Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
ENHANCED NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATIONS ATTACHMENT
Field of the Disclosure
[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing
enhanced
features for contactless payment with a Near Field Communications attachment.
Background of the Disclosure
[0002] Near Field Communications, or NFC, allows for wireless communication
between
two devices in close proximity to each other. Existing NFC devices provide
limited
functionality for contactless payments using a "digital wallet," but are
restrictive and difficult
to implement for a number of reasons.
100031 Current digital wallet solutions require channeling all transactions
through a defined
group of stakeholders, thus increasing cost and complexity of each
transaction. Further,
current digital wallet solutions require that a mobile device be pre-
manufactured with specific
hardware already included, thus excluding hundreds of millions of existing
devices from
using a digital wallet solution.
100041 Moreover, current proximity attachments, such as key finders or fobs,
provide a
proximity "attachment", enabling a proximity connection to, for example, a
mobile device.
But these key finders do not have payment capabilities. The key finders also
are not tied to
bank security.
[0005] These and other drawbacks exist.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0006] Various embodiments of the present disclosure, together with further
objects and
advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description
taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several Figures of which
like reference
numerals identify like elements, and in which:
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100071 Figure 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0008] Figure 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0009] Figure 3 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0010] Figure 4 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0011] Figure 5 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
100121 Figure 6 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
method;
[0013] Figure 7 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
method;
[0014] Figure 8 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0015] Figure 9 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0016] Figure 10a depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
100171 Figure 10b depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0018] Figure 1 la depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0019] Figure lib depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
system;
[0020] Figure 12 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contactless payment
method
[0021] Figure 13 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contact payment system;
100221 Figure 14 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contact payment system;
[0023] Figure 15 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contact payment system;
[0024] Figure 16 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a contact payment system;
and
00251 Figure 17 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a method for using the
enhanced
features of a contactless attachment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0026] The following description is intended to convey a thorough
understanding of the
embodiments described by providing a number of specific exemplary embodiments
and
details involving systems and methods for providing contactless payment with a
NFC
attachment. It should be appreciated, however, that the present disclosure is
not limited to
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these specific embodiments and details, which are exemplary only. It is
further understood
that one possessing ordinary skill in the art, in light of known systems and
methods, would
appreciate the use of the invention for its intended purposes and benefits in
various
embodiments, depending on specific design and other needs. A financial
institution and
system supporting a financial institution are used as examples for the
disclosure. The
disclosure is not intended to be limited to financial institutions only.
[0027] According to the various embodiments of the present disclosure, systems
and methods
enable an approach to contactless payments using an attachment to a mobile
device. Such
attachments may include, for example and not by way of limitation, a
contactless payment
attachment that plugs into an audio jack or plug of a mobile device, and/or a
fob that connects
to a mobile device, and/or the like. The exemplary use of "mobile device"
throughout the
application is only by way of example, and the attachment may also be used
with personal
computers, automobiles, televisions, gaming systems, or any other device
capable of making
an audio jack connection. The attachment may also plug into any jack of a
mobile device
capable of transmitting audio and/or data information, for instance, a 2.5mm
audio jack, a 3.5
mm or 1/8 inch audio jack, a multipronged audio jack, or other audio
connection. The
attachment may also utilize various other connections available on mobile
devices, for
example, mini-USB, micro-USB, memory card slots, proprietary ports such as,
for example, a
dock connector on a mobile device, (e.g. the dock connector on an Apple iPhone
, iPod
or iPad g), and/or low energy wireless connections such as, e.g., Bluetooth0
Low Energy
Technology. In various embodiments, the attachment approach to contactless
payment could
be provided in an online environment, whereby, for example, a mobile device
(such as a
smaitphone, audio player, tablet, or other mobile device) with an attachment
according to the
various embodiments could send and receive data via a communication network
sufficient to
enable a contactless transaction, including a contactless payment transaction.
The attachment
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could also be used in an offline manner, whereby an attachment could connect
to the mobile
device alone and used, regardless of whether the mobile device is connected to
a
communication network at the time of use. This attachment could eliminate the
need for a
consumer to purchase a mobile device with special hardware, enable a user to
quickly and
cost-effectively add contactless payment features to their mobile device,
and/or enable a user
or financial institution to bypass traditional stakeholders in the payment
process.
[0028] The attachment may be, for example and not by way of limitation, an
audio plug/jack
based attachment for mobile devices, smartphones, or other personal digital
assistants (e.g.
tablet computers, music players, etc.) In one embodiment, this attachment may
be operable
with any mobile device, PDA class device or smaitphone that includes an audio
jack or plug.
The mobile device may run software or firmware (for example, an 'app') that
works with the
dongle to enable mobile payments. The attachment may perform similar functions
to existing
digital wallet solutions without the trouble of strict hardware requirements
or needing to use a
specific intermediary for a transaction. The attachment may provide a pass-
through or other
addition to provide traditional audio functionality (music, calling, etc.)
while the attachment
is in use. In some embodiments, the attachment may allow the pass-through
audio signal to
be suspended or terminated during use of the NFC portion of the attachment.
[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may be either self-powered
or powered
by the mobile device that it may be attached or otherwise connected to. For
example, the
attachment may include a battery, such as, for example, a small coin cell
battery which may
enable enhanced functions associated with the attachment. The attachment also
may derive
power from the mobile device through the audio jack. In one embodiment, the
attachment
may plug into or otherwise connect to a personal computer or other source for
initial
provisioning of payment credentials. For example, the attachment may connect
to a mobile
device and/or personal computer via a short range wireless connection such as
a Bluetooth0
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Low Energy Technology connection. In an embodiment, NFC secure element
provisioning
may occur prior to issuance of the attachment. For example, a user may
provision an
attachment once the attachment is obtained by the user. A user may contact a
financial
institution, who will then activate the attachment. The attachment may be
activated by
standard methods, including but not by way of limitation, using a trusted
service manager
(TSM), Know Your Customer (KYC), through the mobile device, over the phone, or
other
provisioning process. In one embodiment, the provisioning may be completed
before the
user obtains the attachment. Additionally, the attachment may be provisioned
for multiple
financial accounts. This may be completed by provisioning the device to store
each account
or by using the mobile device to re-provision the attachment each time a
purchase is desired
with a different account. The provisioning process may securely pass encrypted
credit card
details or other credentials to the secure element, such as the credit card
account number,
expiration date, and other track data.
[0030] Also, an attachment may be provisioned for credit cards, debit cards,
prepaid cards, or
any other payment vehicle available to customers, companies, or financial
institutions. The
attachment also may be provisioned to store other valuable data, such as, for
example, health
credentials and other like personal information. The attachment may be
provisioned with or
without user interaction, by the customer or financial institution, and any
other acceptable
method of provisioning. The attachment may be provisioned "over-the-air" or
via a wireless
or wired connection. The provisioning may occur by receiving a signal from a
trusted service
manager (TSM).
[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may contain an NFC antenna
and secure
element (SE). The SE may be a hardware chip specially designed to be tamper
proof. In one
embodiment, the SE may be used for digitally and physically secure storage of
sensitive data,
including payment data, health records, car key identifiers, etc. The SE may,
for example,
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store information related to a person, customer, financial institution, or
other entity. In
certain implementations, the SE may also store information related to a
financial account,
such as, for example, a credit card number, debit account number, or other
account identifier.
The SE may include a computer processor or other computational hardware or
software. As
one example, the secure element may contain the Visa 0 and MasterCard
applications for
PayWave and PayPass transactions.
[0032] The Secure Element may have the ability to securely store various
credentials. In one
embodiment, the credentials may comprise credit card information. The
credentials may
expand beyond credit card payment info for use over NFC. As one example, the
information
stored on the Secure Element may be used to auto-complete on-line checkouts or
enable
purchases in other, third party applications. The Secure Element may also
store keys,
building access information, drivers licenses, passwords, loyalty card
information, gift card
information, transaction history, reward information, ATM access information,
addresses,
documents, pictures, or other data objects. The secure element may be capable
of generating
a Dynamic Card Security Code, such as a Dynamic Card Verification Value (CVV3)
or other
security code.
[0033] The attachment may also take on multiple different form factors,
including but not by
way of limitation, those forms that have sufficient space for company branding
or logos. The
attachment may take any shape capable of acting as an attachment. The
attachment may be
made as small as possible to be unobtrusive, or be made to have one or more
dimensions
similar to the mobile device it is attached to. In an exemplary embodiment,
the attachment
may be square or have any other shape or ornamental design.
[0034] In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may include software and
application
programming interfaces (APIs) to enable remote and local provisioning of the
SE, use of
NFC antenna, payments enablement, and attachment security management (e.g.
long range
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deactivation). In an exemplary embodiment, the system may include a user
interface and
software for an associated user access to uses of the SE, the NFC antenna, and
any other
portion of the attachment for use in any manner of application desired by user
or intended for
by issuer. The system and software may allow for multiple cards, accounts, or
other
information portions to be stored in the secure element and may allow
simultaneous access to
all, or switch between the individual options.
