Method and device for retrofitting an offline-payment operated machine to accept electronic payments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9256873-B2
Application number	US-201414456683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2013
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A payment module includes: one or more processors, memory, a first interface module configured to couple the payment module with a control unit of an offline-payment operated machine, and a short-range communication capability for communicating with one or more mobile devices each including a complimentary short-range communication capability and a long-range communication capability. The payment module receives a transaction request via the short-range communication capability from a mobile device to perform a transaction with the offline-payment operated machine. The payment module validates the transaction request to verify that the mobile device is authorized to initiate payment for the transaction by a remote server via the long-range communication capability. In accordance with a determination that the transaction request is valid, the payment module causes the offline-payment operated machine to perform the requested transaction by issuing a signal, via the first interface module, to the control unit to perform the transaction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic payment module for retrofitting a payment accepting unit to accept electronic payments, wherein the payment accepting unit at least includes a control unit, the electronic payment module comprising:
a first interface configured to couple the electronic payment module with the control unit of the payment accepting unit;
a short-range transceiver configured to send one or more payment zone thresholds; one or more processors; and
memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
sending, via the short-range transceiver and to a mobile device, a packet of information that includes a first payment zone threshold of the one or more payment zone thresholds;
in accordance with detecting an indication that the mobile device satisfies a calibrated payment zone threshold that is based on (i) the first payment zone threshold and (ii) a signal strength indicator that corresponds to a transmission from the electronic payment module, receiving, via the short-range transceiver, a request from the mobile device to perform a transaction with the payment accepting unit; and
in accordance with a determination that the request is valid, causing the payment accepting unit to perform the transaction by issuing a signal to perform the transaction to the control unit of the payment accepting unit via the first interface.

2. The electronic payment module of claim 1 , wherein the payment accepting unit further includes one or more payment receiving mechanisms, a respective payment receiving mechanism of the one or more payment receiving mechanisms is one of a bill validator, coin acceptor, or payment card reader, and
wherein the electronic payment module further includes a second interface configured to couple the electronic payment module with the one or more payment receiving mechanisms of the payment accepting unit.

3. The electronic payment module of claim 2 , wherein the first interface and the second interface are compatible with at least a portion of a multidrop bus protocol.

4. The electronic payment module of claim 2 , wherein the electronic payment module further includes pass-through channel, the pass-through channel is configured to pass-through signals from the one or more payment receiving mechanisms to the control unit.

5. The electronic payment module of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
sending transaction information corresponding to the transaction to the mobile device via the short-range transceiver.

6. The electronic payment module of claim 5 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
prior to sending the transaction information and after causing the payment accepting unit to perform the transaction by sending instructions to the payment accepting unit via the first interface, obtaining a notification from the payment accepting unit via the first interface, the notification indicating completion of the transaction performed by a user of the mobile device at the payment accepting unit and an amount of the transaction; and
in response to receiving the notification:
generating the transaction information based at least in part on the notification; and
storing the generated transaction information in the memory.

7. A method of accepting electronic payments, the method comprising:
at an electronic payment module with one or more processors, memory, a first interface configured to couple the electronic payment module with a control unit of the payment accepting unit and a short-range transceiver configured to send one or more payment zone thresholds:
sending, via the short-range transceiver and to a mobile device, a packet of information that includes a first payment zone threshold of the one or more payment zone thresholds;
in accordance with detecting an indication that the mobile device satisfies a calibrated payment zone threshold that is based on (i) the first payment zone threshold and (ii) a signal strength indicator that corresponds to a transmission from the electronic payment module, receiving, via the short-range transceiver, a request from the mobile device to perform a transaction with the payment accepting unit; and
in accordance with a determination that the request is valid, causing the payment accepting unit to perform the transaction by issuing a signal to perform the transaction to the control unit of the payment accepting unit via the first interface.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electronic payment module further includes a second interface configured to couple the electronic payment module with one or more payment receiving mechanisms of the payment accepting unit, a respective payment receiving mechanism of the one or more payment receiving mechanisms is one of a bill validator, coin acceptor, or payment card reader.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first interface and the second interface are compatible with at least a portion of a multidrop bus protocol.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electronic payment module further includes pass-through channel, the pass-through channel is configured to pass-through signals from the one or more payment receiving mechanisms to the control unit.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: sending transaction information corresponding to the transaction to the mobile device via the short-range transceiver.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
prior to sending the transaction information and after causing the payment accepting unit to perform the transaction by sending instructions to the payment accepting unit via the first interface, obtaining a notification from the payment accepting unit via the first interface, the notification indicating completion of the transaction performed by a user of the mobile device at the payment accepting unit and an amount of the transaction; and
in response to receiving the notification:
generating the transaction information based at least in part on the notification; and
storing the generated transaction information in the memory.

13. A payment accepting unit, comprising:
a short-range transceiver configured to send one or more payment zone thresholds;
a control unit; and
memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the control unit, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
sending, via the short-range transceiver and to a mobile device, a packet of information that includes a first payment zone threshold of the one or more payment zone thresholds;
in accordance with detecting an indication that the mobile device satisfies a calibrated payment zone threshold that is based on (i) the first payment zone threshold and (ii) a signal strength indicator that corresponds to a transmission from the payment accepting unit, receiving, via the short-range transceiver, a request from the mobile device to perform a transaction with the payment accepting unit; and
in accordance with a determination that the request is valid, causing the payment accepting unit to perform the transaction by issuing a signal to perform the transaction to the control unit of the payment accepting unit via the first interface.

14. The payment accepting unit of claim 13 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
sending transaction information corresponding to the transaction to the mobile device via the short-range transceiver.

15. The payment accepting unit of claim 14 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:
prior to sending t

Assignees

• Payrange Inc

Inventors

• Patel Paresh K
• Doan Chau M

Classifications

• G07F9/002

  Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines · CPC title

• G06Q20/3226

  Use of secure elements separate from M-devices · CPC title

• G06Q20/3829

  involving key management · CPC title

• G06Q20/18

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title

• G06Q20/3823

  combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction · CPC title