Conducting secure retail transactions using a mobile wallet system

• US 10,643,211 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Cheong, Kevin Mun Weng, Wind, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US16/654,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20200051086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 202 Days
• Field of Search: 235379, 235380
• 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 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3274 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05

Abstract

A mobile payment system for a retail environment enables customers to securely use their mobile device to pay for goods purchased at a point-of-sale (POS) system, regardless of whether the mobile device has cellular service or is connected to a network.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a secure retail transaction using a mobile device, the method comprising:

(a) receiving personal information and payment information from a user to establish a mobile wallet account, and storing the personal information and payment information in a server computer separate from the mobile device;

(b) associating a mobile wallet application downloaded to the mobile device with the mobile wallet account;

(c) providing a link in the mobile wallet application for the user to request the mobile wallet application to generate a barcode for an impending retail transaction;

(d) processing user-selected items for purchase at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal;

(e) the mobile wallet application generating the barcode in response to the user selecting the link in step (c) and displaying the barcode on a display of the mobile device, the barcode identifying the mobile wallet account associated with the user;

(f) scanning the barcode at the POS terminal; and

(g) the POS terminal accessing the mobile wallet account based on information decrypted from the barcode and processing a payment for the user-selected items,

wherein step (a) is practiced by receiving a card personal identification number (PIN) from the user that is associated with the payment information, and wherein prior to step (e), the method comprises requiring the user to input an access code.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the access code is a device unlock passcode for the mobile phone.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the device unlock passcode is entered via Touch ID on the mobile device.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the access code is an application PIN.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the access code is the card PIN.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to step (g), determining whether step (e) was practiced within a predefined time limit, wherein when the predefined time limit has expired, the method comprises preventing the POS terminal from processing the payment.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to step (g), determining whether the barcode has been previously used for payment processing, wherein when the barcode has been previously used for payment processing, the method comprises preventing the POS terminal from processing the payment.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein, prior to step (b), the method comprises generating a shared secret and associating the shared secret with the mobile wallet account, and wherein step (b) is practiced by storing the shared secret on the mobile device.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein step (e) is practiced by generating the local barcode using a hash incorporating the shared secret.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein step (g) is practiced by identifying the user with the local barcode and accessing the payment information associated with the mobile wallet account.

11. A method according to claim 8, further comprising modifying the shared secret when a security risk is detected.

12. A mobile wallet system for conducting secure transactions using a mobile device, the mobile wallet system comprising:

a server computer running a server program;

an account module residing on the server computer that defines parameters for a mobile wallet account, the account module storing personal information and payment information from a user;

an application module residing on the server computer that defines a mobile wallet application for download to a mobile device having a display, the server computer linking the mobile wallet application with the mobile wallet account, where the mobile wallet application is configured to provide a link for the user to request the mobile wallet application to generate a barcode for an impending retail transaction; and

a point-of-sale (POS) terminal interconnected with the server computer over a global network, the POS terminal including a scanner for processing user-selected items for purchase,

wherein the mobile wallet application is configured to display a barcode in response to the user selecting the link, the barcode comprising data structure that identifies the mobile wallet account associated with the user,

wherein the POS terminal is configured to access the mobile wallet account based on information decrypted from the barcode and to process a payment for the user-selected items,

wherein the computer server is configured to generate a shared secret and associate the shared secret with the mobile wallet account, the computer server being configured to cause the shared secret to be stored on the mobile device.

13. A mobile wallet system according to claim 12, wherein the local barcode is defined using a hash incorporating the shared secret.

14. A mobile wallet system according to claim 13, wherein the local barcode comprises data structure that identifies the user and enables the computer server to access the payment information associated with the mobile wallet account.

15. A mobile wallet system according to claim 12, wherein the computer server is configured to modify the shared secret when a security risk is detected.

16. A mobile wallet system according to claim 12, wherein the computer server is configured to modify the shared secret after a predefined duration.

17. A mobile wallet system according to claim 12, wherein the computer server is configured to modify the shared secret after a predefined number of local barcode transactions.

18. A mobile wallet system according to claim 12, wherein the payment information comprises a card personal identification number (PIN) from the user that is associated with a payment source.

19. A mobile wallet system according to claim 18, wherein when the mobile device is not connected to a network, the mobile wallet application is configured to require the user to enter the card PIN.

20. A computer system defining for conducting secure transactions using a mobile device, the computer system comprising:

means for receiving personal information and payment information from a user to establish a mobile wallet account;

means for storing the personal information and payment information in a server computer separate from the mobile device;

means for associating a mobile wallet application downloaded to a mobile device with the mobile wallet account;

means for deriving a shared secret when the mobile wallet account is created and when the mobile wallet application is linked to the mobile wallet account;

means for providing a link in the mobile wallet application for the user to request the mobile wallet application to generate a barcode for an impending retail transaction;

means for enabling the mobile device to retrieve a token/nonce once the user is authenticated and for storing the token/nonce on the server;

means for generating the barcode with the mobile wallet application in response to the user selecting the link, and means for displaying the barcode on a display of the mobile device, the barcode identifying the mobile wallet account associated with the user;

means for accessing the mobile wallet account based on information decrypted from the barcode and for processing a payment; and

validating the token/nonce after a POS terminal scan to effect the payment with the payment information stored in the server.