Patent Application
20160335608
Customers are often looking for efficient and secure methods of conducting transactions, such as making purchases, paying bills, and the like. While customers often use a debit card for such transactions, if a user's debit card is lost or stolen, the card may be used for unauthorized purchases at almost any merchant. Further, loss of the debit card may require a user to obtain a new card with a new number, and the like. Accordingly, a payment device having secure, unique payment information would be advantageous.
Aspects of the disclosure relate to various systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media configured to generate a virtual payment device having a scannable code. The scannable code may be a bar code, quick response code, or, in some examples, the virtual payment device may include both. In some arrangements, a user may provide one or more parameters associated with the virtual payment device, such as an amount, an expiration date, and/or a name of one or more merchants at which the virtual payment device may be used.
The virtual payment device may be generated and the scannable code may include the parameter information. Accordingly, a user may scan the code on the virtual payment device at a point of sale system at a merchant to use the virtual payment device as a method of payment. If the virtual payment device is authenticated, the transaction may be processed by the point of sale system.
These features, along with many others, are discussed in greater detail below.
The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
In the following description of various illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
It is noted that various connections between elements are discussed in the following description. It is noted that these connections are general and, unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect, wired or wireless, and that the specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect.
Aspects of this disclosure relate to generating a virtual payment device having a scannable code, such as a bar code or quick response (QR) code, and using the virtual payment device to complete a transaction (e.g., make a purchase, or the like). When generated, the virtual payment device may be transmitted to a user (e.g., to a computing device of the user) and the user may then scan the scannable code at a point of sale system at a merchant. The transaction may then be processed. In some examples, a user may set one or more parameters associated with the virtual payment device, such as an amount, expiration date, and one or more particular merchants at which the virtual payment device may be used (e.g., in some examples, the virtual payment device may be used at only the merchants identified). These and other features will be described more fully below.
Computing system environment 100 may include computing device 101 having processor 103 for controlling overall operation of computing device 101 and its associated components, including random-access memory (RAM) 105, read-only memory (ROM) 107, communications module 109, and memory 115. Computing device 101 may include a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media may be any available media that may be accessed by computing device 101, may be non-transitory, and may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, object code, data structures, program modules, or other data. Examples of computer readable media may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by computing device 101.
Although not required, various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, a data processing system, or as a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions. For example, a computer-readable medium storing instructions to cause a processor to perform steps of a method in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiments is contemplated. For example, aspects of the method steps disclosed herein may be executed on a processor on computing device 101. Such a processor may execute computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium.
Software may be stored within memory 115 and/or storage to provide instructions to processor 103 for enabling computing device 101 to perform various functions. For example, memory 115 may store software used by computing device 101, such as operating system 117, application programs 119, and associated database 121. Also, some or all of the computer executable instructions for computing device 101 may be embodied in hardware or firmware. Although not shown, RAM 105 may include one or more applications representing the application data stored in RAM 105 while computing device 101 is on and corresponding software applications (e.g., software tasks), are running on computing device 101.
Communications module 109 may include a microphone, keypad, touch screen, and/or stylus through which a user of computing device 101 may provide input, and may also include one or more of a speaker for providing audio output and a video display device for providing textual, audiovisual and/or graphical output. Computing system environment 100 may also include optical scanners (not shown). Exemplary usages include scanning and converting paper documents, e.g., correspondence, receipts, and the like, to digital files.
Computing device 101 may operate in a networked environment supporting connections to one or more remote computing devices, such as computing devices 141, 151, and 161. Computing devices 141, 151, and 161 may be personal computing devices or servers that include any or all of the elements described above relative to computing device 101. Computing device 161 may be a mobile device (e.g., smart phone) communicating over wireless carrier channel 171.
The network connections depicted in
The disclosure is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments include, but are not limited to, personal computers (PCs), server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, smart phones, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. In some examples, these known computing systems may be configured (e.g., with particular hardware, software, or combinations thereof) to perform the functions described herein. For instance, general purpose computing devices may be configured with particular hardware and/or software to perform the functions described herein (e.g., authenticating a user, identifying a user account, generating a virtual payment device, processing a transaction using the virtual payment device, and the like). In other examples, the computing device may be a special purpose computing device having particular components that are configured to perform the functions described herein.
Computer network 203 may be any suitable computer network including the Internet, an intranet, a wide-area network (WAN), a local-area network (LAN), a wireless network, a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a frame relay network, an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, a virtual private network (VPN), or any combination of any of the same. Communications links 202 and 205 may be any communications links suitable for communicating between workstations 201 and server 204, such as network links, dial-up links, wireless links, hard-wired links, as well as network types developed in the future, and the like.
