Controlling access based on display orientation

• US 9,129,274 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2014
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Square Inc (Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.))
• Inventors: Mocko, Christopher Lang, White, Michael Wells, Van Essen, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Seye
• Application Number:
  US14/301,621
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 705/21, 705/16, 340/815.4, 235/375
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets

Abstract

In some examples, a merchant device may control access to features based on an orientation of a display. For instance, the merchant device may present a first user interface (UI) for enabling a merchant to enter transaction information. Subsequently, the merchant device may present a second UI to enable the buyer to interact toward completion of the transaction, and the merchant may change the orientation of the display to face the buyer. While the display is oriented in the buyer direction, access to the merchant UI is prevented, thereby preventing initiation of a new transaction, cancellation of transaction, etc. When the display is returned to the first orientation, i.e., facing the merchant, the merchant device may enable certain UI features such as for initiating a new transaction, canceling a transaction, or perform other functions that a buyer may have been restricted from performing.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a touchscreen display;

a support supporting the touchscreen display, the support enabling positioning of the touchscreen display between a first orientation in which the touchscreen display is viewable from a first direction associated with a merchant, and a second orientation in which the touchscreen display is viewable from a second direction associated with a buyer;

one or more processors associated with the touchscreen display; and

one or more computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to;

present a first user interface on the display, the first user interface including one or more selectable representations of one or more items;

receive, via the first user interface, a selection of at least one item during a first stage of a point of sale (POS) transaction, wherein the first stage is associated with receiving merchant input;

based at least in part on the selection of the at least one item, present a second user interface on the display, the second user interface able to receive at least one touch input for a second stage of the POS transaction associated with receiving buyer input;

detect positioning of the display from the first orientation to the second orientation; and

receive the at least one touch input to the second user interface;

detect positioning of the display from the second orientation to the first orientation; and

in response, at least in part, to detecting the positioning of the display to the first orientation, enable touch-based initiation of a new POS transaction.

2. The computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the support comprises a pivot that enables rotation of the display about a pivot axis for positioning the display between the first orientation and the second orientation.

3. The computing device as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor for providing orientation information to the one or more processors to indicate a position of the display in the first orientation or the second orientation, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:

a switch able to be actuated by positioning of the display between the first orientation and the second orientation;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a compass;

a proximity sensor;

or

a camera.

4. The computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second user interface includes a virtual control presented on the touchscreen display for initiating the new POS transaction, wherein:

when the display is positioned in the second orientation, a touch input to the virtual control is ignored; and

when the display is positioned in the first orientation, a touch input to the virtual control causes, at least in part, presentation of the first interface to enable the new POS transaction.

5. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, orientation information indicating an orientation of a touchscreen display, wherein the touchscreen display is able to be oriented in a first orientation viewable from a first direction and a second orientation viewable from a second direction;

determining, based at least in part on the orientation information, an orientation of the touchscreen display;

based at least in part on determining from the orientation information that the display is in the second orientation, preventing the touchscreen display from being used to access at least one user interface; and

based at least in part on determining that the display is in the first orientation, enabling the touchscreen display to be used to access the at least one user interface.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one user interface comprises at least one of:

at least one virtual control for initiating a transaction;

at least one virtual control for canceling a transaction;

or

at least one virtual control for changing settings of a merchant application.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein enabling the touchscreen display to be used to access the at least one user interface further comprises presenting the at least one user interface on the touchscreen display in response to determining that the display is in the first orientation.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein receiving the orientation information comprises receiving sensor information from at least one sensor of the computing device, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a compass;

or a proximity sensor.

9. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein receiving the orientation information comprises receiving a signal from at least one switch associated with a support that supports the touchscreen display and that allows rotation of the touchscreen display about a pivot axis between the first orientation and the second orientation.

10. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the receiving the orientation information comprises receiving an image from a camera associated with the touchscreen display; and

the determining the orientation of the touchscreen display is based at least in part on recognizing at least one feature in the image.

11. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the receiving the orientation information comprises receiving biometric information associated with a user that has provided authentication information to the computing device.

12. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

based at least in part on determining that the display is in the first orientation, presenting information in a first language; and

based at least in part on determining that the display is in the second orientation presenting information in a second language that is different from the first language.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising receiving language information from another computing device, wherein the language information indicates the second language for presenting the information when the display is in the second orientation.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the language information is received in response to sending buyer identifying information to a service computing device during a point of sale transaction.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media maintaining instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, program the one or more processors to:

receive, via a first user interface, while a display is in a first orientation, a selection of an item, wherein the display is able to be positioned between at least a first orientation associated with merchant input and a second orientation associated with buyer input;

present a second user interface configured to receive buyer input;

receive, via the second user interface, at least one input while the display is in the second orientation; and

in response to determining that the display has been positioned to the first orientation, present a third user interface configured to receive merchant input.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein presenting the third user interface comprises, in response to determining that the display is positioned in the first orientation, presenting one or more virtual controls that were not presented in the second interface.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein presenting the third user interface comprises, in response to determining that the display is positioned in the first orientation, enabling selection of one or more virtual controls presented in the second user interface that were disabled when the display was positioned in the second orientation.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the third user interface includes at least one of:

a virtual control for initiating a transaction;

or

a virtual control for canceling a transaction.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the third user interface includes at least one of:

at least one virtual control for changing a device setting of a merchant device;

or

at least one virtual control for changing a setting of an application for point of sale transactions.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions further program the one or more processors to determine the orientation of the display based on sensor information received from at least one of:

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a compass;

or a proximity sensor.

21. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions further program the one or more processors to determine the orientation of the display based at least in part on receiving a signal from at least one switch associated with a stand that supports the touchscreen display and that allows rotation of the display about a pivot axis between the first orientation and the second orientation.

22. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions further program the one or more processors to determine the orientation of the display based at least in part on receiving an image from a camera and recognizing at least one feature in the image indicative of the orientation.

23. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions further program the one or more processors to:

based at least in part on determining that the display is in the first orientation, presenting text in a first language; and

based at least in part on determining that the display is in the second orientation presenting text in a second language that is different from the first language.

24. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 23, wherein the instructions further program the one or more processors to receiving language information from another computing device, wherein the language information indicates the second language for presenting the text when the display is in the second orientation.

25. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the instructions further program the one or more processors to receive the language information in response to sending buyer identifying information to a service computing device prior to presenting the second user interface.