Patent ID: 12254473

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments disclosed herein related to systems, methods, and devices for integrating a financial services payment service into a merchant computer application.

In one embodiment, systems and methods for establishing a connection between a consumer, the consumer's electronic device (e.g., a mobile device such as a smart phone, tablet computer, desktop computer, wearable devices, Internet of Things (IoT) appliance, etc.), and a merchant computer application are disclosed. The process may involve multi-factor authentication (e.g., one-time passwords, out-of-band authentication, biometric authentication, etc.) or any other suitable type of authentication. The result of the authentication is an authentication value that may be stored on the electronic device. In one embodiment, the authentication value may be referred to as a “CMAC,” which stands for “Consumer Merchant Authentication Code.” Note that this nomenclature is not limiting in any manner.

The use of the CMAC value may eliminate the need to have the consumer log in to the financial institution for future transactions. Once the consumer is authenticated by the merchant, the CMAC may be used to authenticate the consumer to the financial institution.

In one embodiment, the CMAC value may be managed by a financial institution. Because the CMAC links the consumer, the consumer's device, and the merchant, the financial institution may have a variety of options should there be a compromise. For example, if the merchant is compromised, the financial institution may revoke or suspend all CMACs that are associated with that merchant (e.g., for all consumers, all of the customer's devices, etc.). If the consumer loses one of his or her electronic devices (e.g., a smart phone), the financial institution may revoke or suspend all CMACs for that electronic device (e.g., for all merchants), while keeping the CMACs active on the consumer's other electronic device(s) (e.g., a tablet). If the consumer's financial institution credentials are compromised, then the financial institution may revoke or suspend all CMACs associated with the consumer (i.e., all devices and all merchants).

In one embodiment, the CMAC may have an expiration date, and the consumer may be required to re-authenticate with the financial institution when the CMAC expires.

In one embodiment, when the consumer deletes a merchant application, gets a new phone, adds a new device, etc., the consumer may be required to re-provision a CMAC regardless of the CMAC's expiration date.

Referring toFIG.1, a system for integrating a financial services payment service into a merchant computer application is disclosed according to one embodiment. System100may include consumer electronic device110, which may be any suitable electronic device including one or more processor114, memory114, an input/output (not shown), and a network interface (not shown). Examples include smartphones, tablet computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, workstations, Internet of Things (IoT) appliances, etc.

Electronic device110may execute an application (“app”) or program122for a financial institution, or may access a financial institution website (e.g., a mobile website) via mobile browser123, etc.

Electronic device110may also execute merchant app124, which may be, for example, a merchant shopping app, a merchant payment app, etc. In one embodiment, merchant app124may be provided with software development kit (SDK)126for the financial institution. CMAC128may also be provided. In one embodiment, CMAC128may be stored in one or more location on electronic device110. The location may depend on the manufacturer of electronic device110, the operating system, etc. For example, CMAC128may be stored in a “key ring” or “key vault” on the device, in secure storage on electronic device110, within merchant app124, within SDK126, etc. Other storage locations may be used as is necessary and/or desired.

In one embodiment, by storing CMAC128in a location other than merchant app124or SDK126, merchant app124may be updated without requiring a new CMAC128.

System100may further include wallet services130. In one embodiment, wallet services may be provided by the financial institution that controls the wallet.

System100may further include one or more payment network150, which may include acquirer152and one or more issuer154.

System100may further include merchant140, which may be a brick-and-mortar merchant, an on-line merchant, etc. In one embodiment, merchant140may include point of sale (POS) terminal142and payment host144. In one embodiment, payment host144may comprise the main server that all POS terminals for a merchant connect with. In one embodiment, this may consolidate all payment processing for acquirer152.

In one embodiment, electronic device110, wallet services130, merchant140, and one or more payment network150may communicate over one or more communication network(s)190. Communication networks190may include any suitable communication network, including for example, WiFi, cellular, satellite, etc.

Referring toFIG.2, a method for registering a device for integration of a financial services payment service into a merchant computer application is disclosed according to one embodiment. Note that althoughFIG.2may reference specific products associated with a specific financial institution, the disclosure is not so limited, and has applicability to other financial intuitions, as well as other entities that may rely on another entity's authentication.