[0035] In an embodiment, the system may include an application and/or user
interface that
enables end user control for NFC transmission of payment data through an audio
plug. The
application may operate on the mobile device or on an external controller or
device. Also,
the system may include APIs that allow access to the NFC antenna and secure
element for
enabling, disabling, locking, initial provisioning, updates, emergency
turnoff, and other
operations. The attachment may be provisioned to store information for
multiple accounts,
multiple cards, loyalty cards, or any other financial information. The
attachment may require
a payment initiation action enable the attachment for use. For example, the
attachment may
require a user to enter a PIN code or other identifying information to enable
the attachment
for user. Additionally, the attachment may stay 'unlocked' and a payment
initiation action
may comprise a user bumping, touching, or otherwise holding or positioning the
device near
a sensor. The attachment may then 'lock' after use or after a certain time
after enabling. In
one exemplary embodiment, the attachment may provide a physical switch,
button, or other
way to enable or unlock the attachment. For example and not by way of
limitation, a user
may press a button and enter a PIN code in order to activate or unlock the
attachment.
Additionally, the physical switch or button may be used in place of a PIN code
or other
functionality. Additionally, the device may use any other type of unlocking or
enabling the
attachment, for example and not by way of limitation a physical gesture,
touch, or swipe
motion by a user. Also, the system may permit the use of a cryptographic
protocol (e.g.
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secure sockets layer) to establish a secure channel for data transmission.
Upon a transaction,
the attachment may transmit information regarding the transaction through the
audio jack to
the mobile device.
[0036] The application and user interface may leverage transaction data gained
from the
attachment, wireless data connection, over-the-air data connection, or other
means of data
transmission. For example, the application and user interface may leverage
information
about the products and/or services being purchased, information about the
account or the
account holder, information about the merchant and/or other parties involved
in a transaction,
rewards information, promotional information, advertising information, or
other useful
information.
100371 In an exemplary embodiment, the system may provide capability to
securely enable
an attachment through hardware identifiers like the UDID (e.g. device ID on an
Apple iPhone
or other mobile device). For example, upon obtaining an attachment, a user may
'pair' that
attachment with a specific device by programming the attachment with a
hardware identifier,
thus ensuring that the attachment can only be used with that device. In some
embodiments,
the user may 'pair' an attachment with multiple devices, or change the pairing
of an
attachment. Also, the system may add authentication layers by utilizing
embedded serial
numbers, location-based analytics, transaction count mechanisms, and other
layers intended
to avoid sniffing or otherwise compromising the secure payment capabilities.
Also, the
system may lock the attachment or otherwise prevent some or all functionality
if the
attachment disconnected from an audio jack.
[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, software on the mobile device may be
partially or
wholly locked or disable if the attachment is removed or unpaired. For example
and not by
way of limitation, a user may not be permitted to make a certain higher-risk
financial
transaction, such as a balance transfer, without the attachment plugged in. In
this way, the
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attachment may be used as an added layer of physical security for operations
on the mobile
device.
[0039] The connection between the mobile device and attachment may serve to
transmit
power sufficient to power the NFC antenna, the secure element, or any part of
the attachment
or the entire attachment through the audio jack/plug of the mobile device.
Also, the
connection may include a process to provision a secure element through audio
jack/plug.
Also, the connection may include a process for binding an audio jack/plug to
one or more
specific phone identifiers i.e. UDID (Unique Device ID).
[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, the system may enable Industry Standard NFC
Payment Transmission. For example, the attachment may enable two loop antennas
to form
an air-core transformer when placed near one another by using magnetic
induction. The
system may operate at 13.56 MHz or any other acceptable frequency. Also, the
attachment
may provide for a passive communication mode, where the initiator device
provides a carrier
field, permitting answers by the target device via modulation of existing
fields. Additionally,
the attachment may also provide for an active communication mode by allowing
alternate
field generation by the initiator and target devices.
[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may deactivate the RF field
while
awaiting data. The attachment may use Miller-type coding with varying
modulations,
including 100% modulation. The attachment may also use Manchester coding with
varying
modulations, including a modulation ratio of 10%. Additionally, the attachment
may be
capable of receiving and transmitting data at the same time, as well as
checking for potential
collisions when the transmitted signal and received signal frequencies differ.
[0042] In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may be capable of utilizing
standardized
transmission protocols, for example but not by way of limitation, ISO/IEC
14443 A/B,
ISO/IEC 18092, MiFare, FeliCa, tag/smartcard emulation, and the like. Also,
the attachment
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may be able to utilize transmission protocols and methods that are developed
in the future
using other frequencies or modes of transmission. The attachment may also be
backwards-
compatible with existing payment techniques, for example RFID. Also, the
system may
support transmission requirements to meet new and evolving payment standards
including
internet based transmission triggered by NFC. In one embodiment, the
attachment in
conjunction with the software may utilize PayPass or Pay Wave systems to
enable
transactions.
[0043] In one embodiment, the attachment may include a magnetic stripe reader
for intaking
data from credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, loyalty cards, identification
cards, and any
other object utilizing a magnetic stripe.
100441 In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may be used to provide
offers to a user.
These offers may be related to transactions made with the attachment, and may
include
discounts, advertising, coupons, or any other offer. The offers may also be
based on
transaction history, frequency, or location. The offers may also be based on a
user's
indicated desires or the location of a user. Information related to the offer
may be received
from the NFC antenna or over any other data connection. For example, a user
could use the
attachment to purchase a pair of pants and the attachment and software, alone
or in
combination with a point of sale (PoS) device could present an advertisement
or offer to
purchase a matching shirt, belt, and/or socks. The PoS device may transmit
purchase
information to the attachment, which may then transmit the information to the
phone. The
software may utilize the phone's data connection to download additional
information or
offers. As an example and not by way of limitation, the software may automate
post-
transaction purchases via an online merchant - (e.g. cables from an online
retailer may be
promoted or offered following a purchase at a large retail store), and
optionally provide a user
an option to select a related product the user would like to purchase from a
list of options --
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this may provide a reduced merchandise selection that is presumably more
relevant.
Additionally, the offers may be selected by incorporating information from
other sources, for
example using previously shown offers, past user transactions, consumer
preference settings,
geographic travel patterns, or any other information. The offers may also be
presented when
transactions are identified through other methods, such as using scanned
receipts,
photographs of a purchased products, downloaded transaction records, or other
ways to
identify a product or service purchased by a user. The software may further
present a display
the effect of an offer to a user's statement in real-time, or either before or
after the offer is
accepted or rejected.
[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, the software in conjunction with the
attachment may
present information to a user. Also, the information may be related to a
recent transaction. In
some embodiments, the software may present a related or complementary product
advertisement. Also, the software may present offers or follow-on pitches
related to a
purchase or transaction. Additionally, the software may provide budgeting
information,
credit limit information, alternative warranty offers, and/or alternative
purchase terms such as
an offer for a payment plan or dynamic term loan for a given purchase. The
software may
also allow downloads and/or presentation of additional materials related to a
transaction, such
as receipts, warranty information, and/or product manuals. The software may
allow for real-
time use of reward points and/or card-linked offers, (e.g. "spend [x] and
we'll take [$y] off
your credit card statement"), and may allow for a real time message broadcast
notifying the
user of any savings.
[0046] In one embodiment, the software in conjunction with the attachment may
provide
budgeting functionality. The software may provide real-time information to a
user regarding
transactions made with the attachment or other transactions, for example, the
software may
display to a user the amount of money spent in a given category or at a given
location.
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100471 In an exemplary embodiment, the software and attachment may provide for
process
for determining an offer of installment lending related to a transaction from
the mobile
phone. For example, the software and attachment may, when a user makes a
transaction,
offer the user an installment loan to cover that purchase. This loan may
differ from terms of
any other credit account the user possesses. The offer may emphasize dynamic
loan terms,
such as duration, rate, or eligibility based on creditworthiness, including
links to credit card
statement data and other account information as the basis for underwriting.
[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, the software and attachment may allow for
social
networking functionality. In some embodiments, a user may "check-in" to a
location without
making a purchase by using the attachment to transmit data to/from a PoS-like
"check-in
station" at a location. Also, the software may enable social network updates,
postings, or
other functionality based on a "check-in" or purchase.
[0049] In another embodiment, the software and attachment may allow a number
of options
to a user. For example, the software and attachment may provide a user the
option to the user
to use Financial institution transaction history; Loyalty cards; On-line
mobile commerce;
Deals / Offers; Coupons; Gift Cards; Insurance Cards; Store Passwords;
Provisioning for
other credit cards; Driver's licenses; Peer to Peer payments ¨ tap two
attachments together to
transfer payment; Check in when you enter the store; Social Media check in,
notice of what
was bought, etc.; Product information from tapping on an item; Real time
display of upsell
and cross sell items; Warranty Upsell (optionally utilizing SKU-level data);
Manuals for
product (optionally utilizing SKU-level data); Receipts (optionally utilizing
SKU-level data);
and/or Accepting NFC payments.
[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may not require a PoS system
to make
an NFC payment. As one example, the attachment may allow a user to make
contact with
another attachment or like device in order to complete a payment. The
attachment may be
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used in this way to allow the user to make a transaction with a commercial
entity or another
user. As one example, a user may repay an amount borrowed from another user by
"bumping," or bringing two attachments near one another.
[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, the NFC attachment may enable the payments
through
network data transmission over the air or through standard terminal routing.
For example, the
attachment may use NFC or other mode of communication as a trigger for an
internet based
payment, wire transfer, electronic funds transfer, or other financial
transaction.
