U.S. patent application number 17/008453 was filed with the patent office on 2020-12-17 for third-party access to secure hardware.
The applicant listed for this patent is Square, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert Andersen, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring, Ayokunle Omojola, Daniele Perito.
Application Number | 20200394644 17/008453 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005062968 |
Filed Date | 2020-12-17 |
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20200394644 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Grassadonia; Brian ; et
al. |
December 17, 2020 |
THIRD-PARTY ACCESS TO SECURE HARDWARE
Abstract
In one embodiment, a method includes, receiving, by a wallet
application executing on a computing device, a user registration
request from a user. The computing device includes a secure
subsystem with secure elements and a secure operating system. The
method includes sending the user registration request to a
third-party payment application integrated with the wallet
application. The third-party payment application is configured to
execute within the secure subsystem based on a processor of the
computing device being in a secure mode. The method includes
receiving user registration information via a user interface
generated based on instructions from the third-party payment
application. The method includes providing the received user
registration information to the third-party payment application in
response to receiving authorization for the user registration
request via the secure elements. The method includes receiving user
account information for the user from a third-party payment server
via the third-party payment application.
Inventors: |
Grassadonia; Brian; (San
Francisco, CA) ; Omojola; Ayokunle; (San Francisco,
CA) ; Andersen; Robert; (Brooklyn, NY) ;
Moring; Michael; (San Francisco, CA) ; Perito;
Daniele; (San Francisco, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Square, Inc. |
San Francisco |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005062968 |
Appl. No.: |
17/008453 |
Filed: |
August 31, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15395975 |
Dec 30, 2016 |
10762495 |
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17008453 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 20/0855 20130101;
G06Q 20/40 20130101; G06Q 20/363 20130101; G06Q 20/08 20130101;
G06Q 20/027 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 20/36 20060101
G06Q020/36; G06Q 20/40 20060101 G06Q020/40; G06Q 20/08 20060101
G06Q020/08; G06Q 20/02 20060101 G06Q020/02 |
Claims
1-16. (canceled)
17. A method comprising: receiving, by a native wallet application
executing on a user computing device, a user registration request
from a user, wherein the user computing device comprises a secure
subsystem comprising one or more secure elements and a secure
operating system, the one or more secure elements comprising one or
more hardware components; sending, by the native wallet
application, the user registration request to a third-party payment
application integrated with the native wallet application, wherein
the third-party payment application is configured to execute within
the secure subsystem via the secure operating system and the one or
more secure elements are accessible by the third-party payment
application based on a processor of the user computing device being
in a secure mode; receiving, by the native wallet application, user
registration information via a user interface generated based on
instructions from the third-party payment application; providing,
by the native wallet application, the received user registration
information to the third-party payment application in response to
receiving authorization for the user registration request via the
one or more secure elements; and receiving, by the native wallet
application, user account information for the user from a
third-party payment server associated with the third-party payment
application via the third-party payment application.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user computing device
further comprises a normal subsystem separate from the secure
subsystem, the normal subsystem comprising a native operating
system.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: displaying, by the
native wallet application, the user account information on the user
interface in response to receiving authorization for displaying the
user account information via the one or more secure elements.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the hardware components
comprise one or more of a fingerprint reader, retina scanner,
camera, and antenna.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein the native wallet application
receives the user account information for the user from the
third-party payment server responsive to providing the received
user registration information to the third-party payment server via
the third-party payment application; and wherein the third-party
payment server is configured to associate the user registration
request with a user account.
22. The method of claim 17, wherein the user computing device
further comprises a native communication application that
communicates with the third-party payment application and that
further communicates with the secure subsystem to facilitate a
payment transaction or to receive a payment.
23. The method of claim 17, further comprising: receiving, by the
native wallet application, a payment request and a program code
from a merchant computing device; transferring, by native wallet
application, the payment request and the program code to the
third-party payment application integrated with the native wallet
application after receiving authorization for the payment request
via the one or more secure elements, wherein, in response to
receiving the payment request and the program code, the third-party
payment application is configured to: decode the program code; and
transmit a payment token to the merchant computing device based on
the received authorization and the decoded program code.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the native wallet application
receives the payment request and the program code from the merchant
computing device via near-field communication; and wherein the
program code is included in a near-field communication code.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the program code comprises an
identifier for an account of the user with the merchant.
26. The method of claim 23, further comprising: receiving, by the
native wallet application, a status of the payment request from the
third-party payment application; and displaying, by the native
wallet application, a notification of the status of the payment
request via a user interface generated based on instructions from
the third-party payment application.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the third-party payment server
receives the payment token from the merchant computing device, the
method further comprising: receiving, by the native wallet
application, a request for confirmation of the payment request
corresponding to the payment token from the third-party payment
server via the third-party payment application; and providing, by
the native wallet application, confirmation of the payment request
to the third-party payment server via the third-party payment
application in response to receiving authorization for the
confirmation via the one or more secure elements.
28. The method of claim 17, wherein the third-party payment
application integrated with the native wallet application has
permission to operate a thread on the processor in the secure mode
via the secure operating system.
29. A system comprising: one or more processors, a native wallet
application stored in a memory of the system and executing on the
system via the one or more processors, a secure subsystem
comprising one or more secure elements and a secure operating
system, the one or more secure elements comprising one or more
hardware components, and a third-party payment application
integrated with the native wallet application, wherein the
third-party payment application is configured to execute within the
secure subsystem via the secure operating system and the one or
more secure elements are accessible by the third-party payment
application based on the one or more processors being in a secure
mode; wherein the memory further comprises instructions operable by
the one or more processors to cause the native wallet application
to perform operations comprising: receiving a user registration
request from a user; sending the user registration request to the
third-party payment application integrated with the native wallet
application; receiving user registration information via a user
interface generated based on instructions from the third-party
payment application; providing the received user registration
information to the third-party payment application in response to
receiving authorization for the user registration request via the
one or more secure elements; and receiving user account information
for the user from a third-party payment server associated with the
third-party payment application via the third-party payment
application.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the system further comprises a
normal subsystem separate from the secure subsystem, the normal
subsystem comprising a native operating system.
31. The system of claim 29, wherein the instructions are further
operable by the one or more processors to cause the native wallet
application to perform operations comprising: displaying the user
account information on the user interface in response to receiving
authorization for displaying the user account information via the
one or more secure elements.
32. The system of claim 29, wherein the hardware components
comprise one or more of a fingerprint reader, retina scanner,
camera, and antenna.
33. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media
embodying software that is operable when executed to cause one or
more processors of a user computing device to perform operations
comprising: receiving, by a native wallet application executing on
the user computing device, a user registration request from a user,
wherein the user computing device comprises a secure subsystem
comprising one or more secure elements and a secure operating
system, the one or more secure elements comprising one or more
hardware components; sending, by the native wallet application, the
user registration request to a third-party payment application
integrated with the native wallet application, wherein the
third-party payment application is configured to execute within the
secure subsystem via the secure operating system and the one or
more secure elements are accessible by the third-party payment
application based on a processor of the user computing device being
in a secure mode; receiving, by the native wallet application, user
registration information via a user interface generated based on
instructions from the third-party payment application; providing,
by the native wallet application, the received user registration
information to the third-party payment application in response to
receiving authorization for the user registration request via the
one or more secure elements; and receiving, by the native wallet
application, user account information for the user from a
third-party payment server associated with the third-party payment
application via the third-party payment application.
34. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 33,
wherein the user computing device further comprises a normal
subsystem separate from the secure subsystem, the normal subsystem
comprising a native operating system.
35. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 33,
wherein the software is further operable when executed to cause one
or more processors of a user computing device to perform operations
comprising: displaying, by the native wallet application, the user
account information on the user interface in response to receiving
authorization for displaying the user account information via the
one or more secure elements.
36. The computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 33,
wherein the hardware components comprise one or more of a
fingerprint reader, retina scanner, camera, and antenna.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This application is a continuation under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.
120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/395,975, filed 30 Dec.
2016.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Mobile phone users typically receive applications or "apps"
via online stores, but operating systems restrict access by these
apps to certain application programming interfaces (APIs), such as
the ability to interact with native apps, or hardware features,
such as a secure subsystem holding confidential user information or
including authentication devices, such as a retina scanner or
fingerprint reader. Device makers include native applications that
they develop for a specific platform, and they give these native
applications access to restricted hardware and software APIs
because these native applications are trustworthy.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure are
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
figures which are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to
scale. Unless indicated as representing the background art, the
figures represent aspects of the disclosure.
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system architecture for native
and third-party application access to a secure subsystem, according
to an embodiment.
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates an example cross-functional flowchart for
registering a user on a user computing device and accessing a
secure subsystem, according to an embodiment.
[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates an example cross-sectional flowchart for
performing add-cash or cash-out operations, according to an
embodiment.
[0007] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a user computing device
with a user interface, according to an embodiment.
[0008] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a third-party payment
application accessing a secure subsystem, according to an
embodiment.
[0009] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of seamless integration of a
third-party payment application with a native communication
application to receive a payment, according to an embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of seamless integration of a
third-party payment application, a native wallet application, and a
native communication application, according to an embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 8 illustrates another example of seamless integration
of a third-party payment application, a native wallet application,
and a native communication application, in which the user receives
an update on a wallet balance after receiving a payment, according
to an embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of seamless integration of a
third-party payment application with a native communication
application to send a payment, according to an embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of the third-party payment
application accessing a secure subsystem during a payment made
through the native communication application, according to an
embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 11 illustrates another example of seamless integration
of a third-party payment application with a native communication
application to send a payment, according to an embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 12 illustrates an example a notification of a payment
sent by the seamlessly integrated third-party payment application,
according to an embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 13 illustrates an example back end system demonstrating
how several components of the system interoperate.
[0017] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a notification of a
payment and an updated balance using the seamlessly integrated
third-party payment application and native wallet application,
according to an embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 15 illustrates an example a seamlessly integrated
third-party payment application with a loyalty card function after
processing a payment, according to an embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 16 illustrates another example of the seamlessly
integrated third-party payment application with a loyalty card
function with a native wallet application, according to an
embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 17 illustrates an example of the seamlessly integrated
third-party payment application with a loyalty card function with a
native map application, according to an embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 18 illustrates an example of the seamlessly integrated
third-party payment application with a loyalty card function with a
native map application, according to an embodiment.
DESCRIPTION
[0022] To add more features to mobile devices, device manufactures
rely on third-party app developers to supplement native apps that
come with a mobile device. However, because these third-party apps
are untrustworthy, the device manufactures limit the usefulness of
some third-party apps. To add additional features to mobile
devices, embodiments of this disclosure allow these third-party
apps to have access to typically restricted features, such as
thumbprint or retina scanner authentication and native app
integration. To do this, the device manufacturer places a level of
trust on the third-party app developer to use this access in a
trustworthy manner. By granting this access, mobile devices can
have seamlessly integrate features that otherwise would not be
available. Moreover, by integrating a third-party application with
a native application the user may not need to download a separate
third-party application, at least in some embodiments.
[0023] The two currently leading mobile platforms, iOS and Android,
have corresponding native wallet applications that allow users to
input information including their credit or debit card information
or loyalty cards. However, this information is basically a digital
form of currently existing cards, i.e., the cards simply act like
their real-world counterparts. The mobile device can make charges
to a credit card or display a barcode associated with a loyalty
program. These native wallet applications are therefore limited in
the services they can offer because they might not have the
expertise or manpower to provide all services that users desire.
The native wallet application also does not have visibility into
other aspects of a transaction, such as what exactly the user is
purchasing and where the funds are coming from, which inhibits the
possibility of increasing features to provide to users.
[0024] Examples of features enabled by embodiments herein include
integrated third-party payment tools and payments-related services,
including loyalty programs, communication applications, or map
applications. Embodiments allow third-party payment applications to
be seamlessly integrated into native wallet applications. These
third-party payment applications can allow users to maintain a
balance that they can add too or subtract from, or use to make
payment requests or funds transfer requests. Currently, users use a
third-party application to accomplish these tasks, but this
increases the difficulty in executing a transaction and does not
allow for access to features such as near-field communication (NFC)
payments or fingerprint authentication. By giving a third-party
payment application access to these hardware features, the
third-party payment application can appear as if it is a native
application to provide seamless integration, registration, and
usage, without the need to open a separate payments-specific
app.
[0025] Other embodiments described herein aim to give users
automated notifications and tracking of events affecting their bank
accounts, such as by predicting how transactions will affect the
balance. This prediction can be presented on a user interface to
provide users with information more efficiently and enable tracking
of account activity at a level previously unavailable. In one
example, an improved system architecture allows presentation on a
user interface on a mobile device for credit and debit transactions
in a conversational view format, with status updates that can
reflect scheduled transactions and other recent transactions.
Various embodiments of this improved system architecture provide
several improvements over existing system architectures; for
example, they can allow for more accurate, real-time accounting
information by logically separating subaccounts at a server that
has increased visibility of financial transactions. The increased
visibility improves the function of the computer by allowing more
control over the computer network and transactions that occur over
the network, as explained throughout this specification.
[0026] The present disclosure is here described in detail with
reference to embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which form a
part here. Other embodiments may be used or other changes may be
made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present
disclosure. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed
description are not meant to be limiting of the subject matter
presented here.
[0027] Various embodiments will now be described in further detail.
The following description provides specific details for a thorough
understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One
skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the
embodiments discussed herein may be practiced without many of these
details. Likewise, one skilled in the relevant art will also
understand that the embodiments can include many other obvious
features not described in detail herein. Additionally, some
well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in
detail below, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant
description.
[0028] The terms "connected" or "coupled" and related terms used
throughout the description are used in an operational sense and are
not necessarily limited to a direct physical connection or
coupling. Thus, for example, two devices may be coupled directly,
or via one or more intermediary media or devices. As another
example, devices may be coupled in such a way that information can
be passed there-between, while not sharing any physical connection
with one another. Based on the disclosure provided herein, one of
ordinary skill in the art will appreciate a variety of ways in
which connection or coupling exists in accordance with the
aforementioned definition.
[0029] The phrases "in some embodiments," "according to some
embodiments," "in the embodiments shown," "in other embodiments,"
and the like generally mean the particular feature, structure, or
characteristic following the phrase is included in at least one
implementation of the disclosed technology, and may be included in
more than one implementation. In addition, such phrases do not
necessarily refer to the same embodiments or different
embodiments.
