Bill splitting

• US 9,875,469 B1
• Filed: 12/24/2013
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chin, Andrew, Seeman, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Eric T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradley, Joshua D.
• Application Number:
  US14/140,212
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 705 40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• 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: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device

Abstract

When a merchant sells goods or services in a sales transaction, a merchant device can generate a bill. The bill includes an itemized list of the goods and services, a price for each item, and an identifier of the sales transaction. A first customer and a second customer split the bill using a first customer device and a second customer device, respectively. The first customer device establishes communication between the first customer device and the merchant device. Using the identifier of the sales transaction, the first customer device pays a portion of the itemized list of the goods and services at the merchant device. The second customer device establishes communication between the second customer device and the merchant device. Using the identifier, the second customer device pays a remaining portion of the itemized list of the goods and services at the merchant device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, by a merchant device, a bill for a sales transaction, the bill including a list representing a first item associated with a first fee, a second item associated with a second fee, and a total fee, wherein a barcode printed on the bill encodes an indication of the first item, an indication of the first fee, an indication of the second item, an indication of the second fee, and an indication of the total fee;

scanning, by a first customer device, the barcode on the bill to identify the indication of the first item, the indication of the first fee, the indication of the second item, the indication of the second fee, and the indication of the total fee;

displaying, on the first customer device, the indication of the first item, the indication of the first fee, the indication of the second item, the indication of the second fee, and the indication of the total fee;

receiving, by the first customer device, a user input selecting the first item for payment and, in response, paying for the first item through a first online transaction;

notifying, by the first customer device, a second customer device that the first item on the bill has been paid for and payment for the second item is pending, wherein notifying the second customer device includes at least one of;

notifying the second customer device through a communication channel linking the first customer device and the second customer device;

notifying the second customer device by providing a link to the merchant device to the second customer device and requesting the second customer device to communicate with the merchant device;

or

requesting the second customer device to scan the barcode on the bill; and

receiving, by the second customer device, a user input selecting the second item for payment and, in response, paying for the second item through a second online transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the barcode is a matrix barcode.

3. A method comprising:

scanning, by a first mobile device, an image printed on a bill, the image encoding an indication of a first item associated with a first fee, an indication of a second item associated with a second fee, and an indication of a total fee;

displaying, on the first mobile device, the indication of the first item and the first fee, the indication of the second item and the second fee, and the indication of the total fee;

selecting, by the first mobile device and based on a user input, the first item for payment;

paying the first fee by the first mobile device through a first online payment transaction;

receiving, by a second mobile device, a remainder bill, the remainder bill indicating that the first item has been paid for and including the second item associated with the second fee and a reduced total fee; and

paying the second fee by the second mobile device through a second online payment transaction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the image includes a two dimensional barcode.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second mobile device provides a visual indication that the first item has been paid for.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, by a merchant device of a merchant and from a first mobile device that scanned an image printed on a bill provided by the merchant, a first request for payment information, the first request including an identifier of a transaction of purchasing a first item and a second item, the identifier encoded in the image printed on the bill;

in response to the first request, providing, by the merchant device and to the first mobile device, original payment information, the original payment information including a price of the first item and a price of the second item;

receiving, by the merchant device, payment data indicating that a payment of the first item has been received;

receiving, by the merchant device and from a second mobile device that scanned the image printed on the bill, a second request for payment information, the second request including the identifier of the transaction as included in the first request; and

in response to the second request, and after receiving the payment data, providing, by the merchant device and to the second mobile device, updated payment information, the updated payment information including the price of the second item and an indication that the first item has been paid for.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising, before receiving the first request, providing, by the merchant device, the bill, the bill including:

a list of the first item associated with a first fee and the second item associated with a second fee; and

the image in which the identifier of the transaction is encoded.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the image includes a two-dimensional barcode scannable by the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

9. The method of claim 6, comprising, before receiving the first request and the second request, providing the bill including the image printed thereon for scanning by the first mobile device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication that the first item has been paid for includes a name of the first item and the price of the first item, the name and price being represented in a crossed-out font.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the transaction includes a purchase of a third item, and the method comprises:

receiving, by the merchant device, a user input requesting to pay remaining costs of the transaction; and

in response, providing, by the merchant device, the bill, updated to indicate that the first item and the second item have been paid for and indicating a fee for the third item.

12. A non-transitory storage device storing instructions operable to cause a merchant device of a merchant to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the merchant device and from a first mobile device that scanned an image printed on a bill provided by the merchant, a first request for payment information, the first request including an identifier of a transaction of purchasing a first item and a second item, the identifier encoded in the image printed on the bill;

in response to the first request, providing, by the merchant device and to the first mobile device, original payment information, the original payment information including a price of the first item and a price of the second item;

receiving, by the merchant device, payment data indicating that a payment of the first item has been received;

receiving, by the merchant device and from a second mobile device that scanned the image printed on the bill, a second request for payment information, the second request including the identifier of the transaction as included in the first request; and

in response to the second request, and after receiving the payment data, providing, by the merchant device and to the second mobile device, updated payment information, the updated payment information including the price of the second item and an indication that the first item has been paid for.

