Method and system for using machine-readable codes to perform a transaction

• US 8,381,969 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Kevin C., Doane, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US13/096,812
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/383, 235/375, 705/16, 705/17, 705/21, 705/24, 705 261- 269, 705 271- 272
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification

Abstract

A system and associated processes for consolidating and replacing various forms of payment (e.g. credit cards, debit cards, and cash) with a single payment system is presented. A client system can read a machine-readable code generated by a merchant system associated with a merchant, or other product or service provider, and present the information encoded by the machine-readable code to a customer. Upon receiving confirmation that the customer desires to proceed with the transaction, the client system can initiate payment by contacting a payment system associated with the customer. This payment system can then transfer payment to the merchant by, for example, transferring cash from the customer'"'"'s account or using credit associated with the customer'"'"'s account. Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure enable a customer to complete a transaction without using, for example, cash, a credit card, or a debit card.

Claims

1. A method of performing a transaction, the method comprising:

by a computer system comprising one or more processors;

accessing a machine-readable code associated with a transaction, wherein the machine-readable code comprises transaction details associated with the transaction;

translating the transaction details into a human-readable format to obtain translated transaction details;

presenting the translated transaction details to a customer user; and

in response to receiving an acceptance response from the customer user;

initiating payment to a merchant user; and

accessing a second machine-readable code associated with a completed transaction, wherein the machine-readable code comprises transaction details associated with the completed transaction and wherein the completed transaction is based at least in part on the transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating payment further comprises selecting a third-party payment system from one or more third-party payment systems to complete the transaction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein initiating payment further comprises providing at least a subset of the transaction details to the third-party payment system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating payment further comprises receiving a selection of a third-party payment system from the customer user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein initiating payment further comprises providing at least a subset of the transaction details to the third-party payment system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the machine-readable code further comprises scanning the machine-readable code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the machine-readable code further comprises accessing the machine-readable code over a network.

8. A system for performing a transaction, the system comprising:

a client transaction processor system comprising computer hardware, the client transaction processor system configured to;

access a machine-readable code associated with a transaction, wherein the machine-readable code comprises transaction details associated with the transaction;

translate the transaction details into a human-readable format to obtain translated transaction details;

cause the translated transaction details to be presented to a customer user; and

in response to receiving an acceptance response from the customer user, the client transaction processor is configured;

to initiate payment to a merchant user; and

access a second machine-readable code associated with a completed transaction, wherein the machine-readable code comprises transaction details associated with the completed transaction and wherein the completed transaction is based at least in part on the transaction.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the client transaction processor system is further configured to select a third-party payment system from one or more third-party payment systems.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the client transaction processor is further configured to use the third-party payment system to initiate payment to the merchant user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the client transaction processor is further configured to provide at least a subset of the transaction details to the third-party payment system.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the client transaction processor system is further configured to receive a selection of a third-party payment system from the customer user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the client transaction processor is further configured to use the third-party payment system to initiate payment to the merchant user.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the client transaction processor is further configured to provide at least a subset of the transaction details to the third-party payment system.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the client transaction processor is further configured to access the machine-readable code using an optical scanner.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the client transaction processor is further configured to access the machine-readable code over a network.

17. A method of performing a transaction, the method comprising:

receiving transaction details associated with a transaction;

generating a machine-readable code associated with at least a subset of the transaction details;

providing the machine-readable code to a customer computer system;

in response to providing the machine-readable code, receiving payment confirmation information associated with a third-party payment system, wherein at least the generating is performed by a computer system comprising one or more processors; and

in response to determining that the third-party payment system is a trusted third-party payment system, generating a second machine-readable code comprising completed transaction details.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing the second machine-readable code to the customer computer system.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the second machine-readable code from the customer computer system; and

in response to receiving the second machine-readable code;

accessing the completed transaction details;

identifying the third-party payment system associated with the completed transaction details; and

initiating a payment refund using the third-party payment system.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the payment confirmation information from the third-party payment system.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the payment confirmation information includes a signature associated with the third-party payment system and wherein the method further comprises verifying the signature.

22. A system for performing a transaction, the system comprising:

a merchant transaction processor system comprising computer hardware, the merchant transaction processor system configured to;

receive transaction details associated with a transaction;

generate a machine-readable code associated with at least a subset of the transaction details;

provide the machine-readable code to a customer computer system;

in response to providing the machine-readable code, receive payment confirmation information associated with a third-party payment system; and

in response to determining that the third-party payment system is a trusted third-party payment system, generate a second machine-readable code comprising completed transaction details.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the merchant transaction processor system is further configured to provide the second machine-readable code to the customer computer system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the merchant transaction processor system is further configured to:

receive the second machine-readable code from the customer computer system; and

in response to receiving the second machine-readable code, the merchant transaction processor system is further configured to;

access the completed transaction details;

identify the third-party payment system associated with the completed transaction details; and

initiate a payment refund using the third-party payment system.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the merchant transaction processor system is further configured to receive the payment confirmation information from the third-party payment system.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the payment confirmation information includes a signature associated with the third-party payment system and wherein the merchant transaction processor system is further configured to verify the signature.