Mobile payments using point-of-sale infrastructure

• US 10,366,385 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramalingam, Harsha
• Primary Examiner(s): Rudy, Andrew Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/494,387
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 705 16, 705 17, 705 261, 4554141, 4554321, 4554561, 4554566, 235376-380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• 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 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/2295 Parent-child type, e.g. where parent has control on child rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 : based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 : User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 : based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 : based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 : Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 : Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 : Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 : Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 : wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 : according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 : by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 : Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 : Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Existing infrastructure for processing credit card transactions at point-of-sale (POS) devices is leveraged to provide secure and convenient payment with a mobile device. A mobile transaction infrastructure that is integrated with the credit card interchange network receives information from the mobile device and passes this information to a gateway provider or a payment processor. By combining information from both the mobile device and the POS device, this backend infrastructure can uniquely identify a transaction and appropriately charge an account associated with the user of the mobile device. The transaction may be matched with the mobile device be based on location, time, transaction charge, and/or other factors.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, instruct one or more devices of a computing system to perform operations comprising:

receiving location data of a location of a mobile device;

correlating the location of the mobile device with a location of a merchant based at least in part on the location data;

receiving, from a point-of-sale (POS) device operating at the location of the merchant at least in response to the POS device processing one or more transactions with one or more mobile devices, POS data describing multiple mobile-payment account (MPA) funded transactions based at least in part on occurrence of the one or more transactions during a particular time period;

receiving transaction data from the mobile device, the transaction data associated with a transaction between the mobile device and the POS device and comprising a timestamp;

identifying an MPA-funded transaction out of the multiple MPA-funded transactions based at least in part on the location of the mobile device being correlated with the location of the merchant and on a match between the particular time period and the timestamp;

determining that the MPA-funded transaction is authorized based at least in part on a mobile payment account associated with the mobile device; and

providing a notification to at least one of the mobile device or the POS device that the MPA-funded transaction is authorized, the notification automatically presented at a user interface.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the location data is received from a location sensor of the mobile device and comprises a geolocation of the mobile device, and wherein correlating the location of the mobile device with the location of the merchant comprises:

maintaining a data store comprising merchant information that at least identifies;

a set of merchants that accept payments funded by mobile payment accounts; and

a set of locations corresponding to the set of merchants;

determining, based at least in part on the merchant information and the geolocation of the mobile device, that the mobile device is located within a threshold distance of the location of the merchant from the set of merchants.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 2, wherein the user interface is presented at the mobile device, and wherein correlating the location of the mobile device with the location of the merchant further comprises:

requesting, based at least in part on the mobile device being location with the threshold distance of the location of the merchant, a confirmation from the mobile device that the mobile device is at the location of the merchant; and

receiving, based at least in part on user input at the user interface, the confirmation from the mobile device.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the user interface is presented at the mobile device, wherein the location data comprises a check-in that the mobile device is at the location of the merchant, wherein the location of the mobile device is correlated with the location of the merchant based at least in part on the check-in, wherein the check-in is received from the mobile device based at least in part on user input at the user interface in response to a request for the check-in, and wherein the request is automatically presented at the user interface based at least in part on a comparison of a geolocation of the mobile device to the location of the merchant.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the transaction data comprises a charge amount, wherein the charge amount is entered at a first user interface of the mobile device, wherein the POS data comprises multiple charge amounts corresponding to the multiple MPA-funded transactions, and wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified based at least in part on a match between the charge amount and one of the multiple charge amounts.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the transaction data comprises a passphrase associated with the mobile payment account, wherein the POS data comprises multiple passphrases corresponding to the multiple MPA-funded transactions and entered at the POS device, and wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified based at least in part on a match between the passphrase and one of the multiple passphrases.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the transaction data comprises an identifier of the POS device, wherein the identifier is entered at a first user interface of the mobile device, wherein the POS data comprises the identifier of the POS device, and wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified based at least in part on the identifier of the POS device being common to the transaction data and to the POS data.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the transaction data comprises an identifier of the mobile payment account, wherein the identifier is entered at a first user interface of the mobile device, wherein the POS data comprises identifiers of multiple mobile payment accounts corresponding to the multiple MPA-funded transactions, and wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified based at least in part on a match between the identifier of the mobile payment account and one of the identifiers.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the transaction data comprises a description of a category of a good or service involved in the MPA-funded transaction, wherein the POS data comprises descriptions of categories of multiple goods or services involved in the multiple MPA-funded transactions, and wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified based at least in part on a match between the description and one of the descriptions.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the transaction data comprises an identifier unique to a good or service involved in the MPA-funded transaction, wherein the identifier is entered at a first user interface of the mobile device, wherein the POS data comprises identifiers unique to multiple goods or services involved in the multiple MPA-funded transactions, and wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified based at least in part on a match between the identifier and one of the identifiers.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by one or more devices of a computing system, location data of a location of a mobile device;

