FACILITATING PURCHASES USING PERIPHERAL DEVICES

• US 20150186983A1
• Filed: 12/26/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gandhi, Saumil Ashvin
• Granted Patent: US 9,852,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems

Abstract

A peripheral device, e.g., a headphone, connected to a communication device may have controls that are configured to switch between a regular mode and a purchase mode. When in the purchase mode, the controls of the peripheral device may be configured to facilitate purchase by receiving user input related to making a purchase. The peripheral or the communication device may be configured to receive user instructions, such as a voice command, to switch between the regular mode and the purchase mode. In particular, the controls may include volume buttons configured to adjust volume in the regular mode and configured to adjust purchase price in purchase mode. The controls also may include a start/end button configured to selectively activate or end an application in the regular mode and configured to confirm or select a purchase in the purchase mode.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

one or more processors configured to;

receive, via a peripheral device connected to the communication device, a request to switch functions of peripheral controls of the peripheral device;

switch the functions of the peripheral controls of the peripheral device from a first mode for controlling audio settings to a second mode for receiving information;

receive information from the user via the peripheral controls of the peripheral device in the second mode that was switched from the first mode; and

process the information.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the information received from the user comprises purchase information for making a purchase.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the information received from the user comprises browsing information for navigating an electronic content.

4. The communication device of claim 1,

wherein the peripheral device is an audio output device configured to output an audio signal received from the communication device to the user;

and

wherein the peripheral controls of the peripheral device comprises a volume control and a start/end control.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the volume control is configured to adjust a volume setting of the audio signal output from the communication device in the first mode and is configured to adjust a price or a purchase quantity of a purchase in the second mode.

6. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the start/end control is configured to selectively start and stop the audio signal output from the communication device and is configured to confirm a purchase in the second mode.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is connected to the communication device via a wireless communication.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a request for making a purchase;

determine a potential purchase target; and

provide audio instructions to the user to enter the information for making the purchase via the peripheral controls in the second mode.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

detect a connection of the peripheral device to the communication device;

receive a first control profile for the first mode from the peripheral device; and

generate a second control profile for the second mode.

10. The communication device of claim 1,

wherein the peripheral device is an inline connector device connected between the communication device and an audio output device, and

wherein the inline connector device is registered with a payment service provider and is associated with a payment account of the user at the payment service provider.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the inline connector device comprises a display configured to display audio information in the first mode and display payment information in the second mode.

12. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device comprises a light device configured to display lighting of different colors or patterns between the first mode and the second mode.

13. A method for receiving information from a peripheral device, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a communication device via a peripheral device, a request to switch functions of peripheral controls of the peripheral device;

switching, by the processor, the functions of the peripheral controls of the peripheral device from a first mode for controlling audio settings to a second mode for receiving information;

receiving, by the processor, the information from the user via the peripheral controls of the peripheral device in the second mode that was switched from the first mode; and

processing the information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the information received from the user comprises purchase information for making a purchase.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the information received from the user comprises browsing information for navigating an electronic content.

16. The method of claim 13,

wherein the peripheral device is an audio output device configured to output an audio signal received from the communication device to the user;

and

wherein the peripheral controls of the peripheral device comprises a volume control and a start/end control.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the volume control is configured to adjust a volume setting of the audio signal output from the communication device in the first mode and is configured to adjust a price or a purchase quantity of a purchase in the second mode.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the start/end control is configured to selectively start and stop the audio signal output from the communication device and is configured to confirm a purchase in the second mode.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the peripheral device is connected to the communication device via a wireless communication.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a request for making a purchase;

determining a potential purchase target; and

providing audio instructions to the user to enter the information for making the purchase via the peripheral controls in the second mode.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

detecting a connection of the peripheral device to the communication device;

receiving a first control profile for the first mode from the peripheral device; and

generating a second control profile for the second mode.

22. The method of claim 13,

wherein the peripheral device is an inline connector device connected between the communication device and an audio output device, and

wherein the inline connector device is registered with a payment service provider and is associated with a payment account of the user at the payment service provider.

23. The method of claim 21,

wherein the inline connector device comprises a display, and

wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, at the display of the inline connector device, audio information in the first mode and payment information in the second mode.

24. The method of claim 13,

wherein the peripheral device comprises a light device, and

wherein the method further comprising:

displaying, by the light device, different colors or patterns of lights between the first mode and the second mode.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 21, the method further comprising:

receiving a request for making a purchase;

determining a potential purchase target; and

providing audio instructions to the user to enter the information for making the purchase via the peripheral controls in the second mode.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 21, the method further comprising:

detecting a connection of the peripheral device to the communication device;

receiving a first control profile for the first mode from the peripheral device; and

generating a second control profile for the second mode.

25. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a communication device are adapted to cause the communication device to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a communication device via a peripheral device, a request to switch functions of peripheral controls of the peripheral device;

switching, by the processor, the functions of the peripheral controls of the peripheral device from a first mode for controlling audio settings to a second mode for receiving information;

receiving, by the processor, the information from the user via the peripheral controls of the peripheral device in the second mode that was switched from the first mode; and

processing the information.