[0030] The term "module" or "engine" refers broadly to general or
specific-purpose hardware, software, or firmware (or any
combination thereof) components. Modules and engines are typically
functional components that can generate useful data or other output
using specified input(s). A module or engine may or may not be
self-contained. Depending upon implementation-specific or other
considerations, the modules or engines may be centralized or
functionally distributed. An application program (also called an
"application") may include one or more modules and/or engines, or a
module and/or engine can include one or more application
programs.
[0031] The term "cause" and variations thereof, as used throughout
this description, refers to either direct causation or indirect
causation. For example, a computer system can "cause" an action by
sending a message to a second computer system that commands,
requests or prompts the second computer system to perform the
action. Any number of intermediary devices may examine and/or relay
the message during this process. In this regard, a device can
"cause" an action even though it may not be known to the device
whether the action will ultimately be executed or completed.
[0032] Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments
illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used
here to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that
no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.
Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features
illustrated here, and additional applications of the principles of
the inventions as illustrated here, which would occur to one
skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this
disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the
invention.
Example Integrated System Architecture
[0033] Embodiments can take advantage of various architectures for
integrating third-party applications with native applications and
native hardware to allow for benefits that would otherwise not be
available. Native applications, typically developed by platform
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), cannot provide all of the
features that third parties can, who have nearly limitless
resources and expertise, that the OEM cannot match. Therefore, to
gain further functionality, ease of use, and a better user
experience, embodiments can use various system architectures for
providing this integration. FIG. 1 illustrates one such
example.
[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system architecture for native
and integrated third-party application access to a secure
subsystem. This embodiment includes normal subsystem 100 for
running most third-party applications and secure subsystem 110 for
running applications (native or third party) that use secure
information or hardware components. These subsystems can be
separated to secure personal information from malicious
applications for user privacy, to restrict access to secure APIs or
software, to restrict access to secure hardware, or any combination
of these. The normal subsystem 100 can include open applications
102, where applications running, either in the foreground or
background, can operate. Native and third-party applications with
secure OS support 103 can include applications that are not
currently running. Trusted zone API/driver 104 can allow access to
the secure subsystem 110, if the application has appropriate
permissions, or if trusted native and third-party applications 113
desire access to the applications 103. Native OS 105 can be any
operating system, such as Windows.RTM., iOS.RTM., or Android.RTM.;
however, the native OS 105 can have modifications to interoperate
with the secure native OS 115, which administers the secure
subsystem 110. Monitor 116 can be used to switch threads operating
on the processor (not illustrated) from operating in a secure or
unsecure mode, depending on the permissions of a given application
and thread running on the processor. If the processor is running in
secure mode because the monitor 116 switched to the secure state,
the thread can have access to secure element(s) 117, which can be a
hardware component, such as an antenna (e.g., Bluetooth or NFC), a
fingerprint reader, or a memory holding confidential information,
such as fingerprint or credit card information.
[0035] The example system architecture of FIG. 1 is for
illustrative purposes only, and can be modified to have other
configurations. For example, the trusted and native third-party
applications need not reside in the secure subsystem 110, but can
instead access the secure subsystem from the normal subsystem 100
when necessary, e.g., when an application needs to access the
secure element(s) 117. Nonetheless, the illustrated embodiment and
modifications of it can allow third-party trusted applications,
such as a third-party payment application, to access the secure
element(s) 117.
Registering Third-Party Payment Application User
[0036] The following discussion provides examples of seamlessly
registering a user to have an account balance associated with a
user device. By integrating a third-party payment application with
a native application, such as a native wallet application, a user
can more quickly, easily, and securely register an account. In the
discussion of FIG. 1 above, which provides an example technical
solution for integrating third-party applications, the third-party
applications have access to secure features and native
functionality to avoid the need to open different applications to
access certain features. By allowing users to register for a
third-party payment application within a native wallet application
via a technical integration of the two using hardware and software,
users have fewer steps to register, are more likely to register,
and can achieve benefits of the third-party application that would
otherwise not be possible.
[0037] FIG. 2 illustrates an example cross-functional flowchart for
registering a user to open an account and maintain a digital cash
balance on a user computing device, and accessing a secure
subsystem, according to an embodiment. The cross-functional
flowchart includes several devices or applications (secure
subsystem 220, native wallet application 221, third-party payment
application 222, and third-party payment server 223) that can
perform various steps. These steps can commence when a user wishes
to register for a new account or automatically in response to a
requested payment transaction, either at a merchant or to a contact
in a native communication application. In step 200, the native
wallet application 221 can receive a registration request from the
user. This request can be initiated, for example, by a user input,
either a voice command, selection of a registration icon, or an
attempt to make a purchase. The native wallet application 221 or
the third-party payment application 222 can optionally request
authorization to open an account via the secure subsystem 220 in
step 201. In step 202, the third-party payment application can
receive the registration request from native wallet application 221
and generate a user interface (step 203) to register a user. The
user interface can optionally include accepting terms and
conditions that a user must accept before registering. In step 204,
the native wallet application can display the user interface and
receive user registration information via the user interface. Such
user registration information can include name, address,
credit/debit card number, social security information, email
address, username, and password. The user registration information
can also include acceptance terms and conditions for applying to
open an account, such as an online bank account, and it can also
include a unique device ID, such as an IMEI or ICCID number. In the
case that the user already has an account, the user can simply
input a username and password to log into their account. The native
wallet application 221 can then transmit the user registration
information to the third-party payment application 222 (step 205),
which can then transmit the user registration information to the
third-party payment server 223 to open the account online. The
third-party payment server 223 receives the information in step 206
and can determine whether the user already has an account in step
207. If the user does not have an account, the third-party payment
server 223 can generate a new user account, including a balance and
an account number, in step 209. After completing step 209, or if
the user already has an account, the third-party payment server 223
can transmit user account information, including a balance, e.g.,
balance amount, at least a portion of the account number, and a
payment token associated with the device ID, to the third-party
payment application 222 in step 208. Finally, in step 210, the
native wallet application can display the user account information
and options to add cash or cash out the balance, as illustrated in
FIG. 4, discussed below.
[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates a second example cross-sectional
flowchart for performing add-cash or cash-out operations, according
to an embodiment, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 4. The
third-party payment application can perform these functions within
the native wallet application, or the third-party payment
application could prompt the user to download another application
associated with the third-party payment application but having
enhanced features. To begin the process, in step 300, of changing
the balance by adding cash or taking cash out, the native wallet
application 221 can receive an add-cash or cash-out request. Either
the third-party payment application 222, or in this example the
native wallet application 221, can send an authentication request
to the secure subsystem 220 in step 301. The authentication request
can comprise, for example, an instruction to enable a fingerprint
reader and return a result of whether a fingerprint matches a
stored fingerprint, thereby verifying a user's identity. Further in
this example, the third-party payment application can receive the
add-cash or cash-out request in step 302, and forward the request
to the third-party payment server 223 in step 303. The bank can
receive the add-cash or cash-out request in step 304, update the
balance, and send an acknowledgment to the third-party payment
server 223 (step 305), which can forward the acknowledgment to the
third-party payment application 222 in step 306. Finally, the
native wallet application 221 can display the updated balance,
similar to the balance illustrated in FIG. 4 in step 307.
