Modular firmware for transaction system

• US 10,248,940 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Bota, Ovidiu I, Vadera, Kshitiz
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayles, Ashford S
• Application Number:
  US14/863,675
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 705 17
• 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 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/356 Aspects of software for card payments

Abstract

A transaction processing system includes a payment reader for processing payment transactions. The payment reader receives payment information from a payment interface. The payment information is processed based on firmware instructions that are stored in memory and executed by a processor. A first subset of the firmware instructions is associated with transaction processing modules. Each of the transaction processing modules comprise position independent code and are located in a distinct section of memory from a second subset of firmware instructions and the position independent code associated with each of the other of the transaction processing modules.

Claims

1. A payment reader for processing transactions between a contactless device or a chip card and a point-of-sale application running on a seller mobile device, the payment reader comprising:

a contactless interface configured to receive payment information from the contactless device;

a contact interface configured to receive the chip card and receive payment information from the chip card;

a wireless communication interface configured to communicate with the point-of-sale application;

a memory comprising firmware instructions, wherein a first subset of the firmware instructions are associated with at least one transaction processing module and a second subset of firmware instructions are associated with one or more other processing functions of the payment reader, and wherein the first subset of firmware instructions comprise position independent code that is located in a distinct section of the memory from the second subset of firmware instructions;

a processor configured to;

generate a unique identifier for the firmware instructions of the at least one transaction processing module of the plurality of transaction processing modules,

receive the payment information from the contactless interface or the contact interface in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions,

process the payment information in accordance with the first subset of firmware instructions,

transmit, to one or more other processors, data to be encrypted, such data being based on the first subset of firmware instructions and one or more of;

the payment information and the processed payment information,

receive encrypted data from the one or more other processors, and

provide the encrypted data to the wireless communication interface in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions,

wherein the wireless communication interface is configured to transmit the encrypted data to the point-of-sale application.

2. The payment reader of claim 1, wherein the first subset of firmware instructions comprise a plurality of transaction processing modules, wherein a portion of the first subset of firmware instructions are associated with each of the plurality of transaction processing modules, and wherein each of the plurality of transaction processing modules comprise position independent code that is located in a distinct section of memory from the second subset of firmware instructions and the portions of the first subset of firmware instructions associated with each of the other of the transaction processing modules.

3. The payment reader of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an update of the first subset of firmware instructions, and wherein the first subset of firmware instructions are replaced by the update without modification of the second subset of firmware instructions.

4. The payment reader of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an update of the second subset of firmware instructions, and wherein the second subset of firmware instructions are replaced by the update without modification of the first subset of firmware instructions.

5. A payment reader for processing payment transactions, the payment reader comprising:

a payment interface configured to receive payment information;

a memory comprising firmware instructions, wherein a first subset of the firmware instructions are associated with a plurality of transaction processing modules and a second subset of firmware instructions are associated with one or more other processing functions of the payment reader, and wherein portions of the first subset of firmware instructions associated with each of the plurality of transaction processing modules comprise position independent code that is located in a distinct section of memory from the second subset of firmware instructions and the position independent code associated with each of the other of the transaction processing modules; and

a processor configured to generate a unique identifier for the first subset of firmware instructions, receive the payment information in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions, and process the payment information in accordance with the first subset of firmware instructions.

6. The payment reader of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an update of a first transaction processing module of the plurality of transaction processing modules, and wherein the portion of the first subset of firmware instructions associated with the first transaction processing module is replaced by the update without modification of the second subset of firmware instructions or any of the other of the plurality of transaction processing modules.

7. The payment reader of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an update of the second subset of firmware instructions, and wherein the second subset of firmware instructions are replaced by the update without modification of the first subset of firmware instructions.

8. The payment reader of claim 5, further comprising a communication interface, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a request for a unique identifier for a first transaction processing module of the plurality of transaction processing modules via the communication interface and to provide the unique identifier to the communication interface,

wherein the generation of the unique identifier for the first subset of firmware instructions is performed in response to the request for the unique identifier.

9. The payment reader of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a confirmation of the unique identifier via the communication interface and execute the firmware instructions of the first transaction processing module based on the confirmation.

10. The payment reader of claim 8, wherein the unique identifier comprises a cyclical redundancy code (CRC) value for the firmware instructions of the first transaction processing module.

11. The payment reader of claim 5, wherein the payment interface comprises:

a contactless interface configured to receive payment information from one or more of a contactless device and a chip card; and

a contact interface configured to receive the chip card and receive payment information from the chip card.

