US-12619968-B2 - Location-based transaction completion

US12619968B2US 12619968 B2US12619968 B2US 12619968B2US-12619968-B2

Abstract

In some examples, a buyer in a group may leave an establishment associated with a merchant with an open bill. In response to the buyer leaving the establishment, a transaction associated with that buyer can be completed to pay the buyer's portion of the bill. As one example, a payment service system can receive first beacon information that identifies the presence of a first device at a merchant location. The first device may be associated with a buyer in a group (e.g., a group dining at a restaurant), where the buyer has a transaction record with the merchant. The payment service system can receive second beacon information identifying a second location of the first device that is not associated with the merchant. In response to the first device no longer being present at the merchant location, payment service system can complete the transaction between the buyer and the merchant.

Inventors

Kartik S. LAMBA
Grace Huey Chen
MATHEW WILSON

Assignees

BLOCK, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20200709

Claims (20)

1 . A payment service system comprising: one or more memories having computer-readable instructions stored therein; and one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to: receive, from one or more devices communicatively coupled to the payment service system, first beacon information of a first wireless beacon detected by the one or more devices in proximity of the one or more devices, the first wireless beacon identifying a first location within an establishment of a merchant at which one or more customers associated with the one or more devices are located, each of the one or more customers and the merchant having a corresponding account with the payment service system; identify the establishment based on the first location identified in the first beacon information; associate the one or more devices of the one or more customers with a group conducting transactions with the merchant; maintain communication sessions with the one or more devices in the group and a merchant device of the merchant to generate a respective transaction record for each of the one or more customers in the group, each respective transaction record identifying one or more of the transactions conducted by a respective one of the one or more customers; receive second beacon information of a second wireless beacon at a second location associated with the establishment, wherein the second beacon information identifies a presence of a first device, from among the one or more devices, at the second location, the second beacon information indicates that the first device is no longer present at the establishment, and the second beacon information is received while at least a second device from among the one or more devices remains with the group and present at the first location when the first device is no longer present at the establishment; and process a cardless payment for an amount owed for the respective transaction record associated with a respective customer of the first device after receiving the second beacon information indicating that the first device is no longer present at the establishment, wherein the cardless payment is processed without an exchange of payment information between the first device and any one of the payment service system and the merchant device.
2 . The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to send a notification to the merchant device, the notification including an indication of a processed payment for the amount owed.
3 . The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless beacon is installed at a table at which the one or more customers sit once at the establishment and the second beacon information is received from a second wireless beacon installed at an entrance of the establishment.
4 . The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to: receive, from the merchant device, menu information for one or more items offered for purchase at the establishment; send the menu information to the one or more devices of the one or more customers; receive, from the one or more devices, an order for at least one of the one or more items based at least in part on the menu information; send the order and the first location to the merchant device; and generate the respective transaction record to include the order.
5 . The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to process the cardless payment by: charging the corresponding account of the respective customer of the first device at the payment service system for the amount owed; and crediting the corresponding account of the merchant at the payment service system for the amount owed.
6 . The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the second beacon information is received from the first device or the merchant device.
7 . The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first device and the merchant device has a respective application executed thereon, the respective application being provided by the payment service system.
8 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a payment service system, cause the payment service system to: receive, from one or more devices communicatively coupled to the payment service system, first beacon information of a first wireless beacon detected by the one or more devices in proximity of the one or more devices, the first wireless beacon identifying a first location within an establishment of a merchant at which one or more customers associated with the one or more devices are located, each of the one or more customers and the merchant having a corresponding account with the payment service system; identify the establishment based on the first location identified in the first beacon information; associate the one or more devices of the one or more customers with a group conducting transactions with the merchant; maintain communication sessions with the one or more devices in the group and a merchant device of the merchant to generate a respective transaction record for each of the one or more customers in the group, each respective transaction record identifying one or more of the transactions conducted by a respective one of the one or more customers; receive second beacon information of a second wireless beacon at a second location associated with the establishment, wherein the second beacon information identifies a presence of a first device, from among the one or more devices, at the second location, the second beacon information indicates that the first device is no longer present at the establishment, and the second beacon information is received while at least a second device from among the one or more devices remains with the group and present at the first location when the first device is no longer present at the establishment; and process a cardless payment for an amount owed for the respective transaction record associated with a respective customer of the first device after receiving the second beacon information indicating that the first device is no longer present at the establishment, wherein the cardless payment is processed without an exchange of payment information between the first device of the respective customer and any one of the payment service system and the merchant device.
9 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein execution of the computer-readable instructions by the one or more processors further cause the payment service system to send a notification to the merchant device, the notification including an indication of a processed payment for the amount owed.
10 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the first wireless beacon is installed at a table at which the one or more customers sit once at the establishment and the second beacon information is received from a second wireless beacon installed at an entrance of the establishment.
11 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein execution of the computer-readable instructions by the one or more processors further cause the payment service system to: receive, from the merchant device, menu information for one or more items offered for purchase at the establishment; send the menu information to the one or more devices of the one or more customers; receive, from the one or more devices, an order for at least one of the one or more items based at least in part on the menu information; send the order and the first location to the merchant device; and generate the respective transaction record to include the order.
12 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein execution of the computer-readable instructions by the one or more processors further cause the payment service system to process the cardless payment by: charging the corresponding account of the respective customer of the first device at the payment service system for the amount owed; and crediting the corresponding account of the merchant at the payment service system for the amount owed.
