Temporarily provisioning functionality in a multi-device point-of-sale system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11308472-B2
Application number	US-201815942332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2018
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

Temporarily provisioning functionality to a personal device in a multi-device point-of-sale (POS) system is described. In an example, a personal device can be determined to be within a range of a POS system of a merchant. The POS system can include a merchant-facing device and a customer-facing device that is coupled to the merchant-facing device. Functionality can be provisioned to the personal device that (i) configures the personal device to present a customer user interface (UI) via a display of the personal device to enable a customer operating the personal device to interact with the merchant and (ii) enables the personal device to interact with at least one of the merchant-facing device or the customer-facing device. Responsive to determining an occurrence of an event, the functionality can be de-provisioned from the personal device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining that a personal device is proximate to a point-of-sale (POS) system of a merchant, the POS system including a merchant-facing device and a customer-facing device that is coupled to the merchant-facing device;
based at least in part on an identifier associated with the personal device, determining an identity of a customer;
based at least in part on determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system of the merchant, provisioning functionality to the personal device by transferring software to the personal device, the functionality (i) configuring the personal device to present a customer user interface (UI) via a display of the personal device to enable a customer operating the personal device to perform one or more types of actions associated with at least one of building a virtual cart or settling a transaction and (ii) enabling the personal device to interact with at least one of the merchant-facing device or the customer-facing device, wherein the one or more types of actions are based at least in part on the identity of the customer;
determining an occurrence of an event; and
de-provisioning, based at least in part on determining the occurrence of the event, the functionality to the personal device by causing removal of the software transferred to the personal device or deactivating the software transferred to the personal device.

2. The method as claim 1 recites, wherein determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system comprises determining that the personal device is within a geo-fence associated with the POS system.

3. The method as claim 1 recites, wherein determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system comprises:
determining a signal strength associated with the personal device;
determining that the signal strength satisfies a threshold signal strength; and
determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system based at least in part on determining that the signal strength exceeds the threshold signal strength.

4. The method as claim 1 recites, wherein the provisioning the functionality is based at least in part on transmitting the software directly from the merchant-facing device or the customer-facing device to the personal device via at least one short-range communication network.

5. The method as claim 1 recites, further comprising:
prior to the provisioning the functionality and based at least in part on determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system of the merchant, sending, via a short-range communication network, a link to the personal device, the link being associated with a remote location from which the software is downloadable; and
transmitting, from the remote location and via a long-range communication network, the software to the personal device based at least in part on an actuation of the link.

6. The method as claim 1 recites, wherein the provisioning the functionality comprises provisioning the software via a web browser until the functionality is de-provisioned.

7. The method as claim 1 recites, further comprising:
determining, based at least in part on an identifier associated with the personal device, an identity of the customer;
accessing, based at least in part on the identity of the customer, customer information associated with the customer, the customer information identifying at least one preference of the customer; and
determining, based at least in part on the at least one preference of the customer, at least a method for provisioning the functionality to the personal device.

8. The method as claim 1 recites, wherein the event comprises at least one of:
a determination that the personal device is no longer proximate to the POS system;
a completed transaction between the customer and the merchant; or
an expiration of a predetermined period of time.

9. A system comprising:
at least one merchant-facing device associated with a merchant;
at least one customer-facing device that is coupled to the at least one merchant-facing device, wherein the at least one merchant-facing device and the at least one customer-facing device comprise a point-of-sale (POS) terminal;
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 operations comprising:
determining that a personal device is proximate to the system;
based at least in part on an identifier associated with the personal device, determining an identity of a customer operating the personal device;
based at least in part on determining that the personal device is proximate to the system, provisioning functionality to the personal device by transferring software to the personal device, the functionality (i) configuring the personal device to present a customer user interface (UI) via the personal device to enable the customer to engage in one or more types of interactions with the merchant associated with at least one of building a virtual cart or settling a transaction and (ii) enabling the personal device to interact with one or more of the at least one merchant-facing device or the at least one customer-facing device, wherein the one or more types of interactions are based at least in part on the identity of the customer;
determining an occurrence of an event; and
de-provisioning, based at least in part on determining the occurrence of the event, the functionality to the personal device by causing removal of the software transferred to the personal device or deactivating the software transferred to the personal device.

10. The system as claim 9 recites, wherein determining that the personal device is proximate to the system is performed by one or more of the at least one merchant-facing device, the at least one customer-facing device, or a remote computing device associated with a payment processing service, the system further comprising the remote computing device.

11. The system as claim 9 recites, wherein the provisioning the functionality to the personal device comprises at least one of:
directly provisioning the software to the personal device;
indirectly provisioning the software to the personal device; or
provisioning the software via a web browser.

12. The system as claim 9 recites, the operations further comprising:
determining that at least one other personal device operated by another customer is proximate to the system;
causing an indication of the personal device and the at least one other personal device to be presented via a selection UI presented via the merchant-facing device;
receiving an input associated with the selection UI, the input selecting at least the personal device for provisioning the functionality; and
provisioning the functionality responsive to receiving the input.

13. The system as claim 9 recites, the operations further comprising:
accessing customer information associated with the customer; and
personalizing the provisioning of the functionality based at least in part on the customer information.

14. The system as claim 9 recites, wherein the event comprises at least one of:
a determination that the personal device is no longer proximate to the system;
a completed transaction between the customer and the merchant; or
an expiration of a predetermined period of time.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the in

Assignees

• Block Inc

Inventors

• Sanchez-Llorens Sara
• Ristov Todor
• Hurwitz Elise
• Ponchon Arnaud
• Doyle Evan
• Blagdan Isreal
• Lin Christine
• Khan Imran

Classifications

• G06Q20/204 Primary

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

• G06Q20/38215

  Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights · CPC title

• G06Q20/203

  Inventory monitoring · CPC title

• G06Q20/4014

  Identity check for transactions · CPC title

• G07G1/0009

  Details of the software in the checkout register, electronic cash register [ECR] or point of sale terminal [POS] · CPC title