WIRELESS PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS IN A VEHICLE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20170293910A1
• Filed: 04/06/2016
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: TINSKEY, Michael Robert, SENESKI, Michael, WALTER, Brian, EATON, Robert P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,896,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking

Abstract

A wireless transaction request may be received by a vehicle from a retailer. The vehicle may validate that the vehicle is located in proximity to the retailer and may receive confirmation of the request from a vehicle occupant. The vehicle may also initiate a payment for the transaction with a server, responsive to the confirmation of the request and validation of the vehicle location. Communications between the vehicle and the retailer may be performed using Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC). The identity of the vehicle occupant may be confirmed using biometric sensors. The payment transaction may be performed using the Automated Clearing House (ACH) electronic network to avoid credit card interchange fees.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an embedded modem for communication with a wallet server;

a wireless transceiver for communication with a retailer; and

a processor programmed to

receive a wireless transaction request from the retailer,

validate the vehicle is located in proximity to the retailer,

receive confirmation of the request from a vehicle occupant, and

initiate a payment for the transaction with the server, responsive to the confirmation of the request and validation of the vehicle location.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the retailer via Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC).

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the retailer is one or more of a toll road, a drive-through restaurant, a refueling station, or a parking facility.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein to receive confirmation of the request from the vehicle occupant includes to:

receive biometric data from a biometric sensor;

compare the received biometric data with stored biometric data of the occupant maintained by the vehicle; and

determine whether the occupant is a match to an authorized user responsive to the comparison.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the biometric sensor includes one or more of a fingerprint sensor, a retina scanner, or a voice-print recognizer.

6. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the biometric sensor is keyed to the processor.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein to validate that the vehicle is located in proximity to the retailer includes to:

receive location data from a global navigation satellite system receiver;

determine a location of the retailer; and

confirm that the vehicle is located within a predefined threshold distance to the retailer.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wallet server, a payment transaction for a purchase by an occupant of a vehicle at a retailer, the transaction being initiated via Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) between the vehicle and the retailer;

performing a first transaction to debit the occupant;

performing a second transaction to credit the retailer; and

updating the account of the occupant based on the transaction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first transaction and the second transaction are performed using the Automated Clearing House (ACH) electronic network.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising batching a plurality of transactions of the vehicle occupant over a batch time period into a single transaction, such that a single transaction is made for the vehicle occupant as a sum of payment amounts of the plurality of transactions during the batch time period.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the batch time period is daily.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising batching a plurality of transactions of the retailer over a batch time period into a single transaction, such that a single transaction is made for the retailer as a sum of payment amounts of the plurality of transactions during the batch time period.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the batch time period is daily.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein updating an account of the occupant based on the transaction includes incrementing a point balance of the occupant by a point value computed as a predefined number of basis points of the total transaction amount.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a vehicle, are configured to cause the processor to

receive a wireless transaction request from a retailer over a Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) channel;

validate that the vehicle is located in proximity to the retailer according to global navigation satellite system (GNSS) location data and an identified location of the retailer;

receive confirmation of the request from a vehicle occupant by confirming at least one biometric of the occupant; and

initiate payment for the transaction performed using the Automated Clearing House (ACH) electronic network with a remote server, responsive to the confirmation of the request and validation of the vehicle location.