13 . A method comprising: receiving, from one or more devices communicatively coupled to a payment service system, first beacon information of a first wireless beacon detected by the one or more devices in proximity of the one or more devices, the first wireless beacon identifying a first location within an establishment of a merchant at which one or more customers associated with the one or more devices are located, each of the one or more customers and the merchant having a corresponding account with the payment service system; identifying the establishment based on the first location identified in the first beacon information; associating the one or more devices of the one or more customers with a group conducting transactions with the merchant; maintaining communication sessions with the one or more devices in the group and a merchant device of the merchant to generate a respective transaction record for each of the one or more customers in the group, each respective transaction record identifying one or more of the transactions conducted by a respective one of the one or more customers; receiving second beacon information of a second wireless beacon at a second location associated with the establishment, wherein the second beacon information identifies a presence of a first device, from among the one or more devices, device at the second location, the second beacon information indicates that the first device is no longer present at the establishment, and the second beacon information is received while at least a second device from among the one or more devices remains with the group and present at the first location when the first device is no longer present at the establishment; and processing a cardless payment for an amount owed for the respective transaction record associated with a respective customer of the first device after receiving the second beacon information indicating that the first device is no longer present at the establishment, wherein the cardless payment is processed without an exchange of payment information between the first device of the respective customer and any one of the payment service system and the merchant device.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: sending a notification to the merchant device, the notification including an indication of a processed payment for the amount owed.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first wireless beacon is installed at a table at which the one or more customers sit once at the establishment and the second beacon information is received from a second wireless beacon installed at an entrance of the establishment.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein generating the respective transaction record comprises: receiving, from the merchant device, menu information for one or more items offered for purchase at the establishment; sending the menu information to the one or more devices of the one or more customers; receiving from the one or more devices, an order for at least one of the one or more items based at least in part on the menu information; sending the order and the first location to the merchant device; and generating the respective transaction record to include the order.
17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising: sending a confirmation to the first device after processing the cardless payment, wherein the confirmation includes instructions for adding a gratuity.
18 . The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the second beacon information triggers an automatic processing of the cardless payment for the amount owed.
19 . The payment service system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to: upon receiving the second beacon information, send a request to the merchant device to request a bill for the group; and determine, using the bill, the amount owed by the respective customer of the first device.
20 . The payment service system of claim 18 , wherein the payment service system maintains a database that includes associations between the establishment, a plurality of wireless beacons installed at the establishment, and a corresponding location of each of the plurality of wireless beacons, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to identify the establishment based on the first beacon information and the database.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/462,430, filed on Aug. 18, 2014, entitled “LOCATION-BASED TRANSACTION COMPLETION,” the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND When a customer at a restaurant has finished eating, the customer may typically ask to pay the bill. However, obtaining and paying the bill can often take a substantial amount of time. For example, the customer may have to first get the server's attention, ask for the bill, and wait while the server totals the bill and delivers the bill to the table. The customer then reviews the bill and provides a credit card, cash, or other payment instrument to the server. The server picks up the bill with the payment instrument and subsequently delivers change if the customer is paying with cash, or delivers a credit card receipt for signature if the customer is paying with credit card. Thus, the conventional process for paying a bill can be time-consuming. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items or features. FIG. 1 illustrates an example environment for enabling location-based payments according to some implementations. FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate example user interfaces for enabling location-based payments according to some implementations. FIG. 3 illustrates an example user interface for enabling location-based payments according to some implementations. FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate example user interfaces for enabling location-based payments according to some implementations. FIG. 5 illustrates an example user interface for enabling location-based payments according to some implementations. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example process for location-based payments according to some implementations. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example process for location-based payments according to some implementations. FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example process for location-based payments according to some implementations. FIG. 9 illustrates an example architecture of a system for providing a payment service according to some implementations. FIG. 10 illustrates select components of one or more example service computing devices according to some implementations. FIG. 11 illustrates select components of an example merchant device according to some implementations. FIG. 12 illustrates select components of an example buyer device according to some implementations. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Some implementations described herein include techniques and arrangements for enabling buyers (e.g., customers) to pay a bill using a buyer device, such as a mobile computing device. For example, when a buyer at a restaurant or other establishment is ready to leave the establishment, the buyer may use an application on the buyer device to request the bill. In response, the bill may be automatically matched with the correct buyer based at least in part on the buyer's location at the establishment. The buyer device receives the bill and presents the bill on a display. The buyer can review the presented bill, add a gratuity, and authorize payment of the bill using the buyer device. Thus, the buyer may pay the bill and depart from the establishment when the buyer is ready to leave, without having to interact with the server or other establishment personnel to pay the bill. In some examples, the buyer application on the buyer device may communicate with a service computing device associated with a service provider that also provides a payment service to the establishment. In response to receiving a request for the bill from the buyer device, the service computing device may obtain the bill for the particular buyer from a merchant device associated with the establishment. As one example, the tables in the establishment may have a respective wireless beacon or other location indicator associated with each table. The location indicator associated with a particular table may continually emit location indicator information that may be used to determine the physical location of the buyer, e.g., the buyer is located at a particular table number at a particular establishment. The buyer application is able to automatically receive the location indicator information and report the location indicator information to the service computing device, such as in conjunction with a request from the buyer to place an order or to pay a bill. In some examples, the service computing device is able to determine the location of the buyer by matching the received location indicator information with information in a data structure to determine at least an establishment