Methods, devices and bank computers for consumers using communicators to wire funds to sellers and vending machines

• US 8,452,701 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wireless Commerce LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kavounas, Gregory T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai
• Application Number:
  US12/753,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 705 15- 45
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• 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 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

Methods for consumers to pay at the point of sale by using a personal communicator to wire transfer funds out of their bank account. The communicator is coupled to, and exchanges signals with a reciprocating communicator of the seller, which in turn is coupled to the seller'"'"'s bank. This way the money is transferred as an EFT payment code directly from the buyer'"'"'s bank to the seller'"'"'s bank, where it may be considered direct deposited, without processing delays. Devices also include vending machines that can receive payment this way. Bank computers are provided with systems and software for enabling the above. The bank computers are accessible by telephone lines, and work with cooperating banks by exchanging signals, for transferring the funds. The seller'"'"'s bank generates a payment confirmation code that is ultimately transmitted to the seller'"'"'s satisfaction for releasing the goods at the point of sale.

Claims

1. A coupler comprising:

a docking bay configured to receive a communications device, wherein the communications device has an established communication link to a particular financial institution;

a module configured to receive electronic data corresponding to a price from a point of sale device;

encoder circuitry coupled to the module, wherein the encoder is configured to receive the electronic data and to provide at least one first signal corresponding to the price to the communications device for transmission to the particular financial institution;

decoder circuitry coupled to the docking bay and to the module, wherein the decoder is configured to receive at least one second signal from the communications device corresponding to a payment confirmation of the price received by the communications device from the particular financial institution; and

wherein the module is further configured to receive at least one decoded second signal corresponding to the payment confirmation and to provide at least one third signal corresponding to the payment confirmation to the point of sale device.

2. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the encoder is further configured to provide at least one additional signal, wherein the at least one additional signal corresponds to an identification of a further financial institution for deposit of funds.

3. The coupler of claim 2, wherein the at least one additional signal further corresponds to an identification of a bank account at the further financial institution for the deposit of funds.

4. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the payment confirmation corresponds to a payment sent to a further financial institution from the particular financial institution.

5. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the at least one first signal and the at least one second signal comprise an audio signal, and wherein the coupler further comprises:

a microphone coupled to the docking bay and to the decoder, wherein the microphone is configured to receive the at least one second signal and to provide at least one electronic signal to the decoder in response to receiving the at least one second signal; and

a speaker coupled to the docking bay and to the encoder, wherein the speaker is configured to generate at least one audio signal corresponding to the at least one first signal and to provide the at least one audio signal to the communications device.

6. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the at least one first signal and the at least one second signal comprise at least one infrared signal, the decoder is further configured to decode infrared signals, and the encoder is further configured to encode infrared signals.

7. The coupler of claim 1, wherein the point of sale device is configured to release goods in response to receiving the at least one third signal.