Multimode retail system

• US 9,911,266 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayne Fueling Systems LLC (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wayne Fueling Systems LLC (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Weston, Timothy Martin, Tang, Weiming, Spiller, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Parsons, Theodore C
• Application Number:
  US14/297,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20140289133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1033 Details of the PIN pad
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1091 Use of an encrypted form of the PIN

Abstract

A multimode system for receiving data in a retail environment includes: a secure input module for receiving high security input and low security input from a customer, the high security input to be communicated by the secure input module in cipher text, and the low security input to be communicated by the secure input module in plaintext. The multimode system is adapted to operate in a high security mode and a low security mode. The multimode system is adapted to enter the low security mode upon detection by the multimode system of a security breach condition. In the high security mode, the secure input module accepts low security input and high security input. In the low security mode, the secure input module accepts the low security input and does not accept the high security input.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a keypad;

a card reader; and

a controller configured to;

transition the system between a high security mode, in which the card reader is enabled to read a customer payment card and in which the keypad is enabled to accept manual input of unsecure information from a customer in relation to a retail transaction and to accept manual input of secure information from the customer in relation to the retail transaction, and a low security mode of operation, in which the card reader is enabled to read a customer payment card and in which the keypad is enabled to accept the manual input of unsecure information and is disabled from accepting the manual input of the secure information,

determine when security of the system has been breached, and

transition the system from the high security mode to the low security mode in response to determining that the security of the system has been breached.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to stop all retail transactions that use the keypad when the system is in the low security mode.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to prevent the system from beginning a retail transaction that requires input of secure information via the keypad when the system is in the low security mode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the low security mode includes a plurality of different low security modes, and the controller is configured to select one of the plurality of different low security modes to transition to from the high security mode in response to determining that the security of the system has been compromised, the selection being based on a type of the security breach.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the low security mode includes a plurality of different low security modes, and the controller is configured to transition to a preselected one of the plurality of low security modes from the high security mode in response to determining that the security of the system has been breached.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is also configured to transition the system from the low security mode to the high security mode in response to maintenance that addresses the breach being performed on the system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is also configured to transition the system from the low security mode to a terminated functionality mode in response to maintenance that addresses the breach not being performed on the system within a predetermined amount of time after the transition from the high security mode to the low security mode;

and

in the terminated functionality mode, the keypad is disabled from accepting any information.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display, the controller also being configured to:

display a first prompt on the display requesting input of the unsecure information;

display a second prompt on the display requesting input of the secure information;

cause the first prompt to be displayed on the display when the system is in the high security mode but not when the system in the low security mode; and

cause the second prompt to be displayed on the when the system is in the high security mode or in the low security mode.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the unsecure information input to the keypad is unencrypted when transmitted to the controller, and the secure information input to the keypad is encrypted when transmitted to the controller.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a fuel dispensing system configured to dispense fuel therefrom.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system in the high security mode and in the low security mode is configured to dispense the fuel therefrom.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes an automated teller machine.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes an unattended payment terminal configured to accept payment for at least one of a good and a service.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is also configured to start a count of an amount of time in response to transitioning the system from the high security mode to the low security mode, and the controller is also configured to automatically transition the system from the low security mode to a terminated functionality mode in response to maintenance that addresses the breach not being performed on the system within a predetermined amount of time as indicated by the count, the keypad being disabled from accepting any information in the terminated functionality mode.

15. A method, comprising:

accepting secure data input into a system via a keypad and accepting unsecure data input into the system via the keypad;

accepting data input into the system via a card reader;

in response to security of the system being compromised, terminating the acceptance of secure data input into the system via the keypad while continuing the acceptance of unsecure data input into the system and while continuing the acceptance of the data into the system via the card reader;

in response to the security of the system remaining compromised for a predetermined amount of time, terminating the acceptance of unsecure data input into the system while maintaining the termination of the acceptance of the secure data input into the system; and

in response to the security of the system being repaired within the predetermined amount of time so as to no longer be compromised, again accepting secure data input into the system via the keypad and accepting unsecure data input into the system via the keypad.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein when the acceptance of unsecure data and the acceptance of secure data is terminated, the keypad is disabled.

17. A method, comprising:

detecting a breach of security in an electronic system configured to accept payment for at least one of a good and a service;

in response to the detection of the breach, switching from a first mode of operating the system to a second mode of operating the system, the system in the first mode being configured to accept unsecure data input to the system via a keypad and to accept secure data input via the keypad, and the system in the second mode being configured to accept unsecure data input via the keypad and to disable input of secure data via the keypad;

starting a count of an amount of time when the system switches from the first mode to the second mode;

determining whether maintenance of the system occurs before the count reaches a predetermined amount of time;

switching from the second mode to the first mode in response to the maintenance of the system being determined to have occurred before the count reaches the predetermined amount of time; and

switching from the second mode to a third mode of operating the system in response to the maintenance of the system being determined to have not occurred before the count reaches the predetermined amount of time, the system in the third mode being configured to disable input of unsecure data to the system via the keypad and to disable input of secure data input to the system via the keypad.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein starting the count comprises starting a timer;

wherein the determining comprises determining whether the timer counts the predetermined amount of time.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising, in response to the detection of the breach, displaying an indication on a display that the system is in a limited mode of operation.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, in response to the switch from the second mode to the third mode, changing the indication on the display to an indication that the system is nonfunctional.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the system includes at least one of a fuel dispensing system, an unattended payment terminal configured to accept user payment for at least one of a good and a service, and an automated teller machine.