[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may work in conjunction with
a token-
based payment solution. The token may be transmitted through the above-
detailed near field
communications method or by any other suitable method, such as barcode or
quick response
code scanning. Closed loop verification may be enabled by allowing a financial
institution to
both issue the token and approve the transaction. Such embodiments may
provide, for
example, a token-based, dynamic solution to contactless payments. In various
embodiments,
the token-based solution could be provided in an online environment, whereby,
for example,
a mobile device such as a smai (phone could receive a token in "real-time"
via a
communication network. The token-based solution could also be used in an
offline manner,
whereby a previously-provided token could be used for a certain period of
time, regardless of
whether the smaitphone is connected to a communication network at the time of
use. In
effect, the tokens could serve as single-use, or limited-use credit card
numbers.
[0053] The token-based solution could also allow credit-card issuers, for
example, or any
other token-issuer to set different types of parameters around the token. For
example,
transaction limits, use limits, time limits, and the like could be applied to
the tokens. In other
words, exemplary tokens could apply only to transactions of $100 or less,
and/or only to 3
separate transactions before it expires, and only for 3 days. The attachment
may operate
without utilizing tokens.
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100541 In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment may be a secure fob that
enables a user
to pay for an item or items without needing to present a mobile device. A
secure fob may
include a proximity capability to ensure that a mobile device is within a
particular range,
thereby eliminating the risk of fraudulent charges on a stolen fob. In such an
embodiment, a
fob may be disabled if the fob is not paired with the mobile device by virtue
of being
disconnected and/or physically separated from the mobile device. Accordingly,
the secure
connection provides security because a stolen or misplaced attachment may not
operate
absent the proximity connection to the mobile device.
[0055] In an exemplary embodiment, a secure attachment or fob may provide a
convenient
mobile solution with, for example, existing mobile devices while not having to
plug the
secure attachment or fob into the mobile device. The secure attachment or fob
also may
include enhanced features that allow a user to locate keys attached to the fob
and/or the
mobile device. For example, the secure attachment or fob may include a button
or like device
that can activate a mobile device finder feature in the mobile device. In such
an embodiment,
the combination of the key/mobile device finder feature and the mobile payment
attachment
allow for enhancements that each individual feature
[0056] In an exemplary a secure attachment or fob may include a RSA generator
that may be
transmitted to, for example, the mobile device to be used in, for example,
high risk
transactions. Also, an identity contained in the secure attachment or fob may
be used by a
customer to log into, for example, mobile banking applications associated with
the secure
attachment or fob.
[0057] Figure 1 depicts an exemplary system 100 for use with the attachment
solution for
contactless payment. As depicted in Figure 1, system 100 may include a mobile
device 102.
Mobile device 102 may be any mobile device capable of executing the software-
based
solution for contactless payment. For example, mobile device 102 could be an
Apple iPhone
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, iPod or iPad , or any other mobile device running Apple's iOS operating
system, any
device running Google's Android operating system, any music player, any
device running
Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, and/or any other smartphone or
like device.
100581 Mobile device 102 may include, for example, a Subscriber Identity
Module (SIM)
card and an App Processor. A SIM card may be an integrated circuit that
securely stores the
service-subscriber key (IMSI) used to identify a subscriber on mobile
telephony devices
(such as mobile phones and computers). Mobile device 102 may connect to
attachment 104.
This attachment may be by way of a plug-in connection to an audio jack on the
mobile device
102. Information may be transmitted from the attachment to the device by
encoding the
transaction data as audio data and sending through the connection to be
received by the
mobile device's microphone. Processors within the mobile device may then
process the data
as appropriate, by decoding the data, encrypting the data, sending the data to
a third party,
storing the data, or other appropriate operation as needed. The attachment 104
may contain
an embedded NFC chip that can send encrypted data a short distance ("near
field") to a reader
106 located, for instance, next to a Point of Sale (PoS) device or like retail
cash register that
enables contactless payments. An app processor (not shown) may enable
execution of
software applications on mobile device 102. In one embodiment, the app
processor may be a
computer processor or other processing device adapted for use in a mobile
device. In various
embodiments, app processor may cooperate with attachment 104 to enable
contactless
payment using mobile device 102. In various exemplary embodiments, the
hardware
contained in the attachment 104 may be partially or wholly redundant with the
hardware
inside the mobile device 102. Reader 106 may then communicate or otherwise
transfer the
data to and from payment networks 108. This transfer may be performed through
a wireless
connection, "over-the-air" connection, wired connection, or through standard
terminal
routing.
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100591 Figure 2 depicts an exemplary system 200 for use with the attachment
solution for
contactless payment. System 200 may include a mobile device 202. Mobile device
202 may
include a display 204 which may display a user interface, including software
applications,
executing on mobile device 202. By way of a non-limiting example, the software
applications executing on mobile device 204 may include a mobile payments
application 206.
In various exemplary embodiments, mobile payments application 206 may enable a
user to
interact with and control the attachment. A user may select mobile payments
application 206,
by for example, touching display 204, which may then launch or otherwise cause
the
execution of mobile payments application 206. Mobile device may include an
audio jack
208. Audio jack 208 may provide the connection for the attachment.
100601 Figure 3 depicts an exemplary system 300 for use with a token-based
software
solution for contactless payment that may also enable NFC contactless payment.
System 300
may include an issuer system 302, a mobile device 304, an attachment 322, a
network 306,
and a merchant system 308. In various embodiments, mobile device 304 may be
similar to
those described above with respect to Figures 1 and 2.
100611 Network 306 may enable communication between mobile device 304, issuer
302, and
merchant 308. For example, Network 306 may be one or more of a wireless
network, a wired
network or any combination of wireless network and wired network. For example,
network
306 may include one or more of a fiber optics network, a passive optical
network, a cable
network, an Internet network, a satellite network, a wireless LAN, a Global
System for
Mobile Communication ("GSM"), a Personal Communication Service ("PCS"), a
Personal
Area Network ("PAN"), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Multimedia
Messaging
Service (MMS), Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS), Short Message Service (SMS),
Time
Division Multiplexing (TDM) based systems, Code Division Multiple Access
(CDMA) based
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systems, D-AMPS, Wi-Fi, Fixed Wireless Data, IEEE 802.11b, 802.15.1, 802.11n
and
802.11g or any other wired or wireless network for transmitting and receiving
a data signal.
[0062] In addition, network 306 may include, without limitation, telephone
lines, fiber optics,
IEEE Ethernet 902.3, a wide area network ("WAN"), a local area network
("LAN"), or a
global network such as the Internet. Also network 306 may support an Internet
network, a
wireless communication network, a cellular network, or the like, or any
combination thereof.
Network 306 may further include one network, or any number of the exemplary
types of
networks mentioned above, operating as a stand-alone network or in cooperation
with each
other. Network 306 may utilize one or more protocols of one or more network
elements to
which they are communicatively coupled. Network 306 may translate to or from
other
protocols to one or more protocols of network devices. Although network 306 is
depicted as
a single network, it should be appreciated that according to one or more
embodiments,
network 306 may comprise a plurality of interconnected networks, such as, for
example, the
Internet, a service provider's network, a cable television network, corporate
networks, and
home networks.
100631 Issuer system 302 may include, for example, a token manager 314, an
account
database 316, a communication module 318, and an authorization module 320.
Token
manager may generate, maintain, and provide information relating to the tokens
used in the
software-based solution for contactless payments. In various embodiments,
token manager
314 may be integrated into issuer system 302 as depicted in Figure 3. Token
manager 314
may also be a third-party system that works in cooperation with issuer system
302 to
generate, maintain, and provide tokens for use in the software-based solution
for contactless
payments. Account database 316 may maintain information relating to the
accounts of
customers associated with an issuer. As referred to herein, an issuer may
include, for
example, a credit card issuer, or any other issuer of tokens for contactless
payment. These
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tokens may enable additional security during NFC contactless payment
transactions.
Account database 316 may also include an association of tokens with respective
customers.
For example, account database 316 may include an association of a token
"123456" with
account number "1234 5678 9012 3456," which belongs to John Q. Cardholder. As
will be
described in more detail below, account database 316 may be accessed for
authorizing
transactions and or payment requests.
[0064] Communication module 318 may enable communication between the
components of
system 300. Communication module 318 may include hardware, software, and
firmware that
may enable communication between an issuer system 302 and other components of
system
300 using network 306, for example.
100651 Authorization module 320 may include business logic used to determine
whether a
transaction or payment request should be authorized. For example,
authorization module 320
may include executable programs that determine whether the token is associated
with the
correct mobile device and/or issuer account and whether the token use is
within the limiting
parameters before authorizing a particular transaction. Authorization module
320 may
cooperate with communication module 318 to communicate authorization decisions
to
merchant 308 and/or mobile device 304.
[0066] Merchant 308 may include a Point of Sale (PoS) device 312 and a payment
processing
system 310. In various embodiments, PoS device 312 may be any device that may
receive
NFC communication, for example and can be utilized to process payment
transactions. PoS
device 312 may be for example, PoS devices made by VeriFone0 and/or any other
like
devices. PoS device 312 may permit transmittal, provisioning, issuance, or
other similar
action with a number of different programs, for example, loyalty and rewards
programs,
advertising programs, promotional programs, gift programs, etc. For example,
PoS device
312 may enable two loop antennas to form an air-core transformer when placed
near one
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another by using magnetic induction. The system may operate at 13.56 MHz or
any other
acceptable frequency. Also, PoS device 312 may provide for a passive
communication mode,
where the initiator device provides a carrier field, permitting answers by the
target device via
modulation of existing fields. Additionally, PoS device 312 may also provide
for an active
communication mode by allowing alternate field generation by the initiator and
target
devices.