correlating, by at least on one of the one or more devices of the computing system, the location of the mobile device with a location of a merchant based at least in part on the location data;

receiving, by at least on one of the one or more devices of the computing system and from a point-of-sale (POS) device operating at the location of the merchant at least in response to the POS device processing one or more transactions with one or more mobile devices, POS data describing multiple mobile-payment account (MPA) funded transactions based at least in part on occurrence of the one or more transactions during a particular time period;

receiving, by at least on one of the one or more devices of the computing system, transaction data from the mobile device, the transaction data associated with a transaction between the mobile device and the POS device and comprising a timestamp;

identifying, by at least on one of the one or more devices of the computing system, an MPA-funded transaction out of the multiple MPA-funded transactions based at least in part on the location of the mobile device being correlated with the location of the merchant and on a match between the particular time period and the timestamp;

determining, by at least on one of the one or more devices of the computing system, that the MPA-funded transaction is authorized based at least in part on a mobile payment account associated with the mobile device; and

providing, by at least on one of the one or more devices of the computing system, a notification to at least one of the mobile device or the POS device that the MPA-funded transaction is authorized, the notification automatically presented at a user interface.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein each of the transaction data and POS data excludes an identifier of the mobile payment account, and further comprising:

adding, based at least in part on the MPA-funded transaction being authorized, the identifier of the mobile payment account to the MPA-funded transaction to generate an updated MPA-funded transaction; and

sending the updated MPA-funded transaction to a payment reconciler system.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein user interface is presented at the POS device, and wherein the notification includes information about completion of the MPA-funded transaction based at least in part on the updated MPA-funded transaction being sent to the payment reconciler system.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that the timestamp and the correlating of the location of the mobile device with the location of the merchant are insufficient to identify the MPA-funded transaction out of the multiple MPA-funded transactions; and

directing, based at least in part on the timestamp and the correlating being insufficient to identify the MPA-funded transaction, a request for additional transaction-related data to at least one of the mobile device or the POS device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the request is directed to the mobile device and solicits, as the additional transaction-related data, at least one of:

a change amount of the MPA-funded transaction, an identifier of the POS device, a general description of a good or service that is the subject of the MPA-funded transaction, or a specific identifier of the good or service, and wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified out of the multiple MPA-funded transactions based at least in part on the additional transaction-related data received from the mobile device in response to the request.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the request is directed to the POS device and solicits, as the additional transaction-related data, at least one of:

an identifier of the mobile payment account or a passphrase associated with the mobile payment account, and wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified out of the multiple MPA-funded transactions based at least in part on the additional transaction-related data received from the POS device in response to the request.

17. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the computing system to at least;

receive location data of a location of a mobile device;

correlate the location of the mobile device with a location of a merchant based at least in part on the location data;

receive, from a point-of-sale (POS) device operating at the location of the merchant at least in response to the POS device processing one or more transactions with one or more mobile devices, POS data describing multiple mobile-payment account (MPA) funded transactions based at least in part on occurrence of the one or more transactions during a particular time period;

receive transaction data from the mobile device, the transaction data associated with a transaction between the mobile device and the POS device and comprising a timestamp;

identify an MPA-funded transaction out of the multiple MPA-funded transactions based at least in part on the location of the mobile device being correlated with the location of the merchant and on a match between the particular time period and the timestamp;

determine that the MPA-funded transaction is authorized based at least in part on a mobile payment account associated with the mobile device; and

provide a notification to at least one of the mobile device or the POS device that the MPA-funded transaction is authorized, the notification automatically presented at a user interface.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the user interface is presented at the mobile device, and wherein the notification identifies the mobile payment account and that the MPA-funded transaction has been funded from the mobile payment account.

19. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the user interface is presented at the mobile device, wherein the POS data comprises multiple charge amounts corresponding to the multiple MPA-funded transactions, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further configure the computing system to at least:

determine that the timestamp and the correlating of the location of the mobile device with the location of the merchant are insufficient to identify the MPA-funded transaction out of the multiple MPA-funded transactions; and

request, based at least in part on the timestamp and the correlating being insufficient, a charge amount of the MPA-funded transaction from the mobile device; and

receive, from the mobile device, the charge amount, wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified based at least in part on a match between the charge amount and one of the multiple charge amounts.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further configure the computing system to at least:

determine that the charge amount is insufficient to identify the MPA-funded transaction out of the multiple MPA-funded transactions;

request, based at least in part on the charge amount being insufficient to identify the MPA-funded transaction, additional transaction data from the mobile device, wherein the additional transaction data comprises at least one of;

an identifier of the POS device, a general description of a good or service that is the subject of the MPA-funded transaction, or a specific identifier of the good or service; and

receive, from the mobile device, the additional transaction data, wherein the MPA-funded transaction is identified based at least in part on a match between the additional transaction data and data from the POS data.