SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UNIQUELY IDENTIFYING POINT OF SALE DEVICES IN AN OPEN PAYMENT NETWORK

• US 20100121701A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Quach, Charles, Nguyen, Loc Duc, Nelson, Chris S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method for using a point of sale (POS) terminal as part of an electronic payment transaction. A unique number, code, alphanumeric character string, or other form of identification is assigned to each terminal manufacturer. Each terminal manufacturer then assigns a unique global identifier to each terminal they manufacture. The identifier assigned by the manufacturer may incorporate or be derived from the unique identifier assigned to each manufacturer. In the course of an electronic payment, other form of transaction, or other function or operation of the terminal, the POS terminal'"'"'s unique global identifier is provided to a payment processor or other electronic payment network entity. This information, alone or in combination with portable consumer device data and transaction data, may be used to provide new services, content, and products to consumers or merchants.

Claims

1. A method of performing an electronic payment transaction for a consumer, comprising:

receiving data identifying the consumer'"'"'s payment device collected at a point of sale terminal;

receiving data identifying the point of sale terminal, wherein the data identifying the point of sale terminal uniquely identifies the terminal within an open network; and

processing the received data to determine data to provide to the point of sale terminal, wherein the provided data is determined in response to the received data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data identifying the transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing consumer account data prior to determining the data to provide to the point of sale terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the provided data is content for the consumer or data used to configure the terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the content for the consumer is one or more of an advertisement, a coupon, a rebate, or a promotional offer.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the data used to configure the terminal is one or more of data for activation of a terminal function or operation, or data for configuring a user interface of the terminal.

7. A point of sale terminal for use in an electronic payment transaction, comprising:

a portable consumer device interface to receive portable consumer device data;

a data transfer interface configured to transfer data to an element of a payment processing network; and

a data storage element storing point of sale terminal identifier data, the point of sale terminal identifier data uniquely identifying the terminal within an open network;

wherein the point of sale terminal is configured to transfer the identifier data to the element of the payment processing network via the data transfer interface.

8. The point of sale terminal of claim 7, wherein the point of sale terminal is further configured to receive data in response to transferring the identifier data to the element of the payment processing network.

9. The point of sale terminal of claim 8, wherein the received data is content for a consumer or a merchant, or data used to configure point of sale terminal.

10. The point of sale terminal of claim of claim 7, wherein the terminal is configured to transfer the identifier data in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event or operation.

11. The point of sale terminal of claim of claim 10, wherein the predetermined event or operation is one or more of terminal start up, initialization, reboot, receipt of a command or instruction from a device operator, receipt of a command or instruction from a device user, receipt of a command or instruction from a payment processor, or receipt of a command or instruction from an element of payment processing network.

12. An apparatus for processing electronic payment transaction data, comprising:

a processor configured to execute a set of instructions;

a memory coupled to the processor for storing the set of instructions; and

the set of instructions stored in the memory, wherein when executed by the processor the instructions implement a method to

receive data identifying a consumer'"'"'s payment device collected at a point of sale terminal;

receive data identifying the point of sale terminal, wherein the data identifying the point of sale terminal uniquely identifies the terminal within an open network; and

process the received data to determine data to provide to the point of sale terminal, wherein the provided data is determined in response to the received data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the method implemented by the set of instructions stored in the memory when the instructions are executed by the processor further comprises receiving data identifying the transaction.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the provided data is content for the consumer or data used to configure the point of sale terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the content for the consumer is one or more of an advertisement, a coupon, a rebate, or a promotional offer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the data used to configure the point of sale terminal is one or more of data for activation of a terminal function or operation, or data for configuring a user interface of the terminal.

17. A method of conducting an electronic payment transaction, comprising:

receiving data identifying a consumer'"'"'s payment device at a point of sale terminal;

accessing data identifying the point of sale terminal, wherein the data identifying the point of sale terminal uniquely identifies the terminal within an open network;

transferring the data identifying the consumers payment device and the data identifying the point of sale terminal to an element of a payment processing network; and

processing the transferred data by the element of the payment processing network to determine data to provide to the point of sale terminal, wherein the provided data is determined in response to the transferred data.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising transferring data identifying the electronic payment transaction to the element of the payment processing network.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the provided data is content for the consumer or data used to configure the terminal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the content for the consumer is one or more of an advertisement, a coupon, a rebate, or a promotional offer.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the data used to configure the terminal is one or more of data for activation of a terminal function or operation, or data for configuring a user interface of the terminal.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the point of sale terminal is configured to access the data identifying the point of sale terminal in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event or operation, wherein the predetermined event or operation is one or more of terminal start up, initialization, reboot, receipt of a command or instruction from a device operator, receipt of a command or instruction from a device user, receipt of a command or instruction from a payment processor, or receipt of a command or instruction from an element of payment processing network.

23. A method of facilitating an electronic payment transaction, comprising:

generating a unique identifier for a manufacturer of point of sale terminals;

communicating the unique identifier to the manufacturer of the point of sale terminals;

generating a unique terminal identifier for each point of sale terminal manufactured by the manufacturer, the unique terminal identifier being generated in response to the manufacturer'"'"'s unique identifier and uniquely identifying the terminal within an open network; and

associating the unique terminal identifier with its respective terminal.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing the unique terminal identifier to an element of an electronic payment processing network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the unique terminal identifier is provided to the element of the payment processing network in response to an electronic payment transaction occurring at the terminal.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the unique terminal identifier is provided to the element of the payment processing network in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event or operation.

27. The method of claim of claim 26, wherein the predetermined event or operation is one or more of terminal start up, initialization, reboot, receipt of a command or instruction from a device operator, receipt of a command or instruction from a device user, receipt of a command or instruction from a payment processor, or receipt of a command or instruction from an element of payment processing network.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing data identifying a consumer'"'"'s payment device collected at the point of sale terminal during the electronic payment transaction to the element of the electronic payment processing network.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing data identifying the electronic payment transaction to the element of the payment processing network.

30. A method of uniquely identifying a point of sale terminal used in an electronic payment transaction within an open network, comprising:

receiving a unique identifier assigned to a manufacturer of point of sale terminals;

generating a unique terminal identifier for each point of sale terminal manufactured by the manufacturer, the unique terminal identifier being generated in response to the unique identifier assigned to the manufacturer and uniquely identifying the terminal within the open network; and

associating the unique terminal identifier with its respective terminal.

31. A method of replacing an identifier assigned to a point of sale terminal, comprising:

receiving a request to generate a unique terminal identifier for a point of sale terminal used in an open network;

in response to the request, initiating a process to generate the unique terminal identifier;

receiving a unique identifier assigned to a manufacturer of point of sale terminals;

generating the unique terminal identifier for the point of sale terminal, the unique terminal identifier being generated in response to the unique identifier assigned to the manufacturer and uniquely identifying the terminal within the open network; and

associating the unique terminal identifier with its respective terminal.