In step205, a user may open or launch a merchant application (“app”), and the app may give the user the option of “provisioning” or “enabling” a financial institution's payment application capability. An example of such a payment application is JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s ChasePay℠ application.

In step210, the user may authenticate with the financial institution (e.g., Chase). The user may authenticate using the financial institution's payment application (e.g., ChasePay), by the financial institution's mobile application, by the financial institutions' mobile wallet, or by the mobile browser pointed to the financial institution's mobile website (e.g., m.chase.com). The user is then authenticated with the financial institution's wallet services host (e.g., Chase Pay Services host) using, for example, his or her financial institution login credentials (e.g., username/password, biometrics, etc.).

In step215, the financial service's payment product SDK (e.g., Chase Pay SDK) may retrieve one or more device details (e.g., device type, serial number, IMEI, ICCID, MEID, SEID, etc.) and may upload those for the purposes of creating a device fingerprint.

In step220, the user may be prompted to select the desired communication channel to receive an out-of-band message that will contain a one-time passcode, or OTP. Examples include email, SMS, voice, etc.

In step225, the financial institution may generate the one-time passcode and communicate this to the user over the selected channel. In one embodiment, the user's registered contact information may be used to communicate the one-time passcode to the user.

In step230, the user may receive the one-time passcode, and may enter it into the app, a mobile browser window, etc.

In step235, the electronic device may provide the entered one-time passcode to the wallet services host, thereby linking, connecting, or associating the user and the user's device.

In step240, administrative functions may be performed, such as prompting the user to accept the financial institution's terms and conditions, setting a default account, setting a default shipping address, etc.

In step245, a session identifier, or session id, may be provided from the wallet services host to the financial service's payment product SDK and to the merchant app. In one embodiment, a CMAC may be provided with the session id.

In step250, the merchant app may communicate the session identifier to the merchant host, and the merchant host may then pass the session identifier to the wallet services host. Thus, the session identifier will have completed a trip from the wallet services host, to the financial service's payment product SDK, to the merchant app, to the merchant host, and back to the wallet services host.

In step255, the merchant host may further provide the user's loyalty identifier, customer identifier, etc., or any other information as is necessary and/or desired.

In step260, the wallet services host may provide the merchant host with an authentication value, such as a CMAC, and in step270, the merchant host may pass the CMAC to the merchant app. In one embodiment, the merchant app may pass the CMAC to the financial service's payment product SDK.

In one embodiment, in step275, the financial institution may also return a financial institution customer identifier to support, for example, future rewards and loyalty processing. The user may be notified that the merchant app is ready for a transaction, and the financial service's payment product SDK may pass the CMAC to the wallet services host as part of each checkout transaction.

An exemplary, non-limiting process flow is provided asFIG.3.

Referring toFIG.4, a checkout flow involving an authentication value is provided according to one embodiment.

In step405, a user may shop at a merchant, and may indicate that he or she wants to pay with a merchant's mobile payment product.

In step410, the user may open or launch the merchant app, and may authenticate with the merchant. The user may then select the financial institution's payment product as the checkout option. An example of such is JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s ChasePay℠ application.

In step415, the merchant app may then communicate with the financial institution's wallet services host (e.g., ChasePay host) to initiate a session using an authentication value, such as a CMAC.

In step420, the wallet services host may validate the authentication value and may return the wallet contents associated with the authentication value, and a session ID. In another embodiment, the wallet services host may identify the customer associated with the authentication value and may return the wallet contents associated with the user.

In step425, the user may select a payment account for the transaction, or may accept the default account.

In step430, the financial service's payment product SDK (e.g., ChasePay SDK) may render a machine-readable code, such as a payment-network standard QR code (e.g., Visa standard QR code) for the selected account. This may include for example, the digital primary account number (“DPAN”), expiration date, cryptogram, and the token requestor ID.

In step435, the merchant point of sale/point of transaction terminal may upload the contents of the QR code, and may communicate the contents to the merchant's payment host.

In step440, the payment processing may be performed as usual by the merchant's payment host via a connection to the issuer (e.g., Chase issuing) via a payment network (e.g., ChaseNet).

