Connected car as a payment device

• US 10,504,094 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2017
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Gaudin, Kristopher Keith, Chan, Leo Nelson, Davis, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayles, Ashford S
• Application Number:
  US15/428,629
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00 Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• 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 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• 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 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/001 for gas

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable media are described for using a vehicle as a payment device. Various aspects may include receiving a selection of a stored financial card or financial account at a vehicle head unit. The selected financial card or financial account may be transmitted to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for making a payment by transmitting a tokenized card number to the POS terminal. The tokenized card number may be transmitted over a very short-range communication link to ensure that the transmission is secure. For example, electronic circuitry may be attached to the exterior of the vehicle, where the electronic circuitry may be within a threshold distance (e.g. one inch, three inches, six inches, one foot, three feet, etc.) of the POS terminal. The tokenized card number may be transmitted from the vehicle head unit to the electronic circuitry and then to the POS terminal.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for using a vehicle as a payment device, the method executed by one or more processors in a head unit of a vehicle programmed to perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving, at the one or more processors in the head unit of the vehicle, one or more sets of financial data each corresponding to a financial account for making payments;

for each of the one or more sets of financial data, obtaining, by the one or more processors, a token representing the set of financial data;

in response to receiving an indication from a user within the vehicle that the user wants to initiate a payment process, authenticating, by the one or more processors, the user to ensure the user is authorized to use the one or more financial accounts for making payments by receiving and verifying authentication information from the user;

upon authenticating the user, receiving, at the one or more processors, a selection by the user of one of the one or more financial accounts;

transmitting, by the one or more processors via a first short-range communication link, an indication of the selected financial account to an electronic device proximately attached to an exterior of the vehicle; and

transmitting, by the electronic device proximately attached to the exterior of the vehicle via a second very short-range communication link, a token corresponding to the selected financial account to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal to purchase goods or services associated with the POS terminal from the vehicle using the selected financial account, wherein the second very short-range communication link includes near field communication (NFC) or high frequency radio frequency identification (HF RFID).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is attached to a fuel tank cap of the vehicle, wherein the POS terminal is associated with a fuel station, and further comprising:

transmitting, by the one or more processors, a request to the electronic device to open the fuel tank cap; and

in response to receiving the request, automatically causing, by the electronic device, the fuel tank cap to open for receiving fuel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to a fuel level sensor, and further comprising:

measuring, by the electronic device via the fuel level sensor, a change in an amount of fuel within a fuel tank of the vehicle;

receiving, at the electronic device, an indication of a payment amount for purchasing the fuel;

comparing, by the electronic device, the payment amount to an estimated cost for the fuel based upon the change in the amount of fuel; and

when the estimated cost for the fuel and the payment amount differ by more than a threshold amount, transmitting by the electronic device to the one or more processors;

an indication to display a recommendation not to authorize the purchase.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the fuel station includes a fuel pump having a robotic arm for automatically pumping fuel into a fuel tank of the vehicle, and in response to automatically causing the fuel tank cap to open, transmitting, by the electronic device, an indication to the fuel pump to insert the fuel into the fuel tank.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying, by the one or more processors on the head unit of the vehicle, a payment amount and a request for the user to authorize payment for the fuel; and

transmitting by the electronic device, an indication to the POS terminal that the payment is authorized.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user to ensure the user is authorized to use the one or more financial accounts includes:

receiving, at the one or more processors, at least one of;

(i) user login information, or (ii) user biometric information;

comparing, by the one or more processors, the at least one user login information or user biometric information to stored user login information or user biometric information; and

authenticating the user when there is a match.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, at the one or more processors, user preferences indicating retailers, services, or goods which the user prefers;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the user is within a threshold distance of a point of interest (POI) that corresponds to the user preferences, wherein the POI has a POS terminal configured to communicate with the vehicle; and

receiving, at the one or more processors, a notification that the user is within the threshold distance of the POI.

8. A system for using a vehicle as a payment device, the system comprising:

one or more processors in a head unit of a vehicle;

an electronic device proximately attached to an exterior of the vehicle;

a non-transitory computer-readable memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

receive one or more sets of financial data each corresponding to a financial account for making payments;

for each of the one or more sets of financial data, obtain a token representing the set of financial data;

in response to receiving an indication from a user within the vehicle that the user wants to initiate a payment process, authenticate the user to ensure the user is authorized to use the one or more financial accounts for making payments by receiving and verifying authentication information from the user;

upon authenticating the user, receive a selection by the user of one of the one or more financial accounts; and

transmit via a first short-range communication link, an indication of the selected financial account to the electronic device proximately attached to the exterior of the vehicle; and

in response to receiving the indication of the selected financial account, the electronic device is configured to;

transmit, via a second very short-range communication link, a token corresponding to the selected financial account to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal to purchase goods or services associated with the POS terminal from the vehicle using the selected financial account, wherein the second very short-range communication link includes near field communication (NFC) or high frequency radio frequency identification (HF RFID).

