ENHANCED MOBILE APPLICATION FOR ASSISTING USERS AT A POINT OF TRANSACTION

• US 20130191232A1
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Calman, Matthew A., Ross, Erik Stephen, Thomas, Susan Smith, Lee, Jooyong, Fang, Zhenshuo, Mulholland, James, Kiu, Brendan, Tan, Nastasha
• Granted Patent: US 9,026,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/18
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/001 Teaching or communicating with blind persons G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products that provide for an enhanced mobile application for assisting users at a point-of-transaction (POT). In one embodiment of the invention the POT assistance application program may determines that a user is conducting a transaction with a merchant. The user may utilize a user device to assist in the transaction. First, the user device may be paired with a POT system, such as a cash register. Once the devices are paired a communication link is created that allows the user to audibly and/or visually monitor the transaction using the user device. Furthermore, the user may flag an item for review during the transaction, silence the transaction, receive a subtotal for the transaction, select a payment method, or complete the transaction using the POT assistance application program.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a user at a point-of-transaction, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that the user is initiating a transaction at a point-of-transaction, wherein the indication is received from a mobile device, wherein the indication activates a mobile application;

providing an authorization request to the mobile device, wherein the authorization request is recognizable by a point-of-transaction device at the point-of-transaction;

confirming authorization based on an indication that the authorization request was presented and recognized by the point-of-transaction device, wherein presenting and recognizing the authorization request includes pairing the mobile device with the point-of-transaction device;

linking the mobile application with the point-of-transaction device, wherein the linking is based at least in part on the confirmed authorization;

communicating, via a computing device processor, the transaction to the user, wherein the communication is provided to the user through the mobile application such that the user receives an audio communication of information associated with each product of the transaction, wherein the information associated with each product includes a name of the product or a price of the product;

allowing communication segments of the audio communication of information associated with each product of the transaction to be flagged by the user via the mobile device based at least in part on the audio information associated with each product including the name of the product and the price of the product, wherein the communication segment is flagged such that the user and merchant review a portion of the transaction associated with that communication segment;

providing a plurality of payment options to the user for payment for the transaction, wherein the plurality of payment options are presented to the user via the mobile device; and

providing an indication that the transaction has been completed using one of the plurality of payment options provided to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication that the user is initiating a transaction using the mobile device further comprises receiving a near-field communication to activate a mobile application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein activating the mobile application via near-field communication is based on a near-field communication access token initiating the activation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the authorization request further comprises providing a barcode to the mobile device, wherein the barcode is scanned at the point-of-transaction to confirm authorization.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the linking of the mobile application with the point-of-transaction further comprises linking the mobile device and the point-of-transaction device communicably.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the transaction to the user further comprises providing indications as to each product being purchased during the transaction and the price of the product.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a selected payment device from the plurality of payment options to the point-of-transaction to complete the transaction.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising allowing the user to navigate the mobile application using command gestures.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing audible notification of the initiation and completion of the transaction.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing communication segments to be flagged further comprises allowing the user to flag segments of the communication of a transaction for further investigation of the product associated with that segment of the communication.

6. (canceled)

12. A system for assisting a user at a point-of-transaction, the system comprising:

a memory device;

a communication device; and

a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device and the communication device, wherein the processing device is configured to execute computer-readable program code to;

receive an indication that the user is initiating a transaction at a point-of-transaction, wherein the indication is received from a mobile device, wherein the indication activates a mobile application;

provide an authorization request to the mobile device, wherein the authorization request is recognizable by a point-of-transaction device at the point-of-transaction;

confirming authorization based on an indication that the authorization request was presented and recognized by the point-of-transaction device, wherein presenting and recognizing the authorization request includes pairing the mobile device with the point-of-transaction device;

link the mobile application with the point-of-transaction device, wherein the linking is based at least in part on the confirmed authorization;

communicate the transaction to the user, wherein the communication is provided to the user through the mobile application such that the user receives an audio communication of information associated with each product of the transaction, wherein the information associated with each product includes a name of the product or a price of the product;

