Proximity purchase ringtones

• US 8,594,721 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Roberts, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US13/526,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20120258770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 705/20, 705/39, 705/17, 705/26
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• 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 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• 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 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC 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

Abstract

A method and wireless device for conduction transactions at a point-of-sale terminal using the wireless device is disclosed and may include initiating a transaction with the point-of-sale terminal via a wireless link, receiving at least one price from the point-of-sale terminal, determining whether the at least one price satisfies a price warning condition, and transmitting a signal if the at least one price satisfies the price warning condition.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a transaction at a point-of-sale terminal using a wireless device, comprising:

receiving at least one price from a point-of-sale terminal via a wireless link;

determining whether the at least one received price satisfies a price warning condition;

outputting a first signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition;

determining whether the transaction includes a plurality of items;

in response to determining that the transaction includes a plurality of items;

identifying one of the plurality of items associated with the at least one received price; and

requesting user input to determine whether to remove the identified item from the transaction in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition; and

outputting a second signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the at least one received price does not satisfy the price warning condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second signals are audible signals, and the first signal has a pitch that is different than a pitch of the second signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the first signal at the wireless device comprises outputting the first signal immediately upon determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the first signal at the wireless device comprises outputting the first signal at a time after determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one item description from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining a location of the wireless device; and

searching a database with the at least one received price, the at least one item description, the determined location, or a combination thereof to determine at least one comparative price,

wherein determining whether the at least one received price satisfies a price warning condition comprises comparing the at least one comparative price to the at least one received price to determine whether the at least one received price is greater than the at least one comparative price for the at least one item by a pre-defined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection of a coupon in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether the coupon is valid; and

outputting a third signal at the wireless device if the coupon is not valid.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the coupon to the point-of-sale terminal if the coupon is valid;

receiving a coupon acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether the coupon is accepted based on the coupon acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal; and

outputting a fourth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the coupon is not accepted by the point-of-sale terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a request for a total amount due to the point-of-sale terminal;

receiving a total amount due from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether the total amount due satisfies a total amount due warning condition; and

outputting a fifth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the total amount due satisfies the total amount due warning condition.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a payment selection to complete a transaction for the total amount due;

determining whether the payment selection includes a signal associated therewith; and

outputting a sixth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the payment selection includes a signal associated therewith.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether the payment selection is a debit account or a credit account.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether a debit account includes sufficient funds to pay for the transaction in response to determining that the payment selection is a debit account; and

outputting a seventh signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the debit account does not have sufficient funds to pay for the transaction.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether a debit account balance satisfies a debit account warning condition in response to determining that the payment selection is a debit account; and

outputting an eighth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the debit account balance satisfies the debit account warning condition.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether a credit account includes sufficient credit to pay for the transaction in response to determining that the payment selection is a credit account; and

outputting a ninth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the credit account does not have sufficient credit to pay for the transaction.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether a credit account balance satisfies a credit account warning condition in response to determining that the payment selection is a credit account; and

outputting a tenth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the credit account balance satisfies the credit account warning condition.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting payment information to the point-of-sale terminal;

receiving a payment acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether payment is approved based on the payment acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal; and

outputting an eleventh signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the payment is not approved.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

requesting a receipt from the point-of-sale terminal, if payment is approved;

receiving the receipt from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether a final total satisfies a final total warning condition; and

outputting a twelfth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the final total satisfies the final total warning condition.

18. A wireless device, comprising:

a memory;

a wireless network card;

a speaker; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wireless network card, and speaker, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving in a transaction at least one price from a point-of-sale terminal via a wireless link;

determining whether the at least one received price satisfies a price warning condition;

outputting a first signal in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition;

determining whether the transaction includes a plurality of items;

in response to determining that the transaction includes a plurality of items;

identifying one of the plurality of items associated with the at least one received price; and

requesting user input to determine whether to remove the identified item from the transaction in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition; and

outputting a second signal in response to determining that the at least one received price does not satisfy the price warning condition.

19. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that the first and second signals are audible signals, and the first signal has a pitch that is different than a pitch of the second signal.

20. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that outputting the first signal comprises outputting the first signal immediately upon determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

21. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that outputting the first signal comprises outputting the first signal at a time after determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

22. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving at least one item description from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining a location of a transaction; and

searching a database with the at least one received price, the at least one item description, the location, or a combination thereof to determine at least one comparative price,

wherein determining whether the at least one received price satisfies a price warning condition comprises comparing the at least one comparative price to the at least one received price to determine whether the at least one received price is greater than the at least one comparative price for the at least one item by a pre-defined threshold.

23. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising receiving a selection of a coupon in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

24. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the coupon is valid; and

outputting a third signal if the coupon is not valid.