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the electronic device is attached to a fuel tank cap of the vehicle, wherein the POS terminal is associated with a fuel station, and wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

transmit a request to the electronic device to open the fuel tank cap; and

in response to receiving the request, the electronic device is configured to automatically cause the fuel tank cap to open for receiving fuel.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is communicatively coupled to a fuel level sensor, and the electronic device is further configured to:

measure, via the fuel level sensor, a change in an amount of fuel within a fuel tank of the vehicle;

receive an indication of a payment amount for purchasing the fuel;

compare the payment amount to an estimated cost for the fuel based upon the change in the amount of fuel; and

when the estimated cost for the fuel and the payment amount differ by more than a threshold amount, transmit to the one or more processors, an indication to display a recommendation not to authorize the purchase.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the fuel station includes a fuel pump having a robotic arm for automatically pumping fuel into a fuel tank of the vehicle, and in response to automatically causing the fuel tank cap to open, the electronic device is configured to transmit an indication to the fuel pump to insert the fuel into the fuel tank.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the system to display, on the head unit of the vehicle, a payment amount and a request for the user to authorize payment for the fuel;

and

wherein the electronic device is further configured to transmit an indication to the POS terminal that the payment is authorized.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein to authenticate the user to ensure the user is authorized to use the one or more financial accounts, the instructions cause the system to:

receive at least one of;

(i) user login information, or (ii) user biometric information;

compare the at least one user login information or user biometric information to stored user login information or user biometric information; and

authenticate the user when there is a match.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

obtain user preferences indicating retailers, services, or goods which the user prefers;

determine that the user is within a threshold distance of a point of interest (POI) that corresponds to the user preferences, wherein the POI has a POS terminal configured to communicate with the vehicle; and

receive a notification that the user is within the threshold distance of the POI.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon a set of instructions that, when executed on one or more processors in a head unit of a vehicle, causes the one or more processors to:

receive one or more sets of financial data each corresponding to a financial account for making payments;

for each of the one or more sets of financial data, obtain a token representing the set of financial data;

in response to receiving an indication from a user within the vehicle that the user wants to initiate a payment process, authenticate the user to ensure the user is authorized to use the one or more financial accounts for making payments by receiving and verifying authentication information from the user;

upon authenticating the user, receive a selection by the user of one of the one or more financial accounts; and

transmit via a first short-range communication link, an indication of the selected financial account to an electronic device proximately attached to an exterior of the vehicle; and

in response to receiving the indication of the selected financial account, the electronic device is configured to;

transmit, via a second very short-range communication link, a token corresponding to the selected financial account to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal to purchase goods or services associated with the POS terminal from the vehicle using the selected financial account, wherein the second very short-range communication link includes near field communication (NFC) or high frequency radio frequency identification (HF RFID).

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is attached to a fuel tank cap of the vehicle, and wherein the set of instructions further causes the one or more processors to:

transmit a request to the electronic device to open the fuel tank cap; and

in response to receiving the request, the electronic device is configured to automatically cause the fuel tank cap to open for receiving fuel.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the fuel station includes a fuel pump having a robotic arm for automatically pumping fuel into a fuel tank of the vehicle, and in response to automatically causing the fuel tank cap to open, the electronic device is configured to transmit an indication to the fuel pump to insert the fuel into the fuel tank.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions further causes the one or more processors to display, on the head unit of the vehicle, a payment amount and a request for the user to authorize payment for the fuel;

and

wherein the electronic device is further configured to transmit an indication to the POS terminal that the payment is authorized.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein to authenticate the user to ensure the user is authorized to use the one or more financial accounts, the set of instructions causes the one or more processors to:

receive at least one of;

(i) user login information, or (ii) user biometric information;

compare the at least one user login information or user biometric information to stored user login information or user biometric information; and

authenticate the user when there is a match.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions further causes the one or more processors to:

obtain user preferences indicating retailers, services, or goods which the user prefers;

determine that the user is within a threshold distance of a point of interest (POI) that corresponds to the user preferences, wherein the POI has a POS terminal configured to communicate with the vehicle; and

receive a notification that the user is within the threshold distance of the POI.