Method and system for geofencing

• US 10,402,812 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hudson, Scott, Berntsson, Kent Olof Niklas, Gerhard, Stephen Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Niquette, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US15/185,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20170364900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A method for initiating a time- and geographic-based electronic transaction includes: storing, in a mobile computing device, payment details associated with a transaction account; receiving a payment zone notification upon entry of the mobile computing device into a predefined geographic area, the notification including payment terms; registering a first timestamp upon receipt of the notification; displaying the payment terms; receiving an indication of approval of the payment terms; receiving an exit notification upon exit of the mobile computing device from the predefined geographic area; registering a second timestamp upon receipt of the exit notification; calculating a transaction amount based on an elapsed amount of time between the first timestamp and the second timestamp and a payment rate; and transmitting the calculated transaction amount and payment details.

Claims

1. A method for initiating a time- and geographic-based electronic transaction, comprising:

storing, in a memory of a mobile computing device of a consumer, payment details, wherein the payment details comprises a structured data set including data associated with a transaction account suitable for use in funding an electronic transaction;

detecting, by the mobile computing device, entry of the mobile computing device into a payment zone, wherein said payment zone is a geofenced area defined by a geographic area;

upon detection of entry of the mobile computing device into the payment zone, transmitting, by a transmitting device of the mobile computing device, an entry detection notification to a computing device of a merchant system;

receiving, by a receiving device of the mobile computing device, from the computing device of the merchant system, a first data signal superimposed with a payment zone notification, wherein the payment zone notification includes at least payment terms;

registering, by a timing module of the mobile computing device, a first timestamp upon receipt of the first data signal;

displaying, on a display device of the mobile computing device, at least the payment terms included in the payment zone notification;

receiving, by an input device of the mobile computing device, an indication of approval of the payment terms;

detecting, by the mobile computing device, exit of the mobile computing device from the payment zone;

registering, by the timing module of the mobile computing device, a second timestamp associated with the exit of the mobile computing device from the payment zone;

transmitting, by the transmitting device of the mobile computing device, a first exit notification to the computing device of the merchant system, wherein the first exit notification includes the second timestamp;

calculating, by a calculation module of the mobile computing device, a transaction amount based on at least an elapsed amount of time between the first timestamp and the second timestamp and a payment rate; and

electronically transmitting, by a transmitting device of the mobile computing device, to the merchant system, the calculated transaction amount and the payment details stored in the memory of the mobile computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment terms further includes the payment rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

the payment terms further include communication data, and

the calculated transaction amount and payment details are electronically transmitted to the computing device of the merchant system based on the communication data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in the memory of the mobile computing device, the payment rate.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the transmitting device of the mobile computing device, a second exit notification, wherein the second exit notification is transmitted upon exit of the mobile computing device from a second payment zone; and

registering, by the timing module of the mobile computing device, a third timestamp associated with the mobile computing device exiting the second payment zone, wherein

the transaction amount is further based on a second elapsed amount of time between the second timestamp and the third timestamp and a second payment rate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second payment rate is equivalent to the payment rate.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the receiving device of the mobile computing device, revised payment terms, from the computing device of the merchant system, wherein the revised payment terms includes the second payment rate.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying, on the display device of the mobile computing device, at least the revised payment terms; and

receiving, by the input device of the mobile computing device, an indication of approval of the revised payment terms.

9. A system for initiating a time- and geographic-based electronic transaction, comprising:

a transmitting device of a mobile computing device of a consumer;

a calculation module of the mobile computing device of the consumer;

a memory, of the mobile computing device of the consumer, configured to store payment details, wherein the payment details comprises a structured data set including data associated with a transaction account suitable for use in funding an electronic transaction;

a processing device, of the mobile computing device, configured to detect entry of the mobile computing device into a payment zone, wherein said payment zone is a geofenced area defined by a geographic area;

a transmitting device, of the mobile computing device, configured to transmit an entry detection notification to a computing device of a merchant system;

a receiving device of the mobile computing device configured to receive, from the computing device of the merchant system, a first data signal superimposed with a payment zone notification, wherein the payment zone notification includes at least payment terms;

a timing module of the mobile computing device configured to register a first timestamp upon receipt of the first data signal;

a display device of the mobile computing device configured to display at least the payment terms included in the payment zone notification; and

an input device of the mobile computing device configured to receive an indication of approval of the payment terms, wherein

the processing device, of the mobile computing device, is further configured to detect exit of the mobile computing device from the payment zone,

the timing module of the mobile computing device is further configured to register a second timestamp associated with the exit of the mobile computing device from the payment zone,

the transmitting device, of the mobile computing device, is further configured to transmit a first exit notification to the computing device of the merchant system, wherein the first exit notification includes the second timestamp

the calculation module of the mobile computing device is configured to calculate a transaction amount based on at least an elapsed amount of time between the first timestamp and the second timestamp and a payment rate, and

the transmitting device of the mobile computing device is configured to electronically transmit, to the merchant system, the calculated transaction amount and payment details.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment terms further includes the payment rate.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein

the payment terms further include communication data, and

the calculated transaction amount and payment details are electronically transmitted to the computing device of the merchant system based on the communication data.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory of the mobile computing device is further configured to store the payment rate.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein

the transmitting device of the mobile computing device is further configured to transmit a second exit notification, to the merchant system, wherein the second exit notification is transmitted upon exit of the mobile computing device from a second payment zone,

the timing module of the mobile computing device is further configured to register a third timestamp associated with the mobile computing device exiting the second payment zone, and

the transaction amount is further based on a second elapsed amount of time between the second timestamp and the third timestamp and a second payment rate.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second payment rate is equivalent to the payment rate.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiving device is further configured to receive revised payment terms from the computing device of the merchant system, wherein the revised payment terms include the second payment rate.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein

the display device of the mobile computing device is further configured to display at least the revised payment terms, and

the input device of the mobile computing device is further configured to receive an indication of approval of the revised payment terms.