System and method for managing wireless point-of-sale transactions

• US 8,616,448 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Esplin, David Benjamin, Esplin, Jill Andrews
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US12/983,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/380, 235/472.01, 235/381, 235/379, 235/472.02, 235/487, 705 64- 67, 705/16, 705/39
• US Class Current: 235/383
• 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 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3221 Access to banking information through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• 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 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A system that enables a wireless point-of-sale transaction. In one embodiment the system comprises an account module, an account selection module, a display, an input interface, and a wireless transmitter. The account module stores account information corresponding to a plurality of payment accounts. The account selection module selects a payment account from the plurality of payment accounts as a default payment account for a wireless point-of-sale transaction based on one or more predetermined criteria. The display displays the default payment account to a user. The input interface enables the user to accept the default payment account by the account selection module. The wireless transmitter that wirelessly transmits payment information to a point-of-sale device, wherein the payment information comprises account information associated with the default account when the default payment account is accepted via the input interface.

Claims

1. A wireless device configured to manage purchase information related to a point-of-sale transaction for goods and/or services, the device comprising:

a transmitter/receiver configured to receive a wireless transmission of a record of a point-of-sale transaction that includes information related to the price of the point-of-sale transaction, wherein the wireless transmission is received temporally at or near a time at which the point-of-sale transaction has been completed;

a user interface; and

one or more processors configured (i) to present to a user via the user interface information received in the record of the point-of-sale transaction, (ii) to receive, from the user via the user interface, a first classification of the point-of-sale transaction and a second classification of the point-of-sale transaction, and, responsive to reception of the first classification and the second classification for the point-of-sale transaction, (iii) to generate instructions that cause a first portion of the price to be associated with the first classification and a second portion of the price to be associated with the second classification.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to present a view to the user via the user interface that conveys an overall amount of spending on goods and/or services in the first classification that includes the first portion of the price.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the view presented to the user conveys the amount of spending on goods and/or services within the first classification within a predetermined amount of time.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the view presented to the user conveys the amount of spending on goods and/or services within the first classification in comparison to a previously determined spending threshold.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to present to the user via the user interface, prior to reception of the classification, a preliminary classification of some or all of the price of the point-of-sale transaction, wherein the preliminary classification has been made without direct user input based on information included in the received record of the point-of-sale transaction, and wherein such presentation facilitates a choice by the user between (i) an approval of the preliminary classification by the user, and (ii) a selection of a classification by the user of another classification for the point-of-sale transaction.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to facilitate reception of the first classification and/or the second classification of the point-of-sale transaction by presenting to the user via the user interface selectable indicia representing a predetermined list of classifications.

7. A wireless client device configured to manage purchase information related to a point-of-sale transaction for goods and/or services, the device comprising:

a transmitter/receiver configured to receive a wireless transmission of a record of a point-of-sale transaction that includes information related to the price of the point-of-sale transaction, wherein the wireless transmission is received temporally at or near a time at which the point-of-sale transaction has been completed;

a user interface; and

one or more processors configured (i) to present to a user via the user interface information received in the record of the point-of-sale transaction, (ii) to request, from the user via the user interface, a classification of the point-of-sale transaction, (iii) to receive from the user via the user interface a request to review classification of the point-of-sale transaction at a later time, and (iv) to tag the point-of-sale transaction for later review by the user based on the request to review classification at a later time,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured (v) to receive, some time after the tagged point-of-sale transaction has been tamed, a request from the user via the user interface to review the tamed point-of-sale transaction, (vi) to receive, from the user via the user interface, a classification of the tamed point-of-sale transaction upon review, and (vii) to present a view to the user via the user interface that conveys an overall amount of spending on goods and/or services in the selected classification that includes the price of the tagged point-of-sale transaction.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that responsive to reception of the request to review the tagged point-of-sale transaction, a view is presented to the user via the user interface that facilitates review of a plurality of previous point-of-sale transactions that have been tagged for later review.

9. A computer-implemented method of conducting a point-of-sale transaction between a brick-and-mortar merchant and a customer physically present at a facility associated with the brick-and-mortar merchant, the method being implemented by a computer system comprising one or more physical processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

initializing the point-of-sale transaction through wireless communication with a wireless client device associated with the customer, wherein such initializing includes receiving wireless communication from the wireless client device with information that facilitates identification of a customer clearinghouse account associated with the customer at a clearinghouse service;

subsequent to the initializing, receiving a transfer request that funds be transferred from the customer clearinghouse account to a merchant clearinghouse account associated with the merchant as payment to the merchant for the point-of-sale transaction, the transfer request comprising a transaction amount for the point-of-sale transaction, and merchant clearinghouse identification information that facilitates identification of the clearinghouse account associated with the merchant;

responsive to reception of the transfer request, placing funds corresponding to the transaction amount in the clearinghouse account associated with the merchant;

transmitting wirelessly to the wireless client device information representing the transaction for display to the customer on the wireless client device, such information including the transaction amount and indicating the identity of the merchant, such information further facilitating selection by the customer of a payment account from among a plurality of payment accounts associated with the which funds should be obtained in the transaction amount by the clearinghouse;

receiving, via wireless communication from the wireless client device, a selection by the customer of a payment account for the point-of-sale transaction; and

responsive to reception of the selection by the customer, debiting funds corresponding to the transaction amount from the payment account selected by the customer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting to the wireless client device a transfer confirmation of the requested transfer of funds.