SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTATION CHECK-IN AND PAYMENT USING BEACONS

• US 20150178698A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schulz, Egan, Serrano, Michelle, Su, Libo
• Application Number:
  US14/138,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20150178698A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00

Abstract

There are provided systems and methods for transportation check-in and payment using beacons. A service provider, such as a transportation, payment, or other service provider, may utilize short range wireless beacons at or near a transportation service that provide automated check-in with a user device. When the user device is in proximity to the beacon, the user may be checked-in and provide payments for use of the transportation service, such as payment for a transportation fare. The user may receive scheduling and/or updates for the transportation service. Additionally, while the user is travelling with the transportation service, the user may purchase extra fare if the user realizes that current travel coverage of the purchased transportation fare does not cover an expected cost of the trip. The extra fare may be automatically purchased if the user device loses power or the user is unaware of the trip cost.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a non-transitory memory storing transportation information comprising at least a transportation fare with a service provider; and

one or more hardware processors in communication with the non-transitory memory and configured to;

receive a first payment request generated from a connection between a user device and a beacon when the user device is in proximity to the beacon, wherein the first payment request comprises at least the transportation fare with the service provider;

process the first payment request for the transportation fare; and

transmit a first transaction history corresponding to first payment request.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the connection between the user device and the beacon uses one of near field communication, radio communication, infrared communication, Bluetooth communication, and Bluetooth low energy communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transaction history is transmitted to at least one of the user device, the beacon, a service provider server, and a payment device corresponding to the service provider, and wherein the payment device corresponding provides a token for admission to the service provider.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon corresponds to a turnstile at a location corresponding to the service provider, and wherein turnstile admits a user to the service provider based on the transaction history.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transportation fare comprises one of a flat fare, a time-based fare, a zone-based fare, and a distance-based fare.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon is located on the service provider.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein an authority on the service provider receives the transaction history.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the user device receives the first transaction history, and wherein the first transaction history comprises proof of payment using a barcode or a QR code.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more hardware processors is further configured to:

alert a user through the user device if the transportation fare does not cover a cost of use of the service provider.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more hardware processors is further configured to:

process a second payment request for an additional transportation fare with service provider while the user is on the service provider; and

transmit a second transaction history corresponding to the second payment request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second payment request is automatically processed without user input.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the service provider provides at least one of transportation vehicle scheduling, passenger congestion rates at or on specific cars or areas of the transportation vehicle, weather at stops of the transportation vehicle, and timing updates of the transportation vehicle to the user device.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a first payment request generated from a connection between a user device and a beacon when the user device is in proximity to the beacon, wherein the first payment request comprises at least a transportation fare with a service provider;

processing, using one or more hardware processors of a server, the first payment request for the transportation fare; and

transmitting a first transaction history corresponding to the completion of the first payment request.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first transaction history is transmitted to at least one of the user device, the beacon, a service provider server, and a payment device corresponding to the service provider, and wherein the payment device corresponding provides a token for admission to the service provider.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the beacon corresponds to a turnstile at a location corresponding to the service provider, and wherein turnstile admits a user to the service provider based on the transaction history.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the beacon is located on the service provider, wherein at least one of an authority on the service provider and the user device receives the transaction history, and wherein the first transaction history comprises proof of payment.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

alerting a user through the user device if the transportation fare does not cover a cost of use of the service provider.

processing a second payment request for an additional transportation fare with service provider while the user is on the service provider; and

transmit a second transaction history corresponding to the second payment request.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the second payment request is automatically processed without user input.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the service provider provides at least one of transportation vehicle scheduling, passenger congestion rates at or on specific cars or areas of the transportation vehicle, weather at stops of the transportation vehicle, and timing updates of the transportation vehicle to the user device

20. A non-transitory computer 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:

receiving a first payment request generated from a connection between a user device and a beacon when the user device is in proximity to the beacon, wherein the first payment request comprises at least a transportation fare with a service provider;

processing the first payment request for the transportation fare;

transmitting a first transaction history corresponding to the first payment request; and

admitting a user to a service provider based on the transaction history.