Point of sale processing initiated by a single tap

• US 9,008,616 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wall, Jonathan, Behren, Rob von, Paya, Ismail Cem
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US13/315,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Point of sale processing of multiple options is possible with a single tap of a contactless device. The user taps the contactless device in the device reader'"'"'s radio frequency field. The device reader and the contactless device establish a secure communication channel. Once a secure communication channel is established, the device reader communicates the purchase to the contactless device. The contactless device presents value-added services available to the user. The contactless device communicates the user'"'"'s selected value-added service(s) to the device reader, and the reader communicates the purchase price of the transaction. The contactless device communicates payment options to the user and then communicates the user-selected payment options to the device reader. The device reader communicates a digital receipt to the contactless device, and the secure communication is terminated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for point of sale (POS) processing, the method comprising:

detecting, using one or more computing devices, proximity between a device for a contactless communication and a POS device using a near field communications (NFC) channel;

establishing, using the one or more computing devices, an non-NFC wireless communications channel between the detected proximate POS device and the device for contactless communication; and

communicating, using the one or more computing devices, at least one of purchase information and value-added services information between the POS device and the device for contactless communication at least in part via the established non-NFC wireless communications channel;

wherein both the NFC channel and the non-NFC wireless communications channel are actively communicating during a common period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the NFC channel is used to supplement the bandwidth provided by the non-NFC wireless communications channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the NFC channel is used to complete authentication during the common period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing comprises initiating, by the POS device, the non-NFC wireless communications channel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating comprises:

receiving, by the POS device, information regarding value-added services supported by the device for contactless communication, and

conducting a value-added service identified as supported by the device for contactless communication.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting at least one of a purchase and a value-added services at least in part via NFC.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a period for establishing the non-NFC wireless communications channel is limited by a timing protocol between the POS device and the device for contactless communication.

8. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-executable storage device having computer-readable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer perform a method for point of sale (POS) processing comprising;

detecting, using one or more computing devices, proximity between a device for a contactless communication and a POS device using a near field communications (NFC) channel;

establishing, using the one or more computing devices, an non-NFC wireless communications channel between the detected proximate POS device and the device for contactless communication; and

communicating, using the one or more computing devices, at least one of purchase information and value-added services information between the POS device and the device for contactless communication at least in part via the established non-NFC wireless communications channel;

wherein both the NFC channel and the non-NFC wireless communications channel are actively communicating during a common period of time.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the NFC channel is used to supplement the bandwidth provided by the non-NFC wireless communications channel.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the NFC channel is used to complete authentication during the common period of time.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein establishing comprises initiating, by the POS device, the non-NFC wireless communications channel.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein communicating comprises:

receiving, by the POS device, information regarding value-added services supported by the device for contactless communication, and

conducting a value-added service identified as supported by the device for contactless communication.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer-readable program instructions for conducting at least one of a purchase and a value-added services at least in part via NFC.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein a period for establishing the non-NFC wireless communications channel is limited by a timing protocol between the POS device and the device for contactless communication.

15. A system to conduct point of sale (POS) processing, the system comprising:

a storage resource;

a network module; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage resource and the network module, wherein the processor executes computer-readable instructions that are stored in the storage resource and that cause the system to;

detect proximity between a device for a contactless communication and a POS device using a near field communications (NFC) channel;

establish an non-NFC wireless communications channel between the detected proximate POS device and the device for contactless communication; and

communicate at least one of purchase information and value-added services information between the POS device and the device for contactless communication at least in part via the established non-NFC wireless communications channel;

wherein both the NFC channel and the non-NFC wireless communications channel are actively communicating during a common period of time.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the NFC channel is used to supplement the bandwidth provided by the non-NFC wireless communications channel.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the NFC channel is used to complete authentication during the common period of time.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein establishing comprises initiating, by the POS device, the non-NFC wireless communications channel.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein communicating comprises:

receiving, by the POS device, information regarding value-added services supported by the device for contactless communication, and

conducting a value-added service identified as supported by the device for contactless communication.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising computer-readable program instructions for conducting at least one of a purchase and a value-added services at least in part via NFC.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein a period for establishing the non-NFC wireless communications channel is limited by a timing protocol between the POS device and the device for contactless communication.