Dual use point of sale terminal and methods of operating same

Abstract

A method of operating a merchant device includes the merchant device receiving an input from a customer mobile device concerning a financial transaction. The method further includes the merchant device selecting a payment transaction mode of operation when the input is a request for a payment card system transaction, or selecting a payment card purchase transaction mode of operation when the input from the customer mobile device is a payment card account number. In the payment transaction mode of operation the merchant device provides transaction data to the customer's mobile device, whereas in the payment card purchase transaction mode the merchant device transmits a payment card authorization request to an acquirer financial institution.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a merchant device, an input from a customer mobile device concerning a financial transaction;   selecting, by the merchant device, a payment transaction mode of operation when the input from the customer mobile device is a request for a payment card system payment transaction, and further comprising:
 providing, by the merchant device, transaction data to the customer mobile device for requesting a payment card system transaction; 
 receiving, by the merchant device, a confirmation from a merchant financial institution of the payment card system that a funds transfer has been accomplished; and 
 accepting, by the merchant device, the confirmation as payment by a customer to complete the financial transaction; and 
   selecting, by the merchant device, a payment card purchase transaction mode of operation when the input from the customer mobile device is a payment card account number, and further comprising:
 transmitting, by the merchant device, a payment card authorization request including the payment card account number to an acquirer financial institution; 
 receiving a payment card authorization response from the acquirer financial institution; and 
 completing, by the merchant device, the financial transaction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing transaction data to the customer mobile device comprises transmitting, by the merchant device, the transaction data to the customer mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing transaction data to the customer mobile device comprises displaying, by the merchant device, transaction data for input by the customer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to accepting the confirmation from the merchant financial institution, releasing the goods purchased by the customer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to receiving the confirmation from the merchant financial institution, aborting the transaction, by the merchant device, when the confirmation is not received within a predetermined waiting period. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction data includes information that identifies at least one of a merchant that operates the merchant device and a point of sale (POS) terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the merchant device comprises one of a point of sale (POS) terminal or a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to providing the transaction data, receiving by the merchant device a customer mobile phone number. 
     
     
         9 . A merchant device comprising:
 a processor;   a communication device operatively coupled to the processor; and   a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing program instructions configured to cause the processor to:
 receive an input from a customer mobile device; 
 select a payment transaction mode of operation when the input from the customer mobile device is a request for a payment card system payment transaction, and further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:
 provide transaction data to the customer mobile device; 
 receive a confirmation from a merchant financial institution of the payment card system that a funds transfer has been accomplished; and 
 accept the confirmation as payment by a customer to complete the financial transaction; and 
 
 select a payment card purchase transaction mode of operation when the input from the customer mobile device is a payment card account number, and further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:
 transmit a payment card authorization request including the payment card account number to an acquirer financial institution; 
 receive a payment card authorization response from the acquirer financial institution; and 
 complete the financial transaction. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The merchant device of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions for providing transaction data to the customer mobile device further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to transmit the transaction data to the customer mobile device. 
     
     
         11 . The merchant device of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions for providing transaction data to the customer mobile device further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to display transaction data on a display screen. 
     
     
         12 . The merchant device of  claim 9 , further comprising, prior to receiving the confirmation from the merchant financial institution, instructions configured to cause the processor to abort when the confirmation is not received within a predetermined waiting period. 
     
     
         13 . The merchant device of  claim 9 , wherein the transaction data includes information that identifies at least one of a merchant that operates the merchant device and a point of sale (POS) terminal. 
     
     
         14 . The merchant device of  claim 9 , wherein the merchant device comprises one of a point of sale (POS) terminal or a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         15 . The merchant device of  claim 9 , further comprising, prior to providing the transaction data, instructions configured to cause the processor to receive a customer mobile phone number. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to cause a processor to:
 receive an input from a customer mobile device;   select a payment transaction mode of operation when the input from the customer mobile device is a request for a payment card system payment transaction, and further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:
 provide transaction data to the customer mobile device; 
 receive a confirmation from a merchant financial institution of the payment card system that a funds transfer has been accomplished; and 
 accept the confirmation as payment by a customer to complete the financial transaction; and 
   select a payment card purchase transaction mode of operation when the input from the customer mobile device is a payment card account number, and further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:
 transmit a payment card authorization request including the payment card account number to an acquirer financial institution; 
 receive a payment card authorization response from the acquirer financial institution; and 
 complete the financial transaction. 
   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions for providing transaction data to the customer mobile device further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to transmit the transaction data to the customer mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions for providing transaction data to the customer mobile device further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to display transaction data on a display screen. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising, prior to the instructions for receiving the confirmation from the merchant financial institution, instructions configured to cause the processor to abort when the confirmation is not received within a predetermined waiting period. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium  claim 16 , further comprising, prior to the instructions for providing the transaction data, instructions configured to cause the processor to receive a customer mobile phone number.