[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, PoS device 312 may deactivate the RF field
while
awaiting data. PoS device 312 may use Miller-type coding with varying
modulations,
including 100% modulation. PoS device 312 may also use Manchester coding with
varying
modulations, including a modulation ration of 10%. Additionally, PoS device
312 may be
capable of receiving and transmitting data at the same time, as well as
checking for potential
collisions when the transmitted signal and received signal frequencies differ.
[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, PoS device 312 may be capable of utilizing
standardized transmission protocols, for example but not by way of limitation,
ISO/IEC
14443 A/B, ISO/IEC 18092, MiFare, FeliCa, tag/smartcard emulation, and the
like. Also,
PoS device 312 may be able to utilize transmission protocols and methods that
are developed
in the future using other frequencies or modes of transmission. PoS device 312
may also be
backwards-compatible with existing payment techniques, for example RFID. Also,
the
system may support transmission requirements to meet new and evolving payment
standards
including internet based transmission triggered by NFC.
100691 Payment processing system 310 may allow merchant 308 to request and
process
payments, for example. Payment processing system 310 may utilize network 306
to
communicate payment requests to issuer system 302 and receive authorization
requests. In
doing so, payment processing system 310 may transmit information to issuer
system 302
using, for example, networks maintained by Visa , MasterCard , Discover ,
American
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Express and the like. Also, payment system 310 may be capable of
communicating token
information using data standards defined by the above-described networks. To
make a
payment with the system, a user may place the attachment 104 near the PoS
device 312, thus
enabling data transmission via NFC.
[00701 Figure 4 depicts an several exemplary attachments for use with the
attachment
solution for contactless payment. In one embodiment shown, the attachment 400
may
contain a plug 402 and a housing 404. The plug 402 may be adapted to plug into
a standard
and/or universal audio jack, and may further be configured to transmit and
receive data.
100711 Figure 5 depicts one possible embodiment of the attachment 500. The
attachment
may comprise an audio jack plug 502 and a housing 504. The housing 504 may be
produced
from plastic, metal alloy, or any other suitable substance. The housing 504
may contain a
near field communication radio 506, a secure element 508, and an input/output
module 510.
In one embodiment, near field communication radio 506, secure element 508, and
an
input/output module 510 may all be combined into one chip, separated onto
multiple chips or
circuits, or any other possible combination. The near field communication
radio 506 and
secure element 508 may be connected in parallel, in series, or any other
possible
combination. The near field communication radio 506 and secure element 508 may
each
maintain a connection to the input/output module 510 if desired. In various
embodiments,
only one of near field communication radio 506 and secure element 508 may
maintain a
connection to the input/output module 510 to enhance security. Near field
communication
radio 506 may comprise one unit, or a separate antenna and NFC controller.
Near field
communication radio 506 and secure element 508 may be connected, for example,
via a
Single Wire Protocol (SWP) interface, 52C interface, etc.. Secure element 508
may comprise
a universal integrated circuit card (UICC), a secure digital or other memory
card, SIM card,
microcontroller, or any other possible implementation. The secure element may
comprise
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one or multiple computer processors. The secure element may comprise one or
multiple error
detection systems, tamperproof storage modules, execution memory modules.
Secure
element 508 may represent multiple secure elements used to isolate various
applications and
provide additional security. Secure element 508 may optionally be removable to
facilitate
ease of use. Input/output module 510 may be capable of decoding audio data for
use in the
attachment. Input/output module 510 may be capable of encoding standard data
for output
through the audio jack plug 502. Input/output module 510 may comprise one
module or
multiple modules, and may be optionally combinable with one or both the secure
element 508
and near field communication radio 506. Input/output module 510 may be capable
of
communicating with the mobile device by using a host controller interface. For
example and
not by way of limitation, input/output module 510 may use a Java Contactless
Communication API (JSR 257), a Java Security and Trust Services API (JSR 177),
Security
and Trust Services API (SATSA), an ISO/IEC 7816 compatible interface, or any
other
acceptable means or protocol to communicate with the mobile device or any
other
component. Additionally, the attachment may provide additional features deemed
useful,
such as, for example, a display, signal light, speaker, additional
input/output mechanisms, or
other advantageous features.
[0072] Figure 6 depicts an exemplary method 600 for an approach to contactless
payment.
Method 600 utilizes tokens to enable contactless payment, and may be used in
conjunction
with the attachment, or may not be used at all. Note that the attachment and
any other items
described herein do not require the use tokens and tokens may optionally be
used. Method
600 may begin in block 601.
[0073] In block 602, a customer may initiate a request for a token. In various
embodiments,
a customer may "tap" the mobile device and attachment to a PoS device, for
example to
initiate the request for a token at the time of a transaction. A customer may
also initiate a
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request by requesting a token through a mobile payments application using a
mobile device.
Also, the token used in Figure 6 may be account information that would
normally be
transferred in a simple credit card swipe transaction, already stored in the
attachment, and the
request may be handled within the attachment and mobile device environment.
[0074] In block 603, the token may be sent to a customer's mobile device. For
example, a
token manager may send a token to mobile device using a communication network
and/or
various communications similar to those described in Figure 3. Also, the
transfer of the
token may be handled within the attachment and mobile device environment.
[0075] In block 604, a customer may provide the token to a PoS device. This
token could be
provided at the time of purchase. Upon receipt of the token, the merchant,
using a payment
processing system, for example, in cooperation with the PoS device, may format
the token
into a data format that may be utilized by one of the various authorization
networks. For
example, an exemplary 6-digit token may be inserted into one of the "tracks"
of data utilized
by the Visa 0 network to transmit and receive data. As noted above, the token
provided may
also represent simple account information such as the information that would
be transferred
by a credit card swipe transaction.
[0076] In block 605, the merchant may send the token to the issuer for
authorization. For
example, the merchant may send a token to the issuer using a communication
network and/or
various communications similar to those described in Figure 3. As noted above,
the token
provided may also represent simple account information such as the information
that would
be transferred by a credit card swipe transaction.
[0077] In block 606, the issuer and/or token manager may verify the token
and/or transaction
utilizing the token. For example, the issuer may use the token to look up the
account of the
customer and determine whether the transaction should be authorized. As noted
above, the
token provided may also represent simple account information such as the
information that
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would be transferred by a credit card swipe transaction. The issuer and/or
token manager
may also check the token against certain parameters to determine, for example,
whether the
transaction complies with certain parameters or the token has expired. In
various
embodiments, the issuer and/or token manager may receive and utilize location
information
or identification information associated with the customer's mobile device to
determine
whether to authorize the transaction. For example, the issuer and/or token
manager may
receive and utilize the MAC address of a mobile device and/or the merchant
location to
determine whether to authorize the transaction.
[0078] In block 607, the issuer and/or token manager may communicate the
authorization to
the merchant.
100791 In block 608, the transaction may be processed. At block 609, the
method may end.
[0080] Figure 7 depicts an exemplary method 700 for an approach to contactless
payment.
Method 700 may begin in block 701.
[0081] In block 702, a customer may initiate a payment. In various
embodiments, a customer
may utilize software on the mobile device to signal that a payment is to be
made. For
example, the customer may select an option to pay, or the customer may be
presented with
various options for payment, including, for example, the account the customer
desires to use
for the transaction, the type of transaction, the amount of the transaction,
the time that the
attachment should 'wait' for the transaction, and/or the merchant targeted in
the transaction.
Also, the attachment may be enabled for payments through a button or other
interface on the
attachment itself, or the attachment may always accept payments without user
interaction
beyond placing the mobile device and/or attachment near a PoS device or other
sensor.
[0082] In block 703, the attachment may send payment information to the PoS
device via the
near field communication techniques described above. In an exemplary
embodiment, the
payment information may comprise, encrypted information, information similar
to that
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transmitted in a credit card swipe transaction, or a message the payment
process is ongoing.
The payment information may comprise a dynamic card verification value (CVV3)
generated
at the time of the transaction. For example, the system may transmit encrypted
information
representing a customer's account with a financial institution to the PoS
device. The
payment information transmitted to a PoS device may be a message stating that
the
transaction is processing, and the mobile device may communicate further
information to
either the PoS device or another party or device via a non-NFC connection.
Upon receipt of
the payment information, the merchant, using a payment processing system, for
example, in
cooperation with the PoS device, may format the payment information into a
data format that
may be utilized by one of the various authorization networks. For example, the
payment
information may be inserted into one or more of the "tracks" of data utilized
by the Visa 0
network to transmit and receive data. As noted above, the information provided
may also
represent simple account information such as the information that would be
transferred by a
credit card swipe transaction.
[0083] In block 704, a merchant may send the payment information to issuer for
authorization. For example, the merchant may send a token to the issuer using
a
communication network and/or various communications similar to those described
in Figure
3. In an exemplary embodiment, the information sent to the issuer may comprise
a token as
described above, encrypted information representing a financial account, the
amount of the
transaction, and/or other information necessary to initiate a payment. The
information may
be sent as received from the attachment/mobile device or may be formatted as
described
above.