In step445, a completion message may be sent from the issuer to the merchant and to the merchant's point of sale/point of transaction terminal.

In step450, a confirmation message may be sent to the wallet services host with metadata to support post transaction services. In one embodiment, the metadata may include, for example, the merchant name, address, date/time of transaction, amount, and a transaction reference number. In one embodiment, the confirmation message may include a barcode for the receipt, a uniform resource locator for the actual receipt image, etc.

An exemplary, non-limiting process flow is provided asFIG.5.

Referring toFIG.6, a checkout flow involving an authentication value is provided according to another embodiment.

In step605, a user may shop at the merchant, and may indicate that he or she wants to pay with the financial service's payment product (e.g., ChasePay).

In step610, the user may open or launch the merchant app, and may authenticate with the merchant.

In step615, the user may then select the financial institution's payment product as the checkout option.

In step620, the merchant app may use the financial service's payment product SDK (e.g., ChasePay SDK) to authenticate with the financial service's payment product host (e.g., ChasePay host) using an authentication value, such as a CMAC, and may retrieve a session ID and the list of the wallet contents associated with the authentication value.

In step625, information may be returned to give the user confirmation that the right account was selected (nickname, last 4 digits of the account number, etc.). The default account may be identified, but the user may be allowed to select a different account for this transaction.

In step630, the merchant point of sale/point of transaction may generate a machine-readable code, such as a QR code, and, in step635, the user may use the merchant app to scan the code.

In step640, the merchant app may communicate the session ID, account index, and other data from the QR code to the merchant's payment host.

In step645, the merchant payment host may use the session ID and account index to retrieve the payment details from the financial service's wallet services host. This may include a DPAN, expiration date, cryptogram, token requestor ID, contact info, last 4 digits of the account number, etc.

In step650, the merchant point of sale/point of transaction may communicate with the merchant payment host and may provide basket info and total sale amount. This may be independent of other steps. The merchant payment host may then match the cart with the user and the payment details.

In step655, payment processing may be performed as usual by the payment host via a connection to the issuer (e.g., Chase issuing) via a payment network (e.g., ChaseNet). This may be similar to step440, above.

In step660, a completion message may be sent from the issuer to the merchant and to the merchant's point of sale/point of transaction terminal. This may be similar to step445, above.

In step665, a confirmation message may be sent to the wallet services host with metadata to support post transaction services. This may be similar to step450, above.

An exemplary, non-limiting process flow is provided asFIG.7.

Referring toFIG.8, a checkout flow involving an authentication value is provided according to another embodiment.

In step805, a user may shop at the merchant, and, in step810, may select to pay with the merchant's mobile payment product.

In step815, the merchant app may leverage the financial service's payment product SDK (e.g., Chase Pay SDK) to connect and authenticate to the financial service's payment product services (e.g., ChasePay Services) using an authentication value, such as a CMAC, where a session ID may be created. The user may select an account from their wallet for the transaction.

In step820, the merchant app may send the session ID and order information to the merchant's payment host.

In step825, the merchant payment host may use an API (e.g., GetCheckoutDetailsPOS API) to request the payment info for the account selected by the user.

In step830, the financial institution may return the payment details (e.g., digital primary account number, cryptogram, transaction ID, token expiration date, customer ID, etc.).

In step835, payment processing may be performed as usual by the merchant's payment host via a connection to the issuer (e.g., Chase issuing) via a payment network (e.g., ChaseNet).

In step840, a completion message may be sent from the issuer to the merchant, and, in step845, a confirmation message may be sent to the merchant app. In one embodiment, the confirmation message may include, for example, the merchant name, address, date/time of transaction, amount, and a transaction reference number. In one embodiment, the confirmation message may include a barcode for the receipt, a uniform resource locator for the actual receipt image, etc.

In step850, a final confirmation message may be sent to the wallet services host with metadata to support post transaction services. In one embodiment, the metadata may include, for example, the merchant name, address, date/time of transaction, amount, and a transaction reference number. In one embodiment, the confirmation message may include a barcode for the receipt, a uniform resource locator for the actual receipt, etc.

