SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTERACTING WITH UNATTENDED MACHINES USING DETECTABLE TRIGGER CONDITIONS AND LIMITED-SCOPE AUTHORIZATION GRANTS

• US 20160098711A1
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayRange, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PayRange, Inc.
• Inventors: Patel, Paresh K., Doan, Chau M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,438,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/023 Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

System and methods are disclosed for interactions with unattended retail machines (“URMs”) using detectable trigger conditions and limited-scope authorization grants. An exemplary method is performed at a mobile device and includes: receiving, via a communications unit, a broadcasted signal from an electronic payment device coupled with an URM. The broadcasted signal includes a request to authorize funds that are associated with a user of the mobile device for use at the URM. The method further includes: (i) sending the request to a server via the communications unit, (ii) receiving, from the server, an authorization grant (e.g., the grant expires if predetermined criteria are satisfied), and (iii) detecting a trigger condition to initiate a cashless transaction with the URM. In accordance with a determination that the predetermined criteria haven'"'"'t been satisfied, the method includes: initiating the cashless transaction with the URM by sending the authorization grant to the electronic payment device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a mobile device with one or more processors, memory, and a communications unit;

receiving, via the communications unit, a broadcasted signal from an electronic payment device coupled with an automatic retail machine, the broadcasted signal including a request to authorize funds that are associated with a user of the mobile device for cashless transactions with the automatic retail machine;

sending the request to a server via the communications unit;

in response to sending the request to the server, receiving, from the server, an authorization grant of at least a portion of the funds that are associated with the user of the mobile device, wherein the authorization grant expires upon satisfaction of one or more predetermined criteria;

detecting, by an application executing on the mobile device, a trigger condition to initiate a cashless transaction with the automatic retail machine; and

in response to detecting the trigger condition and in accordance with a determination that the one or more predetermined criteria have not been satisfied, initiating the cashless transaction with the automatic retail machine by sending to the electronic payment device the authorization grant via the communications unit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current mode of operation for the application executing on the mobile device with respect to cashless transactions at the automatic retail machine; and

selecting the trigger condition based on the determined mode of operation.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the automatic retail machine is a favorite automatic retail machine for the user of the mobile device, (i) determining that the current mode of operation is a hands-free mode of operation, and (ii) selecting a proximity-based trigger condition that does not require user input at the application executing on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the automatic retail machine is not a favorite automatic retail machine for the user of the mobile device, (i) determining that the current mode of operation is a manual mode of operation, (ii) providing, in a user interface of the application executing on the mobile device, a visual representation of the automatic retail machine, and (iii) selecting a trigger condition that corresponds to a predefined gesture at the visual representation of the automatic retail machine within the user interface of the application executing on the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization grant is configured to authorize a single cashless transaction with the automatic retail machine and the method further includes erasing the authorization grant from the mobile device upon satisfaction of at least one of the one or more predetermined criteria.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a first predetermined criterion of the one or more predetermined criteria is an expiration time determined based on one or more of the following:

(i) trustworthiness of a user of the mobile device, (ii) a number of other users, distinct from the user of the mobile device, near the automatic retail machine, (iii) a time period defined by the user of the mobile device, and (iv) current time of day.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the authorization request via the communications unit includes receiving a baseline signal strength threshold from a transmission sent by the electronic payment device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the baseline signal strength is one of a plurality of baseline signal strengths included in the transmission sent by the electronic payment device and the baseline signal strength is selected based on a model type of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

before detecting the trigger condition to perform the cashless transaction, determining a payment zone threshold based on the baseline signal strength threshold; and

in accordance with a determination that a received signal strength corresponding to the transmission sent by the electronic payment device satisfies the payment zone threshold, detecting the trigger condition to perform the cashless transaction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the payment zone threshold based on the baseline signal strength includes using an offset that corresponds to a model type of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the payment zone threshold further includes adjusting the payment zone threshold based on transmission strength of the communications unit of the mobile device.