[0084] In block 705, the issuer may verify the payment information. For
example, the issuer
may use the payment information to look up the account of the customer and
determine
whether the transaction should be authorized. The issuer and/or token manager
may also
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check the payment information against certain parameters to determine, for
example, whether
the transaction complies with certain parameters or the token has expired. In
various
embodiments, the issuer may receive and utilize location information or
identification
information associated with the customer's mobile device to determine whether
to authorize
the transaction. For example, the issuer may receive and utilize the MAC
address of a mobile
device and/or the merchant location to determine whether to authorize the
transaction.
[0085] In block 706, the issuer may communicate the authorization to the
merchant. In block
707, the transaction may be processed. The merchant or PoS device may send a
payment
confirmation message to the attachment.
[0086] In block 708, the system may present payment confirmation to the
customer. The
confirmation may be presented via the display of the mobile device, the
speaker of the mobile
device, a signal lamp on the mobile device, or by a light or sound message
from the
attachment itself. The confirmation may comprise a simple notice that the
transaction was
completed, and may optionally provide information summarizing the transaction,
such as, for
example, the amount of the transaction, the account used for the transaction,
the balance of
the account used for the transaction, the merchant name, and/or any other
useful information.
At block 709, the method may end.
[0087] Figure 8 depicts one possible embodiment of the attachment 800.
Attachment 800
may comprise an audio jack plug 804 and a housing 802. Attachment 800 may be
packaged
with or otherwise function with storage unit 806. In an exemplary embodiment,
storage unit
806 may comprise a plastic body configured to receive a threaded version of
attachment 800.
Storage unit 806 may further comprise a hole, loop, or other portion capable
of attaching to a
keychain, lanyard, or otherwise be carried or held by a user.
[0088] Figure 9 depicts one possible embodiment of the attachment 900. The
attachment
may comprise an audio jack plug 902, a ribbon 904, and an audio jack 906.
Ribbon 904 may
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contain a near field communication antenna, secure element, and/or an
input/output circuit.
Attachment 900 may be elongated to mimic or otherwise function in conjunction
with
existing headphone cords. Audio jack 906 may be configured to receive a
headphone audio
plug and serve as the user interface of a "pass-through" connection.
[0089] Figure 10A depicts one possible embodiment of the attachment 1000.
Attachment
1000 may comprise an audio jack plug 1002 and housing 1004. Housing 1004 may
be
formed to function as a knob or other movable piece. Housing 1004 may contain
an
activation circuit comprising a switch or other mechanism capable of sending a
signal when
housing 1004 is rotated to a certain position or other interaction is
completed by a user.
Attachment 1000 may optionally have one or more flanges 1006. The one or more
flanges
1006 may extend beyond at least one edge of a device 1008 to enable movement
or rotation
of housing 1004 without moving entire attachment 1000, as shown in Figure 10B.
[0090] Figure 11A depicts one possible embodiment of the attachment 1100.
Attachment
1100 may comprise an audio jack plug 1102, housing 1104, audio jack 1106, and
clip
extension 1108. Clip extension 1108 may extend beyond one or more edges of
device 1110,
and function to hold additional objects, cash, cards, or other desirable
items, as shown in
Figure 11B.
[0091] Figure 12 depicts an exemplary method 1200 for an approach to
contactless payment.
Method 1200 may begin in block 1202. In step 1204, an activation signal may be
received at
one or more computer processors. The activation signal may indicate the entry
of a PIN
code, the rotation of a knob, the push of a button, a defined switch position,
or other signal
indicating that the attachment should be activated to complete an operation.
In step 1206,
transaction information may be transmitted through an NFC antenna. In step
1208,
information about the transaction may be displayed to a user on an electronic
display. The
information may be displayed on any display capable of showing information,
for example
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and not by way of limitation, a liquid crystal display, light emitting diode
display, plasma
display, organic light emitting diode display, light projection, laser, carbon
nanotubes,
holographic display, or other segment display, full-area two dimensional
display, and/or three
dimensional display.
[00921 Figure 13 depicts an exemplary system 1300 including enhanced features
associated
with contactless payment. System 1300 may be a secure attachment and/or fob
that, for
example, may be coupled to a user's key chain or ring. As described in greater
detail below,
system 1300 may be coupled to a mobile device using, for example a secure, low
power
wireless technology, such as Bluetooth Low Energy Technology to enable
communication
between the system 1300 and a mobile device, such as, for example, mobile
device 102. A
more detailed explanation of Bluetooth Low Energy Technology may be found in
the
Bluetooth Low Energy Technology Specification version 4.1 and 4.0 and other
related
Bluetooth Low Energy specifications, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein
by reference.
100931 In various embodiments, the Bluetooth low energy technology may support
very
short data packets (e.g., 8 octet minimum up to 27 octets maximum) that are
transferred at,
for example 1 Mbps. The Bluetooth low energy connections may use advanced
sniff-sub
rating to achieve ultra-low duty cycles. Bluetooth low energy technology also
may use the
adaptive frequency hopping common to all versions of Bluetooth technology to
minimize
interference from other technologies in the 2.4 GHz ISM Band. The Bluetooth
low energy
technology may enable efficient multi-path benefits that increase the link
budgets and range.
Bluetooth low energy technology also may include intelligence in a controller
of the secure
attachment or fob 1300, which may allow the host to sleep for longer periods
of time and be
woken up by the controller only when the host needs to perform some action.
This allows for
the greatest current savings since the host is assumed to consume more power
than the
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controller. Bluetooth low energy technology also can support connection setup
and data
transfer as low as 3ms, allowing an application to form a connection and then
transfer
authenticated data in few milliseconds for a short communication burst before
quickly tearing
down the connection. Moreover, Increased modulation index provides a possible
range for
Bluetooth low energy technology of over 100 meters. Bluetooth low energy
technology may
use a 24 bit CRC on packets to ensure the maximum robustness against
interference.
Bluetooth low energy technology may include full AES-128 encryption using CCM
to
provide encryption and authentication of data packets. Bluetooth low energy
technology also
may use a 32-bit access address on every packet for each slave, allowing for
billions secure
attachments or fobs. The Bluetooth low energy technology may be optimized for
one-to-one
connections while allowing one-to-many connections using, for example, a star
topology.
With the use of quick connections and disconnections, data can move in a mesh-
like topology
without the complexities of maintaining a mesh network.
[0094] System 1300 may use the secure, low energy connection to enable the
enhanced
features of a secure attachment, such as, for example, the key and/or mobile
device feature.
The secure, low energy connection also may be used to transmit, for example, a
RSA key to
the mobile device to enable a payment transaction or, for example, login into
a mobile
banking or other application. The secure, low energy connection also may be
used to
communication with indoor positioning systems, such as, for example Apple
iBeacons and
the like. For example, a financial institution that issues a secure attachment
or fob 1300 may
install indoor positioning systems within branch banks or other retail
establishments and
communicate with the secure attachment or fob 1300 to understand which of its
customers
have entered into the bank branch or retail establishment.
[0095] As shown in Figure 13, attachment 1300 may include secure element 1302,
NFC
communication element 1304, attachment input/output module 1306, button
interface 1308
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which may be connected to a button 1316, controller 1314, indicator interface
1312 which
may be connected to an indicator 1318, a power source 1310, and an audio
interface 1320
which may be connected to a speaker 1322.
[0096] Secure element 1302 may be similar to the secure elements as shown and
described
above, such as secure element 508. NFC communication element 1304 may be
similar to the
NFC communication element as shown and described above, such as NFC Radio 506.
Attachment input/output module 1306 may be similar to the Attachment
input/output module
as shown and described above, such as attachment I/O 510. Attachment I/0 1306
also may
be capable of wirelessly transmitting low energy secure communications to a
mobile device
using Bluetooth technology. In various embodiments the attachment input/output
module
1306 may not be coupled to an audio plug and instead only communicate
wirelessly with a
mobile device. In various embodiments, however, as described above, a NFC
attachment,
such as secure attachment 1300, may include an audio plug as well as a low
energy wireless
transmitter included within attachment input/output module 1306. Attachment
input/output
module 1306 may cooperate with other components of attachment 1300, such as,
for
example, controller 1314 to enable, for example, Bluetooth communication with
a mobile
device or other low energy transmitter.
[0097] Button interface 1308 may include hardware, software, and/or firmware
to enable a
button 1316 on attachment 1300. For example, a button may include an actuator
(not shown)
which transmits a signal to button interface 1308 to indicate that button 1316
has been
depressed. Button interface 1308 may receive the signal and cooperate with
controller 1314
and/or other components of attachment 1300 to perform an instruction
associated with button
1316. For example, button interface 1308 may cooperate with controller 1314
and the other
components of attachment 1300 to transmit a mobile device locator request to a
mobile
device, which in turn, will activate an alarm or other like response from a
mobile device to
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indicate the location of the mobile device. Button interface 1308 also may
cooperate with
controller 1314 and the other components of attachment 1300 to transmit a RSA
token to a
mobile device which, in turn, may use the RSA token to authorize a
transaction, log in to a
mobile application and the like.
[0098] Power source 1310 may be any power source capable of supplying power to
attachment 1300. For example, power source may be a battery, such as a coin
cell battery, a
photovoltaic cell and the like. Power source 1310 may be a replaceable power
source and/or
a rechargeable power source. As shown in Figure 13, power source 1310 may be
coupled to
the other components of attachments 1300 to supply power to the components of
attachment
1300.