An exemplary, non-limiting process flow is provided asFIG.9.

The disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/699,511, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/148,493, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/107,800, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/037,891, filed Aug. 15, 2014 are hereby incorporated, by reference, in their entireties.

Hereinafter, general aspects of implementation of the systems and methods of the invention will be described.

The system of the invention or portions of the system of the invention may be in the form of a “processing machine,” such as a general purpose computer, for example. As used herein, the term “processing machine” is to be understood to include at least one processor that uses at least one memory. The at least one memory stores a set of instructions. The instructions may be either permanently or temporarily stored in the memory or memories of the processing machine. The processor executes the instructions that are stored in the memory or memories in order to process data. The set of instructions may include various instructions that perform a particular task or tasks, such as those tasks described above. Such a set of instructions for performing a particular task may be characterized as a program, software program, or simply software.

In one embodiment, the processing machine may be a specialized processor.

As noted above, the processing machine executes the instructions that are stored in the memory or memories to process data. This processing of data may be in response to commands by a user or users of the processing machine, in response to previous processing, in response to a request by another processing machine and/or any other input, for example.

As noted above, the processing machine used to implement the invention may be a general purpose computer. However, the processing machine described above may also utilize any of a wide variety of other technologies including a special purpose computer, a computer system including, for example, a microcomputer, mini-computer or mainframe, a programmed microprocessor, a micro-controller, a peripheral integrated circuit element, a CSIC (Customer Specific Integrated Circuit) or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or other integrated circuit, a logic circuit, a digital signal processor, a programmable logic device such as a FPGA, PLD, PLA or PAL, or any other device or arrangement of devices that is capable of implementing the steps of the processes of the invention.

The processing machine used to implement the invention may utilize a suitable operating system. Thus, embodiments of the invention may include a processing machine running the iOS operating system, the OS X operating system, the Android operating system, the Microsoft Windows™ operating system, the Unix operating system, the Linux operating system, the Xenix operating system, the IBM AIX™ operating system, the Hewlett-Packard UX™ operating system, the Novell Netware™ operating system, the Sun Microsystems Solaris™ operating system, the OS/2™ operating system, the BeOS™ operating system, the Macintosh operating system, the Apache operating system, an OpenStep™ operating system or another operating system or platform.

It is appreciated that in order to practice the method of the invention as described above, it is not necessary that the processors and/or the memories of the processing machine be physically located in the same geographical place. That is, each of the processors and the memories used by the processing machine may be located in geographically distinct locations and connected so as to communicate in any suitable manner. Additionally, it is appreciated that each of the processor and/or the memory may be composed of different physical pieces of equipment. Accordingly, it is not necessary that the processor be one single piece of equipment in one location and that the memory be another single piece of equipment in another location. That is, it is contemplated that the processor may be two pieces of equipment in two different physical locations. The two distinct pieces of equipment may be connected in any suitable manner. Additionally, the memory may include two or more portions of memory in two or more physical locations.

To explain further, processing, as described above, is performed by various components and various memories. However, it is appreciated that the processing performed by two distinct components as described above may, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, be performed by a single component. Further, the processing performed by one distinct component as described above may be performed by two distinct components. In a similar manner, the memory storage performed by two distinct memory portions as described above may, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, be performed by a single memory portion. Further, the memory storage performed by one distinct memory portion as described above may be performed by two memory portions.

Further, various technologies may be used to provide communication between the various processors and/or memories, as well as to allow the processors and/or the memories of the invention to communicate with any other entity; i.e., so as to obtain further instructions or to access and use remote memory stores, for example. Such technologies used to provide such communication might include a network, the Internet, Intranet, Extranet, LAN, an Ethernet, wireless communication via cell tower or satellite, or any client server system that provides communication, for example. Such communications technologies may use any suitable protocol such as TCP/IP, UDP, or OSI, for example.

As described above, a set of instructions may be used in the processing of the invention. The set of instructions may be in the form of a program or software. The software may be in the form of system software or application software, for example. The software might also be in the form of a collection of separate programs, a program module within a larger program, or a portion of a program module, for example. The software used might also include modular programming in the form of object oriented programming. The software tells the processing machine what to do with the data being processed.

