Payments via a smart appliance

• US 10,210,498 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2015
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank NA (Wells Fargo & Company)
• Original Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank NA (Wells Fargo & Company)
• Inventors: Meyyappan, Uma, Thangarajah, Sivesh, Cahill, James Dalton, Ramanathan, Ramanathan, Sahni, Bipin
• Primary Examiner(s): Trotter, Scott S
• Application Number:
  US14/611,487
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity

Abstract

A method performed by a smart appliance includes linking the smart appliance to a financial account of a user. The method also includes monitoring an operation parameter of the smart appliance, and detecting an operational issue of the smart appliance based on the operation parameter. In addition, the method includes communicating the operational issue to a smart appliance payment system. The method further includes detecting, based on the operation parameter, resolution of the operational issue upon completion of a service event on the smart appliance. Still further, the method includes transferring payment for the service event from the financial account of the user upon detecting the resolution of the operational issue.

Claims

1. A method performed by a smart appliance, the method comprising:

linking the smart appliance to a financial account of a user;

monitoring an operation parameter of the smart appliance;

detecting an operational issue of the smart appliance based on the operation parameter;

communicating the operational issue to a smart appliance payment system;

detecting, based on the operation parameter, resolution of the operational issue upon completion of a service event on the smart appliance; and

transferring payment for the service event from the financial account of the user upon detecting the resolution of the operational issue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational issue is detected based on deviation of the operation parameter from an expected operating range of the operation parameter.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising diagnosing a root cause of the operational issue, wherein the service event is directed towards the root cause.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation parameter includes a time-of-use of a component, wherein the operational issue includes the time-of-use of the component exceeding a predetermined useful life of the component, and wherein the service event includes replacing the component with a replacement component.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising automatically ordering the replacement component prior to the time-of-use of the component exceeding the predetermined useful life of the component.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

notifying the user prior to the time-of-use of the component exceeding the predetermined useful life of the component;

providing the user offers for the replacement component from a plurality of vendors;

receiving a selection of one of the offers; and

ordering the replacement component according to the selected offer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the user an alert of the operational issue.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the user an alert of a status of the service event.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to the user a list of service providers capable of performing the service event; and

receiving from the user a selection of one of the service providers from the list,

wherein the service event is scheduled with the selected service provider.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving pre-authorization for the payment, the pre-authorization including a maximum payment, wherein the payment for the service event is transferred automatically if the payment for the service event does not exceed the maximum payment.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request for payment from a service provider.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for payment is received via a near-field communication signal.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing, to the user, an authorization request for the payment; and

receiving, from the user, an approval of the authorization request, wherein payment for the service event is transferred upon receiving the approval.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, to a service provider of the service event, a digital key configured to be used to authenticate the service provider to provide the service provider access to the smart appliance.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the smart appliance is a home appliance.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the home appliance is one of a refrigerator, a washing machine, a dryer, a smart meter, a thermostat, a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system, and a security system.

17. A smart appliance payment system, comprising:

a financial account associated with a user of the system; and

a server having memory and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

associate a smart appliance with the financial account of the user, wherein the smart appliance is a home appliance;

receive, from the smart appliance, an indication of an operational issue with the smart appliance;

transmit, to the user via a user device, an alert of the operational issue;

receive, from the smart appliance, an indication of resolution of the operational issue;

receive, from the smart appliance, a request to transfer payment for the service event from the financial account of the user; and

transfer payment for the service event from the financial account of the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the operational issue relates to a scheduled maintenance event.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the operational issue relates to breakage of a component of the smart appliance, and wherein the service event includes replacing the component.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the operational issue is self-diagnosed by the smart appliance.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the smart appliance is located at a first location, and wherein the service event is to be performed by a service provider at the first location.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

present, to the user via the user device, a plurality of service event offers;

receive, from the user via the user device, a selection of one of the plurality of service event offers;

prepare a service order based on the selected service event offer; and

transmit, to a service provider of the selected service event offer, the service order.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of service event offers includes an estimated cost.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to:

estimate a cost associated with not performing any of the plurality of service event offers; and

present, to the user via the second device, the estimated cost associated with not performing any of the plurality of service event offers.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to receive, from the user via the second device, pre-authorization of payment for the selected service event offer.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit, to the service provider, a security token to provide the service provider access to the first location.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the security token includes a QR code, wherein the service provider is provided access to the first location by scanning the QR code.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to:

log a first time at which the technician is provided access to the first location;

log a second time at which the service event is completed; and

determine a cost associated with the service event based on a difference between the first and second times.

29. A home appliance payment system, comprising:

a home appliance that is associated with a financial account of a user, the home appliance comprising;

one or more sensors arranged to generate data corresponding to an operating condition for the home appliance; and

a server communicably coupled to the home appliance, the server having memory and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive, from the home appliance, an indication of an operational issue with the home appliance, the indication being generated by the home appliance based on the data generated by the one or more sensors which indicates the operational issue;

receive, from the home appliance, an indication of resolution of the operational issue, the indication being generated by the home appliance based on the data generated by the one or more sensors which indicates the resolution of the operational issue;

receive, from the home appliance, a request to transfer payment for the service event from the financial account of the user; and

responsive to receiving the indication of the resolution of the operational issue, transfer payment for the service event from the financial account of the user.

30. The home appliance payment system of claim 29, wherein the home appliance is a refrigerator.

31. The home appliance payment system of claim 29, wherein the home appliance is an appliance within a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system.

32. The home appliance payment system of claim 29, wherein the home appliance is a security system.

33. The home appliance payment system of claim 29, wherein the home appliance one of a washing machine or a dryer.

34. The home appliance payment system of claim 29, wherein the home appliance is a smart meter.