[0039] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a user computing device
with a user interface for registering a third-party payment
application in a native wallet application 406 on a user computing
device 409, according to an embodiment. The native wallet
application includes a third-party payment application 400 that can
display user information, such as a portion of a credit/debit card
number 401, a balance 402, and a portion of an account number 403.
The third-party payment application 400 can also present an
add-cash user interface 404, a cash-out interface 405, and a
loyalty points interface 408. The loyalty points and similar
loyalty programs will be discussed further below in the context of
example benefits of integrating a third-party payment application
with a native wallet application. FIG. 4 also illustrates an
example secure element 407, which in this case can be a fingerprint
reader to verify user identity. The third-party payment application
400 can access the secure element 407 to execute payments, register
an account, add cash, cash out, or other operations where user
verification might be advantageous. The add-cash and cash-out
interfaces were in the discussion above related to FIG. 3, and the
account registration process was in the discussion above related to
FIG. 2.
[0040] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the third-party payment
application 400 accessing a secure subsystem on user computing
device 409, and further illustrates an example use of secure
element 407. In one example, a user can request to cash out a
balance, and the third-party payment application 400 can access the
secure element 407 to confirm the user's identity before completing
the transaction. Either the third-party payment application 400 or
the native wallet application 406 can includes each of the elements
of FIG. 4, with the addition of a security notification 500 to the
user to require authentication by making an authentication request
to the fingerprint reader 407. After the user verifies their
identity via the fingerprint reader 407, third-party payment
application can complete the current transaction, such as an
add-cash or cash-out transaction.
Example Payments User Interface of Integrated Third-Party Payment
Application
[0041] In addition to integration with a native wallet application,
as discussed above with reference to FIGS. 2-5, embodiments can
also integrate a third-party payment application a native
communication application, as illustrated in FIGS. 6-12. One aspect
of the disclosed technology includes enabling a user who is using a
native communication application (e.g., simple message service
(SMS) applications (Google Hangouts, Apple iMessage), or a native
email application) to easily send money to another user who is also
using the same native communication application. (Some of these
communication applications may be trademarks of their respective
owners.) The disclosed technology enables a third-party payment
application to act as a background process (e.g., a user would not
notice or know that background process is running during normal
operation) associated with or incorporated in the native
communication application, so as to provide the user with a
"seamless" user experience (e.g., does not need to switch between
the instant message application and the third-party payment
application--there is no interruption of an existing dialogue or
chat). In some embodiments, the disclosed technology can enable a
payment service provided by a server (e.g., a cloud device) to act
as a backend process (e.g., a user would not notice or know that
backend process is running during normal operation) associated with
the instant message application, so as to provide a "seamless" user
experience. In some embodiments, a sematic analysis can be
performed so as to determine whether a user really wants to pay the
other user. In some embodiments, further user authorization can be
required (e.g., to confirm with a user whether he or she really
wants to pay the other user and/or verify a specified amount to be
paid).
[0042] For example, when user A is chatting with user B on an
instant message application associated with a payment service or a
third-party payment application (as a background application), user
A can specify that he or she wants to pay user B a specified amount
of money (e.g., user A can say: "I would like to pay you $100 for
dinner yesterday," "Here is $10 I owe you," or "I am sending you
$50"). Once a currency identifier (e.g., the dollar sign "$") is
detected, the third-party payment application can initiate a
payment process. In some embodiments, the currency identifier can
be a character, a string, a symbol, an embedded code, an insignia,
etc. The payment process can start by, for example, searching user
A's contact list for user B's contact information. Once found, the
payment process can then proceed by: (1) verifying whether user B
has an existing service account with the payment service or the
payment application; or (2) verifying whether user B has a previous
transaction associated with the payment service or the payment
application. If either of the two verifications has a positive
outcome, the payment application can continue to pay user B based
on the information learned from the existing service account or the
previous transaction (e.g., details can be found throughout this
detailed description). If neither of the two verifications has a
positive outcome, then the payment application can initiate an
invitation process (e.g., details can be found throughout this
detailed description) by sending out an invitation for requesting
financial information and creating a new account associated with
the payment service or the payment application to user B.
[0043] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of seamless integration of a
third-party payment application with a native communication
application 601 to receive a payment on user computing device 409,
according to an embodiment. The native communication application
601 can include an image 600 associated with the recipient of the
messages, "Lauren" in this example. The native communication
application 601 includes several messages (601-605) in the
conversation. Messages on the right (602 and 604) are from the user
of user computing device 409, and messages on the left (603 and
605) are from Lauren. In this example, Lauren has sent the user
$150, as illustrated by message 605, which includes an indication
of payment via an icon and an amount. The user can respond by
typing a message into field 607 using keyboard 606. The user can
also select the message 605 by, for example, touching it, which can
cause the integrated third-party payment application to present a
user interface 700, as illustrated in FIG. 7.
[0044] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of seamless integration of a
third-party payment application, a native wallet application, and a
native communication application, according to an embodiment. The
user interface 700 can give the user an option 702 to accept or
approve the payment and an option 701 to decline the payment. The
user interface 700 can include a message as to the amount of the
payment, which in this case is $150. The appearance of the user
interface 700 can be different depending on whether the payment
recipient is already registered. If the user is not already
registered and therefore does not have an account balance, then the
user can use a registration process similar to that described with
regard to FIG. 2. If the user is enrolled and has an account, the
third-party payment application can add cash to the user's account
balance in a process similar to that described with regard to FIG.
3. However, the additional cash will come from the sender, Lauren
in this case.
[0045] FIG. 8 illustrates another example of seamless integration
of a third-party payment application, a native wallet application,
and a native communication application, in which the user receives
a notification 800 of an update on a wallet balance after receiving
a payment, according to an embodiment. For example, after the user
selects the option 702 to accept the payment, the native
communication application can return to the conversation and
display the notification 800 identifying that the balance was
updated to include the $150. Since the original balance was $0, the
notification states that the balance is now $150. The user could
then return to the native wallet application (as illustrated in
FIG. 4) by, for example, pressing notification 800, to use the
cash-out interface 405 to cash out the $150 into a traditional bank
account, or keep the balance to use for purchases or to send
additional payments.
[0046] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of seamless integration of a
third-party payment application with a native communication
application to send a payment, according to an embodiment. Building
upon the examples of FIGS. 6-8, after receiving the $150 from
Lauren, the user remembers that she owes Lauren "$20 for drinks
last night," as illustrated in field 607 and typed using keyboard
606. As discussed above, the appearance of the `$` symbol followed
by a numerical value amount (either an integer (e.g., "10") or text
(e.g., "ten")) can be recognized as a payment indication and
trigger either the third-party payment application or the native
communication application to present the user an option 1000 to
attach cash to the message, as illustrated in FIG. 10. The
third-party payment application can also verify whether the user's
balance is greater than or equal to the numerical value amount of
the transaction. If the balance is greater than or equal to the
numerical value amount, the third-party payment application can
then present the option to the user to attach cash. The user can
confirm or decline whether they want to attach cash. The
verification of sufficient balance can occur before or after the
user confirms whether they want to add cash. If the user has
insufficient funds in their balance, they can set an option to use
additional funds associated with a bank account or debit card, or
either the third-party payment application or the third-party
payment server can send a decline message if the balance is less
than the payment amount.