100991 Indicator interface 1312 may be coupled to an indicator 1318 to provide
status
indications to a user of attachment 1300. For example, indicator interface
1312 may operate
one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to provide illuminated status
indications. In
various embodiments, a solid or flashing blue LED indicator 1318 may indicate
that
attachment 1300 is coupled to another device via a Bluetooth connection.
Similarly, a solid
or flashing green LED indicator 1318 may indicate that attachment 1300 is
communicating
with a mobile device and a solid or flashing red LED indicator 1318 may
indicate that
attachment 1300 is having one or more problems, such as a communication
failure, power
failure, pairing failure, and the like. Indicator interface 1312 may receive
status signals from
controller 1314 and/or other components of the attachment 1300, e.g.,
attachment
input/output module 1306 and use those status signals to activate one or more
indicators
1318.
[00100]
Controller 1314 may control the operations of attachment 1314. For example,
controller may cooperate with the other components of attachment 1300 to
communicate with
a mobile device, provide key/mobile device finder features, RSA features and
the like.
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Controller 1314 may be similar to various controllers described above and also
may include
specific capabilities to enable Bluetooth technology, such as, Bluetooth low
energy
technology.
1001011 Audio interface 1320 may be coupled to a speaker 1322 to enable
audio
features associated with the attachment. For example, Audio interface 1320 may
be coupled
to a speaker 1322 to activate an alarm as part of a key finder feature. When
for example, the
attachment receives a finder request signal from another device, such as, a
mobile device via
a low energy connection, the audio interface 1320 may receive an alarm signal
from, for
example, controller 1314, and activate speaker 1322 to notify a user of where
the attachment
1300 is located. In various embodiments, speaker 1322 also may operate as a
Bluetooth-
enabled speaker to provide, for example, convention audio information (e.g.,
music or like
audio signals). In various embodiments, the enhanced features of attachment
1300 may
operate while speaker 1322 is operating.
[00102] Figure 14 illustrates a secure attachment or fob 1400 that may be
similar to the
secure attachment 1300. Secure attachment 1400 also may include a RSA
generator 1324, a
display interface 1326, and a display 1328. In various embodiments RSA
generator 1324
may generate an encryption key associated with an encryption key pair, such as
a private key,
to enable enhanced features associated with the attachment 1400. For example,
RSA
generator 1324 may generate a token code that can be provided to a mobile
device or other
like device to authorize a login and/or a transaction. In various embodiments,
the tokencode
automatically be generated and/or may be generated when a user of the
attachment depresses
button 1316. The RSA tokencode then may be provided via the Bluetooth
connection to the
mobile device to authorize a transaction through, for example, a native
application executing
on the mobile device. The tokencode also may be passed to the display
interface 1326 to be
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displayed on display 1328. Once a user observes the tokencode, the user can
input the
tokencode elsewhere to authorize a transaction and/or a login event.
[00103] For example, a user of a native mobile banking application may
attempt to
conduct a high risk transaction, such as a wire transfer. To ensure the
security of the
transaction, the user may be required to have the attachment 1400 in close
proximity to the
mobile device executing the mobile banking application so that the attachment
1400 may
transmit via, for example, a Bluetooth connection, the correct RSA tokencode
to authorize the
transaction. Other embodiments that require the use of the tokencode are
contemplated.
Moreover, the attachment may be used to provide tokens in various token-based
payments
described herein.
1001041 Display interface 1326 may enable information to be displayed on
display
1328. Display 1328 may be a low-power display or other like display. Display
1328 also
may be as touch screen display and the like.
[00105] Figure 15 depicts an example system 1500 that may enable a
financial
institution, for example, to provide network services to its customers. As
shown in Figure 15,
system 1500 may include a secure attachment 15, client device 1502, a network
1504, a front-
end controlled domain 1506, a back-end controlled domain 1512, and a backend
1518.
Front-end controlled domain 1506 may include one or more load balancers 1508
and one or
more web servers 1510. Back-end controlled domain 1512 may include one or more
load
balancers 1514 and one or more application servers 1516.
1001061 Secure attachment 1501 may be similar to the NFC attachments shown
and
described herein. For example, secure attachment 1501 may be similar to secure
attachments
500, 1300, and/or 1400. Secure attachment 1501 may be coupled to a client
device 1302 via
an audio plug and/or a wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth or other low
energy wireless
connection).
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1001071 Client device 1502 may be a network-enabled computer: As referred
to herein,
a network-enabled computer may include, but is not limited to: e.g., any
computer device, or
communications device including, e.g., a server, a network appliance, a
personal computer
(PC), a workstation, a mobile device, a phone, a handheld PC, a personal
digital assistant
(PDA), a thin client, a fat client, an Internet browser, or other device. The
one or more
network-enabled computers of the example system 1500 may execute one or more
software
applications to enable, for example, network communications.
[00108] Client device 1502 also may be a mobile device: For example, a
mobile device
may include an iPhone, iPod, iPad from Apple or any other mobile device
running Apple's
iOS operating system, any device running Google's Android operating system,
including
for example, Google's wearable device, Google Glass, any device running
Microsoft's
Windows Mobile operating system, and/or any other smartphone or like wearable
mobile
device.
[00109] Network 1504 may be one or more of a wireless network, a wired
network, or
any combination of a wireless network and a wired network. For example,
network 1504
may include one or more of a fiber optics network, a passive optical network,
a cable
network, an Internet network, a satellite network, a wireless LAN, a Global
System for
Mobile Communication (GSM), a Personal Communication Service (PCS), a Personal
Area
Networks, (PAN), D-AMPS, Wi-Fi, Fixed Wireless Data, IEEE 802.11b, 802.15.1,
802.11n,
and 802.11g or any other wired or wireless network for transmitting and
receiving a data
signal.
[00110] In addition, network 1504 may include, without limitation,
telephone lines,
fiber optics, IEEE Ethernet 902.3, a wide area network (WAN), a local area
network (LAN)
or a global network such as the Internet. Also, network 1504 may support an
Internet
network, a wireless communication network, a cellular network, or the like, or
any
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combination thereof. Network 1504 may further include one network, or any
number of
example types of networks mentioned above, operating as a stand-alone network
or in
cooperation with each other. Network 1504 may utilize one or more protocols of
one or more
network elements to which they are communicatively couples. Network 1504 may
translate
to or from other protocols to one or more protocols of network devices.
Although network
1504 is depicted as a single network, it should be appreciated that according
to one or more
embodiments, network 1504 may comprise a plurality of interconnected networks,
such as,
for example, the Internet, a service provider's network, a cable television
network, corporate
networks, and home networks.
1001111 Front-end controlled domain 1506 may be implemented to to provide
security
for backend 1518. Load balancer(s) 1508 may distribute workloads across
multiple
computing resources, such as, for example computers, a computer cluster,
network links,
central processing units or disk drives. In various embodiments, load
balancer(s) 1510 may
distribute workloads across, for example, web server(S) 1516 and/or backend
1518 systems.
Load balancing aims to optimize resource use, maximize throughput, minimize
response
time, and avoid overload of any one of the resources. Using multiple
components with load
balancing instead of a single component may increase reliability through
redundancy. Load
balancing is usually provided by dedicated software or hardware, such as a
multilayer
switch or a Domain Name System (DNS) server process.
1001121 Load balancer(s) 1508 may include software that monitoring the port
where
external clients, such as, for example, client device 1502, connect to access
various services
of a financial institution, for example. Load balancer(s) 1508 may forward
requests to one of
the application servers 1516 and/or backend 1518 servers, which may then reply
to load
balancer 1508. This may allow load balancer(s) 1508 to reply to client device
1502 without
client device 1502 ever knowing about the internal separation of functions. It
also may
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prevent client devices from contacting backend servers directly, which may
have security
benefits by hiding the structure of the internal network and preventing
attacks on backend
1518 or unrelated services running on other ports, for example.
[00113] A variety of scheduling algorithms may be used by load balancer(s)
1508 to
determine which backend server to send a request to. Simple algorithms may
include, for
example, random choice or round robin. Load balancers 1508 also may account
for
additional factors, such as a server's reported load, recent response times,
up/down status
(determined by a monitoring poll of some kind), number of active connections,
geographic
location, capabilities, or how much traffic it has recently been assigned.
[00114] Load balancers 1508 may be implemented in hardware and/or software.
Load
balancer(s) 1508 may implement numerous features, including, without
limitation:
asymmetric loading; Priority activation: SSL Offload and Acceleration;
Distributed Denial of
Service (DDoS) attack protection; HTTP compression; TCP offloading; TCP
buffering;
direct server return; health checking; HTTP caching; content filtering; HTTP
security;
priority queuing; rate shaping; content-aware switching; client
authentication; programmatic
traffic manipulation; firewall; intrusion prevention systems.
[00115] Web server(s) 1510 may include hardware (e.g., one or more
computers)
and/or software (e.g., one or more applications) that deliver web content that
can be accessed
by, for example a client device (e.g., client device 1502) through a network
(e.g., network
1504), such as the Internet. In various examples, web servers, may deliver web
pages,
relating to, for example, online banking applications and the like, to clients
(e.g., client device
1502). Web server(s) 1510 may use, for example, a hypertext transfer protocol
(HTTP or
sHTTP) to communicate with client device 1502. The web pages delivered to
client device
may include, for example, HTML documents, which may include images, style
sheets and scripts in addition to text content.
