Information Access Device and Data Transfer

• US 20110191237A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.), Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Faith, Patrick, Hammad, Ayman, Carlson, Mark, Rewis, Ben, Koganti, Kris
• Granted Patent: US 10,095,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• 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 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems, apparatuses and methods for using a first device with an accelerometer to transfer data by making contact with a second device with an accelerometer, thereby generating interaction data that is representative of the physical contact between the mobile device and the second device. The first device may be a mobile phone. The second device may be a mobile phone or a stationary kiosk or terminal. A first device with an accelerometer physically contacts the second device. Each of the first and second devices generate interaction data (e.g., accelerometer, location, time data, etc.) representative of the physical interaction between the first and second device. A server computer determines, based on interaction data, that the first device and the second device physically contact each other. After determining that the mobile device and the second device made contact, communications may be initiated between the devices. Communications may include customer-provided information (e.g., shopping lists) and merchant-provided information (e.g., items in stock or on sale from the consumer'"'"'s shopping list). In some embodiments, at least two independent interactions between three devices transfer data from a first computing device to a second computing device, after each of the first and second computing devices independently interacts with a mobile device.

Claims

1. An information access device comprising:

a first processor;

a first sensor coupled to the first processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the first processor, the computer readable medium comprising code for implementing a method comprising;

generating first interaction data with the first sensor;

initiating comparison of first interaction data with second interaction data, generated by a mobile device of a customer comprising a second sensor coupled to a second processor, to determine whether the information access device and the mobile device physically interacted; and

if the information access device and the mobile device physically interacted, initiating communications between the information access device and the mobile device, wherein the communications between the information access device and the mobile device comprises customer-provided information and merchant-provided information.

2. The information access device of claim 1 wherein the first and second sensors comprise the accelerometers.

3. The information access device of claim 1 wherein the first sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

4. The information access device of claim 1 further comprising a housing that contains the first sensor, first processor, and non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the housing has a coupling element so that the information access device can be coupled to an object at a fixed location.

5. The information access device of claim 1, wherein customer-provided information comprises a least one coupon.

6. The information access device of claim 1 wherein customer-provided information comprises a list of products or services that a customer would like to locate or purchase.

7. The information access device of claim 1 wherein merchant-provided information comprises at least one of the following:

locations within a merchant'"'"'s store where there are at least one of the products or services that a customer would like to locate or purchase, products or services that are complimentary to the products or services that a customer would like to locate or purchase, coupons, rebates, special offers, or card loyalty or rewards program information.

8. The information access device of claim 1 wherein merchant-provided information comprises a website link to buy the product online if a merchant does not have at least one of the products or services that a customer would like to locate or purchase in stock.

9. A method comprising:

receiving first interaction data from a mobile device, wherein the mobile device comprises a first processor and a first motion sensor coupled to the first processor;

receiving second interaction data from an information access device, wherein the information access device comprises a second motion sensor and a second processor coupled to the second motion sensor;

determining whether the mobile device physically interacted with the information access device with a server computer using sensor data from the mobile device and the information access device; and

if the mobile device and the information access device physically interacted, initiating communications between the mobile device and the information access device, wherein the mobile device is operated by a user and the information access device is located at a merchant and the communications between the mobile device and the information access device comprise customer-provided information and merchant-provided information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second interaction data comprise at least one of the following:

time data, location data, or accelerometer data.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the information access device is a handheld device.

12. The information access device of claim 9 wherein customer-provided information comprises a list of products or services that a customer would like to locate or purchase.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising code for implementing the method of claim 9.

14. A server comprising the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9.

15. A method comprising:

determining, with a remote server computer, when a first device physically interacts with a second device, wherein the first device comprises a first processor and a first accelerometer coupled to the first processor and the second device comprises a second accelerometer and a second processor coupled to the second accelerometer;

exchanging a token between the first and second device after determining when the first device physically interacts with the second device, wherein the token is stored on at least the first device;

determining, with the remote server computer, when the first device physically interacts with a third device, wherein the third device comprises a third accelerometer and a third processor coupled to the third accelerometer; and

transferring the token from the first device to the third device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the token is an identifier of data intended to be transferred from the second device to the third device via the first device.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the token is a payment token that is transferred from the second device to the third device after the first and second devices physically interact and after the first and third devices physically interact.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the first device is a mobile phone.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of the second or third devices is a personal computer.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising code for implementing the method of claim 15.