25. The wireless device of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting the coupon to the point-of-sale terminal if the coupon is valid;

receiving a coupon acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether the coupon is accepted based on the coupon acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal; and

outputting a fourth signal in response to determining that the coupon is not accepted by the point-of-sale terminal.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting a request for a total amount due to the point-of-sale terminal;

receiving a total amount due from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether the total amount due satisfies a total amount due warning condition; and

outputting a fifth signal in response to determining that the total amount due satisfies the total amount due warning condition.

27. The wireless device of claim 26, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a payment selection to complete a transaction for the total amount due;

determining whether the payment selection includes a signal associated therewith; and

outputting a sixth signal in response to determining that the payment selection includes a signal associated therewith.

28. The wireless device of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising determining whether the payment selection is a debit account or a credit account.

29. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a debit account includes sufficient funds to pay for the transaction in response to determining that the payment selection is a debit account; and

outputting a seventh signal in response to determining that the debit account does not have sufficient funds to pay for the transaction.

30. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a debit account balance satisfies a debit account warning condition in response to determining that the payment selection is a debit account; and

outputting an eighth signal in response to determining that the debit account balance satisfies the debit account warning condition.

31. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a credit account includes sufficient credit to pay for the transaction in response to determining that the payment selection is a credit account; and

outputting a ninth signal in response to determining that the credit account does not have sufficient credit to pay for the transaction.

32. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a credit account balance satisfies a credit account warning condition in response to determining that the payment selection is a credit account; and

outputting a tenth signal in response to determining that the credit account balance satisfies the credit account warning condition.

33. The wireless device of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting payment information to the point-of-sale terminal;

receiving a payment acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether payment is approved based on the payment acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal; and

outputting an eleventh signal in response to determining that the payment is not approved.

34. The wireless device of claim 33, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

requesting a receipt from the point-of-sale terminal, if payment is approved;

receiving the receipt from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether a final total satisfies a final total warning condition; and

outputting a twelfth signal in response to determining that the final total satisfies the final total warning condition.

35. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein the wireless network card is a near-field communication (NFC) protocol device.

36. A wireless device, comprising:

means for receiving in a transaction at least one price from a point-of-sale terminal via a wireless link;

means for determining whether the at least one received price satisfies a price warning condition;

means for outputting a first signal in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition;

means for determining whether the transaction includes a plurality of items;

means for identifying one of the plurality of items associated with the at least one received price in response to determining that the transaction includes a plurality of items;

means for requesting user input to determine whether to remove the identified item from the transaction in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition; and

means for outputting a second signal in response to determining that the at least one received price does not satisfy the price warning condition.

37. The wireless device of claim 36, wherein:

means for outputting the first signal comprises means for outputting a first audible signal; and

means for outputting the second signal comprises means for outputting a second audible signal at a different pitch than the first audible signal.

38. The wireless device of claim 36, wherein:

means for outputting the first signal comprises means for outputting the first signal immediately upon determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

39. The wireless device of claim 36, wherein:

means for outputting the first signal comprises means for outputting the first signal at a time after determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

40. The wireless device of claim 36, further comprising:

means for receiving at least one item description from the point-of-sale terminal;

means for determining a location of the wireless device; and

means for searching a database with the at least one received price, the at least one item description, the determined location, or a combination thereof to determine at least one comparative price,

wherein means for determining whether the at least one received price satisfies a price warning condition comprises means for comparing the at least one comparative price to the at least one received price to determine whether the at least one received price is greater than the at least one comparative price for the at least one item by the pre-defined threshold.

41. The wireless device of claim 36, further comprising means for receiving a selection of a coupon in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

42. The wireless device of claim 41, further comprising:

means for determining whether the coupon is valid; and

means for outputting a third signal if the coupon is not valid.

43. The wireless device of claim 42, further comprising:

means for transmitting the coupon to the point-of-sale terminal if the coupon is valid;

means for receiving a coupon acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal;

means for determining whether the coupon is accepted based on the coupon acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal; and

means for outputting a fourth signal in response to determining that the coupon is not accepted by the point-of-sale terminal.

44. The wireless device of claim 43, further comprising:

means for transmitting a request for a total amount due to the point-of-sale terminal;

means for receiving a total amount due from the point-of-sale terminal;

means for determining whether the total amount due satisfies a total amount due warning condition; and

means for outputting a fifth signal in response to determining that the total amount due satisfies the total amount due warning condition.

45. The wireless device of claim 44, further comprising:

means for receiving a payment selection to complete a transaction for the total amount due;

means for determining whether the payment selection includes a signal associated therewith; and

means for outputting a sixth signal in response to determining that the payment selection includes a signal associated therewith.

46. The wireless device of claim 45, further comprising means for determining whether the payment selection is a debit account or a credit account.

47. The wireless device of claim 46, further comprising:

means for determining whether a debit account includes sufficient funds to pay for the transaction in response to determining that the payment selection is a debit account; and

means for outputting a seventh signal in response to determining that the debit account does not have sufficient funds to pay for the transaction.