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1001161 A user agent, such as, for example, a web browser, web crawler, or
native
mobile application, may initiate communication by making a request for a
specific resource
using HTTP and web server 1510 may respond with the content of that resource
or an error
message if unable to do so. The resource may be, for example a file on stored
on backend
1518. Web server(s) 1510 also may enable or facilitate receiving content from
client device
1502 so client device A02 may be able to, for example, submit web forms,
including uploading of files.
[00117] Web server(s) also may support server-side scripting using, for
example, Active Server Pages (ASP), PHP, or other scripting languages.
Accordingly, the
behavior of web server(s) 1510 can be scripted in separate files, while the
actual server
software remains unchanged.
[00118] Load balancers 1514 may be similar to load balancers 1508 as
described
above.
[00119] Application server(s) 1516 may include hardware and/or software
that is
dedicated to the efficient execution of procedures (e.g., programs, routines,
scripts) for
supporting its applied applications. Application server(s) 1516 may comprise
one or more
application server frameworks, including, for example, Java application
servers (e.g., Java
platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE), the .NET framework from Microsoft ,
PHP
application servers, and the like). The various application server frameworks
may contain a
comprehensive service layer model. Also, application server(s) 1516 may act as
a set of
components accessible to, for example, a financial institution or other entity
implementing
system 1500,through an API defined by the platform itself. For Web
applications, these
components may be performed in, for example, the same running environment as
web
server(s) 1510, and application servers 1516 may support the construction of
dynamic pages.
Application server(s) 1516 also may implement services, such as, for example,
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clustering, fail-over, and load-balancing. In various embodiments, where
application
server(s) 1516 are Java application servers, the web server(s) 1516 may
behaves like an
extended virtual machine for running applications, transparently handling
connections to
databases associated with backend 1518 on one side, and, connections to the
Web client (e.g.,
client device 1502) on the other.
1001201 Backend 1518 may include hardware and/or software that enables the
backend
services of, for example, a financial institution or other entity that
maintains a distributes
system similar to system 1500. For example, backend 1518 may include, a system
of record,
online banking applications, a rewards platform, a payments platform, a
lending platform,
including the various services associated with, for example, auto and home
lending platforms,
a statement processing platform, one or more platforms that provide mobile
services, one or
more platforms that provide online services, a card provisioning platform, a
general ledger
system, and the like. Backend 1518 may be associated with various databases,
including
account databases that maintain, for example, customer account information,
product
databases that maintain information about products and services available to
customers,
content databases that store content associated with, for example, a financial
institution, and
the like. Backend 1518 also may be associated with one or more servers that
enable the
various services provided by system 1500.
1001211 Figure 16 depicts an example Point of Sale (PoS) device 1600. PoS
device
1600 may provide the interface at what a customer or end user makes a payment
to the
merchant in exchange for goods or services. PoS device may be similar to PoS
device 106 as
shown and described above. PoS device 1600 may include and/or cooperate with
weighing
scales, scanners, electronic and manual cash registers, electronic funds
transfer at point of
sale (EFTPOS) terminals, touch screens and any other wide variety of hardware
and software
available for use with PoS device 1600. PoS device 1600 may be a retail point
of sale system
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and may include a cash register and/or cash register-like computer components
to enable
purchase transactions. PoS device 1600 also may be a hospitality point of sale
system and
include computerized systems incorporating registers, computers and peripheral
equipment,
usually on a computer network to be used in restaurant, hair salons, hotels or
the like. PoS
device 1600 may be a wireless point of sale device similar to a PoS device
described herein
or, for example a tablet computer that is configured to operate as a PoS
device, including for
example, software to cause the tablet computer to execute point of sale
functionality and a
card reader such as for example the Capital One SparkPay card reader, the
Square reader,
Intuit's GoPayment reader, or the like. PoS device 1600 also may be a cloud-
based point
of sale system that can be deployed as software as a service, which can be
accessed directly
from the Internet using, for example, an Internet browser.
[00122] Referring to Figure 16, an example PoS device 1600 is shown. PoS
device
1600 may include a controller 1602, a reader interface 1604, a data interface
1606, a
smartcard reader 1608, a magnetic stripe reader 1610, a near-field
communications (NFC)
reader 1612, a power manager 1614, a keypad 1616, an audio interface 1618, a
touchscreen/display controller 1620, and a display 1622. Also, PoS device 1600
may be
coupled with, integrated into or otherwise connected with a cash
register/retail enterprise
system 1624.
[00123] In various embodiments, Controller 1602 may be any controller or
processor
capable of controlling the operations of PoS device 1600. For example,
controller 1602 may
be a Intel 2nd Generation CoreTM i3 or i5 or PentiumTM G850 processor or the
like.
Controller 1602 also may be a controller included in a personal computer,
smaitphone device,
tablet PC or the like.
[00124] Reader interface 1604 may provide an interface between the various
reader
devices associated with PoS device 1600 and PoS device 1600. For example,
reader interface
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1604 may provide an interface between smartcard reader 1608, magnetic stripe
reader 1610,
NFC reader 1612 and controller 1602. In various embodiments, reader interface
1604 may be
a wired interface such as a USB, RS232 or RS485 interface and the like. Reader
interface
1604 also may be a wireless interface and implement technologies such as
Bluetooth, the
802.11(x) wireless specifications and the like. Reader interface 1604 may
enable
communication of information read by the various reader devices from the
various reader
devices to PoS device 1600 to enable transactions. For example, reader
interface 1604 may
enable communication of a credit or debit card number read by a reader device
from that
device to PoS device 1600. In various embodiments, reader interface 1604 may
interface
between PoS device 1600 and other devices that do not necessarily "read"
information but
instead receive information from other devices.
[00125] Data interface 1606 may allow PoS device 1600 to pass communicate
data
throughout PoS device and with other devices including, for example, cash
register/retail
enterprise system 1624. Data interface 1606 may enable PoS device 1600 to
integrate with
various customer resource management (CRM) and/or enterprise resource
management
(ERP) systems. Data interface 1606 may include hardware, firmware and software
that make
aspects of data interface 1606 a wired interface. Data interface 1606 also may
include
hardware, firmware and software that make aspects of data interface 1606 a
wireless
interface. In various embodiments, data interface 1606 also enables
communication between
PoS device other devices.
1001261 Smartcard reader 1608 may be any electronic data input device that
reads data
from a smart card. Smartcard reader 1608 may be capable of supplying an
integrated circuit
on the smart card with electricity and communicating with the smart card via
protocols,
thereby enabling read and write functions. In various embodiments, smartcard
reader 1608
may enable reading from contact or contactless smart cards. Smartcard reader
1608 also may
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communicate using standard protocols including ISO/IEC 7816, ISO/IEC 14443
and/or the
like or proprietary protocols.
[00127] Magnetic stripe reader 1610 may be any electronic data input device
that reads
data from a magnetic stripe on a credit or debit card, for example. In various
embodiments,
magnetic stripe reader 1610 may include a magnetic reading head capable of
reading
information from a magnetic stripe. Magnetic stripe reader 1610 may be capable
of reading,
for example, cardholder information from tracks 1, 2, and 3 on magnetic cards.
In various
embodiments, track 1 may be written on a card with code known as DEC SIXBIT
plus odd
parity and the information on track 1 may be contained in several formats
(e.g., ormat A,
which may be reserved for proprietary use of the card issuer; format B; format
C-M which
may be reserved for us by ANSI subcommittee X3B10; and format N-Z, which may
be
available for use by individual card issuers). In various embodiments, track 2
may be written
with a 5-bit scheme (4 data bits plus 1 parity). Track 3 may be unused on the
magnetic stripe.
In various embodiments, track 3 transmission channels may be used for
transmitting dynamic
data packet information to further enable enhanced token-based payments.
1001281 NFC reader 1612 may be any electronic data input device that reads
data from
a NFC device. In an exemplary embodiment, NFC reader 1612 may enable Industry
Standard NFC Payment Transmission. For example, the NFC reader 1612 may
communicate
with a NFC enabled device to enable two loop antennas to form an air-core
transformer when
placed near one another by using magnetic induction. NFC reader 1612 may
operate at 13.56
MHz or any other acceptable frequency. Also, NFC reader 1612 may enable a
passive
communication mode, where an initiator device provides a carrier field,
permitting answers
by the target device via modulation of existing fields. Additionally, NFC
reader 1612 also
may enable an active communication mode by allowing alternate field generation
by the
initiator and target devices.
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1001291 In various embodiments, NFC reader 1612 may deactivate an RF field
while
awaiting data. NFC reader 1612 may receive communications containing Miller-
type coding
with varying modulations, including 100% modulation. NFC reader 1612 also may
receive
communications containing Manchester coding with varying modulations,
including a
modulation ratio of approximately 10%, for example. Additionally, NFC reader
1612 may
be capable of receiving and transmitting data at the same time, as well as
checking for
potential collisions when the transmitted signal and received signal
frequencies differ.
[00130] NFC reader 1612 may be capable of utilizing standardized
transmission
protocols, for example but not by way of limitation, ISO/IEC 14443 A/B,
ISO/IEC 18092,
MiFare, FeliCa, tag/smartcard emulation, and the like. Also, NFC reader 1612
may be able
to utilize transmission protocols and methods that are developed in the future
using other
frequencies or modes of transmission. NFC reader 1612 also may be backwards-
compatible
with existing payment techniques, such as, for example RFID. Also, NFC reader
1612 may
support transmission requirements to meet new and evolving payment standards
including
internet based transmission triggered by NFC. In various embodiments, NFC
reader 1612
may utilize MasterCard's PayPass and/or Visa's PayWave and/or American
Express'
ExpressPay systems to enable transactions.