allow communication segments of the audio communication of information associated with each product of the transaction to be flagged by the user via the mobile device based at least in part on the audio information associated with each product including the name of the product and the price of the product, wherein the communication segment is flagged such that the user and merchant review a portion of the transaction associated with that communication segment;

provide a plurality of payment options to the user for payment for the transaction, wherein the plurality of payment options are presented to the user via the mobile device; and

provide an indication that the transaction has been completed using one of the plurality of payment options provided to the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein receiving an indication that the user is initiating a transaction using the mobile device further comprises receiving a near-field communication to activate a mobile application.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein activating the mobile application via near-field communication is based on a near-field communication access token initiating the activation.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein providing the authorization request further comprises providing a barcode to the mobile device, wherein the barcode is scanned at the point-of-transaction to confirm authorization.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the linking of the mobile application with the point-of-transaction further comprises linking the mobile device and the point-of-transaction device communicably.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein communicating the transaction to the user further comprises providing indications as to each product being purchased during the transaction and the price of the product.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is further configured to provide a selected payment device from the plurality of payment options to the point-of-transaction to complete the transaction.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is further configured to allow the user to navigate the mobile application using command gestures.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is further configured to provide audible notification of the initiation and completion of the transaction.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein allowing communication segments to be flagged further comprises allowing the user to flag segments of the communication of a transaction for further investigation of the product associated with that segment of the communication.

17. (canceled)

23. A computer program product for assisting a user at a point-of-transaction, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured for receiving an indication that the user is initiating a transaction at a point-of-transaction, wherein the indication is received from a mobile device, wherein the indication activates a mobile application;

an executable portion configured for providing an authorization request to the mobile device, wherein the authorization request is recognizable by a point-of-transaction device at the point-of-transaction;

an executable portion configured for confirming authorization based on an indication that the authorization request was presented and recognized by the point-of-transaction device, wherein presenting and recognizing the authorization request includes pairing the mobile device with the point-of-transaction device;

an executable portion configured for linking the mobile application with the point-of-transaction device, wherein the linking is based at least in part on the confirmed authorization;

an executable portion configured for communicating the transaction to the user, wherein the communication is provided to the user through the mobile application such that the user receives an audio communication of information associated with each product of the transaction, wherein the information associated with each product includes a name of the product or a price of the product;

an executable portion configured for allowing communication segments of the audio communication of information associated with each product of the transaction to be flagged by the user via the mobile device based at least in part on the audio information associated with each product including the name of the product and the price of the product, wherein the communication segment is flagged such that the user and merchant review a portion of the transaction associated with that communication segment;

an executable portion configured for providing a plurality of payment options to the user for payment for the transaction, wherein the plurality of payment options are presented to the user via the mobile device; and

an executable portion configured for providing an indication that the transaction has been completed using one of the plurality of payment options provided to the user.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein receiving an indication that the user is initiating a transaction using the mobile device further comprises receiving a near-field communication to activate a mobile application.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein activating the mobile application via near-field communication is based on a near-field communication access token initiating the activation.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein providing the authorization request further comprises providing a barcode to the mobile device, wherein the barcode is scanned at the point-of-transaction to confirm authorization.

27. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the linking of the mobile application with the point-of-transaction further comprises linking the mobile device and the point-of-transaction device communicably.

29. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein communicating the transaction to the user further comprises providing indications as to each product being purchased during the transaction and the price of the product.

30. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprises an executable portion for providing a selected payment device from the plurality of payment options to the point-of-transaction to complete the transaction.

31. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprises an executable portion for allowing the user to navigate the mobile application using command gestures.

32. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprises an executable portion for providing audible notification of the initiation and completion of the transaction.

33. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein allowing communication segments to be flagged further comprises allowing the user to flag segments of the communication of a transaction for further investigation of the product associated with that segment of the communication.

28. (canceled)