[0047] FIG. 10 illustrates presenting the user with an option to
attach cash to the message. If the user chooses to attach cash to
the message, the option 1000 requires confirmation using a
fingerprint ID through the secure subsystem 110. If the user inputs
their fingerprint by touching fingerprint reader 407, the
third-party payment application can attach the $20 to the message
as illustrated in FIG. 11.
[0048] FIG. 11 illustrates presenting the user with the message
1100 that they typed with a $20 included a corresponding payment
attachment 1101. That is, the third-party payment application
facilitates the generation of the payment attachment 1101 based on
an identified intent (e.g., "I still owe you $20) of the user to
send $20 to a target recipient within the messaging thread. The
user can now edit their message by changing the text or removing
the $20. The user could also add more denominations. For example,
if the user also wanted to send $30 for dinner after drinks, then
the user could include another $30 in cash by typing the string
"$30" into message 1100, and the user could send two cash values:
$20 and $30. Once the user presses send, the third-party payment
application can deduct the amount(s) from the user's balance.
[0049] FIG. 12 illustrates an example of the native communication
application after the user presses the send button to send the $20
from FIG. 11. In this example, the user receives a notification
1200 to give the user an update that their balance is now $20 less,
i.e., $130. The user can also press the notification 1200 to return
to the balance in the native wallet application and third-party
payment application. The $20 can appear as a separate message 1201,
above the text portion of the message 1202 in the native
communication application. Lauren can then go through a process as
described with respect to FIGS. 6-8 to deposit the $20 into her
balance.
Backend of Payment System Architecture
[0050] The examples above illustrate software interfaces and some
aspects of how hardware and software cooperate to provide
integrated third-party applications and native applications, and
FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary network and system architecture
for providing payment and loyalty services. Merchant computing
device 1301, e.g., a payment terminal, can be a payment card
payment processing terminal, such as a payment card scanner or NFC
reader, that can request payment authorization to complete a sale.
The merchant computing device 1301, which can be any device capable
of capturing payment request data on behalf of a merchant, can
receive an input (e.g., swipe or dip a card, wireless transmission,
keypad entry) of a user's payment card information, such as card
verification value (CVV or CVVI), card verification code (CVC or
CVC1), card identifier (CID), and payment card number, into the
merchant computing device 1301. Non-limiting examples of a merchant
computing device 1301 may include a point of sales (POS) terminal,
a payment card payment processing terminal (e.g., a payment card
scanner), a server for an online site, and a cash register.
Non-limiting examples of payment instruments may include magnetic
stripe cards, EMV cards, debit cards, credit cards, stored value
cards, gift cards, and virtual cards or payment tokens that may be
stored on a user computing device 1315 (e.g., user computing
device, smartphone, or computer). The merchant computing device
1301 may comprise or may be coupled to various types of instrument
readers configured to capture transaction data from certain types
of payment instruments. For instance, if the payment instrument is
a virtual card stored in a native wallet application or third-party
payment application of a user computing device 1315, and the user
computing device 1315 is configured to transmit payment request
data for the virtual card using near field communications (NFC),
then the merchant computing device 1301 may comprise or may be
coupled to an NFC scanner configured to capture the transaction
data related to the virtual card via the NFC signal received from
the user computing device 1315 sent in response to a merchant
payment request. The client device can include one or more client
applications stored in memory and executed on one or more
processors. The client application can present information to the
user and receive inputs from the user via, for example, a keyboard,
mouse, or touchscreen. The client applications can be stored on a
centralized server, such as the Google Play.RTM. store or
iTunes.RTM., and the user can download the applications from the
centralized server to perform functions, such as those describe in
this disclosure.
[0051] In operation, the merchant computing device 1301 may capture
payment card information, sent in response to the merchant payment
request, and then generate and transmit a digital message, such as
a payment authorization request, comprising the payment card
information along with transaction data (e.g., merchant payment
amount, merchant identifier) to a merchant-acquirer server 1302.
The merchant computing device 1301 may be configured to generate
digital messages containing the payment authorization request,
which includes the payment card information and transaction data,
may be generated according to particular protocols or
specifications, e.g., one or more ISO standards in which the
payment authorization request can contain certain fields for the
payment card information and the transaction data. Non-limiting
examples of data fields that may be included the digital message
may include a merchant identifier (merchant ID), a merchant
category code (MCC), an amount for the transaction, a timestamp
(e.g., data, time), and a card number. In some implementations, the
merchant computing device 1301 may transmit the digital message
containing the card and/or other payment information to a
merchant-acquirer server 1302, although in some embodiments, the
digital message may be transmitted to other devices, such as an
issuer processor server 1303 of an issuer processor system. By
having visibility into both ends of the transaction, i.e., at the
merchant and at the user computing device, the disclosed system can
offer technical solutions not previously available, which will be
described in more detail below.
Merchant-Acquirer
[0052] A merchant-acquirer server 1302 may be any computing device
configured to process an authorization request from a merchant and
forward at least some of the information to an issuer processor
server 1303 over payment network rails 1309 or card-issuer network
(e.g., Visa.RTM. or MasterCard.RTM. networks). Each merchant
computing device 1301 is associated with a merchant-acquirer server
1302 to process payment card payments. Although one merchant
computing device 1301 and one merchant-acquirer server 1302 is
shown, the system may comprise more than one of each the merchant
computing device 1301 and the merchant-acquirer server 1302.
Payment Network Rails
[0053] Payment networks (e.g., Visa.RTM., MasterCard.RTM., and
American Express.RTM.) may be entities that own and operate payment
network rails 1309, which may be a computing communications network
configured to receive and transmit digital messages between
merchants and merchant-acquirers to issuer processors and issuing
banks. In operation, merchant computing devices 1301 and
merchant-acquirer servers 1302 may generate, manipulate, and
transmit digital messages containing payment authorization
requests. The digital messages may be generated and manipulated
according to the policies, standards, and protocols implemented by
each particular payment network.
Issuer Processor
[0054] Issuer processor systems can establish payment card number
records for customers, issue bills and statements, and process
payments. The issuer processor server 1303 can perform these
functions and store transactions and payment card numbers in a
storage device, such as database 1306. Issuer processors will
typically forward payment authorization requests to a system of
record server 1305. However, the exemplary system comprises a
server 1304 positioned between issuer processor server 1303 and
system of record server 1305. Furthermore, server 1304 can perform
some or all of the functions typically associated with issuer
processors, and therefore, in these embodiments, the
merchant-acquirer server 1302 can communicate over the payment
network rails with server 1304. Although the issuer processor
server 1303 and the server 1304 are shown as separate computing
platforms, the issuer processor server 1303 and the server 1304 can
be implemented as a single platform. The positioning of server 1304
in between issuer processor server 1303 and system of record server
1305 allows the server 1304 to provide added functionality to the
system, such as intervene in and record transactions in the payment
stream (e.g., intercept payment authorizations). As a result,
server 1304 can also have access to all transactions associated
with an account to provide further services to the user computing
device 1315 associated with the account.