Further, aspects of the virtual payment device generation and processing system 300 may be contained in one or more computing devices, servers, or the like configured to perform the particular functions described herein. For instance, the virtual payment device generation and processing system 300 may include one or more modules, devices, systems, or the like, that may be implemented in hardware and/or software configured to perform various functions (e.g., functions particular to the virtual payment device generation and processing system 300) within the system 300. One or more modules may be contained within the same physical device or may be housed in separate devices. Further, although one or more modules shown in
Virtual payment device generation and processing system 300 may include a virtual device payment generator module 304, which may include a back end server. The virtual payment device generator module 304 may be in communication with one or more computing devices, such as computing devices 306a-306e. For instance, the computing devices may include a smart phone 306a, personal digital assistant 306b, tablet computing device 306c, cell phone 306d, or other type of computing device 306e. In some examples, a user may request generation of a virtual payment device via one or more of the computing devices 306. The request may be transmitted to the virtual payment device generator module 304.
Upon receiving the request to generate the virtual payment device, a request for authentication may be transmitted to an authentication module 308. The authentication module 308 may store user authentication information and may compare received information to the stored information to determine whether the request to generate the virtual payment device is authorized. For instance, the authentication module 308 may store information such as a username and password, biometric data (e.g., fingerprint, or the like), or the like. Upon receiving the request to generate a virtual payment device, the authentication module 308 may request authentication information from the user. The user may input the authentication information (e.g., username and password, biometric data, and the like) via one or more of the computing devices 306 and the authentication module 308 may compare the received information to the stored information. If there is a match, the request to generate the virtual payment device is authenticated and may proceed. If there is no match, the request may be denied or a request for additional authentication information may be transmitted to the user.
The virtual payment device generation and processing system may further include a customer account module 310. The customer account module 310 may be one or more databases and may include information associated with various users, such as name, contact information, and the like. In addition, the customer account module 310 may include information associated with one or more accounts of the user. The accounts may include check accounts, savings accounts, lines of credit, credit card accounts, and the like. Accordingly, upon determining that the request for a virtual payment device is authorized, the system may identify the customer (e.g., based on authentication information) and may identify one or more accounts from which the virtual payment device may be drawn (e.g., from which a balance to place on the virtual payment device may be withdrawn). In some examples, the available accounts may be transmitted to the user (e.g., to one or more computing device 306) for selection of the account. In other examples, the user may designate (or the system may determine) that one account should be the default account for use in generating the virtual payment device and the system may automatically deduct the balance from the default account. An amount of the virtual payment device may then be deducted from the selected (or default account) either upon generation of the virtual payment device or upon use of the device.
The virtual payment device generation and processing system 300 may further include a virtual payment device parameter module 312. The virtual payment device parameter module 312 may request one or more parameters associated with the requested virtual payment device. For instance, the virtual payment device parameter module 312 may request user input identifying an amount of the virtual payment device, an expiration date of the virtual payment device, a merchant at which the virtual payment device may be used, and the like. Accordingly, the user may provide these parameters as limits on how, when, where, and the like, the virtual payment device may be used. Once the parameters are received, they may be transmitted to the virtual payment device generator module 304 and the virtual payment device may be generated.
In some arrangements, generating the virtual payment device may include mapping the virtual payment device to the selected (or default) user account. Accordingly, transactions performed using the virtual payment device may cause an amount of the transaction, or an amount of the virtual payment device to be deducted from the user account. In some examples, such as when the virtual payment device is used as a debit card, the amount may be deducted from the user account upon use of the virtual payment device. In other examples, such as when the virtual payment device is used as, for instance, a virtual gift card, the amount of the virtual payment device may be deducted from the user account upon generating the virtual payment device.
In some examples, the generating the virtual payment device may include generating a bar code and/or a quick response (QR) code. The code (e.g., bar code or QR code) may include data associated with the virtual payment device such that, a user may scan the code on the virtual payment device (e.g., from the computing device 306 of the user) at a point of sale system (e.g., a point of sale system at a merchant) in order to use the virtual payment device for payment in a transaction. For example, the virtual payment device generator module 304 may generate a virtual payment device having a bar code. The user may scan the bar code at, for example, point of sale system 314 and the system may determine, from the bar code, the amount of the virtual payment device, an account from which funds should be debited, an expiration date of the virtual payment device (if any) and/or a merchant at which the virtual payment device may be used. The scannable code (e.g., bar code, QR code, or the like) may be mapped to the account selected for use in generating the virtual payment device (e.g., by account number, routing number, and the like).
