Portable computerized wireless apparatus

• US 9,033,226 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West View Research LLC
• Original Assignee: West View Research LLC
• Inventors: Gazdzinski, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US13/761,077
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/383, 705/14.64
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/025 for measuring physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/06 using voice
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10425 the interrogation device being arranged for interrogation of record carriers passing by the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• 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 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00193 : Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00314 : Communication within apparatus, personal computer [PC] system, or server, e.g. between printhead and central unit in a franking machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00225 : Vending machine or POS (Point Of Sale) apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00322 : Communication between components/modules/parts, e.g. printer, printhead, keyboard, conveyor or central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 : for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/10 : for means for safe-keeping of property, left temporarily, e.g. by fastening the property
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 : the containers being a postal pick-up locker
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 : the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 : the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A mobile user apparatus useful for conducting payment transactions wirelessly, such as at point-of-sale locations. In one embodiment, the mobile user apparatus is a cellular-enabled mobile device that includes a short-range radio frequency device, that produces a transmission to a point of sale apparatus, including information relating to an account of the user of the mobile apparatus that is to be charged for the payment. In one variant, the mobile apparatus includes a GPS-based apparatus configured to generate location-related data and use this data as part of the transaction.

Claims

1. A mobile apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

memory in data communication with said processor;

a wireless network interface;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to generate information related to a current location of said mobile apparatus;

a software process operative to run on said processor, said process comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, communicate the information related to the current location with a user-accessible apparatus via the wireless network interface so as to enable completion of a transaction; and

a bar-code apparatus disposed on the mobile apparatus, the bar-code apparatus disposed so as to permit scanning thereof by a reader associated with the user-accessible apparatus, the scanning enabling access to user-specific information.

2. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bar code apparatus comprises a bar code apparatus configured to be applied by a user after the manufacture of the mobile apparatus.

3. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user-accessible apparatus comprises a point-of-sale apparatus, and the transaction comprises a purchase of goods or services by a user.

4. The mobile apparatus of claim 3, wherein the current location of said mobile apparatus also comprises the location of the point-of-sale apparatus.

5. The mobile apparatus of claim 3, wherein the mobile apparatus is further configured to wirelessly transmit user-specific data relating to a payment source of the user, the user-specific data facilitating completion of the transaction.

6. The mobile apparatus of claim 3, wherein the point of sale apparatus is further configured to utilize biometric data of the user in order to authenticate the user for performing the transaction.

7. The mobile apparatus of claim 6, wherein the biometric data of the user in order to authenticate the user for performing the transaction comprises a digital image of a face of the user.

8. The mobile apparatus of claim 7, wherein the point-of-sale apparatus is further configured to access a secure pre-existing financial account of the user for payment for the transaction.

9. The mobile apparatus of claim 3, wherein the transaction relates to shipping an item from one location to another.

10. The mobile apparatus of claim 3, wherein the transaction relates to download of digital music or at least one MP3.

11. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless network interface comprises an interface compliant with an IEEE 802.11 Standard, and the mobile apparatus further comprises a Bluetooth interface.

12. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile apparatus further comprises at least one software-based window or applet configured to be initiated by the user-accessible apparatus during the transaction.

13. The mobile apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one software-based window or applet comprises a user name and/or password entry feature.

14. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a touch screen interface configured to display at least one soft function key, said at least one soft function key configured to enable said communication of said information related to the current location without further user intervention.

15. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an radio-frequency identification (RFID) protocol-compliant wireless interface configured to transmit user-specific data relating to a payment source of a user, the user-specific data facilitating completion of the transaction.

16. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a short-range radio frequency device;

wherein the mobile apparatus is configured to be encoded with payment source information specific to a pre-existing payment account of a user of the mobile apparatus, the payment source information allowing the user to use the mobile apparatus to wirelessly pay for at least one of goods or services by placing the mobile apparatus in proximity to an interrogation or reader apparatus at the user-accessible apparatus;

wherein the short range radio frequency device and payment source information obviates the user from having to carry at least one other currency or payment source on their person; and

wherein the short range radio frequency device comprises an integrated circuit disposed in the mobile apparatus at time of manufacture of the mobile apparatus.

17. The mobile apparatus of claim 16, wherein the encoding with payment source information comprises encoding of the mobile apparatus by a third party or the user after manufacture of the mobile apparatus.

