Wireless transactions for enhancing customer experience

• US 10,152,700 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Spencer Neil, Craine, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, A Hunter
• Application Number:
  US14/969,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20160098691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for facilitating a wireless transaction by coupling or associating an identifier to a location. The identifier is read, retrieved, or received by a customer'"'"'s wireless communication device to connect to a POS terminal. Once connected, the wireless communication device sends a location identifier to the POS terminal, so that the POS terminal can associate the wireless communication device with the location. Once an association is established, the POS terminal then presents options. The POS terminal receives selections, and alerts a staff member of selections and the location. In many instances, the POS terminal also adds the selection to a bill or an invoice.

Claims

1. A point-of-sale terminal comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a first wireless communication device associated with a first customer, a request for a first bill associated with the first customer, the request comprising a first identifier that identifies a first location of the first wireless communication device at a premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the first location is one of a plurality of unique locations at the premises,

receiving, from a second wireless communication device associated with a second customer, a second identifier that identifies a second location of the second wireless communication device at the premises, wherein the second location is a second one of the plurality of unique locations at the premises,

responding to the request by sending the first bill to the first wireless communication device,

providing, to the first wireless communication device, an option to link a second bill associated with the second customer associated with the second wireless communication device to the first bill associated with the first customer to create a collective bill,

in response to a selection of the option by the first customer, providing, to the first wireless communication device, a list of other bills for linking with the first bill associated with the first customer to create the collective bill, the list of other bills comprising the second bill associated with the second customer, and

in response to a selection of the second bill, providing, to the second wireless communication device, an option to accept or deny the second bill being linked with the first bill,

wherein the first identifier of the first location of the first customer is received by the first wireless communication device from a first wireless tag associated with the first location at the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, and

wherein the second identifier of the second location of the second customer is received by the second wireless communication device from a second wireless tag associated with the second location at the premises.

2. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein responding to the request further includes alerting a staff member of the request for the first bill.

3. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

requesting the first wireless communication device for an approval to access location information associated with the first wireless communication device, wherein the approval, from the first wireless communication device, to access the location information associated with the first wireless communication device is required in order to generate the first bill; and

generating the first bill in response to receiving, from the first wireless communication device, the approval for the point-of-sale terminal to access the location information associated with the first wireless communication device.

4. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring a current location of the first wireless communication device while the first bill is unpaid.

5. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the current location of the first wireless communication device is outside the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal; and

in response to determining that the current location of the first wireless communication device is outside the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, providing an alert to a staff member to notify the staff member that the first customer has left the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal without paying the first bill.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, at a point-of-sale terminal comprising a processor, from a first wireless communication device associated with a first customer, a request for a first bill associated with the first customer, the request comprising a first identifier that identifies a first location of the first wireless communication device at a premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the first location is one of a plurality of unique locations at the premises;

receiving, from a second wireless communication device associated with a second customer, a second identifier that identifies a second location of the second wireless communication device at the premises, wherein the second location is a second one of the plurality of unique locations at the premises;

responding, by the point-of-sale terminal, to the request by sending the first bill to the first wireless communication device;

providing, by the point-of-sale terminal to the first wireless communication device, an option to link a second bill associated with the second customer associated with the second wireless communication device to the first bill associated with the first customer to create a collective bill;

in response to a selection of the option by the first customer, providing, by the point-of-sale terminal to the first wireless communication device, a list of other bills for linking with the first bill associated with the first customer to create the collective bill, the list of other bills comprising the second bill associated with the second customer; and

in response to a selection of the second bill, providing, to the second wireless communication device, an option to accept or deny the second bill being linked with the first bill,

wherein the first identifier of the first location of the first customer is received by the first wireless communication device from a first wireless tag associated with the first location at the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, and

wherein the second identifier of the second location of the second customer is received by the second wireless communication device from a second wireless tag associated with the second location at the premises.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

sending a menu to the first wireless communication device of the first customer; and

receiving an order for an item on the menu, wherein the first bill comprises a price for the item.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising alerting a staff member associated with the premises of the order for the item and the first location of the first customer at the premises.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving, from the first wireless communication device, information associated with a payment of the first bill; and

alerting a staff member of the payment of the first bill.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

requesting, by the point-of-sale terminal, the first wireless communication device for an approval to access location information associated with the first wireless communication device, wherein the approval, from the first wireless communication device, to access the location information associated with the first wireless communication device is required in order to generate the first bill; and

generating, by the point-of-sale terminal, the first bill in response to receiving, from the first wireless communication device, the approval for the point-of-sale terminal to access the location information associated with the first wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

monitoring a current location of the first wireless communication device while the first bill is unpaid;

determining that the current location of the first wireless communication device is outside the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal; and

in response to determining that the current location of the first wireless communication device is outside the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, providing an alert to a staff member to notify the staff member that the first customer has left the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal without paying the first bill.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a point-of-sale terminal, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a first wireless communication device associated with a first customer, a request for a first bill, the request comprising a first identifier that identifies a first location of the first wireless communication device at a premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the first location is one of a plurality of unique locations at the premises;

receiving, from a second wireless communication device associated with a second customer, a second identifier that identifies a second location of the second wireless communication device at the premises, wherein the second location is a second one of the plurality of unique locations at the premises;

responding to the request by sending the first bill to the first wireless communication device;

providing, to the first wireless communication device, an option to link a second bill associated with the second customer associated with the second wireless communication device to the first bill associated with the first customer to create a collective bill;

in response to a selection of the option by the first customer, providing, to the first wireless communication device, a list of other bills for linking with the first bill associated with the first customer to create the collective bill, the list of other bills comprising the second bill associated with the second customer; and

in response to a selection of the second bill, providing, to the second wireless communication device, an option to accept or deny the second bill being linked with the first bill,

wherein the first identifier of the first location of the first customer are received by the first wireless communication device from a first wireless tag associated with the first location at the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, and

wherein the second identifier of the second location of the second customer is received by the second wireless communication device from a second wireless tag associated with the second location at the premises.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise providing a menu to the first wireless communication device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise receiving an order for an item on the menu.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the first wireless communication device, information associated with a payment of the first bill; and

alerting a staff member of the payment of the first bill.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

requesting the first wireless communication device for an approval to access location information associated with the first wireless communication device, wherein the approval, from the first wireless communication device, to access to the location information associated with the first wireless communication device is required in order to generate the first bill; and

generating the first bill in response to receiving, from the first wireless communication device, the approval for the point-of-sale terminal to access the location information associated with the first wireless communication device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

monitoring a current location of the first wireless communication device while the first bill is unpaid;

determining that the current location of the first wireless communication device is outside the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal; and

in response to determining that the current location of the first wireless communication device is outside the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, providing an alert to a staff member to notify the staff member that the first customer has left the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal without paying the first bill.