Further, it is appreciated that the instructions or set of instructions used in the implementation and operation of the invention may be in a suitable form such that the processing machine may read the instructions. For example, the instructions that form a program may be in the form of a suitable programming language, which is converted to machine language or object code to allow the processor or processors to read the instructions. That is, written lines of programming code or source code, in a particular programming language, are converted to machine language using a compiler, assembler or interpreter. The machine language is binary coded machine instructions that are specific to a particular type of processing machine, i.e., to a particular type of computer, for example. The computer understands the machine language.

Any suitable programming language may be used in accordance with the various embodiments of the invention. Illustratively, the programming language used may include assembly language, Ada, APL, Basic, C, C++, COBOL, dBase, Forth, Fortran, Java, Modula-2, Pascal, Prolog, REXX, Visual Basic, and/or JavaScript, for example. Further, it is not necessary that a single type of instruction or single programming language be utilized in conjunction with the operation of the system and method of the invention. Rather, any number of different programming languages may be utilized as is necessary and/or desirable.

Also, the instructions and/or data used in the practice of the invention may utilize any compression or encryption technique or algorithm, as may be desired. An encryption module might be used to encrypt data. Further, files or other data may be decrypted using a suitable decryption module, for example.

As described above, the invention may illustratively be embodied in the form of a processing machine, including a computer or computer system, for example, that includes at least one memory. It is to be appreciated that the set of instructions, i.e., the software for example, that enables the computer operating system to perform the operations described above may be contained on any of a wide variety of media or medium, as desired. Further, the data that is processed by the set of instructions might also be contained on any of a wide variety of media or medium. That is, the particular medium, i.e., the memory in the processing machine, utilized to hold the set of instructions and/or the data used in the invention may take on any of a variety of physical forms or transmissions, for example. Illustratively, the medium may be in the form of paper, paper transparencies, a compact disk, a DVD, an integrated circuit, a hard disk, a floppy disk, an optical disk, a magnetic tape, a RAM, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, a wire, a cable, a fiber, a communications channel, a satellite transmission, a memory card, a SIM card, or other remote transmission, as well as any other medium or source of data that may be read by the processors of the invention.

Further, the memory or memories used in the processing machine that implements the invention may be in any of a wide variety of forms to allow the memory to hold instructions, data, or other information, as is desired. Thus, the memory might be in the form of a database to hold data. The database might use any desired arrangement of files such as a flat file arrangement or a relational database arrangement, for example.

In the system and method of the invention, a variety of “user interfaces” may be utilized to allow a user to interface with the processing machine or machines that are used to implement the invention. As used herein, a user interface includes any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software used by the processing machine that allows a user to interact with the processing machine. A user interface may be in the form of a dialogue screen for example. A user interface may also include any of a mouse, touch screen, keyboard, keypad, voice reader, voice recognizer, dialogue screen, menu box, list, checkbox, toggle switch, a pushbutton or any other device that allows a user to receive information regarding the operation of the processing machine as it processes a set of instructions and/or provides the processing machine with information. Accordingly, the user interface is any device that provides communication between a user and a processing machine. The information provided by the user to the processing machine through the user interface may be in the form of a command, a selection of data, or some other input, for example.

As discussed above, a user interface is utilized by the processing machine that performs a set of instructions such that the processing machine processes data for a user. The user interface is typically used by the processing machine for interacting with a user either to convey information or receive information from the user. However, it should be appreciated that in accordance with some embodiments of the system and method of the invention, it is not necessary that a human user actually interact with a user interface used by the processing machine of the invention. Rather, it is also contemplated that the user interface of the invention might interact, i.e., convey and receive information, with another processing machine, rather than a human user. Accordingly, the other processing machine might be characterized as a user. Further, it is contemplated that a user interface utilized in the system and method of the invention may interact partially with another processing machine or processing machines, while also interacting partially with a human user.

It will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible to broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the invention.

Accordingly, while the present invention has been described here in detail in relation to its exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made to provide an enabling disclosure of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed or to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any other such embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications or equivalent arrangements.