Bookmark beacon system and method

• US 8,606,881 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US12/560,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/223, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A bookmark beacon system comprises a computer network, a wireless network configured to enable a wireless device to access the computer network, and a bookmark beacon that transmits a bookmark data packet to the wireless device. The bookmark data packet includes a resource address that enables the wireless device to retrieve information stored on the computer network.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a point-of-sale device to communicate with a wireless device, comprising the steps of:

providing a computer network;

providing a network connection between the computer network and the point-of-sale device;

entering information relating to a transaction into the point-of-sale device;

storing the information relating to the transaction at a location on the computer network;

providing a wireless network configured to enable the wireless device to access the computer network;

providing a bookmark beacon associated with the point-of-sale device that transmits a bookmark data packet, wherein the bookmark data packet includes a resource address that identifies the location on the computer network where the information relating to the transaction is stored;

receiving the bookmark data packet on the wireless device;

accessing the computer network with the wireless device, using the bookmark data packet received by the wireless device, wherein the computer network is accessed by the wireless device to transmit a transaction request for the transaction at the point-of-sale device; and

in response to verification of the transaction by the computer network, providing a verification message to the point-of-sale device to complete the transaction, wherein the verification message is transmitted by the computer network to the wireless device and the wireless device transmits the verification message to the bookmark beacon associated with the point-of-sale device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of:

transmitting credit or debit information from the wireless device to the computer network.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising the further step of:

providing software executing on the computer network, wherein the software (1) receives the credit or debit information from the wireless device, (2) approves or denies the transaction based on the credit or debit information, and (3) transmits the approval or denial to the point-of-sale device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information relating to the transaction is included in the bookmark data packet and is transmitted to the software along with the credit or debit information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessing includes accessing the computer network with the wireless device to confirm the transaction.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessing includes accessing the computer network with the wireless device to complete payment for the transaction.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising, after said accessing:

receiving, by the point-of-sale device from the computer network, additional information relating to verification of the payment.

8. A method performed on a computer network, comprising:

receiving information, relating to a transaction, entered into a point-of-sale device;

storing the information at a computer network location on the computer network;

transmitting, through a bookmark beacon associated with the point-of-sale device, to a mobile wireless device, a data packet that includes a resource address of the computer network location;

providing the information to the wireless device when the wireless device accesses the computer network location using the data packet received by the wireless device, wherein the computer network location is accessed by the wireless device to transmit a transaction request for the transaction at the point-of-sale device;

receiving credit or debit information from the wireless device;

approving or denying the transaction based on the credit or debit information; and

transmitting the approval or denial to the point-of-sale device, wherein the approval or denial is transmitted by the computer network to the wireless device and the wireless device transmits the approval or denial to the bookmark beacon associated with the point-of-sale device.

9. A method of completing a point-of-sale (POS) transaction with a wireless device, comprising:

receiving a bookmark beacon data packet on the wireless device over a short-range wireless link from a bookmark beacon, the bookmark beacon data packet including transaction information and a network address for a computer associated with a financial institution, and the transaction information having been received by the bookmark beacon from a POS device;

displaying the transaction information on the wireless device;

receiving an acceptance of the POS transaction on the wireless device;

in response to receiving the acceptance of the POS transaction, using the network address to transmit a transaction request from the wireless device to the computer associated with the financial institution, the transaction request being transmitted over a wireless network from the wireless device to an internet and over the internet to the computer associated with the financial institution; and

in response to verification of the POS transaction by the computer, providing a verification message for the transaction to the POS device to complete the POS transaction, wherein the verification message is received by the wireless device from the computer and the wireless device transmits the verification message to the bookmark beacon associated with the POS device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting an acceptance or denial of the transaction request over the internet from the computer associated with the financial institution to the POS device to complete the POS transaction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the POS device is a debit machine, a credit machine or a combination of a debit machine and a credit machine.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the transaction request is transmitted over the wireless network from the wireless device to a proxy server and over the internet from the proxy server to the computer associated with the financial institution.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the short-range wireless link is an infrared data link.

14. A system for completing a point-of-sale (POS) transaction, comprising:

a POS device to receive sale information relating to the POS transaction; and

a bookmark beacon coupled to the POS device to receive the transaction information from the POS device and generate a bookmark beacon data packet that includes the transaction information and a network address for a computer associated with a financial institution, the bookmark beacon including short-range wireless communications circuitry to transmit the bookmark beacon data packet over a short-range wireless link to a wireless device; and

the wireless device being configured to display the transaction information from the bookmark beacon data packet, receive an acceptance of the POS transaction, and in response to receiving the acceptance of the POS transaction, use the network address to transmit a transaction request from the wireless device to the computer associated with the financial institution, the transaction request being transmitted over a wireless network from the wireless device to an internet and over the internet to the computer associated with the financial institution and wherein, in response to verification of the POS transaction by the computer, providing a verification message for the transaction to the POS device to complete the POS transaction, the verification message received by the wireless device from the computer and the wireless device transmits the verification message to the bookmark beacon associated with the POS device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer associated with the financial institution is configured to transmit an acceptance or denial of the transaction request over the internet to the POS device to complete the POS transaction.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the POS device is a debit machine, a credit machine or a combination of a debit machine and a credit machine.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the transaction request is transmitted over the wireless network from the wireless device to a proxy server and over the internet from the proxy server to the computer associated with the financial institution.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the short-range wireless is an infrared data link.