[0055] Note that FIG. 13 illustrates a four-party scheme (or open
scheme) in which the issuer processor server 1303 is separate from
the merchant-acquirer server 1302. Embodiments of this disclosure
can similarly function with three-party schemes (or closed
schemes), such as (American Express, Discover Card, and Diners
Club), in which the issuer processor server 1303 and the merchant
acquirer server 1302 are the same entity.
[0056] The server 1304 can be positioned between the issuer
processor server 1303 and the system of record server 1305, and can
be used as a third-party payment server, or can be used to
administer other third-party programs, such as a loyalty program.
Server 1304 is part of a consumer computing system ("CCS") 1313,
which can also include an application programming interface (API)
1314 and one or more databases 1307a-1307n. Server 1304 can use API
1314 to communicate with user computing device 1315 over
user-facing network 1311, such as the internet. The API 1314 can be
available across platforms, making services provided by CCS 1313
platform independent. Databases 1307a-1307n can include information
such user profiles, account numbers, loyalty programs, and
transaction ledgers. With this system architecture, server 1304 can
intercept transmissions of transaction messages that occur between
issuer processor server 1303 and system of record server 1305. The
server 1304 does not need to perform an action on every transaction
message, as the server 1304 can just relay the transaction message.
After receiving a transaction from issuer processor server 1303 and
recording information from that transaction, server 1304 can
forward the transaction to system of record server 1305.
System of Record
[0057] System of record server 1305 can be hosted by a bank server
1316 or a third party that provides a service to a bank server
1316. Some banks maintain their own system of record servers. The
system of record server 1305 maintains the accurate information of
the balance of an account maintained by bank server 1316. Other
transactions may be pending or in various stages of the payment
stream, but the official recordation of those transactions is by
the system of record server 1305 and database 1310. Certain
parties, such as the account owner, the merchant, the issuer
processor, or the CCS 1313, may assume certain risks that an
account holder does not have sufficient funds to fund a
transaction, until the system of record records and authorizes the
transaction. However, these parties may assume that risk to process
transactions more quickly and efficiently.
[0058] Upon receiving a payment authorization request, server 1304
can forward associated information to system of record server 1305,
which maintains an account corresponding to the payment card used
in the payment transaction. Bank server 1316 can maintain the
account using the system of record server 1305, along with a ledger
and other user profile information. System of record server 1305
can also include database 1310 that can store a copy of the ledger
associated with the account record.
[0059] Server 1304 can also be in communication over user-facing
networks 1311 (e.g., the internet) with user computing device 1315.
User computing device 1315 is illustrated in FIG. 13 as a
smartphone, but can be any computing device, such as any mobile
phone, tablet, smart watch, personal data assistant, gaming
console, or personal computer. Consumer computing system 1313 can
also include several databases in communication with server 1304,
such as database 1307a for storing user profile information, and
database 1307b for storing balances and ledgers.
[0060] Server 1304 can communicate transactions to the system of
record server 1305, which can record in database 1310 the payment
authorization and further report it to the Federal Reserve and bank
server 1316 that maintains the account record associated with the
payment card used in the payment authorization. Bank server 1316
may also generate an authorization response to forward to the
system of record server 1305, back though other devices in the
payment stream and eventually to the merchant computing device 1301
to confirm that the merchant may complete the payment
transaction.
[0061] Other system configurations are possible too. Each user may
not need an individual bank account, and any funds in a user's
balance could be pooled together to in other bank accounts, thereby
reducing overhead of maintaining one or more physical bank accounts
per user. In either case, the CCS 1313 can interface with the user
computing device 1315 and the merchant computing device 1301 to
process payment transactions as described above and throughout this
specification.
[0062] The server 1304 can communicate with both the merchant
computing device 1301 and the user computing device 1315, and
therefore has visibility into both sides of the transaction. By
processing the payment and having visibility into who is making the
payment, the CCS 1313 can provide additional technical services to
both the merchant and the consumer. Below are examples that the
disclosed technology enables to provide additional technical
features to users.
[0063] One example of an additional service, the CCS 1313 can
update the merchant computing device 1301 to deliver specialized
codes at NFC readers to present loyalty information, such as
promotions, sweepstakes, cash-back rewards, subsidized rewards, a
reward pass, or loyalty cards to user computing device 1315, given
that the user computing device uses the third-party payment
application supported by the CCS 1313. The specialized NFC code can
cause the user computing device to query automatically the user
whether they would like to use the third-party payment application
so that the receive awards that the particular purchase has
associated with it. If the third-party payment application is
associated with both the user computing device 1315 and the
merchant computing device 1301, the third-party payment application
has access to each device's information, e.g., identity and items
being purchased. By knowing this information, the third-party
payment application can appropriately assign a loyalty card. For
example, if the user is purchasing a sandwich and a drink, the user
could get two loyalty cards: one for the sandwich and another for
the drink. This is possible because of the visibility that the
system has on both ends of the transaction. In addition, the CCS
1313 can update information that the merchant computing device
sends to the user computing device. For example, the merchant
computing device can inform the third-party payment application on
the user computing device that there is a current promotion or new
loyalty program. If the user computing device does not have the
third-party payment application, then the NFC transaction would
simply complete as normal, i.e., payment would continue as normal.
However, when the CCS 1313 has visibility on both ends, there can
be such added functionality.
[0064] A second example of an additional service is being
compatible across platforms. For example, the third-party
applications are often available on multiple platforms and can
interoperate. However, native applications might not interoperate.
Third-party applications typically work across platforms.
Therefore, third-party applications integrated with native
applications can interoperate across platforms, irrespective of
whether the third-party applications are integrated with native
applications. If a third-party application is integrated on one
platform, it can interoperate with a discrete third-party
application on another platform to provide similar services, but
perhaps in a less seamless environment.
[0065] A third example of an additional service is having the
ability to give merchants or consumers additional information about
each other to increase value. Users can get special offers and
merchants can increase sales by creating mutually beneficial
relationships. Users can get information about merchant services
that they might be interested in, and merchants could know when a
customer is nearby and prepare for their visit by offering special
treatment, such as a reserved table or special menu items.
[0066] As a fourth example of an additional service, a user can
have sub-accounts associated with their account. The balance
presented to the user, e.g., balance 402 of FIG. 4, can be a
sub-account balance for purchases made on the user computing device
409. The user can have more money maintained by the CCS 1313 for
other purposes, such as saving for a vacation. The CCS 1313 can
allow for the user to add cash or cash out to the balance 402 via
many interfaces on many platforms, even over a website. These
embodiments allow for immediate updating of accounts during credit
or debit transactions because the transactions occur using the
sub-accounts, thereby updating the account record and sub-account
records in real-time, rather than processing credit and debit
transactions after the transaction completes.
[0067] A fifth example of the benefits of integration is that the
native platform can use the third-party application as a "white
label" service; that is, the native application can present the
third-party services as native services, when they are actually
being handled by integrated third-party software. By providing a
"white label" service, the user can more easily access the services
of the third-party payment application, and the native OEM platform
will be more useful to the user.
[0068] The CCS 1313 can do this by storing information received
from the merchant and the user computing device 1315, and sharing
that information between the two. If a user computing device 1315
access a merchant's loyalty card, the CCS 1313 can inform the
merchant via a merchant's user computing device (not illustrated)
that the user is nearby and is interested in visiting the merchant,
and the merchant can take steps to prepare for that customers
visit. If the CCS 1313 informs the merchant user computing device
that several customers are possibly coming, the merchant can
provide additional staff or prepare additional food due to the
planned rush. In contrast, if there is an unusually low number of
customers interested in visiting the merchant that day, the
merchant can reduce staff or prepare less food to reduce waste.
