Bridge device for linking wireless protocols

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10885509-B2
Application number	US-201514884380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2015
Priority date	Oct 15, 2015
Publication date	Jan 5, 2021
Grant date	Jan 5, 2021

Abstract

A bridge device acts as a link between generic wireless protocols of mobile devices and available communication components of access devices. The bridge device can be an attachment to existing access devices and enables a transaction using any available communication components on an access device and a bridge device mobile application on a mobile device. The bridge device notifies the mobile device which communication components are available for the transaction. The mobile device then sends a selection of a communication component to the bridge device. To conduct the transaction, the bridge device converts data received from the mobile device and sends it to the access device using a protocol compatible with the selected communication component. The bridge device also converts data received from the access device and sends it to the mobile device using a generic wireless protocol supported by the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bridge device configured to communicatively couple a mobile device and an existing access device attached to the bridge device during a transaction, the bridge device comprising:
a processor;
an antenna coupled to the processor;
a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor, the computer-readable medium comprising code, executable by the processor, for performing a method comprising:
establishing a wireless connection with the mobile device of a user conducting the transaction, wherein the bridge device is configured to be removably inserted in the existing access device and wherein the bridge devices comprises one or more connectors configured to communicate with the mobile device using one or more of a plurality of wireless protocols supported by the mobile device,
wherein the bridge device is configured to communicate with one or more components of the access device,
wherein the bridge device enables peer-to-peer communication;
determining one or more available communication components of the access device, wherein the access device is configured to communicate across a plurality of communication components, wherein the one or more available communication components are registered in a priority order by the bridge device;
activating the one or more available communication components of the access device:
relaying communications to the access device via the activated one or more available communication components of the access device;
notifying, over the wireless connection, the mobile device of the one or more available communication components;
receiving, from the mobile device over the wireless connection, a response including a selection of a first communication component from the one or more available communication components;
communicating the selection of the first communication component to the access device;
sending, to the mobile device over the wireless connection, a request to initiate the transaction using the first communication component;
receiving, from the mobile device over the wireless connection, a message including transaction data for conducting the transaction using the first communication component, wherein the message is sent by the mobile device over a first wireless connection protocol;
converting the message in real time, including the transaction data for conducting the transaction using the first communication component, that is sent over the first wireless connection protocol, to data that is compatible with the first communication component, selected by the mobile device; and
providing the converted message including the transaction data to the access device, wherein the access device transmits an authorization request including the transaction data to a server computer for authorization so as to enable communication between the mobile device and the access device.

2. The bridge device of claim 1 , wherein the bridge device further comprises a connector for attaching the bridge device to the access device.

3. The bridge device of claim 2 , wherein the connector comprises at least one of a magnetic component connector, a contact component connector, and a contactless component connector for connecting to the communication components of the access device.

4. The bridge device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more available communication components include a magnetic stripe component, a contact component, and a contactless component.

5. The bridge device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless connection is a local area wireless network connection or a short-range wireless connection.

6. The bridge device of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
detecting that the mobile device is in range of the bridge device; and
receiving, from the mobile device, an indication that the mobile device is capable of conducting transaction with the bridge device.

7. The bridge device of claim 6 , wherein the indication shows that the mobile device is running a bridge device mobile application.

8. The bridge device of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
receiving a request from the mobile device to utilize a second communication component instead of the first communication component for the transaction;
sending a notification to the access device to switch communication components; and
conducting the transaction using the second communication component.

9. The bridge device of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
detecting that the first communication component of the access device is activated before initiating the transaction.

10. A method performed by a bridge device configured to communicatively couple a mobile device and an existing access device attached to the bridge device during a transaction, the method comprising:
establishing a wireless connection with the mobile device of a user conducting the transaction, wherein the bridge device is configured to be removably inserted in the existing access device and wherein the bridge device comprises one or more connectors configured to communicate with the mobile device using one or more of a plurality of wireless protocols supported by the mobile device;
wherein the bridge device is configured to communicate with one or more components of the access device,
wherein the bridge device enables peer-to-peer communication;
determining one or more available communication components of the access device, wherein the access device is configured to communicate across a plurality of communication components, wherein the one or more available communication components are registered in a priority order by the bridge device;
activating the one or more available communication components of the access device:
relaying communications to the access device via the activated one or more available communication components of the access device;
notifying, over the wireless connection, the mobile device of the one or more available communication components;
receiving, from the mobile device over the wireless connection, a response including a selection of a first communication component from the one or more available communication components, wherein the response is sent by the mobile device over a first wireless protocol;
communicating the selection to the access device;
sending, to the mobile device over the wireless connection, a request to initiate the transaction using the first communication component;
receiving, from the mobile device over the wireless connection, a message including transaction data for conducting the transaction using the first communication component;
converting the message in real time including the transaction data for conducting the transaction using the first communication component, that is sent over the first wireless protocol, to data that is compatible with the first communication component selected by the mobile device; and
providing the converted message including the transaction data to the access device, wherein the access device transmits an authorization request including the transaction data to a server computer for authorization so as to enable communication between the mobile device and the access device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the bridge device further comprises a connector for attaching the bridge device to the access device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the connector comprises at least one of a magnetic component connector, a contact component connector, and a contactless component connector for connecting to the communication components of the access device.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more available communication components include a magnetic stri

Assignees

• Visa Int Service Ass

Inventors

• Chen Yuexi
• Top Mustafa
• Martin Philippe

Classifications

• G06Q20/326 Primary

  Payment applications installed on the mobile devices · CPC title

• G06Q20/027

  involving a payment switch or gateway · CPC title

• G06Q20/10

  specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems · CPC title

• G06Q20/3227 Primary

  using secure elements embedded in M-devices · CPC title

• H04W88/16

  Gateway arrangements · CPC title