User profile and geolocation for efficient transactions

• US 8,255,284 B1
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• 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, Carr, Michael, Walsh, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALAVECINO, KATHLEEN GAGE
• Application Number:
  US13/371,099
• Time in Patent Office: 200 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 mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

a location sensor coupled to the one or more processors;

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

a transaction module coupled to the one or more processors, the transaction module configured to;

receive a selection of a merchant from a list of multiple merchants that conduct transactions with mobile devices;

receive a designation of a level of transaction verification for the merchant, the level of transaction verification comprising one of zero interaction, a single interaction, or multiple interactions;

receive a selection of at least a portion of the user information to share with the merchant;

initiate a transaction between the merchant and the mobile device when the mobile device is located within a threshold proximity of the merchant, a location of the mobile device determined at least in part by the location sensor and the transaction implemented at least in part by the portion of the user information and when the level of transaction verification designated for the merchant is received.

2. The mobile device as recited in claim 1, wherein the user information comprises payment information and the portion of the user information to share with the merchant comprises the payment information.

3. The mobile device as recited in claim 1, wherein the user information comprises preference information indicating a type of good or service a user of the mobile device prefers to purchase and the portion of the user information to share with the merchant comprises the preference information.

4. A computer-implemented method comprising:

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

receiving a selection of a merchant from multiple different merchants;

receiving a designation of a level of transaction verification for the merchant, the level of transaction verification comprising one of zero interaction, a single interaction, or multiple interactions;

receiving a selection of user information to share with the merchant; and

initiating, by the one or more computer systems, a transaction between the merchant and a mobile device linked to the user information when the mobile device is located within a threshold proximity of the merchant, the transaction verified according to the level of transaction verification designated for the merchant.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the selection of the merchant is performed on the mobile device.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the multiple different merchants comprise a list of merchants that conduct transactions with mobile devices.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the user information comprises payment information, a home location, a map of past movements of the mobile device, and/or a transaction history.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein initiating the transaction comprises following a predetermined default behavior when the mobile device is located within the threshold proximity of the merchant.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the predetermined default behavior expires after a period of time.

10. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising completing the transaction based at least in part on a single interaction between a user of the mobile device and the mobile device, the level of transaction verification indicating that the single interaction be used to complete the transaction.

11. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising completing the transaction with zero interaction between a user of the mobile device and the mobile device, the level of transaction verification indicating that zero interaction be used to complete the transaction.

12. 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:

receiving a selection of a merchant from multiple different merchants;

receiving a designation of a level of transaction verification for the merchant, the level of transaction verification comprising one of zero interaction, a single interaction, or multiple interactions;

receiving a selection of user information to share with the merchant; and

initiating a transaction between the merchant and a mobile device linked to the user information when the mobile device is located within a threshold proximity of the merchant, the transaction verified according to the level of transaction verification designated for the merchant.

13. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 12, wherein receiving the selection of a merchant from multiple different merchants is performed on a computing device different than the mobile device.

14. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 12, wherein the level of transaction verification corresponds to the designation of the merchant as a trusted merchant.

15. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 12, wherein when the merchant is designated as a trusted merchant the level of transaction verification for the merchant is zero interaction.

16. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 12, wherein the user information comprises payment information and/or preference information.

17. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 12, wherein initiating the transaction comprises following a predetermined default behavior when the mobile device is located within the threshold proximity of the merchant.

18. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 17, wherein the predetermined default behavior expires after a period of time.