[00131] Although not shown and described, other input devices and/or
readers, such as
for example, barcode readers and the like are contemplated.
1001321 Power manager 1614 may be any microcontroller or integrated circuit
that
governs power functions of PoS device 1600. Power manager 1614 may include,
for
example, firmware, software, memory, a CPU, a CPU, input/output functions,
timers to
measure intervals of time, as well as analog to digital converters to measure
the voltages of
the main battery or power source of PoS device 1600. In various embodiments,
Power
manager 1614 remain active even when PoS device 1600 is completely shut down,
unused,
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and/or powered by the backup battery. Power manager 1614 may be responsible
for
coordinating many functions, including, for example, monitoring power
connections and
battery charges, charging batteries when necessary, controlling power to other
integrated
circuits within PoS device 1600 and/or other peripherals and/or readers,
shutting down
unnecessary system components when they are left idle, controlling sleep and
power
functions (on and off), managing the interface for built-in keypad and
trackpads, and/or
regulating a real-time clock (RTC).
[00133] Keypad 1616 may any input device that includes a set of buttons
arranged, for
example, in a block or pad and may bear digits, symbols and/or alphabetical
letters. Keypad
1616 may be a hardware-based or mechanical-type keypad and/or implemented in
software
and displayed on, for example, a screen or touch screen to form a keypad.
Keypad 1616 may
receive input from a user that pushed or otherwise activates one or more
buttons on keypad
1616 to provide input.
[00134] Audio interface 1618 may be any device capable of providing audio
signals
from PoS device 1600. For example, audio interface may be a speaker or
speakers that may
produce audio signals. In various embodiments, audio interface 1618 may be
integrated
within PoS device 1600. Audio interface 1618 also may include components that
are external
to PoS device 1600.
[00135] Touchscreen/display control 1620 may be any device or controller
that
contrals an electronic visual display. Touchscreen/display control 1620 may
allow a user to
interact with PoS device 1600 through simple or multi-touch gestures by
touching a screen or
display (e.g., display 1622). Touchscreen/display control 1620 may be
configured to control
any number of touchscreens, including, for example, resistive touchscreens,
surface acoustic
wave touchscreens, capacitive touchscreens, surface capacitance touchscreens,
projected
capacitance touchscreens, mutual capacitance touchscreens, self-capacitance
touchscreens,
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infrared grid touchscreens, infrared acrylic projection touchscreens, optical
touchscreens,
touchscreens based on dispersive signal technology, acoustic pulse recognition
touchscreens,
and the like. In various embodiments, touchscreen/display control 1620 may
receive inputs
from the touchscreen and process the received inputs. Touchscreen/di splay
control 1620 also
may control the display on PoS device 1600, thereby providing the graphical
user interface
on a display to a user of PoS device 1600.
[00136] Display 1622 may be any display suitable for a PoS device. For
example,
display 1622 may be a TFT, LCD, LED or other display. Display 1622 also may be
a
touchscreen display that for example allows a user to interact with PoS device
1600 through
simple or multi-touch gestures by touching a screen or display (e.g., display
1622). Display
1622 may include any number of touchscreens, including, for example, resistive
touchscreens, surface acoustic wave touchscreens, capacitive touchscreens,
surface
capacitance touchscreens, projected capacitance touchscreens, mutual
capacitance
touchscreens, self-capacitance touchscreens, infrared grid touchscreens,
infrared acrylic
projection touchscreens, optical touchscreens, touchscreens based on
dispersive signal
technology, acoustic pulse recognition touchscreens, and the like. In various
embodiments,
1622 may receive inputs from control gestures provided by a user. Display 1622
also may
display images, thereby providing the graphical user interface to a user of
PoS device 1600.
1001371 Cash register/retail enterprise system 1624 may me any device or
devices that
cooperate with PoS device 1600 to process transactions. Cash register/retail
enterprise
system 1624 may be coupled with other components of PoS device 1600 via, for
example, a
data interface (e.g., data interface 1606) as illustrated in Figure 16. Cash
register/retail
enterprise system 1624 also may be integrated into PoS device 1600.
1001381 In various embodiments, cash register/retail enterprise system 1624
may be a
cash register. Example cash registers may include, for example, mechanical or
electronic
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devices that calculate and record sales transactions. Cash registers also may
include a cash
drawer for storing cash and may be capable of printing receipts. Cash
registers also may be
connected to a network to enable payment transactions. Cash registers may
include a
numerical pad, QWERTY or custom keyboard, touch screen interface, or a
combination of
these input methods for a cashier to enter products and fees by hand and
access information
necessary to complete the sale.
[00139] In various embodiments, cash register/retail enterprise system 1624
may
comprise an retail enterprise system and/or a customer relationship management
system.
Retail enterprise system 1624 may enable retain enterprises to manage
operations and
performance across a retail operation. Retail enterprise system 1624 may be a
stand-alone
application in, for example, individual stores, or may be interconnected via a
network. Retail
enterprise system 1624 may include various point of sale capabilities,
including the ability to,
for example, customize and resize transaction screens, work with a "touch
screen" graphical
user interface, enter line items, automatically look up price (sales, quantity
discount,
promotional, price levels), automatically compute tax, VAT, look up quantity
and item
attribute, display item picture, extended description, and sub-descriptions,
establish default
shipping services, select shipping carrier and calculate shipping charges by
weight/value,
support multi-tender transactions, including cash, check, credit card, and
debit card, accept
food stamps, place transactions on hold and recall, perform voids and returns
at POS, access
online credit card authorizations and capture electronic signatures, integrate
debit and credit
card processing, ensure optional credit card discounts with address
verification, support mix-
and-match pricing structure, discount entire sale or selected items at time of
sale, add
customer account, track customer information, including total sales, number of
visits, and last
visit date. issue store credit, receive payment(s) for individual invoices,
process deposits on
orders, search by customer's ship-to address, create and process layaway, back
orders, work
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orders, and sales quotes, credit items sold to selected sales reps, view daily
sales graph at the
PoS, view and print journals from any register, preview, search, and print
journals by register,
batch, and/or receipt number, print X, Z, and ZZ reports, print receipts,
invoices, and pick
tickets with logos/graphics, print kit components on receipt, reprint
receipts, enter employee
hours with an integrated time clock function, and/or sell when the
network/server is down
with an offline PoS mode. Retail enterprise system 1624 also may include
inventory control
and tracking capabilities, reporting tools, customer management capabilities,
employee
management tools, and may integrate with other accounting software.
[00140] In various embodiments cash register/retail enterprise system 1624
may be a
hospitality PoS. In such embodiments, retail enterprise system 1624 may
include hospitality
PoS software (e.g, Aloha PoS Restaurant software from NCR , Micros RES and
Symphony software and the like), hospitality management software, and other
hardware and
software to facilitate hospitality operations.
[00141] Figure 17 depicts an exemplary method 1700 for providing enhanced
features
for an NFC attachment. Method 1700 may begin in block 1702.
1001421 In block 1704, a secure wireless connection may be established. For
example,
a NFC attachment may establish a Bluetooth low energy connection with a mobile
device. In
various embodiments, to establish this secure connection, the NFC attachment
may be within
a certain proximity range of the mobile device to enable the NFC attachment to
be paired to
the mobile device. A user of the mobile device may be required to input a PIN
into, for
example, a mobile application operating on the device to establish a secure
connection. Also,
a user of the NFC attachment may be required to input a tokencode provided by
the
attachment as explained above to establish the secure connection. Once the
secure
connection is made, the payment and enhanced features described herein may be
enabled. In
various embodiments, if the secure connection is not established, the
attachment may not
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operate. Accordingly, the secure connection provides security because a stolen
or misplaced
attachment may not operate absent the proximity connection to the mobile
device.
[00143] In block 1706, payments may be made using the NFC attachment. For
example, a user may place the secure attachment near a NFC reader on, for
example, a PoS
device to make a payment. Because the secure attachment is wirelessly
connected to a
mobile device, the user need not also present the mobile device to the PoS or
physically
couple the attachment to the mobile device to conduct the transaction.
[00144] In block 1708, finder features may be utilized using the
attachment. For
example, a user of the mobile device may activate a "find my keys" application
and/or the
like on the mobile device to transmit a signal via, for example, the Bluetooth
connection, to
activate an alarm on the attachment so as to notify the user of the attachment
as to the
location of the keys (presuming the attachments is coupled to a key ring).
Where the
attachment is not coupled to keys, the "find my keys" feature may be used to
locate the
attachment. In various embodiments, the "finder features" may first establish
a wireless
connection (assuming the mobile device and attachment are within the requisite
proximity of
each other) before activating the "finder" features. The user of the
attachment also may use,
for example, a button on the attachment to find a mobile device that is paired
to the
attachment. In such an embodiment, the button may transmit a signal to the
mobile device to
activate an alarm or the like on the mobile device.
[00145] In block 1710, the attachment may utilize RSA features. For
example, as
described above, RSA tokencodes may be transmitted from the attachment to the
mobile
device to authorize a transaction and/or authenticate the user.
[00146] In the preceding specification, various preferred embodiments have
been
described with references to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be
evident that
various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional
embodiments may be
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-08-05
implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set
forth in the
claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be
regarded as an
illustrative rather than restrictive sense.
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