Value added services polling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358159-A1
Application number	US-201615170724-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for transmitting, as part of a polling loop, a value added services (VAS) command that includes capability data corresponding to a payment terminal. For example, the payment terminal can transmit a VAS command that advertises the payment terminal's capabilities as part of a polling loop. The payment terminal can listen for a response to the VAS command and, after receiving a response, the payment terminal may initiate a VAS protocol. The VAS command can also specify a mode in which the payment terminal is operating, such as a payment-only mode, a VAS mode, a payment-plus-VAS mode, etc.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A payment terminal comprising:
a contactless interface configured to communicate with a portable communication device; a processor communicatively coupled to the contactless interface; and a tangible storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by the processor, effective to cause the contactless interface to transmit a value added services command as part of a polling loop, the value added services command including payment terminal capabilities data.

2 . The payment terminal of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are also effective to:
cause the contactless interface to listen for a response from the portable communications device to the value added services command, and cause, after receiving the response to the value added services command, the payment terminal to initiate a transaction using a value added services protocol.

3 . The payment terminal of claim 2 , wherein the instructions comprise Level 1 instructions including the polling loop and Level 2 instructions including the value added services protocol.

4 . The payment terminal of claim 3 , wherein the value added services protocol is one of a plurality of protocols available as part of the Level 2 instructions.

5 . The payment terminal of claim 4 , wherein the instructions are effective to cause the payment terminal to directly enter the value added services protocol upon completion of the Level 1 instructions.

6 . The payment terminal of claim 1 , wherein the payment terminal capabilities data specifies a present operating mode of the payment terminal.

7 . The payment terminal of claim 6 , wherein the present operating mode comprises a value added services mode.

8 . The payment terminal of claim 6 , wherein the operating mode comprises a value added services only mode.

9 . The payment terminal of claim 6 , wherein the operating mode comprises a value added services plus payment mode.

10 . The payment terminal of claim 9 , wherein the value added services plus payment mode comprises operations including:
obtaining customer loyalty information; determining an effect of the customer loyalty information on a payment transaction; and performing the payment transaction in accordance with the customer loyalty information.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive a value added services command from a payment terminal; detect payment terminal capabilities data transmitted within the received value added services command; prepare, based at least in part on the detected payment terminal capabilities data, to initiate a transaction with the payment terminal; and initiate the transaction with the payment terminal by responding to the value added services command.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions of claim 11 , wherein the instructions to prepare to initiate the transaction with the payment terminal further cause a processor to:
configure the processor to operate in accordance with a value added services protocol corresponding to the value added services command.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions of claim 11 , wherein payment terminal capabilities include one of:
a value added services only mode or a value added services plus payment mode.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are effective to cause a processor to:
first transmit consumer loyalty information to the payment terminal according to a value added services payment protocol, and thereafter transmit payment information to the payment terminal according to a payment protocol.

15 . A method comprising:
transmitting, by a payment terminal as part of a polling loop, a value added services command that includes payment terminal capabilities data; monitoring for a responsive communication to the value added services command from a portable communications device; and after receiving the responsive communication from the portable communications device, causing the payment terminal to initiate a value added services protocol.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the instructions comprise Level 1 instructions including the polling loop and Level 2 instructions including the value added services protocol.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the value added services protocol comprises one of a plurality of protocols available as part of the Level 2 instructions.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the payment terminal capabilities data specifies a mode in which the payment terminal is operating.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the mode comprises a value added services plus payment mode that includes:
obtaining customer loyalty information; determining an effect of the customer loyalty information on a payment transaction, and performing the payment transaction in accordance with the customer loyalty information.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
causing the payment terminal to directly enter the value added services protocol upon completion of the Level 1 instructions.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Khan Ahmer Ali
• Tucker Brian J
• CHUNG Ho Cheung
• Linde Joakim
• Rosen Zachary A
• Scott Gordon Y

Classifications

• G06Q30/0226

  Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems · CPC title

• G06Q20/204

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

• G06Q20/3278

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

• G06Q20/353 Primary

  Payments by cards read by M-devices · CPC title