In some arrangements, both a bar code and QR code may be generated for the virtual payment device. Accordingly, a display or user interface displaying the virtual payment device and a first type of code (e.g., one of a bar code or QR code) may include an option to display the second type of code (e.g., the other of the bar code or QR code) in order to provide greater flexibility for use of the virtual payment device at different types of point of sale systems.
Scanning the code on the virtual payment device at a point of sale system (e.g., point of sale system 314) may prompt the system to process the transaction, e.g., via transaction processing module 316. The transaction processing module 316 may authenticate the transaction (e.g., determine whether the virtual payment device is active (e.g., not expired), confirm that the merchant from which the request was received is a merchant for which the virtual payment device is authorized, and the like). If the requested transaction meets the parameters of the virtual payment device, the transaction may be authorized and the amount associated with the transaction may be deducted from a balance of the virtual payment device. If not, the transaction may be denied and a notification of the denial may be transmitted to the user (e.g., to the computing device 306 of the user).
If a balance is remaining on the virtual payment device, the virtual payment device may continue to be stored until the entire balance has been used, or until the identified expiration date of the virtual payment device. If there is no remaining balance, the system may delete the virtual payment device.
These and other arrangements will be discussed more fully below.
With reference to
In step 405, the authorization determination may be transmitted to the virtual payment device generator 304. If the request is authorized, the virtual payment device generator 304 may continue the process of generating the virtual payment device in step 406. If not, a denial of the request may be generated in step 406. The denial may be transmitted to the computing device in step 407. Alternatively, if the request is authorized, a request for parameters associated with the virtual payment device may be transmitted to the computing device 306 in step 407.
In step 408 in
In step 409, an account associated with the user may be identified and transmitted to the virtual payment device generator 304. The account may, as discussed herein, be selected by a user or may be a default account identified by the user or the system automatically. In step 4010, the virtual payment device may be generated based on the received account information and the parameters received from the user. Generating the virtual payment device includes generating one or both of a bar code and QR code storing the information needed to process a transaction using the virtual payment device. Accordingly, by scanning the code, a transaction may be processed, as shown in
Referring to
In step 504, a user may attempt to use the virtual payment device during a transaction by scanning the bar code or QR code at a point of sale system at a merchant. In step 505, scanning the bar code or QR code may cause the system to transmit a request to process the transaction to a transaction processing system 316. In step 506, the transaction processing system 316 may determine whether the transaction is authorized (e.g., whether the virtual payment device is authorized for use at that merchant, whether the virtual payment device is still active or has expired, and the like).
With reference to
In step 509, transaction information may be transmitted to the transaction processing system 316. Accordingly, the transaction may be processed by the transaction processing system 316 in step 5010. For instance, an amount of the transaction may be deducted from the balance of the virtual payment device. Any remaining balance may be transmitted back to the virtual payment device generator 304 in step 5011 and stored for further use.
In step 602, the request to generate the virtual payment device may be authenticated. Accordingly, the system may request authentication information from the user and match the received authentication information to pre-stored authentication information (e.g., username and password, biometric data such as a fingerprint, or the like). If the authentication information does not match, the request to generate the virtual payment device may be denied.
In step 604, once the request is authenticated, parameters associated with the virtual payment device may be received. As discussed herein, the parameters may include an amount of the virtual payment device, any expiration date, identification of one or more merchants at which the virtual payment device may be redeemed, and the like. In step 606, account information from which the amount of the virtual payment device should be withdrawn may be identified. As discussed herein, the account may be a default account automatically selected by the system. For instance, the system may automatically identify a checking account of a user as the account from which to deduct the amount of the virtual payment device. In another example, the account may be selected by a user. For instance, the system may identify a plurality of accounts associated with the user and the user may select a desired account from the identified plurality of accounts. In another example, a user may select one account from the plurality of accounts associated with the user as the default account and the system may automatically use that account based on selection by the user.
In step 608, the virtual payment device may be generated and include a bar code and/or QR code that may be scanned by a point of sale system. As discussed herein, the bar code and/or QR code may include information associated with the virtual payment device, such as an amount, expiration date, identity of merchants at which the virtual payment device may be used, and the like. In some arrangements, accessing the virtual payment device may automatically include display of one of the bar code or QR code. The virtual payment device may include an option to display the other of the bar code or QR code, as desired by the user, to provide flexibility for use with various types of point of sale systems.
