ULTRASONIC TRIANGULATION FOR PAYMENTS METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20160086156A1
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Deshpande, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 10,210,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/725 Marker, boundary, call-sign or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3272 using an audio code
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium to determine a table location of a payment cardholder within a restaurant, to enable automatic bill receipt for the table.

Claims

1. A billing server method comprising:

receiving a request for a time sync via a network interface, the request containing a unique identifier from a mobile device;

transmitting the time sync to the mobile device via the network interface;

receiving a plurality of messages from a plurality of ultrasonic sensors, each of the plurality of messages containing the unique identifier and a time when an ultrasound pulse is received;

receiving, via the network interface and from the mobile device, a time at which the ultrasound pulse was broadcast;

determining, with a processor, a fixed location nearest to the mobile device based on the plurality of messages containing the unique identifier and the time when an ultrasound pulse is received, and the time when the ultrasound pulse was broadcast;

transmitting to the mobile device an invoice associated with the fixed location nearest to the mobile device.

2. The billing server method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, with the processor, the invoice associated with the location nearest to the mobile device.

3. The billing server method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an electronic payment of the invoice via the network interface, the electronic payment being payment card information or electronic checking account information.

4. The billing server method of claim 3, wherein the fixed location is a merchant kiosk.

5. The billing server method of claim 3, wherein the fixed location is a restaurant table.

6. The billing server method of claim 3, wherein the payment card information includes a primary account number (PAN) and payment card expiration date.

7. A billing server comprising:

a network interface configured to receive a request for a time sync, the request containing a unique identifier from a mobile device, to transmit the time sync to the mobile device, to receive a plurality of messages from a plurality of ultrasonic sensors, each of the plurality of messages containing the unique identifier and a time when an ultrasound pulse is received, and to receive from the mobile device a time at which the ultrasound pulse was broadcast;

a processor configured to determine a fixed location nearest to the mobile device based on the plurality of messages containing the unique identifier and the time when an ultrasound pulse is received and the time at which the ultrasound pulse was broadcast; and

the network interface is further configured to transmit to the mobile device an invoice associated with the fixed location nearest to the mobile device.

8. The billing server of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the invoice associated with the location nearest to the mobile device.

9. The billing server of claim 8, wherein the network interface is further configured to receive an electronic payment of the invoice, the electronic payment being payment card information or electronic checking account information.

10. The billing server method of claim 9, wherein the fixed location is a merchant kiosk.

11. The billing server of claim 9, wherein the fixed location is a restaurant table.

12. The billing server of claim 9, wherein the payment card information includes a primary account number (PAN) and payment card expiration date.

13. A mobile device method comprising:

transmitting a request for a time sync to a billing server via an antenna, the request containing a unique identifier;

receiving the time sync from the billing server via the antenna;

broadcasting an ultrasonic pulse via a speaker, the ultrasonic pulse containing the unique identifier;

transmitting to the billing server, via the antenna, a time at which the ultrasonic pulse was broadcast via the speaker;

receiving from the billing server, via the antenna, an invoice associated with a fixed location nearest to the mobile device;

presenting, on a display, the invoice associated with the fixed location.

14. The mobile device method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting an electronic payment of the invoice via the antenna, the electronic payment being payment card information or electronic checking account information.

15. The mobile device method of claim 14, wherein the payment card information includes a primary account number (PAN) and payment card expiration date.

16. The mobile device method of claim 15, wherein the fixed location is a merchant kiosk.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the fixed location is a restaurant table.