18. The mobile apparatus of claim 16, wherein the payment source information comprises information related to a credit card account of the user, the mobile apparatus configured to store the information related to the credit card account of the user in a secure data repository that restricts access to only one or more authorized persons, the access subject to receiving user-specific authentication information from the user, the authentication information being useful to authorize wireless payment for the transaction.

19. The mobile apparatus of claim 16, wherein the mobile apparatus comprises at least one commerce transaction related application computer program configured to run thereon, the at least one application having been downloaded to the mobile apparatus via a network after manufacture of the mobile apparatus.

20. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one Java-based application computer program operative to run on the mobile apparatus, the at least one application computer program having a commerce transaction-based theme, the at least one application comprising an applet or window that can be instantiated to permit a user to enter at least one of a user name or password.

21. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, further comprising payment source information associated with a pre-paid account and stored on the mobile apparatus, a user having previously financially compensated an issuer of the pre-paid account before performing the transaction using the mobile apparatus.

22. Smartphone apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

memory in data communication with said processor;

a cellular wireless interface;

a Bluetooth-enabled wireless interface;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to generate information related to a current location of said smartphone apparatus;

a short-range wireless radio-frequency identification (RFID) compliant interface; and

a software process operative to run on said processor, said process comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, communicate data with a point-of-sale apparatus via at least one of the WLAN or short-range interfaces so as to enable completion of a purchase or sale transaction;

wherein the data comprises the information related to the current location of said smartphone apparatus.

23. The smartphone apparatus of claim 22, wherein the current location of said smartphone apparatus also comprises a location of the point-of-sale apparatus.

24. The smartphone apparatus of claim 22, wherein the smartphone apparatus is further configured to wirelessly transmit user-specific data relating to a payment source of a user via the short-range interface, the user-specific data facilitating completion of the transaction.

25. Mobile apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

memory in data communication with said processor;

a cellular wireless interface;

a Bluetooth-enabled wireless interface;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to generate data related to a current location of said mobile apparatus;

a short-range wireless interface;

a first software process operative to run on said processor, said process comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, communicate the data related to a current location of said mobile apparatus with a point-of-sale apparatus via at least one of the WLAN, Bluetooth, or short-range interfaces; and

a second software process operative to, when executed, communicate data relating to a payment source of a user of the mobile apparatus with the point-of-sale apparatus via the short-range interface;

wherein the data related to a current location of said mobile apparatus and said data related to the payment source are requisite for completion of a purchase or sale transaction by the user.

26. The mobile apparatus of claim 25, wherein the short-range wireless interface comprises a passive interface configured to utilize electromagnetic energy incident thereon to generate a reply, the reply comprising data relating to the payment source.

27. A mobile apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

memory in data communication with said processor;

a wireless network interface;

a short-range wireless interface compliant with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) protocol;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to generate information related to a current location of said mobile apparatus; and

a software process operative to run on said processor, said process comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause the mobile apparatus to utilize the information related to the current location as part of a transaction for buying goods or services, another part of the transaction comprising sending user-specific payment information via the short-range interface, and another part of the transaction comprising receiving data relating to the transaction at the mobile apparatus for storage thereon.

28. A mobile apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

memory in data communication with said processor;

a wireless network interface;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to generate information related to a current location of said mobile apparatus; and

bar-code apparatus disposed on the mobile apparatus, the bar-code apparatus disposed so as to permit scanning thereof by a reader associated with an apparatus accessible to a user of the mobile apparatus, the scanning enabling access to information specific to the user of the mobile apparatus.

29. The mobile apparatus of claim 28, wherein the generated information is transmitted to the apparatus accessible to the user via the wireless interface.

30. The mobile apparatus of claim 28, wherein the information specific to the user comprises information that enables a transaction for goods and services.

31. The mobile apparatus of claim 30, wherein the information specific to the user is stored on the mobile apparatus, and comprises credit or debit card information.

32. The mobile apparatus of claim 28, wherein the bar-code apparatus is made operable by the user of the mobile apparatus after manufacture of the mobile apparatus.

33. The mobile apparatus of claim 28, wherein the mobile apparatus further comprises a software application configured to generate a window on a display screen of the mobile apparatus, the window enabling the user to authorize the transaction.

34. The mobile apparatus of claim 28, wherein the apparatus accessible to the user comprises a point-of-sale apparatus that is configured to utilize biometric data of the user in order to authenticate the user for performing a transaction.