In step 610, the virtual payment device and associated bar code/QR code may be transmitted to, for instance, a user computing device. In some examples, the virtual payment device may be transmitted directly to the user computing device (e.g., the virtual payment device itself may appear on the computing device of the user with the bar code/QR code). Additionally or alternatively, the virtual payment device including the bar code/QR code may be transmitted to an email address of the user. The virtual payment device itself may be transmitted or a link that may be selected to display the virtual payment device may be transmitted to the user. This option may provide the user with the ability to send the virtual payment device to another individual (e.g., as a gift) by forwarding the message (e.g., email) with the virtual payment device or link to the virtual payment device.
In step 702, a bar code or QR code on the virtual payment device may be scanned at a point of sale system and may initiate a request to process a transaction using the virtual payment device. In step 704, a determination is made as to whether the transaction is authorized. As discussed herein, determining whether the transaction is authorized may include determining whether the virtual payment device has expired, is authorized for use at the particular merchant, or the like. If the transaction is not authorized, the transaction may be denied in step 706 and the process may end.
If, in step 704 the transaction is authorized, the transaction may be processed in step 708. That is, the merchant may process the sale or other transaction at the point of sale system using the virtual payment device. In step 701, an amount of the transaction may be deducted from a balance on the virtual payment device. In step 712, a determination is made as to whether there is any additional balance remaining on the virtual payment device after the amount of the transaction has been deducted. If not, the virtual payment device may be deleted in step 716. If there is a balance remaining in step 712, the balance may be stored in association with the virtual payment device in step 714 unless this would violate one or more other parameters. For instance, if the virtual payment device is expired (or expiring) the balance may only be stored until the expiration date and then the virtual payment device may be deleted.
In field 806, one or more merchants at which the virtual payment device may be used may be input by the user. In some examples, the user may directly input a name of a merchant. In other examples, the user may select a merchant name from, for example, a drop down list of available merchants. In some examples, multiple merchants may be selected (e.g., by holding the CTRL key while making multiple selections). Accordingly, the virtual payment device may be used at any of the selected merchants. In other examples, no merchants may be selected. If not particular merchants are selected, the virtual payment device may be used at any merchant having a point of sale system with capabilities for scanning the bar code or QR code of the virtual payment device.
Once the user has made the desired selections, the user may select “OK” option 812 and the virtual payment device may be generated. Alternatively, the user may select “CLEAR” option 810 and all inputs may be cleared or deleted.
Interface 900 further includes field 906 in which information such as the amount of the virtual payment device and/or the merchants at which the device may be used is provided. Field 908 includes the expiration date of the virtual payment device. The user may select “OK” option 910 or “CANCEL” option 912 when finished using or viewing the virtual payment device.
Interfaces 800, 900 and 1000, shown in
The following constitutes one example of generating and using a virtual payment device according to one or more aspects described herein. The example is merely one example arrangement and is not intended to limit the virtual payment devices and associated systems, methods, and the like, described herein. Rather, various other example implementations may be used without departing from the invention.
In one example, a user may request to generate a virtual payment device. The request may be made via a user's mobile device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or the like. In some arrangements, the request may be made through an application running on the user's mobile device. The application may be associated with, received from, provided by, or the like, an entity such as a financial institution at which the user has one or more accounts. In some arrangements, the application may be a mobile banking application that includes an option to generate a virtual payment device having a scannable code, as described herein.
The request may be transmitted to a back end server, such as a virtual payment device generator. The system may then request authentication information from the user. For instance, an interface may be displayed on the user's mobile device requesting input of authentication information, such as a username and password, biometric data, or the like. If the authentication information input by the user matches pre-stored authentication information, the system may initiate generation of the virtual payment device and may request the user provide one or more parameters for the virtual payment device. For instance, the system may request the user identify an amount of the virtual payment device, an expiration date of the virtual payment device, and identify any limitations on merchants at which the virtual payment device may be used, as desired. In some examples, the expiration date may be a date after which the virtual payment device will no longer be valid, a date after which the virtual payment device will be automatically deleted from the system, or the like. In examples in which an amount of funds is deducted from the user account upon generating the virtual payment device, if the expiration date of the virtual payment device passes, in some examples, the virtual payment device may be deleted and any remaining funds on the virtual payment device (e.g., a balance remaining on the virtual payment device) may be restored to the account from which the funds were deducted.
