System and method for linking point of sale devices within a virtual network

• US 8,694,435 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Bishop, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Coppola, Jacob C.
• Application Number:
  US11/164,199
• Time in Patent Office: 3,067 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 79, 705/21, 705/64
• US Class Current: 705/64
• 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 20/40 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 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A system and method for interconnecting multiple point of sale devices creating a mesh-like network structure which reduces connectivity costs while providing greater reliability due to multiple network paths is disclosed. By linking point of sale devices within a virtual network, the need for individual connections to a point of sale controller is eliminated and alternative network paths are provided, thereby ensuring maximum up-time and optimal connection speeds.

Claims

1. A system programmed to facilitate processing transactional data by linking of point of sale (POS) devices together into a redundant virtual network, said system including:

a first POS merchant device located at a first point of sale which interfaces with a first cash register, said first POS device having a first wireless connection with a second POS merchant device, said first POS merchant device storing a routing table specifying said second POS merchant device, said first POS merchant device having a second wireless connection with a third POS merchant device;

wherein said second POS merchant device is located at a second point of sale which interfaces with a second cash register, said second POS merchant device having a direct wireline connection to a controller specified in said routing table or being included in a first route between said first POS merchant device and said controller specified in said routing table, wherein said first route is shorter than a second route between said first POS merchant device and said controller, said second route including said third POS merchant device;

said first POS merchant device is programmed to process said transactional data, wherein said transaction data includes payment information, wherein said first POS merchant device comprises an encryption module programmed to create encrypted transactional data, wherein said first POS merchant device is programmed to transmit said encrypted transactional data with a signed token over said first wireless connection to said second POS merchant device instead of said third POS merchant device based on said routing table; and

wherein said second POS merchant device is programmed to receive said encrypted transactional data from said first POS merchant device,

wherein said second POS merchant device comprises an authentication circuit programmed to authenticate said signed token, thereby authenticating said first POS merchant device, and allow a relay of said encrypted transactional data to said controller in response to said first POS merchant device being authenticated, and

wherein said controller is programmed to receive said relayed encrypted transactional data directly or indirectly from said second POS merchant device, decrypt said relayed encrypted transactional data, determine an acquirer network for said relayed transactional data, and transmit said relayed transactional data to said acquirer network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS merchant device is programmed to periodically broadcast a message comprising POS device information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said signed token is used to at least one of identify and authenticate said transactional data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS merchant device is programmed to store routing information within a memory structure.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS merchant device is programmed to store routing information relating to a preferred fourth merchant POS device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said transactional data includes an authorization request.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS merchant device is configured to communicate directly with said second POS merchant device through at least one of a wireless and wireline connection.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said second POS merchant device is configured to receive said transactional data from said first POS merchant device via a fourth POS merchant device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said second POS merchant device is configured to receive said transactional data from said first POS merchant device via multiple POS devices.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first POS merchant device is configured to communicate with said second POS merchant device via multiple POS devices.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said second POS merchant device includes a router.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said acquirer network includes at least one of an acquirer, issuer and merchant.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said signed token may include at least one of:

a merchant number, a POS number, or an acquirer number.