TRANSACTION PROCESSING AND REMOTE ACTIVATION

• US 20170116595A1
• Filed: 01/03/2017
• Published: 04/27/2017
• 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 10,304,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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

An embodiment of the invention extends to a device (which may be considered an asset that is purchased or which provides a service that may be purchased) that can be controlled through the use of a mobile communications apparatus such as a cellular phone. The cellular phone is connected to a transaction processing system that allows a user to pay for the use of the device. The transaction processing system communicates with the device to allow usage of the device only if the user has successfully paid for such use. A further embodiment of the invention relates to collecting usage information of the device and collating this information at a location remote from the device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a device having a primary function other than facilitating communication;

an interface for operating the device; and

a transaction processing system comprising one or more programmed computer processors, wherein the transaction processing system 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,

wherein the one or more computer processors of the transaction processing system are programmed to;

charge for a determined amount of use of the device, wherein the amount charged for use of the device includes a portion allocated to a capital cost of the device;

in response to successful processing of a payment for the amount charged, configure the device so that it is usable to provide its primary function for the determined amount of use; and

after successful processing of payments such that the capital cost of the device has been paid, configure the device so that it is usable without further charges for the capital cost.

2. The system according to claim 1, 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.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is any one of a lamp, a radio, a kitchen appliance, a generator, or a vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transaction processing system is primarily configured to process transactions relating to use of the interface as a cellular phone.

5. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a processing module configured to calculate an amount of carbon offset based on the usage information.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is operable to provide its primary function independent of whether the device is connected to a mains electrical supply.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface is communicatively coupled to the device, and wherein the device is configured to:

receive an input via the interface requesting that the device provide its primary function; and

in response to receiving the input, wirelessly communicate with the transaction processing system and receive, from the transaction processing system, an instruction that is based on the outcome of a payment transaction.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interface is a user interface configured to receive input from a user local to the device.

9. A device communicatively connected to a remote transaction processing system, wherein the device has a primary function other than facilitating communication and comprises a dedicated power supply that is independent of a mains electrical supply, wherein the device has an operational state based on an outcome of a transaction processed by the remote transaction processing system, and wherein the remote transaction processing system processes the transaction via wireless communication with a separate mobile communications device,

wherein the remote transaction processing system is configured to:

charge for a determined amount of use of the device, wherein the amount charged for use of the device includes a portion allocated to a capital cost of the device;

in response to successful processing of a payment for the amount charged, configure the device so that it is usable to provide its primary function for the determined amount of use; and

after successful processing of payments such that the capital cost of the device has been paid, configure the device so that it is usable without further charges for the capital cost.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the operational state is one of functional or non-functional.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the device is configured so that the device provides its primary function only when the operational state is functional.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the transaction processed by the remote transaction processing system involves an attempted payment and the operational state of the device is set to be functional for a predetermined time in response to successful processing of the attempted payment.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined time is measured by a timer included in the device.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined time is measured by a timer remote from the device.

15. The device according to claim 9, further comprising an activation switch, wherein processing of the transaction by the remote transaction processing system is initiated by activation of the activation switch.

16. The device according to claim 9, wherein the dedicated power supply comprises a solar collector.

17. The device according to claim 9, wherein the dedicated power supply comprises an electro-voltaic cell.

18. The device according to claim 9, wherein the device is communicatively connected to the remote transaction processing system via a wireless connection.

19. The device according to claim 9, further comprising a usage monitor and a memory, wherein the usage monitor records usage information of the device in the memory.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the device is further configured to transmit the usage information to a memory remote from the device.

21. The device according to claim 9, further comprising a timer configured to record a time and/or duration of use of the device.

22. The device according to claim 9, 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 the separate mobile communications device.