The system may identify one or more accounts from which an amount of the virtual payment device may be withdrawn. The account may be automatically selected by the system (e.g., may automatically default to a particular type of account, may default to a user-selected default account, or the like), or the system may provide the user with a request to select an account. Once an account has been selected and any parameters have been received, the system may generate the virtual payment device. Generating the virtual payment device may include generating one or both of a scannable code, such as a bar code and/or QR code. In some examples, only one type of code may be displayed on the virtual payment device at a time. The virtual payment device may then include an option to display the other type of code, as desired. In some arrangements, both codes may be generated with the virtual payment device but only one code may be displayed at a time so a user may toggle between display of a first type of code and a second type of code. In other arrangements, both codes may be displayed simultaneously.
The system may then transmit the virtual payment device to the user (e.g., to the mobile device of the user). In some examples, the virtual payment device may be displayed via the application used by the user to request generation of the virtual payment device. Accordingly, the system may be used to generate a virtual payment device in real-time (or near real-time) such that it can be generated while the user is at the merchant and may be used as soon as it is transmitted to the user. Thus, the virtual payment device could be used, for example, in lieu of a debit card, credit card, or the like, in order to maintain the privacy and security of the numbers associated with those cards. For example, by using the virtual payment device in lieu of a debit card, the user would not need to show the debit card or enter a PIN number, which would reduce opportunities for people to obtain the card/PIN number and conduct transactions without authorization.
Additionally or alternatively, the virtual payment device may be transmitted via an email or SMS to the user. The virtual payment device itself may be transmitted or a link that may be selected to prompt display of the virtual payment device may be transmitted. In some examples, the system may transmit the virtual payment device to a primary or default email associated with the user's mobile device (e.g., the system may only transmit the virtual payment device to the primary email address of record). In such arrangements, a user may then forward the received email to one or more other email addresses (e.g., another email address of the user, an email address of another user to give the virtual payment device as a gift, or the like).
Once the virtual payment device has been received, the user may display the virtual payment device with the scannable code at a merchant and may scan the code at a point of sale system to use the virtual payment device as a method of payment. The transaction may then be processed using the virtual payment device as a method of payment, as discussed herein. If any balance is remaining on the virtual payment device after the transaction has been processed, that balance may be stored for future use. That is, a user may continue to use the virtual payment device until all remaining funds have been used, an expiration date passes, the virtual payment device is deleted, or the like.
One or more aspects of the disclosure may be embodied in computer-usable data or computer-executable instructions, such as in one or more program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices to perform the operations described herein. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types when executed by one or more processors in a computer or other data processing device. The computer-executable instructions may be stored on a computer-readable medium such as a hard disk, optical disk, removable storage media, solid-state memory, RAM, and the like. The functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. In addition, the functionality may be embodied in whole or in part in firmware or hardware equivalents, such as integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and the like. Particular data structures may be used to more effectively implement one or more aspects of the disclosure, and such data structures are contemplated to be within the scope of computer executable instructions and computer-usable data described herein.
Various aspects described herein may be embodied as a method, an apparatus, or as one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions. Accordingly, those aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, an entirely firmware embodiment, or an embodiment combining software, hardware, and firmware aspects in any combination. In addition, various signals representing data or events as described herein may be transferred between a source and a destination in the form of light or electromagnetic waves traveling through signal-conducting media such as metal wires, optical fibers, or wireless transmission media (e.g., air or space). In general, the one or more computer-readable media may comprise one or more non-transitory computer-readable media.
As described herein, the various methods and acts may be operative across one or more computing servers and one or more networks. The functionality may be distributed in any manner, or may be located in a single computing device (e.g., a server, a client computer, and the like). For example, in alternative embodiments, one or more of the computing platforms discussed above may be combined into a single computing platform, and the various functions of each computing platform may be performed by the single computing platform. In such arrangements, any and/or all of the above-discussed communications between computing platforms may correspond to data being accessed, moved, modified, updated, and/or otherwise used by the single computing platform. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the computing platforms discussed above may be implemented in one or more virtual machines that are provided by one or more physical computing devices. In such arrangements, the various functions of each computing platform may be performed by the one or more virtual machines, and any and/or all of the above-discussed communications between computing platforms may correspond to data being accessed, moved, modified, updated, and/or otherwise used by the one or more virtual machines.
Aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of illustrative embodiments thereof. Numerous other embodiments, modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a review of this disclosure. For example, one or more of the steps depicted in the illustrative figures may be performed in other than the recited order, and one or more depicted steps may be optional in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.
