Systems and methods for performing payment transactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11328283-B2
Application number	US-202117219570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2021
Priority date	Jul 16, 2020
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A wearable payment device, such as a finger ring worn by a user, communicates payment data to a payment reader that uses the payment data in order to request a payment transaction. Such wearable payment device may be conveniently carried by and accessible to the user such that utilization of the payment device for the payment transaction is less burdensome for the user, thereby encouraging use of the payment device for payments. Indeed, in some cases, such as when the payment device is implemented as a finger ring or other type of jewelry, the user may be encouraged to carry the payment device in an exposed manner such that it is readily available for the payment transaction without the user having to search in a wallet, pocket, or purse.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable payment device for processing payment transactions, comprising: a mold having a cavity, the mold composed of an electrical insulating material and forming an inner ring for receiving a body part of a user; electrical circuitry positioned in the cavity and configured to store payment data for a payment transaction, the electrical circuitry comprising a near field communication (NFC) transceiver; and a conductive shell forming an outer ring for receiving the body part of the user, the conductive shell having an inner surface coupled to the mold, and the outer ring extending around the inner ring, wherein the outer ring forms an antenna that is exposed and electrically coupled to the electrical circuitry, and wherein the NFC transceiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the payment data via the antenna to a payment reader for the payment transaction.

2. A wearable payment device for processing payment transactions, comprising: a mold having a cavity; electrical circuitry positioned in the cavity and configured to store payment data for a payment transaction; and a conductive ring for receiving a body part of a user, the conductive ring having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is coupled to the mold, wherein the conductive ring forms a first antenna electrically coupled to the electrical circuitry for wirelessly transmitting the payment data, and wherein the first antenna is exposed.

3. The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a near field communication (NFC) transceiver electrically coupled to the first antenna, and wherein the NFC transceiver is configured to transmit an NFC signal carrying the payment data via the first antenna.

4. The wearable payment device of claim 3 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a second transceiver electrically coupled to a second antenna, and wherein the second transceiver is configured to transmit a wireless signal via the second antenna to a mobile device.

5. The wearable payment device of claim 4 , wherein the second antenna is within the mold.

6. The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the wearable payment device is a finger ring.

7. The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the mold forms an inner ring, and wherein the conductive ring extends around the inner ring.

8. The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the conductive ring forms a spiral such that the first antenna has a plurality of turns.

9. The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a power source, wherein the first antenna is configured to receive wireless energy, and wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to store the wireless energy in the power source.

10. The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the payment data includes an account number of a financial account for making a payment in the payment transaction.

11. The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein an outer surface of the mold is coupled to the inner surface of the conductive ring.

12. The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the first antenna has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is separated from the second end by a gap such that the first antenna does not form a closed loop.

13. A wearable payment device for processing payment transactions, comprising:
a mold having a cavity;
electrical circuitry positioned in the cavity and configured to store payment data for a payment transaction; and
a conductive shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface coupled to the mold, wherein the conductive shell forms a first antenna electrically coupled to the electrical circuitry for wirelessly transmitting the payment data, wherein the conductive shell forms a ring for receiving a body part of a user, wherein the first antenna has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is separated from the second end by a gap.

14. The wearable payment device of claim 13 , wherein the gap includes an electrical insulting material.

15. The wearable payment device of claim 13 , wherein the gap includes air.

16. A method for use with a wearable payment device, comprising: wearing the wearable payment device on a user, wherein the wearing comprises inserting a body part of the user through a conductive ring of the wearable payment device; storing payment data for a payment transaction in electrical circuitry positioned in a mold coupled to an inner surface of the conductive ring; and wirelessly transmitting the payment data from the wearable payment device via a first antenna formed by the conductive ring to a payment reader for processing of the payment transaction, wherein the first antenna is exposed.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a near field communication (NFC) transceiver electrically coupled to the first antenna, and wherein the wirelessly transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting an NFC signal carrying the payment data from the NFC transceiver to the payment reader via the first antenna.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a second transceiver electrically coupled to a second antenna, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting a wireless signal from the second transceiver to a mobile device via the second antenna.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second antenna is within the mold.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the wearable payment device is a finger ring.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mold forms an inner ring, and wherein the conductive ring extends around the inner ring.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the conductive ring forms a spiral such that the first antenna has a plurality of turns.

23. A method for use with a wearable payment device, comprising:
wearing the wearable payment device on a user, wherein the wearing comprises inserting a body part of the user through a ring formed by a conductive shell of the wearable payment device;
storing payment data for a payment transaction in electrical circuitry positioned in a mold coupled to an inner surface of the conductive shell; and
wirelessly transmitting the payment data from the wearable payment device via a first antenna formed by the conductive shell to a payment reader for processing of the payment transaction, wherein the first antenna has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is separated from the second end by a gap.

Assignees

• Block Inc

Inventors

• Rezayee Afshin
• Bidari Emad
• Templeton Thomas
• Lamfalusi Michael
• Maibach Matthew H
• Dorogusker Jesse L

Classifications

• H04B5/45

  Transponders · CPC title

• H04B5/70

  specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• H04B5/26

  using coils · CPC title

• G06Q20/3278

  RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices · CPC title

• G06Q20/401

  Transaction verification · CPC title