Patent attributes
A method including receiving, at a transaction system from a first entity, a request including a merchant public identifier associated with a merchant. The transaction system can be in data communication with a first financial institution that maintains a first account of a consumer and a second financial institution that maintains a second account of the merchant. The transaction system can be maintained by an entity that is different from the merchant, the first financial institution, and the second financial institution. The consumer can use a mobile device at a store of the merchant to pay for one or more items in a transaction. The mobile device can receive a transaction code from a point-of-sale terminal at the store. The transaction code can include a transaction identifier, a payment amount for the transaction, the merchant public identifier, and a digital signature. The transaction code can be verified by the mobile device using the digital signature of the transaction code. The method also can include determining, at the transaction system, an account identifier of the second account based on the merchant public identifier using a merchant account database. The method additionally can include sending the account identifier to the first financial institution. The method further can include receiving, at the transaction system from the first financial institution, payment information regarding a payment to be made to the second account from the first account. The method additionally can include sending, from the transaction system to the second financial institution, the payment information, such that the point-of-sale terminal receives a notification of payment for the transaction in real-time while the consumer remains at the store of the merchant. The payment information can include the account identifier of the second account, the payment amount, and the transaction identifier. Other embodiments are provided.