Google Seeks Text Pay Patent

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Internet search engine Google has filed an application for a patent for a text message payment system which would compete with the fledgling mobile payments systems being offered by dozens of credit unions and banks.

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The GPay patent would use an SMS text message from a mobile phone to trigger a "computer-implemented method of effectuating an electronic online payment." A user would send a text message to Google that gives details of a payment to a specified payee.

GPay would debit the user's bank account and credit the payee. The patent application has fueled speculation Google also is developing a new Internet-enabled phone, dubbed GPhone. Speculation is rife that Google will roll out the GPhone with the GPay payment system pre-installed. (c) 2007 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com


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