Wireless transactions for enhancing customer experience

• US 9,240,006 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Spencer Neil, Craine, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, Hunter
• Application Number:
  US13/308,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20130138518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/16, 705/26.8, 705/27.2, 705/34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• 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 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for facilitating a wireless transaction by coupling or associating an identifier to a location. The identifier is read, retrieved, or received by a customer'"'"'s wireless communication device to connect to a POS terminal. Once connected, the wireless communication device sends a location identifier to the POS terminal, so that the POS terminal can associate the wireless communication device with the location. Once an association is established, the POS terminal then presents options. The POS terminal receives selections, and alerts a staff member of selections and the location. In many instances, the POS terminal also adds the selection to a bill or an invoice.

Claims

1. A point-of-sale terminal comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a wireless communication device associated with a first customer, a request for a first bill associated with the first customer, the request comprising an identifier that identifies a location of the wireless communication device at a premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the location is one of a plurality of unique locations at the premises and wherein the identifier is received by the wireless communication device from a wireless tag associated with the location at the premises,

responding to the request by sending the first bill to the wireless communication device, wherein the first bill is unpaid,

providing, to the wireless communication device, an option to link a second bill associated with a second customer to the first bill associated with the first customer to create a collective bill,

in response to a selection of the option by the first customer, providing, to the wireless communication device, a list of other bills for linking with the first bill associated with the first customer to create the collective bill, the list of other bills comprising the second bill associated with the second customer,

monitoring a current location of the wireless communication device based on positioning information associated with the wireless communication device while the first bill is unpaid,

comparing the positioning information with a geofence having coordinates encompassing the premises,

determining that the current location of the wireless communication device is outside the geofence, and

in response to determining that the current location of the wireless communication device is outside the geofence, providing an alert to a staff member to notify the staff member that the first customer has left the premises without paying the first bill.

2. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein responding to the request further includes alerting the staff member of the request for the first bill.

3. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein the request is received in accordance with a network address that identifies the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the network address that identifies the point-of-sale terminal is received from the wireless tag associated with the location at the premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal.

4. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

requesting the wireless communication device for an approval to access the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device, wherein the approval, from the wireless communication device, to access the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device is required in order to generate the first bill; and

generating the first bill in response to receiving, from the wireless communication device, the approval for the point-of-sale terminal to access the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device.

5. A method comprising:

receiving, at a point-of-sale terminal comprising a processor, from a wireless communication device associated with a first customer, a request for a first bill associated with the first customer, the request comprising an identifier that identifies a location of the wireless communication device at a premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the location is one of a plurality of unique locations at the premises and wherein the identifier is received by the wireless communication device from a wireless tag associated with the location at the premises;

responding, by the point-of-sale terminal, to the request by sending the first bill to the wireless communication device, wherein the first bill is unpaid;

providing, by the point-of-sale terminal to the wireless communication device, an option to link a second bill associated with a second customer to the first bill associated with the first customer to create a collective bill;

in response to a selection of the option by the first customer, providing, by the point-of-sale terminal to the wireless communication device, a list of other bills for linking with the first bill associated with the first customer to create the collective bill, the list of other bills comprising the second bill associated with the second customer;

monitoring, by the point-of-sale terminal, a current location of the wireless communication device based on positioning information associated with the wireless communication device while the first bill is unpaid;

comparing the positioning information with a geofence having coordinates encompassing the premises;

determining, by the point-of-sale terminal, that the current location of the wireless communication device is outside the geofence; and

in response to determining that the current location of the wireless communication device is outside the geofence, providing, by the point-of-sale terminal, an alert to a staff member to notify the staff member that the first customer has left the premises without paying the first bill.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending a menu to the wireless communication device of the first customer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving an order for an item on the menu, and wherein the first bill comprises a price for the item.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising alerting the staff member associated with the premises of the order for the item and the location of the first customer at the premises.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving, from the wireless communication device, information associated with a payment of the first bill.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising alerting the staff member of the payment of the first bill.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

requesting, by the point-of-sale terminal, the wireless communication device for an approval to access the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device, wherein the approval, from the wireless communication device, to access the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device is required in order to generate the first bill; and

generating, by the point-of-sale terminal, the first bill in response to receiving, from the wireless communication device, the approval for the point-of-sale terminal to access the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a point-of-sale terminal, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a wireless communication device associated with a first customer, a request for a first bill, the request comprising an identifier that identifies a location of the wireless communication device at a premises associated with the point-of-sale terminal, wherein the location is one of a plurality of unique locations at the premises and wherein the identifier is received by the wireless communication device from a wireless tag associated with the location at the premises;

responding to the request by sending the first bill to the wireless communication device, wherein the first bill is unpaid;

providing, to the wireless communication device, an option to link a second bill associated with a second customer to the first bill associated with the first customer to create a collective bill;

in response to a selection of the option by the first customer, providing, to the wireless communication device, a list of other bills for linking with the first bill associated with the first customer to create the collective bill, the list of other bills comprising the second bill associated with the second customer;

monitoring a current location of the wireless communication device based on positioning information associated with the wireless communication device while the first bill is unpaid;

comparing the positioning information with a geofence having coordinates encompassing the premises;

determining that the current location of the wireless communication device is outside the geofence; and

in response to determining that the current location of the wireless communication device is outside the geofence, providing an alert to a staff member to notify the staff member that the first customer has left the premises without paying the first bill.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise providing a menu to the wireless communication device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise receiving an order for an item on the menu.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, from the wireless communication device, a request for the staff member.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the wireless communication device, information associated with a payment of the first bill; and

alerting the staff member of the payment of the first bill.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

requesting the wireless communication device for an approval to access the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device, wherein the approval, from the wireless communication device, to access to the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device is required in order to generate the first bill; and

generating the first bill in response to receiving, from the wireless communication device, the approval for the point-of-sale terminal to access the positioning information associated with the wireless communication device.