[0069] Hence, the arrangement of the CCS 1313 between both the user
computing device 1315 and the merchant computing device 1301, in
addition to the integration of the third-party payment application
and the native wallet application, provides for the ability to give
users many features that they do not currently enjoy.
Example Payments User Interface of Integrated Third-Party Payment
Applications
[0070] Due to the integration of the third-party payment
application and native wallet application, the third-party payment
application can have access to other hardware devices in the user
computing device that other third-party applications do not have
access to, such as an NFC transceiver. The NFC transceiver can be
accessed, for example, as a secure element 117 of the secure
subsystem 110.
[0071] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a user computing device
receiving a notification of payment 1401 of having made a payment
of "$135.40 at Market" and the user's "balance is now $510.16." The
user could have made an electronic payment using their user
computing device, and the payment was logged by the native wallet
application. The notification 1401 also states that the user
"earned 135 points" in the transaction. Earning points and other
loyalty rewards are an additional benefit of the disclosed
integration, which FIGS. 15-16 further illustrate. The notification
can appear in different places depending on whether the mobile
device is locked or unlocked, or depending on other states of the
mobile device.
Example Loyalty Program Integrated with a Native Wallet Application
and Third-Party Payment Application
[0072] As previously explained, having visibility to at both the
merchant computing device and the user computing device during a
payment transaction allows for increased functionality, such as
being able to offer and track loyalty programs. In an example
payment transaction, the merchant computing device 1301 can
transmit a code to the user computing device via an NFC code--the
NFC code corresponding to a loyalty program code. The user
computing device 1315 can decode the NFC code to understand that
the NFC code corresponds to a loyalty program. The user computing
device 1315 can then transmit a payment token to the merchant
computing device 1301, which can then forward the payment token and
other information to the third-party server 1304. The third-party
server 1304 can then associate the payment request with a user
account and an associated loyalty program status. If the payment
transaction includes an eligible purchase, such as a sandwich, the
third-party server 1304 can verify that the user has sufficient
funds to purchase the sandwich. If the user has sufficient funds,
the third-party server 1304 can retrieve the loyalty program status
from one of databases 1307a-n, and generate an updated loyalty
program status reflecting the new purchase. The third-party server
1304 can also generate and transmit a transaction status message
identifying whether the user has sufficient funds to pay for the
transaction. If the updated loyalty program status identifies that
the user has earned a reward, the third-party server 1304 can
automatically redeem the earned reward by deducting the value of
the reward, e.g., a free sandwich, from the payment transaction.
Alternatively, the third-party server 1304 can prompt the user
computing device 1315 to determine whether the user wishes to
redeem the reward. Various embodiments of loyalty cards are
illustrated in FIGS. 14-18.
[0073] The third-party server 1304 can transmit the updated loyalty
program status to the third-party payment application or
third-party loyalty application, which can then generate a user
interface comprising the updated loyalty program status for display
on the user computing device. Note that embodiments include the
third-party payment application and third-party loyalty application
being separate or integrated. These third-party applications can
then present the user interface themselves, use a native
application to display the user interface, or use one or more APIs
offered by the OEM operating system to display the user
interface.
[0074] Another benefit of the disclosed system architecture
includes the ability of the third-party server 1304 to update the
NFC code at merchant computing device 1301. In this way, the
third-party server 1304 can modify loyalty programs in real time by
updating loyalty program codes at merchant computing devices 1301.
Therefore, merchants can quickly add, delete, or modify rewards
programs to suit their needs.
[0075] In addition to receiving the notification 1401 of payment,
illustrated in FIG. 14, the user can receive a loyalty card 1500,
as illustrated in FIG. 15. The loyalty card 1500 may be part of the
third-party payment application, the native wallet application, or
a separate third-party application. The loyalty card 1500 can
include several pieces of information, including the name of the
shop 1502, which in this example is "coffee shop," an image of a
rewards card 1503, which includes 5 stars--one filled in since this
is the user's first purchase with the card--and an indication that
the purchase of 5 coffees gets 1 free coffee, if the user uses the
third-party payment application. The loyalty card can further
include the user's name 1504, Lauren Noble, the nearest location
for the store 1505, 66 Mint Street, the number of visits the user
made 1509, 1, the date that the user became a customer 1508, Nov.
3, 2016, and any rewards the user has earned 1507, "none" in this
example but could include any number of rewards including contest
entries, cash, or merchandise. The user can also have the option
1501 to cancel the loyalty card and an option 1506 to keep the
loyalty card.
[0076] FIG. 16 illustrates an example of the user having selected
the option 1506 to keep the loyalty card. In this example, the
loyalty card 1600 is stored in the native wallet application 406.
The loyalty card 1600 has much of the same information as the
loyalty card 1500, except that it appears in the native wallet
application rather than separated from it because the user selected
the option 1506 to keep the loyalty card. The user can toggle
between different cards as illustrated at the bottom of the native
wallet application 406.
[0077] While FIGS. 15-16 illustrate a five-star loyalty rewards
program, where the purchase of five items results in a free item,
other embodiments include other rewards, such as points or cash
back. The points can be exchanged for free items, discounts,
sweepstakes or cash. The integration of these loyalty programs with
a native application allows for seamlessly giving users access to
their loyalty programs, which increases use and interest in users.
Without such seamless integration, users would have to remember to
use their loyalty programs or request to register for loyalty
programs. By integrating the third-party loyalty application with a
native application, such as a wallet or map application, the user
will receive reminders or automatic registration and tracking of
loyalty programs. For example, simply by purchasing an item that is
eligible for a rewards program, the third-party payment application
can automatically present the user an option to join the loyalty
program. Users can also access their loyalty programs across
platforms.
Example Loyalty Program Integrated with a Native Map
Application
[0078] FIG. 17 illustrates an example of the seamlessly integrated
third-party payment application with a loyalty application with a
native map application 1700, according to an embodiment. The native
map application 1700 includes a search field 1701, which in this
case contains a search for "popular food" and produced a list of
merchants 1702, images 1704 related to those restaurants, and their
merchant locations on a map. The locations of the restaurants can
have several icons. A subset of merchant location icons, such as
icon 1705 identifying a "market," can look different from the
other, unlabeled icons to distinguish it as being associated with a
loyalty application or loyalty program, and in this example icon
1705 is a different color and contains a star. The icon 1705 can
also have a label ("Loyalty Card"), proximate to the icon,
identifying it as associated with a loyalty card program. The
native map application 1700 can also include a ribbon 1703 at the
bottom, which includes a "loyalty" option that can be selected to
view all merchants that have a compatible loyalty application. If a
user selects an icon associated with a loyalty program, such as
icon 1705, then the user computing device 409 can display
information about the loyalty program, as illustrated in FIG.
18.
[0079] There are various ways that the native map application 1700
can identify merchants that are associated with a loyalty card
program. In one embodiment, an OEM server can store information
about which merchants are associated with the loyalty card program.
