Transaction Processing and Remote Activation

• US 20140324684A1
• Filed: 07/14/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M-Kopa IPR LLC
• Original Assignee: M-Kopa IPR LLC
• Inventors: Moore, Jesse Keith Barton, Hughes, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,858,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/006 dispensed for the electrical charging of other devices than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/12 in which metering is on a time basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation

Abstract

A device is communicatively connected to a remote transaction processing system. In at least one embodiment, the device comprises a dedicated power supply that is independent of a mains power supply, and has an operational state that is set according to an outcome of a transaction processed by the remote transaction processing system. The remote transaction processing system processes the transaction via communication with a separate mobile communications device. In another embodiment, a system comprises a device having a primary function other than facilitating communication, an interface for operating the device, and a transaction processing system that is remote from the device. The device, the interface, and the transaction processing system communicate wirelessly. The transaction processing system is configured to process payment transactions for usage of the device, and the outcome of the payment transactions determines whether the device is operational to provide its primary function.

Claims

1. A device communicatively connected to a remote transaction processing system, wherein the device comprises a dedicated power supply that is independent of a mains power supply, wherein the device has an operational state that is set according to an outcome of a transaction processed by the remote transaction processing system, and wherein the remote transaction processing system processes the transaction via communication with a separate mobile communications device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the operational state is one of functional or non-functional.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is configured so that it operates only when the operational state is functional.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the transaction involves an attempted payment and the operational state is set to be functional for a predetermined time in response to successful processing of the payment, and wherein said predetermined time is determined by a timer included in said device or remote from said device.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an activation switch, wherein processing of the transaction by the remote transaction processing system is initiated by activation of the activation switch.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated power supply comprises a solar collector and/or an electro-voltaic cell.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is communicatively connected to the remote transaction processing system via a wireless connection.

8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a usage monitor and a memory, wherein the usage monitor records usage information of the device in the memory.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the device is further configured to transmit the usage information to a memory remote from the device.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a timer configured to record a time and/or duration of use of the device.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the remote transaction processing system is configured to process a payment for use of the device with credit that additionally is useable to pay for use of a mobile communications device.

12. A method of setting an operational state of a device, the method comprising:

processing a transaction in a remote transaction processing system; and

setting the operational state of the device according to an outcome of the processing of the transaction,

wherein the device has a dedicated power supply that is independent of a mains power supply and is communicatively connected to the remote transaction processing system, and

wherein the transaction is processed in communication with a separate mobile communications device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the operational state is one of functional or non-functional.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the device operates only when its operational state is functional, and wherein the operational state is set to be functional for a predetermined time in response to successful processing of the transaction.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising initiating the processing of the transaction by the transaction processing system in response to activation of an activation switch on the device.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the dedicated power supply comprises a solar collector and/or an electro-voltaic cell.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the transaction is initiated by interaction with the separate mobile communications device.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising monitoring usage of the device and recording usage information in a memory.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising transmitting the usage information to a memory remote from the device.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein monitoring usage of the device and recording usage information comprises using a timer that records a time and/or duration of use of the device.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein the remote transaction processing system processes payments, and wherein the outcome of the processing of the transaction comprises successfully processing a payment for use of the device.

22. The method according to claim 12, further comprising allowing, by the remote transaction processing system, payment for use of the device with credit that additionally is useable to pay for use of a mobile communications device.

23. A system, comprising:

a device having a primary function other than facilitating communication;

an interface for operating the device; and

a transaction processing system that is remote from the device,

wherein the device, the interface, and the transaction processing system communicate wirelessly, wherein the transaction processing system is configured to process payment transactions for usage of the device, and wherein the outcome of the payment transactions determines whether the device is operational to provide its primary function.

24. The system according to claim 23, further comprising a usage monitor configured to collect usage information pertaining to use of the device, wherein the device is powered by a renewable energy source that is independent of a mains power supply, and wherein the system further comprises a processing module configured to calculate carbon offsets from the usage information.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the transaction processing system is primarily configured to process transactions relating to use of the interface as a cellular phone.

27. The device according to claim 23, further comprising an interface communicatively coupled to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to:

receive an input via the interface requesting that the equipment provide its principal functionality; and

in response to receiving the input, communicate with the remote transaction processing system via the communications circuitry and receive, from the remote transaction processing system, the instruction that is based on the state of the account.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein the interface is configured to receive input from a user that is located in the vicinity of the device.

26. A device, comprising:

equipment configured to provide a principal functionality other than two-way communication;

a control unit configured to control the equipment; and

communications circuitry configured for wireless communication, wherein the communications circuitry is communicatively coupled to the control unit;

wherein the device is configured to operate in a plurality of operational states including a functional state and non-functional state;

wherein the control unit is configured to;

communicate with a remote transaction processing system via the communications circuitry and, in response, receive from the remote transaction processing system an instruction that is based on a state of an account, and

based on the received instruction, control whether the device is in the functional state or in the non-functional state;

wherein, when the device is in the functional state, the equipment provides its principal functionality for a determined amount of use, after which the control unit is configured to transition the device to the non-functional state in which the equipment does not provide its principal functionality; and

wherein, the device may return to or remain in the functional state upon further communication with the remote transaction processing system and receipt of a further instruction based on the state of the account.

29. The device according to claim 26, wherein, in response to receipt of an instruction from the remote transaction processing system resulting from a capital amount owed for the device being paid off, the control unit is configured to transition the device to a paid off state in which the device is usable without requiring further communication with the remote transaction processing system.

30. The device according to claim 26, wherein the device is powered by a renewable energy source, the device further comprising:

a usage monitor configured to collect usage information pertaining to use of the device; and

a processing module configured to calculate carbon offsets based on the usage information.