Multi-state merchant-facing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11328279-B2
Application number	US-201815942364-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2018
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

Techniques associated with a dual state merchant-facing device are described herein. A point-of-sale system can comprise multiple devices, such as a customer-facing device and a merchant-facing device that is coupled to the customer-facing device and can operate in a first state or a second state. In at least one example, the merchant-facing device operating in the first state can present a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display. The merchant-facing device can transition from the first state to the second state, the second state enabling the merchant-facing device to perform at least one additional functionality that is not available to the merchant-facing device in the first state, and can update the GUI based at least in part on the at least one additional functionality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A point-of-sale (POS) system for conducting a transactions between a merchant and a customer using a merchant-facing device and a customer-facing device based on a model-view-controller (MVC) framework, wherein the POS system comprises:
a merchant-facing device comprising:
one or more merchant-facing device communication interfaces;
a merchant-facing device touchscreen display;
a merchant-facing device processor; and
a merchant-facing device memory storing (i) a first model component, a first view component, and a first controller component of the MVC framework, and (ii) merchant-facing device instructions that, when executed by the merchant-facing device processor, cause the merchant-facing device processor to perform steps comprising:
presenting a first graphical user interface (GUI) on the merchant-facing device touchscreen display;
based at least in part on determining that the merchant-facing device is in a merchant state, performing one or more merchant functions; and
based at least in part on determining that the merchant-facing device is in a customer state, performing one or more customer functions;

a customer-facing device communicatively coupled to the merchant-facing device, wherein the customer-facing device comprises:
one or more customer-facing device communication interfaces;
a customer-facing device touchscreen display;
a customer-facing device processor;
a payment reader, wherein the payment reader reads information from a payment instrument for the transaction between the merchant and the customer; and
a customer-facing device memory storing (i) a second model component, a second view component, and a second controller component of the MVC framework, and (ii) customer-facing device instructions that, when executed by the customer-facing device processor, cause the customer-facing device processor to perform steps comprising:
presenting a second GUI on the customer-facing device touchscreen display; and
based at least in part on determining that the merchant-facing device is in the customer state, controlling the merchant-facing device by sending, via the second model component to the first view component, model component instructions, wherein the model component instructions are associated with at least one customer function of the one or more customer functions;

wherein the merchant-facing device instructions, when executed by the merchant-facing device processor, further cause the merchant-facing device processor to perform steps comprising:
receiving the model component instructions; and
presenting, via the first view component and based at least in part on the model component instructions, a third GUI on the merchant-facing device touchscreen display to perform the at least one customer function; and
sending, via the one or more merchant-facing device communication interfaces, the information to a remote payment processing service.

2. The POS system as claim 1 recites,
wherein the customer-facing device instructions, when executed by the customer-facing device processor, further cause the customer-facing device processor to perform steps comprising:
determining that the customer-facing device touchscreen display of the customer-facing device is disabled; and
sending, to the merchant-facing device, an indication that the customer-facing device touchscreen display of the customer-facing device is disabled; and

wherein the merchant-facing device instructions, when executed by the merchant-facing device processor, further cause the merchant-facing device processor to perform steps comprising:
based at least in part on receiving the indication, transitioning the merchant-facing device from the merchant state to the customer state.

3. The POS system as claim 2 recites,
wherein the merchant-facing device instructions, when executed by the merchant-facing device processor, further cause the merchant-facing device processor to perform the steps of:
presenting, via the third GUI on the merchant-facing device touchscreen display and via the first view component, a first request for the payment data associated with the transaction, wherein the first request for the payment data is one of the one or more customer functions;
receiving, from the customer-facing device, the payment data, wherein the payment data is read by the payment reader of the customer-facing device;
presenting, via the third GUI on the merchant-facing device touchscreen display, a second request for authentication information associated with the payment data; and
sending, via the one or more merchant-facing device communication interfaces, the payment data to the remote payment processing service to settle the transaction.

4. The POS system as claim 3 recites, wherein presenting the first request and the second request via the first view component is based at least in part on sending, by the customer-facing device, via the second model component to the first view component, second model component instructions.

5. The POS system as claim 4 recites, wherein the customer-facing device instructions, when executed by the customer-facing device processor, further cause the customer-facing device processor to perform the steps of:
receiving, via the second controller component, the payment data from the first view component responsive to the first request;
converting, via the second controller component, the payment data to a command for the second model component; and
sending, via the second controller component, the command to the second model component.

6. A point-of-sale (POS) system for conducting a transaction between a merchant and a customer using a merchant-facing device and a customer-facing device based on a model-view-controller (MVC) framework, wherein the POS system comprises:
a merchant-facing device, wherein the merchant-facing device comprises:
one or more merchant-facing device communication interfaces;
a merchant-facing device display;
a merchant-facing device processor; and
a merchant-facing device memory storing (i) a first model component, a first view component, and a first controller component of the MVC framework, and (ii) merchant-facing device instructions that, when executed by the merchant-facing device processor, cause the merchant-facing device processor to perform steps comprising:
presenting a first graphical user interface (GUI) on the merchant- facing device display;

a customer-facing device, wherein the customer-facing device comprises:
one or more customer-facing device communication interfaces;
a customer-facing device display:
a customer-facing device processor;
a payment reader; and
a customer-facing device memory storing (i) a second model component, a second view component, and a second controller component of the MVC framework and (ii) customer-facing device instructions that, when executed by the customer-facing device processor, cause the customer-facing device processor to perform steps comprising:
presenting a second GUI on the customer-facing device display;
based at least in part on determining that the merchant-facing device is in a customer state, controlling the merchant-facing device by sending, via the second model component to the first view component, model component instructions, wherein the model component instructions are associated with at least one customer function; and
reading, via the payment reader, information from a payment instrument for the transaction between the merchant and the customer;

wherein the merchant-facing device instructions, when executed by the merchant-facing device processor, further cause the merchant-facing device processor to perform steps comprising:
receiving the model component instructions;
presenting, via the first view compone

Assignees

• Block Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G07G1/01

  Details for indicating · CPC title

• G07G1/0009

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

• G06Q20/4014

  Identity check for transactions · CPC title

• G06Q20/202 Primary

  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 title

• G06Q20/38215

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