In a second embodiment, a server, such as server 1304 of CCS 1313,
can maintain loyalty card information and transmit the information
to the native map application 1700 via a third-party loyalty
application and API 1314. Alternatively, the server 1304 can also
send information, about which merchant locations are associated
with loyalty programs, to a user computing device via a server
maintained by a user computing device OEM. The information about
which merchant locations are associated with loyalty programs can
include an indication, such as a flag, that indicates a specific
merchant is so affiliated. In a third embodiment, a separate party
can maintain information concerning loyalty card programs. Other
configurations are possible. In each embodiment, however, the
native map application receives the information about loyalty card
program participation, which can be displayed to the user via the
native map application 1700.
[0080] FIG. 18 illustrates an example of the seamlessly integrated
third-party payment application with a third-party loyalty
application 1800, both of which are integrated with a native map
application 1807, which you can see in the background, according to
an embodiment. If a user selects a merchant that appears in the
native map application 1807 (which appears in the background of
FIG. 18), and the merchant is associated with a loyalty card
program, then the third-party loyalty application 1800 for that
merchant can automatically appear on the user computing device in
response to a purchase. The third-party loyalty application 1800
can include information 1801 about the merchant, including its name
(Delicatessen), its type (Deli), and its distance from the user
computing device (0.7 mi). (Note that FIG. 17 illustrates a market,
which can include similar information.) The third-party loyalty
application 1800 can further include photos of the merchant 1802,
and information 1804 about the loyalty application. The information
1804 can include the user's loyalty status, which in this case is
three sandwiches, purchased using the third-party payment
application, out of five necessary for a free sandwich. The
third-party loyalty application 1800 can also include an option
1808 to view loyalty application 1800 inside of the native wallet
application. The loyalty card can also be integrated such that it
can include a button 1805 to activate directions to the merchant on
native map application 1807. Finally, the loyalty application 1800
can include a button 1806 to close the application.
Integrating Multiple Native Applications and a Third-Party Payment
Application
[0081] As explained above, the third-party payment application can
have a deep integration with native applications to have access to
a secure environment and provide seamless services, as if the
third-party payment application is itself a native application. As
discussed above, the third-party payment application can be
integrated with a native communication application, a native wallet
application, and a native wallet application. Other native
applications that the third-party payment application can be
integrated with can include native purchasing applications, such as
an app store, a book store, or any digital media store that are
often native to computing platforms. Other examples include
integrating information stored by the third-party payment
application with a native health application. For example, due to
the deep visibility the CCS 1313 gains from both the merchant and
the user, the third-party payment application can inform the native
health app about the user's health-related purchases, including
prescription drugs, vitamins, food choices, and gym memberships.
Such information can be stored on one or more databases
1307a-1307n, and transmitted to an integrated third-party payment
application via user-facing networks 1311 through API 1314.
Integration with Other Applications
[0082] As explained previously, the integrated third-party
applications might have reduced, special-purpose functionality, or
they may be fully functional. In embodiments where they have
reduced, special-purpose functionality, users can download more
feature-rich, separate third-party applications if they need to use
those features. The integrated application can communicate
information to the separate application via inter-application
communication or by updating the third-party payment server on the
backend, which each application can communicate with. Moreover,
settings, such as whether to use a debit card in the case of an
overdraft, can be modified across all platforms, e.g., the web, the
integrated third-party payment application, and the more feature
rich third-party payment application.
[0083] Although certain illustrative, non-limiting exemplary
embodiments have been presented, various changes, substitutions,
permutations, and alterations can be made without departing from
the scope of the appended claims. Further, the steps of the methods
described herein may be carried out in any suitable order, or
simultaneously where appropriate. Thus, the scope of the invention
should not necessarily be limited by this description.
[0084] Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the
following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the
description, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing,"
"computing," "transmitting," "receiving," "determining,"
"displaying," "identifying," "presenting," "establishing," or the
like, can refer to the action and processes of a data processing
system, or similar electronic device that manipulates and
transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities
within the system's registers and memories into other data
similarly represented as physical quantities within the system's
memories or registers or other such information storage,
transmission or display devices. The system or portions thereof may
be installed on an electronic device.
[0085] The exemplary embodiments can relate to an apparatus for
performing one or more of the functions described herein. This
apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes,
or it may comprise a special purpose computer selectively activated
or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such
a computer program may be stored in a machine (e.g. computer)
readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type
of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs and
magnetic-optical disks, read only memories (ROMs), random access
memories (RAMs) erasable programmable ROMs (EPROMs), electrically
erasable programmable ROMs (EEPROMs), magnetic or optical cards, or
any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions for
operations on a processor, and each coupled to a bus.
[0086] The exemplary embodiments described herein are described as
software executed on at least one server, though it is understood
that embodiments can be configured in other ways and retain
functionality. The embodiments can be implemented on known devices
such as a personal computer, a special purpose computer, cellular
telephone, personal digital assistant ("PDA"), a digital camera, a
digital tablet, an electronic gaming system, a programmed
microprocessor or microcontroller and peripheral integrated circuit
element(s), and ASIC or other integrated circuit, a digital signal
processor, a hard-wired electronic or logic circuit such as a
discrete element circuit, a programmable logic device such as a
PLD, PLA, FPGA, PAL, or the like. In general, any device capable of
implementing the processes described herein can be used to
implement the systems and techniques according to this
invention.
[0087] The exemplary embodiments can relate to an apparatus for
performing one or more of the functions described herein. This
apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes or
be selectively activated or reconfigured by computer executable
instructions stored in non-transitory computer memory medium or
non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
[0088] It is to be appreciated that the various components of the
technology can be located at distant portions of a distributed
network or the Internet, or within a dedicated secured, unsecured,
addressed/encoded or encrypted system. Thus, it should be
appreciated that the components of the system can be combined into
one or more devices or co-located on a particular node of a
distributed network, such as a telecommunications network. As will
be appreciated from the description, and for reasons of
computational efficiency, the components of the system can be
arranged at any location within a distributed network without
affecting the operation of the system. Moreover, the components
could be embedded in a dedicated machine.
[0089] Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the various links
connecting the elements can be wired or wireless links, or any
combination thereof, or any other known or later developed
element(s) that is capable of supplying or communicating data to
and from the connected elements. The term "module" as used herein
can refer to any known or later developed hardware, software,
firmware, or combination thereof that is capable of performing the
functionality associated with that element.
[0090] All references, including publications, patent applications,
and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to
the same extent as if each reference were individually and
specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set
forth in its entirety herein.
[0091] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar
referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in
the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover
both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein
or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising,"
"having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as
open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,")
unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are
merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring
individually to each separate value falling within the range,
unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is
incorporated into the specification as if it were individually
recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in
any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise
clearly contradicted by context. The use of all examples, or
exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended
merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a
limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed.
No language in the specification should be construed as indicating
any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the
invention.
[0092] Presently preferred embodiments of this invention are
described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors
for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred
embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect
skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the
inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than
as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention
includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter
recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable
law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in
all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention
unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted
by context.
[0093] Although the present technology has been described in detail
for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently
considered to be the most practical and preferred implementations,
it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose
and that the technology is not limited to the disclosed
implementations, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover
modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the
spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be
understood that the present technology contemplates that, to the
extent possible, one or more features of any implementation can be
combined with one or more features of any other implementation.
* * * * *