FREE-FORM ENTRIES DURING PAYMENT PROCESSES

• US 20110237301A1
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: PATEL, AMOL BHASKER, MENON, SURAJ SATHEESAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3221 Access to banking information through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Various methods and systems are provided that allow a user to perform a free-form action, such as making a mark on a device, speaking into a device, and/or moving the device, to cause a step to be performed that conventionally was performed by the user having to locate and select a button or link on the device.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a display that receives a free-form action from a user; and

a processor configured to convert the free-form action to a signal corresponding to an action of a button or link on the display and transmit the signal to cause the action to be performed.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the free-form action comprises a mark on the display.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the mark comprises a check mark or an “

X.”

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the display is a touch-screen display, and the mark is made by the user making the mark on the display with a finger.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the free-form action comprises a check mark and the action of the button or link is equivalent to an approve or continue function.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the free-form action comprises an “

X”

mark and the action of the button or link is equivalent to a cancel function.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the free-form action comprises a currency symbol and the action of the button or link is equivalent to a currency conversion function.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the free-form action comprises a plurality of taps on the display.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the free-form action may be performed by the user anywhere on an active area of the display.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a smart phone.

11. A device comprising:

a display that shows a user a requested free-form action;

an input component that receives the free-form action from the user; and

a processor configured to convert the free-form action to a signal corresponding to an action of a button or link on the display and transmit the signal to cause the action to be performed

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the input component is a microphone.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the free-form action is an audio command.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the input component is a motion-sensing component.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the free-form action comprises a motion to the device.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the input component is the display.

17. A machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a server are adapted to cause the server to perform a method comprising:

requesting a user to perform a free-form action on a user device display corresponding to an action associated with a button or link;

receiving the free-form action;

determining whether the free-form action matches the action associated with the button or link; and

processing the action associated with the button or link.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the free-form action comprises a mark on the display.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the display is a touch-screen display, and the mark is made by the user making the mark on the display with a finger.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the mark comprises a check mark for approving or continuing or an “

X”

mark for canceling.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the free-form action comprises a currency symbol and the action of the button or link is equivalent to a currency conversion function.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the free-form action may be performed by the user anywhere on an active area of the display.