Account payment using barcode information exchange

• US 20080210754A1
• Filed: 03/22/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Lovett
• Original Assignee: Robert Lovett
• Inventors: Lovett, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,810,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes

Abstract

A system for effecting transactions, typically retail transactions, by using account information stored on a computing device, such as a cell phone, wherein the computing device is placed on an optical reader at the merchant'"'"'s establishment. The computing device generates a pattern, such as a bar code, on a visual display, which can be read by the merchant'"'"'s optical reader. The display encodes account number and other information for the transaction. The merchant'"'"'s optical reader also includes a display, which can be read by the computing device by using the cell phone camera. The merchant'"'"'s display includes transaction amount and other information allowing updating of account information in the computing device. The computing device may include security codes and/or a fingerprint reader to allow access to the account information. The use of the fingerprint reader can provide positive identification of the individual, which may be used for restricted items such as age restricted items such as beer, cigarettes, and senior discounts.

Claims

1. A system for generating a sales transaction comprising:

a merchant terminal for communicating with a customer computing device, said merchant terminal comprising;

an optical scanner, said optical scanner directed to said customer computing device for reading information displayed thereon; and

a merchant display device for displaying a first optically readable pattern, said optically readable pattern having merchant transaction information encoded thereon;

said customer computing device comprising;

a customer display device for displaying a second optically readable pattern, said second optically readable pattern having customer transaction information encoded thereon; and

an optical camera for reading said merchant transaction information from said merchant display device;

wherein said optical scanner reads customer account information from said customer display device, said merchant terminal communicates with a financial institution associated with said customer account information to obtain approval for said transaction;

said merchant terminal displaying transaction receipt information on said merchant display device;

said optical camera reading said transaction receipt information from said merchant display device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first optically readable pattern is a barcode.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said second optically readable pattern is a barcode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said customer computing device is a cell phone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said optical scanner also scans a barcode from an item of merchandise.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said customer computing device communicates with said financial institution to electronically store funds in said customer computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said customer computing device further includes a fingerprint reader and fingerprint matching information is conveyed to said optical scanner using said customer display device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said customer computing device further includes a fingerprint reader for positive user identification and after positive user identification is achieved, user age information is conveyed to said optical scanner using said customer display device.

9. A system for generating a sales transaction between a customer and a merchant comprising:

a merchant terminal for communicating with a customer computing device, said merchant terminal comprising;

a first optical scanner for scanning a barcode on an article of merchandise;

said merchant terminal generating a transaction price based on said scanning said barcode on said article of merchandise;

a second optical scanner, said optical scanner directed to said customer computing device for reading information displayed thereon; and

a merchant display device for displaying a first optically readable pattern, said first optically readable pattern having merchant transaction information encoded thereon;

said customer computing device comprising;

a customer display device for displaying a second optically readable pattern, said second optically readable pattern having customer transaction information encoded thereon; and

an optical camera for reading said merchant transaction information from said merchant display device;

a memory device for storing an account number and an amount of funds available, said customer computing device communicating over a cell phone network with a financial institution to allocate said amount of funds available;

wherein the second optical scanner reads said account number and said amount of funds available from said customer computing device;

said customer computing device reads said transaction amount from said merchant display device and subtracts said transaction amount from said amount of funds available;

said merchant terminal sends a debit note to a customer bank for payment to the merchant for the transaction amount from an account designated by the account number.

wherein said customer computing device stores an allocated fund amount in said customer computing device;

said second optical scanner reads said account information from said customer display;

said merchant terminal displays transaction information on said merchant display, said optical camera reads said transaction receipt information from said merchant display.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said first optically readable pattern is a barcode.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said second optically readable pattern is a barcode.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said customer computing device is a cell phone.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said first optical scanner and said second optical scanner comprise the same optical scanner.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said customer computing device communicates with said financial institution to electronically store funds in said customer computing device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said customer computing device further includes a fingerprint reader and fingerprint matching information is conveyed to said merchant terminal using said customer display device.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein said customer computing device further includes a fingerprint reader for positive user identification and after positive user identification is achieved, user age information is conveyed to said merchant terminal using said customer display device.

17. A method for purchasing an article of merchandise by a customer of a merchant comprising:

obtaining article information including price information based on barcode scanning of said article;

generating a transaction price based on said price information;

generating a first optically readable pattern on a display of a customer computing device, said optically readable pattern having customer account information encoded thereon;

said account information including account number and funds available as stored in said customer computing device;

reading said first optically readable pattern by a merchant optical scanner and decoding said customer account information;

generating a second optically readable pattern on a display associated with said merchant optical scanner, said second optically readable pattern having said transaction price encoded thereon;

reading said second optically readable pattern by said customer computing device and decoding said transaction price from said second optically readable pattern;

deducting said transaction price from said funds available as stored in said customer computing device;

generating a debit note for payment to said merchant by said account number directed to a bank associated with said account number.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the step of:

repeating the steps of claim 17 for an additional item of merchandise.

19. The method of claim 17, further including the step of:

adding additional funds to said finds available as stored in said customer computing device, said step of adding additional finds to said finds available comprising the steps of;

generating a third optically readable pattern on said display associated with said merchant optical scanner, said third optically readable pattern having said additional funds encoded thereon;

reading said third optically readable pattern by said customer computing device and decoding said funds available from said third optically readable pattern; and

updating said funds available by adding said additional funds as decoded from said third optically readable pattern.