12. The payment reader of claim 5, further comprising a communication interface, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive the payment information from the payment interface in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions,

transmit, to one or more other processors, data to be encrypted, such data being based on the first subset of firmware instructions and one or more of;

the payment information and the processed payment information,

receive encrypted data from the one or more other processors, and

provide the encrypted data to the communication interface in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions,

wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit the encrypted data to an electronic device.

13. A method for processing payment transactions comprising:

executing firmware instructions, wherein a first subset of the firmware instructions are associated with a plurality of transaction processing modules, the first subset of the firmware instructions being associated with a unique identifier, and a second subset of firmware instructions are associated with one or more other processing functions of the payment reader, and wherein portions of the first subset of firmware instructions associated with each of the plurality of transaction processing modules comprise position independent code that is located in a distinct section of memory from the second subset of firmware instructions and the position independent code associated with each of the other of the transaction processing modules;

receiving payment information in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions; and

processing the payment information in accordance with the first subset of firmware instructions.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an update of a first transaction processing module of the plurality of transaction processing modules; and

replacing the portion of the first subset of firmware instructions associated with the first transaction processing module with the update, without modification of the second subset of firmware instructions or any of the other of the plurality of transaction processing modules.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an update of the second subset of firmware instructions; and

replacing the second subset of firmware instructions without modification of the first subset of firmware instructions.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a request for a unique identifier for a first transaction processing module of the plurality of transaction processing modules via a communication interface and providing the unique identifier to the communication interface,

wherein the unique identifier associated with the first subset of firmware instructions is generated in response to the request for the unique identifier.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a confirmation of the unique identifier via the communication interface; and

executing the firmware instructions of the first transaction processing module based on the confirmation.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the unique identifier comprises a cyclical redundancy code (CRC) value for the firmware instructions of the first transaction processing module.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving the payment information from the payment interface based on the second subset of firmware instructions;

receiving encrypted data based on the first subset of firmware instructions and the payment information; and

transmitting the encrypted data to an electronic device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

executing firmware instructions, wherein a first subset of the firmware instructions are associated with a plurality of transaction processing modules, the first subset of the firmware instructions being associated with a unique identifier, and a second subset of firmware instructions are associated with one or more other processing functions of the payment reader, and wherein portions of the first subset of firmware instructions associated with each of the plurality of transaction processing modules comprise position independent code that is located in a distinct section of memory from the second subset of firmware instructions and the position independent code associated with each of the other of the transaction processing modules;

receiving payment information in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions; and

processing the payment information in accordance with the first subset of firmware instructions.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving an update of a first transaction processing module of the plurality of transaction processing modules; and

replacing the portion of the first subset of firmware instructions associated with the first transaction processing module with the update, without modification of the second subset of firmware instructions or any of the other of the plurality of transaction processing modules.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving an update of the second subset of firmware instructions; and

replacing the second subset of firmware instructions without modification of the first subset of firmware instructions.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for a unique identifier for a first transaction processing module of the plurality of transaction processing modules via a communication interface; and

providing the unique identifier to the communication interface,

wherein the unique identifier associated with the first subset of the firmware instructions is generated in response to the request for the unique identifier.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a confirmation of the unique identifier via the communication interface; and

executing the firmware instructions of the first transaction processing module based on the confirmation.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the unique identifier comprises a cyclical redundancy code (CRC) value for the firmware instructions of the first transaction processing module.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving the payment information from the payment interface in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions;

transmitting, to one or more other processors, data to be encrypted, such data being based on the first subset of firmware instructions and one or more of;

the payment information and the processed payment information;

receiving encrypted data from the one or more other processors; and

transmitting the encrypted data to an electronic device.

27. A payment reader for processing payment transactions, the payment reader comprising:

a payment interface configured to receive payment information;

a memory storing firmware instructions for handling functions performed by the payment reader, wherein the firmware instructions include (a) a first subset of firmware instructions comprising firmware modules associated with transaction processing, wherein the first subset of firmware instructions is associated with a unique identifier and (b) a second subset of firmware instructions comprising firmware modules associated with one or more other processing functions of the payment reader, and wherein each of the firmware modules associated with transaction processing (i) is compiled separately from all other firmware modules and (ii) does not reference code located outside of the respective firmware module; and

a processor configured to receive the payment information in accordance with the second subset of firmware instructions and to process the payment information in accordance with the first subset of firmware instructions.