Monitoring a Plurality of Merchant Gateway Devices

Abstract

A multiservice merchant gateway (MMG) is disclosed. The MMG allows point of sale terminals and other devices to be interfaced with a wide area network, thereby improving speed and service to terminal owners and users, allowing for more efficient systems on merchant premises, and also allowing the merchant to provide and/or utilize various additional features and services. Support infrastructure for configuring MMGs, managing MMGs, and providing related services are also disclosed.

1 . A method for managing a plurality of merchant gateway devices, comprising:
 one or more computer systems monitoring each of the plurality of merchant gateway devices, wherein each merchant gateway device manages a respective plurality of devices of a corresponding merchant, wherein, for a respective first merchant gateway device of the plurality of merchant gateway devices positioned at a first merchant location, said monitoring comprises:
 the one or more computer systems receiving first information from the first merchant gateway device over the wide area network, wherein the first information comprises information regarding a point of sale device positioned at the first merchant location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein respective first information is received from each of the plurality of merchant gateway devices. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said monitoring further comprises:
 the one or more computer systems receiving second information from the first merchant gateway device over the wide area network, wherein the second information comprises information regarding a second device, wherein the second device is one or more of a fuel dispensing device, an electronic sign, an advertising display, and/or a vending machine at the first merchant location.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, for the respective first merchant gateway device, said monitoring comprises:
 providing management information to the first merchant gateway device for managing at least one device managed by the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first information further comprises information regarding one or more other devices managed by the respective merchant gateway device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing software to at least one of the plurality of merchant gateway devices, wherein the at least one merchant gateway device is configured to execute the software.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the software comprises an update to the at least one merchant gateway device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the one or more computer systems providing respective first information of two or more merchant gateway devices for display.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said providing is performed over the wide area network via one or more web pages. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a graphical user interface (GUI) over the wide area network for managing one or more of the merchant gateway devices.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving user input to modify operation of the first merchant gateway device over the wide area network.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user input specifies a modified configuration for the first merchant gateway device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a message from the first merchant gateway device requesting activation;   determining if the first merchant gateway device is authorized for activation in response to said receiving; and   automatically activating the first merchant gateway device in response to determining that the first merchant gateway device is authorized for activation.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises one or more of:
 merchant gateway device identification;   diagnostic information;   timestamp information;   administrative information;   status information;   one or more logs;   one or more error reports; or   software version information.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 analyzing the first information from the first merchant gateway device, wherein said analyzing identifies a problem; and   providing one or more messages to the first merchant gateway device to solve the problem.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 analyzing the first information from the first merchant gateway device; and   providing one or more messages to the first merchant gateway device in response to said analyzing, wherein the one or more messages comprise configuration information for the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the one or more computer systems periodically sending a message to each of the plurality of merchant gateways over a wide area network; and/or   the one or more computer systems periodically receiving a message from each of the plurality of merchant gateways over the wide area network;   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the one or more computer systems activating one or more services of the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the one or more computer systems communicating information to other computer systems regarding the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the one or more computer systems providing messages to add, remove, or modify services provided by the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium storing program instructions for managing a plurality of merchant gateway devices, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:
 monitor each of the plurality of merchant gateway devices, wherein each merchant gateway device manages a respective plurality of devices of a corresponding merchant, wherein, for a respective first merchant gateway device of the plurality of merchant gateway devices located at a first merchant location, said monitoring comprises:
 receiving first information from the first merchant gateway device over the wide area network, wherein the first information comprises information regarding two or more of the plurality of devices at the first merchant location. 
   
