Transaction interface control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10504092-B2
Application number	US-201615188711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2016
Priority date	Jun 21, 2016
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

Techniques and arrangements of a point-of-sale (POS) system including a transaction interface control mechanism configured to prevent simultaneous input by a merchant and a customer during a transaction. The POS system can include a merchant user interface (UI) presented on a merchant-facing display and a customer UI presented on a customer-facing display. In some instances, the merchant UI can be on a display of a merchant device, while the customer UI can be on a display of a customer device. In such instances, the merchant device and the customer device can be operably connected via a wired or wireless connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A merchant point-of-sale (POS) system used in performing POS transactions between a customer and a merchant, the point of sale system comprising:
a customer terminal configured to display a customer POS interface, the customer POS interface configured to receive input from the customer during a POS transaction with the merchant;
a merchant terminal configured to display a merchant POS interface, the merchant POS interface configured to receive input from the merchant during the POS transaction with the customer;
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
receiving, at the customer terminal via the customer POS interface, a first input, the first input comprising customer data;
sending, from the customer terminal to the merchant terminal, an indication of the first input;
responsive to the indication of the first input, activating a locked mode of the merchant POS interface, wherein the locked mode substantially precludes data input by the merchant on the merchant POS interface;
receiving, at the customer terminal, an indication of completion of the first input;
sending, from the customer terminal to the merchant terminal, a message indicating completion of the first input; and
responsive to the message, de-activating the locked mode of the merchant POS interface.

2. The merchant POS system as claim 1 recites, prior to the receiving the indication of completion of the first input, the acts further comprising:
presenting, on the merchant POS interface, an override option configured to enable the merchant to de-activate the locked mode;
receiving, at the merchant terminal, a selection of the override option; and
responsive to receiving the selection of the override option, de-activating the locked mode of the merchant POS interface.

3. The merchant POS system as claim 1 recites, prior to the receiving the indication of completion of the first input, acts further comprising:
presenting, on the merchant POS interface, an option to select an alternate merchant POS interface;
receiving, at the merchant terminal, a selection of the alternate merchant POS interface;
presenting, on the merchant terminal, the alternate merchant POS interface;
receiving, at the merchant terminal, transaction data for a second transaction between the merchant and a second customer; and
processing the second transaction via the alternate merchant POS interface.

4. The merchant POS system as claim 1 recites, the operations further comprising:
presenting, on the merchant POS interface while operating in the locked mode, a representation of the first input by the customer.

5. The merchant POS system as claim 4 recites, the operations further comprising:
identifying sensitive information provided by the customer in the first input; and
redacting the sensitive information from the representation of the first input on the merchant POS interface.

6. A method implemented at least in part by a point-of-sale (POS) comprising a first display and a second display, the method comprising:
presenting a first user interface (UI) on the first display of the POS system;
presenting a second UI on the second display of the POS system;
receiving an input via the first UI; and
at least partly responsive to the input, activating a locked mode on the second UI.

7. The method as claim 6 recites, further comprising:
presenting, on the second UI, a control that, when selected, causes the POS system to override the locked mode on the second UI;
receiving a selection of the control; and
responsive to receiving the selection, de-activating the locked mode of the second UI.

8. The method as claim 7 recites, further comprising:
sending a deactivation message to the first UI; and
causing the first UI to activate a locked mode.

9. The method as claim 6 recites, further comprising:
receiving an indication that input on the first UI has been completed; and
at least partly responsive to the indication, de-activating the locked mode on the second UI.

10. The method as claim 6 recites, further comprising:
sending, from a first control module associated with the first UI to a second control module associated with the second UI, an indication of the input; and
automatically activating, by the second control module, the locked mode on the second UI.

11. The method as claim 6 recites, wherein the input comprises one or more of:
customer data;
transaction data; or
payment data.

12. The method as claim 6 recites, wherein the first display is a display associated with a customer-facing device and the second display is a display associated with a merchant-facing device, the customer-facing device and the merchant-facing device being configured to conduct a POS transaction between a customer and a merchant.

13. The method as claim 6 recites, wherein the first display comprises a customer terminal of a merchant device and the second display comprises a merchant terminal of the merchant device.

14. The method as claim 6 recites, the operations further comprising:
presenting, on the second UI, a representation of the input;
identifying sensitive information in the input; and
redacting at least a portion of the sensitive information from the representation of the input presented on the second user interface.

15. A computing device used as a merchant terminal in a point-of-sale (POS) system, the computing device comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
presenting a first user interface (UI) on a first display of the computing device;
presenting a second UI on a second display of the computing device;
receiving an input via the first UI; and
at least partly responsive to the input via the first UI, activating a locked mode on the second UI.

16. The computing device as claim 15 recites, the acts further comprising:
presenting, on the second UI, a control that, when selected, causes the POS system to override the locked mode on the second UI;
receiving, on the second UI, a selection of the control; and
responsive to the receiving the selection, de-activating the locked mode of the second UI.

17. The computing device as claim 16 recites, the acts further comprising:
sending a de-activation message to the first UI, the de-activation message comprising an indication that the locked mode of the second UI has been de-activated; and
causing the first UI to activate a locked mode.

18. The computing device as claim 15 recites, the acts further comprising:
receiving an indication that input on the first UI has been completed; and
at least partly responsive to the indication, de-activating the locked mode on the second UI.

19. The computing device as claim 15 recites, wherein the second UI is a merchant-facing UI, the acts further comprising:
receiving, via the merchant terminal while operating in a locked mode, a selection of an alternate merchant UI;
presenting, on the second display, the alternate merchant UI;
receiving, at the merchant terminal, transaction data for a second transaction; and
processing input associated with the second transaction via the alternate merchant UI.

20. The computi

Assignees

• Square Inc

Inventors

• Bell Bruce
• Ryan Raymond
• Kalinichenko Alexey
• Johnson Logan
• Dower Nicholas

Classifications

• G07G1/0036

  Checkout procedures · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  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 title

• G06Q20/20

  Point-of-sale [POS] network systems · CPC title

• G06Q20/204 Primary

  comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title