Bidirectional audio communication in reader devices

• US 8,931,699 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2014
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Wade, Jeremy, Templeton, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US14/231,598
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 235/449, 235/439, 235/435
• US Class Current: 235/449
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• 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 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure provide a card reader for receiving payment card information at a mobile point-of-sale terminal. In some implementations, a reader of the subject technology can include a memory, a conditioning module and a 3.5 mm audio plug including an audio bus that is configured for insertion into a headphone port of a host device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer. Implementations of the subject technology also include a microprocessor configured to perform operations for receiving a training sequence for use in determining communication parameters associated with a mobile device, and in response to the training sequence, transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the mobile device, via the audio bus, to indicate that a communicative coupling with the mobile device has been successfully established.

Claims

1. A card reader comprising:

a memory;

a read module configured to read payment information from a financial payment card;

an audio plug comprising a right audio channel, a left audio channel, and a microphone channel, the audio plug configured to communicatively and mechanically couple the card reader to a mobile device;

a processor coupled to the read module and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to send information to, and receive information from, the mobile device;

a conditioning module coupled to the right audio channel and the left audio channel, the conditioning module configured for standardizing voltage levels of incoming analog signals received at the conditioning module from the mobile device based on a training sequence received from the mobile device, wherein the training sequence comprises a predetermined AC waveform; and

an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the processor wherein the ADC is configured for receiving audio signals from the mobile device and converting the audio signals into digital signals for transmission to the processor, and a digital to analog converter (DAC), wherein the DAC is configured for receiving digital signals from the processor and converting the digital signals into audio signals for transmission to the mobile device.

2. The card reader of claim 1, wherein the ADC is further configured to receive a clock signal on at least one of the right audio channel and the left audio channel.

3. The card reader of claim 1, further comprising a converter coupled to the audio plug, wherein the converter comprises the ADC and the DAC and wherein the converter is configured to demodulate the audio signals received from the mobile device based on differences in signaling between the right audio channel and the left audio channel.

4. The card reader of claim 1, wherein the audio signals received from the mobile device comprise data modulated with music.

5. A reader for receiving payment card information at a mobile point-of-sale terminal, the reader comprising:

a memory;

a conditioning module configured for standardizing voltage levels of incoming analog signals received at the conditioning module from a mobile device for use in receiving communications from the mobile device;

an audio plug comprising an audio bus, wherein the audio plug is configured for insertion into a headphone port of the mobile device to provide communicative coupling between the reader and the mobile device; and

a microprocessor coupled to the memory, the conditioning module and the audio bus, wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from the mobile device via the audio bus, a training sequence for use in determining communication parameters associated with the mobile device, the training sequence comprising a predetermined AC waveform;

setting a voltage bias of the conditioning module based on the training sequence, wherein the voltage bias is to be used to standardize voltage levels for analog signaling received at the conditioning module from the mobile device; and

in response to the training sequence, transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the mobile device, via the audio bus, to indicate that a communicative coupling with the mobile device has been successfully established.

6. The reader of claim 5, wherein the audio bus comprises:

a left audio channel and a right audio channel, and

wherein the training sequence is received via one or more of the left audio channel and the right audio channel.

7. The reader of claim 5, wherein the audio bus comprises a microphone channel, and wherein the acknowledgement signal is transmitted to the mobile device via the microphone channel.

8. The reader of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to perform operations comprising:

providing a reference signal to the conditioning module via a digital to analog converter, wherein the reference signal provides a voltage indication for signaling received from the mobile device.

9. The reader of claim 8, wherein the conditioning module is configured to clamp the signaling received from the mobile device to a predetermined voltage level.

10. The reader of claim 5, wherein the acknowledgement signal comprises whitened data for transmission over an AC coupling.

11. The reader of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is coupled to the conditioning module via an analog to digital converter.

12. The reader of claim 5, further comprising:

a read head coupled to the microprocessor and configured to decode data on a magnetic stripe, and wherein the microprocessor is further configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving payment information from the read head;

transmitting the payment information to the mobile device, via the audio bus; and

receiving a transmission confirmation from the mobile device indicating that the payment information was successfully received.

13. A method for facilitating a financial transaction using a reader, the method comprising:

receiving a training sequence from a mobile device via an audio bus, wherein the training sequence comprises a predetermined AC waveform;

selecting a voltage bias of a conditioning module of the reader based on the training sequence, wherein the voltage bias is used to standardize analog signaling received from the mobile device; and

in response to the training sequence, transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the mobile device via the audio bus, the acknowledgement signal indicating that a communicative coupling between the reader and the mobile device is established.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the audio bus is a 3.5 mm audio bus and comprises:

a left audio channel and a right audio channel, and

wherein the training sequence is received via one or more of the left audio channel and the right audio channel.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the audio bus comprises a microphone channel, and wherein the acknowledgement signal is transmitted to the mobile device via the microphone channel.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a reference signal to the conditioning module via a digital to analog converter, wherein the reference signal provides a voltage indication for the analog signaling received from the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the acknowledgement signal comprises whitened data.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving payment information from a read head configured to decode data on a magnetic stripe;

transmitting the payment information to the mobile device, via the audio bus; and

receiving a transmission confirmation from the mobile device indicating that the payment information was successfully received.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a training sequence from a mobile device via an audio bus, wherein the training sequence is an analog signal comprising a predetermined waveform, and wherein the training sequence is used for configuring communication parameters of a mobile card reader to facilitate receipt of analog signaling from the mobile device;

selecting a voltage bias of a conditioning module of the mobile card reader based on the training sequence, wherein the voltage bias is used to standardize analog signaling received from the mobile device; and

in response to the training sequence, transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the mobile device via the audio bus, the acknowledgement signal indicating that a coupling between the reader and the mobile device is established.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the audio bus comprises a 3.5 mm audio jack.