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein said monitoring comprises receiving respective first information from each of the other merchant gateway devices. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the two or more of the plurality of devices comprises a point of sale device, a fuel dispensing device, an electronic sign, an advertising display, and/or a vending machine at the first merchant location. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein, for the respective first merchant gateway device, said monitoring comprises:
 providing management information to the first merchant gateway device for managing at least one device managed by the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are executable to:
 providing software to at least one of the plurality of merchant gateway devices, wherein the at least one merchant gateway device is configured to execute the software.   
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 25 , wherein the software comprises an update to the at least one merchant gateway device. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 provide respective first information of two or more merchant gateway devices for display.   
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 27 , wherein said providing is performed over the wide area network via one or more web pages. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 provide a graphical user interface (GUI) over the wide area network for managing one or more of the merchant gateway devices.   
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 receive user input to modify operation of the first merchant gateway device over the wide area network.   
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 30 , wherein the user input specifies a modified configuration for the first merchant gateway device. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 receive a message from the first merchant gateway device requesting activation;   determine if the first merchant gateway device is authorized for activation in response to said receiving; and   automatically activate the first merchant gateway device in response to determining that the first merchant gateway device is authorized for activation.   
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the first information comprises one or more of:
 merchant gateway device identification;   diagnostic information;   timestamp information;   administrative information;   status information;   one or more logs;   one or more error reports; or   software version information.   
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 analyze the first information from the first merchant gateway device; and   provide one or more messages to the first merchant gateway device in response to said analyzing, wherein the one or more messages comprise configuration information for the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 activate one or more services of the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 communicate information to other computer systems regarding the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory, computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 21 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 provide messages to add, remove, or modify services provided by the first merchant gateway device.   
     
     
         38 . A method for operating a merchant gateway device at a merchant location, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the merchant gateway device, information from a plurality of devices at the first merchant location, wherein the plurality of devices include a point of sale device operated at the first merchant location;   providing, by the merchant gateway device, information regarding the plurality of devices to at least one computer system over a wide area network.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 ,
 wherein the at least one computer system manages merchant gateway devices at a plurality of different merchant locations.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the merchant gateway device, management information for managing one or more devices.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the merchant gateway device is configured to communicate the information to at least one of a plurality of possible computer systems, wherein the method comprises:
 determining the at least one computer system from the plurality of possible computer systems, wherein said providing is performed based on said determining.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein said determining determines a closest computer system of the plurality of possible computer systems. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of devices comprise one or more of a fuel dispensing device, an electronic sign, an advertising display, and/or a vending machine at the first merchant location. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 receiving software from the at least one computer system over the wide area network.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 receiving a modification to a configuration of the merchant gateway device; and   updating the configuration based on the modification.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein information regarding the plurality of devices further comprises one or more of:
 merchant gateway device identification;   diagnostic information;   timestamp information;   administrative information;   status information;   one or more logs;   one or more error reports; or   software version information.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 receiving a message from the at least one computer system to activate one or more services of the merchant gateway device; and   activating the one or more services based on said receiving.   
     
     
         48 . A non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium storing program instructions for operating a merchant gateway device at a merchant location, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:
 receive information from a plurality of devices at the first merchant location, wherein the plurality of devices include a point of sale device operated at the first merchant location; and   provide merchant gateway information least one computer system over a wide area network, wherein the at least one computer system manages merchant gateway devices at a plurality of different merchant locations.   
     
     
         49 . The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 48 , wherein the merchant gateway information comprises information regarding the plurality of devices. 
     
     
         50 . The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 48 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 receive management information for managing one or more devices.   
     
     
         51 . The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 48 , wherein the plurality of devices comprise one or more of a fuel dispensing device, an electronic sign, an advertising display, and/or a vending machine at the first merchant location. 
     
     
         52 . The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 48 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 receive software from the at least one computer system over the wide area network.   
     
     
         53 . The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 48 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 receive a modification to a configuration of the merchant gateway device; and   update the configuration based on the modification.   
     
     
         54 . The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 48 , wherein merchant gateway information comprises one or more of:
 merchant gateway device identification;   diagnostic information;   timestamp information;   administrative information;   status information;   one or more logs;   one or more error reports; or   software version information.   
     
     
         55 . The non-transitory computer-accessible memory medium of  claim 48 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
 receive a message from the at least one computer system to activate one or more services of the merchant gateway device; and   activate the one or more services based on said receiving.