12. A system, comprising:

an electronic payment device with one or more processors, memory, and a first communications unit, the electronic payment device configured to;

send, via the first communications unit, a broadcasted signal that includes a request to authorize funds for cashless transactions with the automatic retail machine; and

a mobile device with one or more processors, memory, and a second communications unit, the mobile device configured to;

receive, via the second communications unit, the broadcasted signal from the electronic payment device, wherein the request that is included in the broadcasted signal is a request to authorize funds that are associated with a user of the mobile device;

send the request to a server via the second communications unit;

in response to sending the request to the server, receive, from the server, an authorization grant of at least a portion of the funds that are associated with the user of the mobile device, wherein the authorization grant expires upon satisfaction of one or more predetermined criteria;

detect, by an application executing on the mobile device, a trigger condition to initiate a cashless transaction with the automatic retail machine; and

in response to detecting the trigger condition and in accordance with a determination that the one or more predetermined criteria have not been satisfied, initiate the cashless transaction with the automatic retail machine by sending to the electronic payment device the authorization grant via the second communications unit.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

determine a current mode of operation for the application executing on the mobile device with respect to cashless transactions at the automatic retail machine; and

select the trigger condition based on the determined mode of operation.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

in accordance with a determination that the automatic retail machine is a favorite automatic retail machine for the user of the mobile device, (i) determine that the current mode of operation is a hands-free mode of operation, and (ii) select a proximity-based trigger condition that does not require user input at the application executing on the mobile device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic payment device is further configured to:

before sending the broadcasted signal, send, via the first communications unit, an initial broadcasted signal that includes information identifying the automatic retail machine that is coupled with the electronic payment device, and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to;

in accordance with a determination that the automatic retail machine is not a favorite automatic retail machine for the user of the mobile device, (i) determine that the current mode of operation is a manual mode of operation, (ii) provide, in a user interface of the application executing on the mobile device, a visual representation of the automatic retail machine that is based on the information identifying the automatic retail machine, and (iii) select a trigger condition that corresponds to a predefined gesture at the visual representation of the automatic retail machine within the user interface of the application executing on the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the authorization grant is configured to authorize a single cashless transaction with the automatic retail machine, and

wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

erase the authorization grant from the mobile device upon satisfaction of at least one of the one or more predetermined criteria.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by a mobile device with one or more processors and a communications unit, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, via the communications unit, a broadcasted signal from an electronic payment device coupled with an automatic retail machine, the broadcasted signal including a request to authorize funds that are associated with a user of the mobile device for cashless transactions with the automatic retail machine;

sending the request to a server via the communications unit;

in response to sending the request to the server, receiving, from the server, an authorization grant of at least a portion of the funds that are associated with the user of the mobile device, wherein the authorization grant expires upon satisfaction of one or more predetermined criteria;

detecting, by an application executing on the mobile device, a trigger condition to initiate a cashless transaction with the automatic retail machine; and

in response to detecting the trigger condition and in accordance with a determination that the one or more predetermined criteria have not been satisfied, initiating the cashless transaction with the automatic retail machine by sending to the electronic payment device the authorization grant via the communications unit.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions which, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

determining a current mode of operation for the application executing on the mobile device with respect to cashless transactions at the automatic retail machine; and

selecting the trigger condition based on the determined mode of operation.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions which, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the automatic retail machine is a favorite automatic retail machine for the user of the mobile device, (i) determining that the current mode of operation is a hands-free mode of operation, and (ii) selecting a proximity-based trigger condition that does not require user input at the application executing on the mobile device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions which, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the automatic retail machine is not a favorite automatic retail machine for the user of the mobile device, (i) determining that the current mode of operation is a manual mode of operation, (ii) providing, in a user interface of the application executing on the mobile device, a visual representation of the automatic retail machine, and (iii) selecting a trigger condition that corresponds to a predefined gesture at the visual representation of the automatic retail machine within the user interface of the application executing on the mobile device.