account on a mobile network by assigning a temporary payment account number, enabling immediate use of the mobile device for transactions, with risk parameters controlling transaction limits until the actual account number is set up.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a payment account is issued through traditional issuer systems, then the account can be established with full functionality, but there is a delay between request and activation that prevents immediate use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccount establishment completenessVSAvoidaccount activation delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-generating temporary payment account numbers and provisioning them to mobile devices before the actual account is fully established in issuer systems. This allows the payment functionality to be activated immediately while the complete account setup occurs in the background, resolving the contradiction between immediate availability and complete account establishment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A provisioning service acts as an intermediary between the issuer systems and mobile devices. This intermediary receives requests from issuers, generates temporary account numbers, provisions them to devices over-the-air, and later updates them with actual account numbers. This mediator enables immediate account activation while maintaining connection to the complete issuer system infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If a temporary payment account number is assigned for immediate use, then consumers can transact instantly, but additional risk control mechanisms are needed to manage transactions before actual account setup

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction speedVSAvoidrisk parameter management

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes parameters by implementing time-limited risk parameters that automatically expire or are updated when the actual account number is provisioned. Temporary account numbers have specific risk profiles with defined transaction limits and monitoring rules that differ from permanent accounts, enabling immediate controlled usage without requiring complex permanent account setup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The risk parameters are made dynamic rather than static - they are temporary, automatically expire after a set period, and are replaced when the actual account number is assigned. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt risk controls based on the account provisioning stage, enabling immediate transaction capability with appropriate temporary restrictions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If over-the-air personalization is implemented for NFC-enabled devices, then account issuance becomes faster and more cost-effective, but secure installation of payment applications is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccount issuance efficiencyVSAvoidpayment application security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces physical card issuance and manual provisioning processes with electronic over-the-air provisioning. Payment account numbers and security data are transmitted electronically to mobile devices through wireless networks, eliminating the need for physical card production, mailing, and manual activation processes while maintaining security through encrypted electronic transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The over-the-air provisioning system serves multiple functions: it issues temporary account numbers, provisions payment applications to devices, transmits security data, and later updates account information. This universal provisioning mechanism handles the complete account lifecycle from initial issuance to final activation, replacing multiple separate processes with a single integrated system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9552574B2Methods and systems for payment account issuance over a mobile network

Publication Date: 2017.01.24 MASTERCARD INT INC

AI summary

According to some embodiments, an over-the-air (“OTA”) provision services receives a request to provision a temporary payment account to a customer's mobile device. The request includes customer data and a temporary primary account number (“PAN”). A process includes mapping the temporary PAN to a mobile PAN, storing the temporary PAN in a mapping database, generating a software package comprising a payment application and the mobile PAN, and transmitting the software package OTA to the customer's mobile device. The software package personalizes the customer's mobile device with the mobile PAN enabling use of that mobile device to utilize the temporary PAN to complete payment transactions shortly after the processor receives the request.