Systems and methods for performing payment transactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022019992-A1
Application number	US-202117246329-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 30, 2021
Priority date	Jul 16, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

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 ring for receiving a body part of a user, the ring having an antenna; and electrical circuitry configured to transmit payment data for a payment transaction via the antenna, the electrical circuitry comprising at least one impedance control element electrically coupled to the antenna, the impedance control element having at least one capacitor or inductor, wherein the electrical circuitry, in response to an event indicating that the payment transaction is imminent, is configured to (1) measure at least one parameter indicative of a voltage or current of the antenna and (2) tune the antenna based on the measured parameter by changing a state of the at least one impedance control element, thereby changing an impedance of the antenna.

2 . A wearable payment device for processing payment transactions, comprising:
a ring for receiving a body part of a user, the ring having an antenna; and electrical circuitry coupled to the ring and configured to transmit payment data for a payment transaction via the antenna, the electrical circuitry further configured to measure at least one characteristic of the antenna and to tune the antenna based on the measured at least one characteristic.

3 . The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to sense a magnetic field, and wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to tune the antenna in response to the magnetic field.

4 . The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to sense an event that the payment transaction is imminent, and wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to tune the antenna in response to the event.

5 . The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises an impedance control element having at least one capacitor or inductor electrically coupled to the antenna, and wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to tune the antenna by changing a state of the impedance control element.

6 . The wearable payment device of claim 5 , wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to tune the antenna by changing a capacitance or inductance of the impedance control element.

7 . The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a plurality of impedance control elements selectively coupled to the antenna through a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of impedance control elements having at least one capacitor or inductor, and wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to tune the antenna by controlling the plurality of switches.

8 . The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a power source and a transceiver electrically coupled to the antenna, wherein the transceiver is electrically coupled to the power source through a switch, wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to control the switch such that (1) the switch is in a closed state during tuning of the antenna thereby electrically coupling the power source to the transceiver and (2) is transitioned to an open state thereby electrically isolating the transceiver from the power source after tuning of the antenna is performed, and wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the payment data to an external device via the antenna using passive load modulation while the switch is in the open state.

9 . The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises at least one sensor for sensing movement of the ring, and wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to tune the antenna based on movement of the ring sensed by the at least one sensor.

10 . The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a power source, wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to sense an amount of available energy in the power source and to determine whether to tune the antenna based on the sensed amount of available energy.

11 . The wearable payment device of claim 2 , wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to communicate with an external device via the antenna in a first operational mode and to harvest energy from the antenna in a second operational mode, and wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to select one of the first operational mode or the second operational mode and to tune the antenna based on the selected one of the first operational mode or the second operational mode.

12 . A method for use with a wearable payment device, comprising:
transmitting payment data for a payment transaction via an antenna of a wearable payment device, the wearable payment device forming a ring for receiving a body part of a user; measuring, with electrical circuitry of the wearable payment device, at least one characteristic of the antenna; and tuning the antenna with the electrical circuitry based on the measured at least one characteristic.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising sensing a magnetic field with the electrical circuitry, wherein the tuning is in response to the magnetic field.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising sensing with the electrical circuitry an event indicative of the payment transaction, wherein the tuning is in response to the sensing of the event.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises an impedance control element having at least one capacitor or inductor electrically coupled to the antenna, and wherein the tuning comprises changing a state of the impedance control element.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a plurality of impedance control elements selectively coupled to the antenna through a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of impedance control elements having at least one capacitor or inductor, and wherein the tuning comprises controlling the plurality of switches.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a power source and a transceiver electrically coupled to the antenna, wherein the transceiver is electrically coupled to the power source through a switch, and wherein the method further comprises:
controlling the switch with the electrical circuitry such that the switch is in a closed state during the tuning thereby electrically coupling the power source to the transceiver; controlling the switch with the electrical circuitry such that the switch is transitioned to an open state thereby electrically isolating the transceiver from the power source after the tuning; and communicating the payment data to an external device with the transceiver via the antenna using passive load modulation while the switch is in the open state.

18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising sensing movement of the ring with at least one sensor of the electrical circuitry, wherein the tuning is based on the sensing.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical circuitry comprises a power source, and wherein the method further comprises:
sensing an amount of available energy in the power source; and determining with the electrical circuitry whether to perform the tuning based on the sensing.

20 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
communicating with an external device via the antenna in a first operational mode; harvesting energy from the antenna in a second operational mode; and selecting one of the first operational mode or the second operational mode

Assignees

• Square 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

• H01Q1/273

  Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals · CPC title

• G07F7/0806

  Details of the card (record carriers per se G06K) · CPC title