User profile and geolocation for efficient transactions

• US 8,135,624 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramalingam, Harsha, Walsh, Paul J., Carr, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Will
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALAVECINO, KATHLEEN GAGE
• Application Number:
  US13/027,913
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/2295 Parent-child type, e.g. where parent has control on child rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 : based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 : User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 : based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 : based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 : Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 : Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 : Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 : Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 : wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 : according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 : by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 : Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 : Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Techniques for providing friction-free transactions using geolocation and user identifiers are described herein. These techniques may ascertain a user'"'"'s location based on a location of a mobile device. A transaction between the user and a merchant may be completed with zero or minimal input from the user based on the geolocation of the mobile device and the user identifiers. In some implementations, a transaction initiated earlier is completed when the mobile device arrives at the merchant. Additionally, a parent-child or similar relationship may be established between multiple devices. Security on the mobile device based may be provided by biometric identification and calculation of variance from regular movement patterns. Advertisements may be sent to the mobile device based on bids from merchants near to the mobile device. Promotions may be sent to the mobile device when more than a threshold number of mobile devices are located at the same merchant.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

detecting that a mobile device is present within a predetermined proximity of a merchant, the detecting performed by at least one of the mobile device, the merchant, or a network component;

determining, by the one or more computer systems, if the merchant is included in a list of trusted merchants created by a user of the mobile device;

responsive to determining that the merchant is included in the list of trusted merchants;

logging in to the merchant by providing a unique user identifier to the merchant;

sharing payment and preference information associated with the user of the mobile device with the merchant; and

automatically and without receiving an indication generated by user interaction with the mobile device, completing a purchase between the merchant and the user using the payment and preference information at least partly in response to detecting that the mobile device is present within the predetermined proximity of the merchant, wherein the purchase comprises a purchase of a good or service indicated in the preference information as paid for with the payment information.

2. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, instruct a computing device to perform acts comprising:

detecting that a mobile device of a user is present within a predetermined proximity of a merchant location;

determining if the user has designated the merchant as a trusted merchant;

when the merchant is a trusted merchant;

logging in to the merchant;

sharing payment and preference information about the user of the mobile device with the merchant; and

completing a purchase between the merchant and the user using the information about the user and at least partly in response to detecting that the mobile device is present within the predetermined proximity of the merchant location, wherein the purchase comprises a purchase of a good or service indicated in the preference information and paid for with the payment information.

3. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein the detecting is performed by at least one of the mobile device, the merchant, or a network component.

4. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein the detecting comprises receiving a broadcast from inside the merchant that identifies the merchant.

5. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein the detecting that the mobile device is present within the predetermined proximity of a merchant location further comprises detecting the mobile device within the predetermined proximity of the merchant location for at least a predetermined period of time before completing the purchase.

6. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein the predetermined proximity is based at least in part on a density of other merchants in the merchant location.

7. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein determining is based at least in part on a list of trusted merchants created by the user of the mobile device.

8. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein the logging in comprises providing a unique user identifier that is associated with the user and with the mobile device to the merchant.

9. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein the information about the user comprises payment information which includes at least one of credit card information, debit card information, bank account information, or electronic payment system information.

10. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein the merchant comprises a point-of-sale computer system.

11. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 10, wherein sharing the information about the user comprises communication between the mobile device and the point-of-sale computer system by displaying a code on the mobile device to a human operator or to a scanning device at the merchant.

12. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 10, wherein sharing the information about the user comprises providing a unique user identifier from the mobile device to the point-of-sale computer system to enable the point-of-sale computer system to retrieve the payment information associated with the unique user identifier from a server.

13. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein completing the purchase comprises automatically completing the purchase without the user interacting with the mobile device within the predetermined proximity of the merchant location.

14. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein completing the purchase comprises the user engaging in a single interaction with the mobile device, wherein the single interaction comprises the user pressing one key, button, or touch screen display of the mobile device.

15. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 2, wherein the information about the user of the mobile device comprises preference information and completing the purchase comprises purchasing a good or service indicated by the preference information at least partly in response to detecting that the mobile device is present within the predetermined proximity of the merchant location.

16. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory comprising;

a plurality of user profiles each associated with a respective user identifier and a respective mobile device;

a plurality of merchant profiles, each associated with a one or more geolocations; and

a transaction module configured to facilitate a transaction at the geolocation of a merchant between a user of a mobile device and the merchant when a geolocation of the mobile device is within a threshold distance of the geolocation of the merchant and a user profile of the user indicates that the merchant is a trusted merchant for the user, wherein trusted merchants are authorized to implement a default transaction with the user, the default transaction comprises purchasing a good or service identified by preference information associated with the user profile of the user by providing payment information associated with the user profile of the user to the merchant, wherein the payment and preference information are specified in advance by the user.

17. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the user profiles comprise user preferences, indications of which types of communications the user has selected to receive, and/or indications which types of transactions the user has selected to authorize.

18. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the transaction module is further configured to add the geolocation and a record of the transaction to a user profile associated with a user identifier of the user that participated in the transaction.

19. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the transaction module is further configured with application programming interfaces for exchanging information with both mobile devices and merchants.

20. The computing device as recited in claim 19, wherein the application programming interfaces translate communications between the mobile devices and the merchants.

21. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises a map of merchant locations based on the one or more geolocations stored in the plurality of merchant profiles.

22. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the threshold distance is determined at least in part by comparison of the geolocation of the mobile device with the map of merchant locations.

23. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises an authentication module configured to correlate, based in part on login information provided by the user of the mobile device, a user identifier with communications from the mobile device.

24. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

a location sensor coupled to the one or more processors;

a wireless network interface coupled to the one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory comprising;

a user identification module correlated with user information comprising payment information, preference information identifying a good or service desired by the user from a merchant, and trust levels for one or more merchants, the user information available on a network accessed by the wireless network interface; and

a transaction module configured to interpret data from the location sensor, to recognize when the mobile device is present within a predetermined proximity of a merchant of the one or more merchants, and, based at least in part on recognizing that the mobile device is present within the predetermined proximity of the merchant and in response to user interaction with the mobile device, an amount of the user interaction being based at least in part on the trust level for the merchant, facilitate a transaction with the merchant for the good or service identified in the preference information using the payment information.

25. The mobile device as recited in claim 24, wherein the mobile device comprises an electronic book reader device.

26. The mobile device as recited in claim 24, wherein the location sensor comprises a global positioning system receiver.

27. The mobile device as recited in claim 24, wherein the location sensor is configured to infer a location of the mobile device based on information provided by the wireless network interface.

28. The mobile device as recited in claim 24, wherein the transaction module authorizes a transaction with a merchant having a highest trust level automatically when the mobile device is within the predetermined proximity of the merchant and without further input from a user of the mobile device.

29. The mobile device as recited in claim 24, wherein the transaction module further comprises application programming interfaces configured to establish a standard communication protocol for transferring data between the mobile device and the merchant.

30. The mobile device as recited in claim 24, wherein the memory further comprises user information stored locally on the mobile device.

31. The mobile device as recited in claim 24, wherein the transaction module authorizes a transaction with a merchant having a medium trust level in response to a single interaction from the user of the mobile device when the mobile device is within the predetermined proximity of the merchant.

32. The mobile device as recited in claim 31, further comprising a microphone and wherein the single transaction comprises a voice command.

33. The mobile device as recited in claim 31, further comprising an accelerometer and wherein the single transaction comprises shaking the mobile device.

34. The mobile device as recited in claim 24, wherein the transaction module authorizes a transaction with a merchant having a lowest trust level in response to receiving login information from the user of the mobile device when the mobile device is within a predetermined proximity of the merchant.

35. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

a location sensor coupled to the one or more processors;

a wireless network interface coupled to the one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory comprising;

a user identification module correlated with user information comprising payment information, preference information identifying a good or service desired by the user from a merchant, and trust levels for one or more merchants, the user information available on a network accessed by the wireless network interface; and

a transaction module configured to interpret data from the location sensor, to recognize when the mobile device is present within a predetermined proximity of a merchant of the one or more merchants, and, based at least in part on recognizing that the mobile device is present within the predetermined proximity of the merchant, facilitate a transaction with the merchant for the good or service identified in the preference information using the payment information;

the transaction module authorizes a transaction with a merchant having a highest trust level automatically when the mobile device is within the predetermined proximity of the merchant and without direct interaction from a user of the mobile device at the location of the merchant;

the transaction module authorizes a transaction with a merchant having a medium trust level in response to a single interaction from the user of the mobile device when the mobile device is within the predetermined proximity of the merchant; and

the transaction module authorizes a transaction with a merchant having a lowest trust level in response to receiving login information from the user of the mobile device when the mobile device is within the predetermined proximity of the merchant.

36. The mobile device as recited in claim 35, wherein the mobile device comprises an electronic book reader.

37. The mobile device as recited in claim 35, wherein the location sensor comprises a global positioning system receiver.

38. The mobile device as recited in claim 35, wherein the location sensor is configured to infer a location of the mobile device based on information provided by the wireless network interface.

39. The mobile device as recited in claim 35, wherein the memory further comprises user information stored locally on the mobile device.

40. The mobile device as recited in claim 35, wherein the transaction module is further configured to facilitate a transaction with the merchant using the payment information in response to an amount of user interaction with the mobile device, the amount of user interaction decreasing as the trust level for the merchant increases.