Secure passcode entry docking station

• US 9,928,501 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Block, Inc. (f/k/a Square, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Troy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Subramanian, Narayanswamy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bridges, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US14/105,006
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1033 Details of the PIN pad

Abstract

A docking station to couple with a mobile device is disclosed. The docking station, in one embodiment, includes: a frame configured to detachably hold a mobile device; a connector configured to communicate with the mobile device when the mobile device is held by the frame; and a dial configured to change a character selection on a virtual character selection reel for composing a passcode entry; wherein the connector is configured to send a command to change the character selection to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

initializing a financial transaction between a consumer and a merchant, in response to detecting a card read event of a payment card on a card reader station that is detachably coupled to the mobile device;

determining a configuration of a personal identification number (PIN) entry interface for a user to input a PIN entry,

wherein the PIN entry interface includes a character selection reel displaying a character and capable of switching amongst a set of characters that the user can select from to compose the PIN entry,

wherein the configuration includes a first initial character to be displayed on the PIN entry interface, and

wherein a user input to a physical mechanism integral to the card reader station causes the character selection reel to switch which character, from amongst the set of characters, to display;

sending the configuration of the PIN entry interface from the mobile device to the card reader station to cause the card reader station to display the PIN entry interface on a display device integral to the card reader station;

receiving, sequentially from a selection mechanism integral to the card reader station, a plurality of selection commands, wherein each selection command is received when the character is displayed on the character selection reel, wherein the selection mechanism is one of a dial, a button integral to the card reader station, or a touch screen of the display device integral to the card reader station, wherein the receiving the plurality of selection commands comprises at least one of;

receiving the selection command in response to a user input to the dial;

receiving the selection command when a touch event is detected on the touch screen of the display device integral to the card reader station as the selection mechanism;

or

receiving the selection command when a button press is detected via the button integral to the card reader station as the selection mechanism;

determining the PIN entry based at least in part on the sequence of selection commands received from the card reader station and a record of a character displayed when each of the selection commands was received; and

initiating a process to authenticate the financial transaction based at least in part on the PIN entry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the PIN entry interface includes selecting the first initial character at random from the set of characters for displaying on the character selection reel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining includes generating a new instance of the character selection reel with a second initial character different than a prior instance of the character selection reel having the first initial character, in response to receiving a selection command from the user;

wherein said sending includes sending a second configuration of the new instance of the character selection reel to the card reader station.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, on the display device integral to the card reader station, the character selection reel as a window displaying a single character label.

5. A method of authenticating a financial transaction, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a card reader station detachably coupled to a mobile device, a message to the mobile device indicating a card read event via the card reader station to cause the mobile device to initialize a financial transaction between a consumer and a merchant;

receiving, from the mobile device, a configuration of a passcode entry interface for a user to input a passcode entry to authenticate the financial transaction, the passcode entry interface being a character selection reel displaying a character and capable of switching amongst a set of characters that the user can select from to compose the passcode entry, and wherein the configuration includes a first initial character to be displayed on the passcode entry interface before the user causes the character selection reel to switch which character, from amongst the set of characters, to display;

displaying the character selection reel on a display device integral to the card reader station;

receiving, via a physical mechanism integral to the card reader station, a user input to cause the character selection reel to change the character displayed;

identifying a target character being displayed on the character selection reel when a character selection command is received via a selection mechanism integral to the card reader station, wherein the selection mechanism is one of a dial, a button integral to the card reader station, or a touch screen of the display device integral to the card reader station, wherein the receiving the character selection command comprises at least one of;

receiving the character selection command in response to a user input to the dial;

receiving the character selection command when a touch event is detected on the touch screen of the display device integral to the card reader station as the selection mechanism;

or

receiving the character selection command when a button press is detected via the button integral to the card reader station as the selection mechanism; and

sending the target character to be composed as part of the passcode entry entered by the user to facilitate authentication of the financial transaction.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a swipe of a payment card on the card reader station; and

in response to detecting the swipe, initializing the financial transaction between a consumer and a merchant to the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying motion of the character selection reel to display the target character different from the initial character.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying motion of the character selection reel by changing the target character displayed on the character selection reel when the physical mechanism integral to the card reader station is operated.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

displaying motion of the character selection reel by changing the target character displayed on the character selection reel when the physical mechanism integral to the card reader station is operated.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying the motion of the character selection reel by changing the target character displayed on the character selection reel when a dial included in the physical mechanism integral to the card reader station is turned, wherein the dial surrounds the display device integral to the card reader station.

11. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a card reader station detachably coupled to a mobile device, a message to the mobile device indicating a card read event via the card reader station to cause the mobile device to initialize a financial transaction between a consumer and a merchant;

receiving, from the mobile device, a configuration of a passcode entry interface for a user to input a passcode entry to authenticate the financial transaction, the passcode entry interface being a character selection reel displaying a character and capable of switching amongst a set of characters that the user can select from to compose the passcode entry, and wherein the configuration includes a first initial character to be displayed on the passcode entry interface before the user causes the character selection reel to switch which character, from amongst the set of characters, to display;

displaying the character selection reel on a display device integral to the card reader station;

receiving, via a physical mechanism integral to the card reader station, a user input to cause the character selection reel to change the character displayed on the display device;

receiving an indication of a character selection from a selection mechanism integral to the card reader station, wherein the selection mechanism is one of a dial, a button integral to the card reader station, or a touch screen of the display device integral to the card reader station, wherein the receiving the indication of the character selection comprises at least one of;

receiving the indication of the character selection in response to a user input to the dial;

receiving the indication of the character selection when a touch event is detected on the touch screen of the display device integral to the card reader station as the selection mechanism;

or

receiving the indication of the character selection when a button press is detected via the button integral to the card reader station as the selection mechanism;

determining a target character displayed on the character selection reel corresponding to the indication of the character selection received from the selection mechanism integral to the card reader station; and

determining the passcode entry based at least in part on the indication of the character selection from the selection mechanism and a record of a character displayed when the indication of the character selection was received.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting feedback during entry of the passcode in a feedback window integral to the card reader station.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying, on the display device integral to the card reader station, the character selection reel as a window displaying a single character label.