13. The non-transitory storage device of claim 12, the operations comprising, before receiving the first request, providing, by the merchant device, the bill, the bill including:

a list of the first item associated with a first fee and the second item associated with a second fee; and

the image in which the identifier of the transaction is encoded.

14. The non-transitory storage device of claim 13, wherein the image includes a two-dimensional barcode scannable by the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

15. The non-transitory storage device of claim 12, the operations comprising, before receiving the first request and the second request, providing the bill including the image printed thereon for scanning by the first mobile device.

16. The non-transitory storage device of claim 12, wherein the indication that the first item has been paid for includes a name of the first item and the price of the first item, the name and price being represented in a crossed-out font.

17. The non-transitory storage device of claim 12, wherein the transaction includes a purchase of a third item, and the operations comprise:

receiving, by the merchant device, a user input requesting to pay remaining costs of the transaction; and

in response, providing, by the merchant device, the bill, updated to indicate that the first item and the second item have been paid for and indicating a fee for the third item.

18. A merchant device of a merchant, the merchant device comprising:

one or more computers; and

a non-transitory storage device storing instructions operable to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the merchant device and from a first mobile device that scanned an image printed on a bill provided by the merchant, a first request for payment information, the first request including an identifier of a transaction of purchasing a first item and a second item, the identifier encoded in the image printed on the bill;

in response to the first request, providing, by the merchant device and to the first mobile device, original payment information, the original payment information including a price of the first item and a price of the second item;

receiving, by the merchant device, payment data indicating that a payment of the first item has been received;

receiving, by the merchant device and from a second mobile device that scanned the image printed on the bill, a second request for payment information, the second request including the identifier of the transaction as included in the first request; and

in response to the second request, and after receiving the payment data, providing, by the merchant device and to the second mobile device, updated payment information, the updated payment information including the price of the second item and an indication that the first item has been paid for.

19. The merchant device of claim 18, the operations comprising, before receiving the first request, providing, by the merchant device, the bill, the bill including:

a list of the first item associated with a first fee and the second item associated with a second fee; and

the image in which the identifier of the transaction is encoded.

20. The merchant device of claim 19, wherein the image of the transaction includes a two-dimensional barcode scannable by the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

21. The merchant device of claim 18, the operations comprising, before receiving the first request and the second request, providing the bill including the image printed thereon for scanning by the first mobile device.

22. The merchant device of claim 18, wherein the indication that the first item has been paid for includes a name of the first item and the price of the first item, the name and price being represented in a crossed-out font.

23. The merchant device of claim 18, wherein the transaction includes a purchase of a third item, and the operations comprise:

receiving, by the merchant device, a user input requesting to pay remaining costs of the transaction; and

in response, providing, by the merchant device, the bill, updated to indicate that the first item and the second item have been paid for and indicating a fee for the third item.

24. A non-transitory storage device storing instructions operable to one or more mobile devices to perform operations comprising:

scanning, by a first mobile device, an image printed on a bill, the image encoding an indication of a first item associated with a first fee, an indication of a second item associated with a second fee, and an indication of a total fee;

displaying, on the first mobile device, the indication of the first item and the first fee, the indication of the second item and the second fee, and the indication of the total fee;

selecting, by the first mobile device and based on a user input, the first item for payment;

paying the first fee by the first mobile device through a first online payment transaction;

receiving, by a second mobile device, a remainder bill, the remainder bill indicating that the first item has been paid for and including the second item associated with the second fee and a reduced total fee; and

paying the second fee by the second mobile device through a second online payment transaction.

25. The non-transitory storage device of claim 24, wherein the image includes a two dimensional barcode.

26. The non-transitory storage device of claim 24, wherein the second mobile device provides a visual indication that the first item has been paid for.

27. A system comprising:

a merchant device; and

one or more mobile devices configured to perform operations comprising;

scanning, by a first mobile device, an image printed on a bill, the image encoding an indication of a first item associated with a first fee, an indication of a second item associated with a second fee, and an indication of a total fee;

displaying, on the first mobile device, the indication of the first item and the first fee, the indication of the second item and the second fee, and the indication of the total fee;

selecting, by the first mobile device and based on a user input, the first item for payment;

paying the first fee by the first mobile device through a first online payment transaction;

receiving, by a second mobile device, a remainder bill, the remainder bill indicating that the first item has been paid for and including the second item associated with the second fee and a reduced total fee; and

paying the second fee by the second mobile device through a second online payment transaction.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the image includes a two dimensional barcode.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the second mobile device provides a visual indication that the first item has been paid for.