Consumer device based point-of-sale

• US 9,576,286 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Artman, Tuomas, Engestrom, Jyri, Schwekendiek, Ulf
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Seye
• Application Number:
  US13/794,529
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/16, 370/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Systems and related methods facilitating interactions between a merchant device, a central system and a consumer device are discussed herein. Wallet identifying data may be used to secure messages between the consumer device and the merchant device over a wireless link. For example, the merchant device may include circuitry configured to wirelessly receive the wallet identifying data from a consumer device and to transmit the wallet identifying data to the central system. In response, consumer identifying data associated with the wallet identifying data may be received by the merchant device from the central system. In some embodiments, the consumer identifying data may be associated with a unit of location, such as a dine-in location at a restaurant, to facilitate consumer service.

Claims

1. A merchant device comprising:

a display configured to present interactive displays;

communications circuitry configured to facilitate communications with a consumer device and a central system; and

processing circuitry configured to;

associate the merchant device with a unit of location at the merchant shop;

wirelessly receive wallet identifying data from the consumer device via a direct wireless connection when the consumer device is within a direct wireless communicable range of the merchant device;

transmit the wallet identifying data to the central system via a network connection separate from the direct wireless connection, wherein the wallet identifying data includes a random code generated by the central system independent of consumer identifying data associated with the wallet identifying data;

in response to transmitting the wallet identifying data, receive, from the central system and via the network connection, the consumer identifying data associated with the wallet identifying data; and

associate the consumer identifying data with the unit of location at a merchant shop based on the merchant device wirelessly receiving the wallet identifying data when the consumer device is within the direct wireless communicable range of the merchant device.

2. The merchant device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine location data based on a wireless communication received from the consumer device; and

determine the unit of location based on the location data.

3. The merchant device of claim 2, wherein the wireless communication is based on one or more signals using near field communication (NFC), Quick Response (QR) code, radio frequency identification (RFID), triangulation, or received signal strength indication (RSSI).

4. The merchant device of claim 1, wherein the unit of location is a dine-in location at a restaurant associated with a table identifier.

5. The merchant device of claim 4, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine, based on the location data, the table identifier from a plurality of table identifiers.

6. The merchant device of claim 4, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to provide a graphical representation a floor plan with at least some of the consumer identifying data associated with the dine-in location within the floor plan.

7. The merchant device of claim 6, wherein the graphical representation of the floor plan is part of a user interface that further includes a graphical layout of a plurality of tables within the restaurant.

8. The merchant device of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

associate the consumer identifying data with a restaurant tab identifier;

associate menu item data indicating one or more menu items with the restaurant tab identifier;

determine a payment amount based on the menu item data;

wirelessly send the payment amount to the consumer device;

wirelessly receive consumer approval data indicating approval of a payment for at least the payment amount from the consumer device, the consumer approval data secured with a private key associated with the wallet identifying data; and

send secured payment approval data based on the consumer approval data to the central system.

9. The merchant device of claim 4, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive, from the central system, consumer information associated with the consumer identifying data; and

provide the consumer information to the display when the consumer device is in proximity to the dine-in location.

10. The merchant device of claim 9, wherein:

the consumer information includes dine-in location preference data; and

the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the dine-in location at the restaurant based on the dine-in location preference data.

11. The merchant device of claim 9, wherein the consumer information includes dine-in preference data configured to facilitate customized dining service.

12. The merchant device of claim 9, wherein the consumer information includes menu item purchase history data.

13. The merchant device of claim 9, wherein the consumer information includes one or more promotional deals redeemable at the restaurant.

14. The merchant device of claim 9, wherein the consumer information includes profile information of a consumer associated with the wallet identifying data.

15. The merchant device of claim 4, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive consumer information entered via an interactive display presented on the display; and

send the consumer information to the central system.

16. The merchant device of claim 15, wherein the consumer information includes an ordered menu item.

17. The merchant device of claim 15, wherein the consumer information includes dine-in location preference data wirelessly received from the consumer device and configured to facilitate a determination of the dine-in location at the restaurant.

18. A machine-implemented method, comprising:

associating, by processing circuitry of a merchant device, the merchant device with a unit of location at the merchant shop;

wirelessly receiving, by the processing circuitry, wallet identifying data from the consumer device via a direct wireless connection when the consumer device is within a direct wireless communicable range of the merchant device;

transmitting, by the processing circuitry, the wallet identifying data to a central system via a network connection separate from the direct wireless connection, wherein the wallet identifying data includes a random code generated by the central system independent of consumer identifying data associated with the wallet identifying data;

in response to transmitting the wallet identifying data, receiving, by the circuitry and from the central system and via the network connection, the consumer identifying data associated with the wallet identifying data; and

associating, by the circuitry, the consumer identifying data with the unit of location at a merchant shop based on the merchant device wirelessly receiving the wallet identifying data when the consumer device is within the direct wireless communicable range of the merchant device.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising, by the processing circuitry:

determining location data based on a wireless communication received from the consumer device; and

determining the unit of location based on the location data.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the unit of location is a dine-in location at a restaurant associated with a table identifier; and

the method further includes, by the processing circuitry;

determining, based on the location data, the table identifier from a plurality of table identifiers; and

providing a graphical representation a floor plan with at least some of the consumer identifying data associated with the dine-in location within the floor plan.