48. The wireless device of claim 46, further comprising:

means for determining whether a debit account balance satisfies a debit account warning condition in response to determining that the payment selection is a debit account; and

means for outputting an eighth signal in response to determining that the debit account balance satisfies the debit account warning condition.

49. The wireless device of claim 46, further comprising:

means for determining whether a credit account includes sufficient credit to pay for the transaction in response to determining that the payment selection is a credit account; and

means for outputting a ninth signal in response to determining that the credit account does not have sufficient credit to pay for the transaction.

50. The wireless device of claim 46, further comprising:

means for determining whether a credit account balance satisfies a credit account warning condition in response to determining that the payment selection is a credit account; and

means for outputting a tenth signal in response to determining that the credit account balance satisfies the credit account warning condition.

51. The wireless device of claim 45, further comprising:

means for transmitting payment information to the point-of-sale terminal;

means for receiving a payment acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal;

means for determining whether payment is approved based on the payment acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal; and

means for outputting a eleventh signal in response to determining that the payment is not approved.

52. The wireless device of claim 51, further comprising:

means for requesting a receipt from the point-of-sale terminal, if payment is approved;

means for receiving the receipt from the point-of-sale terminal;

means for determining whether a final total satisfies a final total warning condition; and

means for outputting an twelfth signal in response to determining that the final total satisfies the final total warning condition.

53. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations in a transaction comprising:

receiving at least one price from a point-of-sale terminal via a wireless link;

determining whether the at least one received price satisfies a price warning condition;

outputting a first signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition;

determining whether the transaction includes a plurality of items;

in response to determining that the transaction includes a plurality of items;

identifying one of the plurality of items associated with the at least one received price; and

requesting user input to determine whether to remove the identified item from the transaction in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition; and

outputting a second signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the at least one received price does not satisfy the price warning condition.

54. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 53, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations such that the first and second signals are audible signals, and the first signal has a pitch that is different than a pitch of the second signal.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 53, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations such that outputting the first signal at the wireless device comprises outputting the first signal immediately upon determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

56. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 53, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations such that outputting the first signal at the wireless device comprises outputting the first signal at a time after determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

57. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 53, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

receiving at least one item description from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining a location of the wireless device; and

searching a database with the at least one received price, the at least one item description, the determined location, or a combination thereof to determine at least one comparative price,

wherein means for determining whether the at least one received price satisfies a price warning condition comprises means for comparing the at least one comparative price to the at least one received price sale to determine whether the at least one received price is greater than the at least one comparative price for the at least one item by a pre-defined threshold.

58. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 53, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a selection of a coupon in response to determining that the at least one received price satisfies the price warning condition.

59. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 58, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the coupon is valid; and

outputting a third signal at the wireless device if the coupon is not valid.

60. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 59, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting the coupon to the point-of-sale terminal if the coupon is valid;

receiving a coupon acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether the coupon is accepted based on the coupon acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal; and

outputting a fourth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the coupon is not accepted by the point-of-sale terminal.

61. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 60, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting a request for a total amount due to the point-of-sale terminal;

receiving a total amount due from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether the total amount due satisfies a total amount due warning condition; and

outputting a fifth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the total amount due satisfies the total amount due warning condition.

62. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 61, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a payment selection to complete a transaction for the total amount due;

determining whether the payment selection includes a signal associated therewith; and

outputting a sixth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the payment selection includes a signal associated therewith.

63. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 62, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising determining whether the payment selection is a debit account or a credit account.

64. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 63, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a debit account includes sufficient funds to pay for the transaction in response to determining that the payment selection is a debit account; and

outputting a seventh signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the debit account does not have sufficient funds to pay for the transaction.

65. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 63, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a debit account balance satisfies a debit account warning condition in response to determining that the payment selection is a debit account; and

outputting an eighth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the debit account balance satisfies the debit account warning condition.

66. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 63, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a credit account includes sufficient credit to pay for the transaction in response to determining that the payment selection is a credit account; and

outputting a ninth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the credit account does not have sufficient credit to pay for the transaction.

67. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 63, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether a credit account balance satisfies a credit account warning condition in response to determining that the payment selection is a credit account; and

outputting a tenth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the credit account balance satisfies the credit account warning condition.

68. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 62, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting payment information to the point-of-sale terminal;

receiving a payment acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether payment is approved based on the payment acknowledgement from the point-of-sale terminal; and

outputting an eleventh signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the payment is not approved.

69. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 68, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a wireless device to perform operations further comprising:

requesting a receipt from the point-of-sale terminal, if payment is approved;

receiving the receipt from the point-of-sale terminal;

determining whether a final total satisfies a final total warning condition; and

outputting a twelfth signal at the wireless device in response to determining that the final total satisfies the final total warning condition.