OFFLINE MOBILE PHONE PAYMENTS

• US 20130173474A1
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Ranganathan, Prashanth, Speckbacher, Tobias, Olson, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,373,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0655 e-cash managed centrally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4015 using location information

Abstract

A method for performing vending transactions includes generating a token upon request by a wireless appliance is provided. The method includes placing the token in a remote server; placing the token in the wireless appliance; providing the token from the wireless appliance to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal; authenticating the token with the remote server; validating the token to perform the vending transaction; and deleting the token from the remote server when the vending transaction is complete. A method for using a wireless appliance in vending transactions is provided. A method for using a remote server configured to connect to a wireless appliance and a POS terminal in vending transactions is provided. A system to perform vending transactions using an internet connection as above is provided. The system may include a remote server including a private account; the remote server configured to communicate with a POS terminal and a wireless appliance.

Claims

1. A method for performing vending transactions, the method comprising:

generating a token upon request by a wireless appliance;

placing the token in a remote server;

placing the token in the wireless appliance;

providing the token from the wireless appliance to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal;

authenticating the token with the remote server;

validating the token to perform the vending transaction; and

deleting the token from the remote server when the vending transaction is complete.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein authenticating the token with the remote server includes verifying that a string in the server matches a token string from the token.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein validating the token to perform the vending transaction includes:

using a time stamp associated to the token to verify that the time of the vending transaction is earlier than a lifetime for the token.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein validating the token to perform the vending transaction further includes:

using a geofence associated to the token to verify that the location of the vending transaction is within the geofence.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein validating the token to perform the vending transaction further includes:

verifying the identity of a user carrying the wireless appliance.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein verifying the identity of the user carrying the wireless appliance comprises receiving a location of the wireless appliance from a network carrier to which the wireless appliance is subscribed.

7. The method of claim 1 further including sending a receipt for the vending transaction to the wireless appliance from the remote server.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein placing the tokens in the wireless appliance includes storing the tokens in a first-in-first-out buffer.

9. A method for using a wireless appliance in vending transactions, the method comprising:

requesting a token from a remote server having an account to which the wireless appliance is registered;

wherein

the token includes a time stamp and a geofence for validation;

providing the token to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal using a communication device;

completing the vending transaction when the token is validated; and

deleting the token from the wireless appliance when the vending transaction is complete.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein providing the token to the POS terminal includes transmitting a signal encoded in a medium selected from the group consisting of a barcode, a quick response (QR) code, a sound, an ultrasound, and a near-field-communication (NFC) medium.

11. A method for using a remote server configured to connect to a wireless appliance and a POS terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a first token from the wireless appliance;

generating the first token including a time stamp and a geofence for validation;

validating a second token received from the POS terminal;

deleting the second token from the server account when the validation fails;

deleting the second token from the server account when a vending transaction is complete.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first token and the second token are the same.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein validating a second token comprises determining a location of the POS terminal;

and

approving the validity of the second token when the location of the POS terminal is within the geofence.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein validating a second token comprises determining a lifetime of the second token using the time stamp;

and

approving the validity of the second token if the lifetime is not expired.

15. A system to perform vending transactions using an internet connection, the system comprising:

a remote server including a private account;

the remote server configured to communicate to a wireless appliance and to a POS terminal;

the remote server further including a plurality of tokens having copies in a wireless appliance;

wherein

each of the plurality of tokens includes a time stamp and a geofence;

the remote server is configured to receive a validation request from the POS terminal;

the remote server is configured to provide funds from the private account to a vendor associated to the POS terminal when the validation succeeds;

the remote server is configured to delete one of the plurality of tokens when the validation fails; and

the remote server is configured to provide a receipt to the wireless appliance when the funds are provided from the private account to the vendor.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the remote server validates the vending transaction upon receipt of the validation request from a POS terminal located within the geofence.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the remote server validates the vending transaction upon receipt of the validation request from a POS terminal at a time earlier than an expiration time of the token.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the expiration time of the token is determined form the time stamp.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the remote server is configured to verify the location of the wireless appliance upon receipt of the validation request from the POS terminal.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the remote server validates the vending transaction when the location of the wireless appliance matches a location of the POS terminal;

and

the location of the POS terminal is within the geofence.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the remote server verifies the location of the wireless appliance through a service provider of internet connection to the wireless appliance.