Selecting customer-facing device based on user attribute

Abstract

Techniques for conducting transaction(s) between a merchant and customer(s) via a multi-device point-of-sale (POS) system is described. The multi-device POS system may include a merchant-facing device and a plurality of customer-facing devices. A merchant application executing on the merchant-facing device may determine an attribute of a customer based on data received during a pending transaction. The merchant application may determine accommodation capabilities of individual customer-facing devices of the plurality of customer-facing devices. The merchant application may select a customer-facing device for the customer to use in the transaction based on the attribute of the customer and the accommodation capabilities of the individual customer-facing devices. The merchant application may generate a user interface directing the customer to the selected customer-facing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a merchant application executing on a merchant-facing device associated with a merchant, data corresponding to a customer conducting a transaction with the merchant;   based at least in part on the data corresponding to the customer, determining, by the merchant application, an attribute associated with the customer;   determining, by the merchant application, a plurality of customer-facing devices coupled to the merchant-facing device;   determining, by the merchant application, accommodation capabilities of the plurality of customer-facing devices;   based at least in part on the attribute and the accommodation capabilities of the plurality of customer-facing devices, determining, by the merchant application, a customer-facing device of the plurality of customer-facing devices that is associated with an accommodation capability compatible with the attribute;   generating, by the merchant application, a user interface including an instruction that the customer proceed to the customer-facing device; and   causing presentation, by the merchant application, of the user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method as  claim 1  recites, wherein the instruction comprises a first instruction, wherein the customer-facing device comprises a first customer-facing device, and wherein causing presentation of the user interface comprises sending, by the merchant application, a second instruction to a customer application executing on a second customer-facing device of the plurality of customer-facing devices, wherein the second customer-facing device is the customer-facing device that the customer is interacting with or with which the customer most recently interacted. 
     
     
         3 . The method as  claim 2  recites, wherein a first action associated with the transaction is performed at the second merchant-facing device and a second action associated with the transaction is performed at the first customer-facing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method as  claim 1  recites, wherein determining the attribute associated with the customer comprises determining, based at least in part on the data corresponding to the customer, a customer profile associated with the customer, wherein the customer profile indicates the attribute. 
     
     
         5 . The method as  claim 1  recites, wherein receiving the data corresponding to the customer comprises receiving the data via a user input to the merchant-facing device indicating an identity of the customer. 
     
     
         6 . The method as  claim 1  recites, wherein the data corresponding to the customer comprises data obtained from a customer device operated by the customer. 
     
     
         7 . The method as  claim 6  recites, wherein the data obtained from the customer device comprises a configuration of the customer device or of an application executing on the customer device. 
     
     
         8 . The method as  claim 7  recites, wherein the attribute comprises a language associated with the customer, and wherein the data obtained from the customer device is associated with the configuration indicating a particular language used on the customer device. 
     
     
         9 . The method as  claim 1  recites, further comprising:
 based at least in part on determining the customer-facing device, causing, by the merchant application, a change in a state of the customer-facing device, wherein the change in the state comprises at least one of a change from an idle mode to a ready mode, a change from a locked state to an unlocked state, or an activation of a display of the customer-facing device. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method as  claim 1  recites, further comprising:
 sending, by the merchant application, instructions to a customer application executing on the customer-facing device to display a second user interface including a request that the customer provide payment data associated with the transaction, wherein the payment data is associated with a payment instrument of the customer; 
 receiving, by the merchant application and from the customer application, the payment data; and 
 sending, by the merchant application, transaction information including the payment data to one or more servers associated with a remote payment processing service for processing a payment associated with the transaction. 
 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
 receiving, by a merchant application executing on a merchant-facing device associated with a merchant, data corresponding to a customer conducting a transaction with the merchant; 
 based at least in part on the data, determining, by the merchant application, an attribute associated with the customer; 
 determining, by the merchant application, a plurality of customer-facing devices coupled to the merchant-facing device; 
 determining, by the merchant application, accommodation capabilities of the plurality of customer-facing devices; 
 based at least in part on the attribute and the accommodation capabilities of the plurality of customer-facing devices, determining, by the merchant application, a customer-facing device of the plurality of customer-facing devices that is associated with an accommodation capability compatible with the attribute; 
 generating, by the merchant application, a user interface including an instruction that the customer proceed to the customer-facing device; and 
 causing presentation, by the merchant application, of the user interface. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system as  claim 11  recites, wherein the attribute comprises a visual impairment, and wherein the accommodation capability comprises at least one of a braille touchpad, a high-contrast display, or audible output. 
     
     
         13 . The system as  claim 11  recites, wherein the attribute comprises a hearing impairment. 
     
     
         14 . The system as  claim 11  recites, wherein the customer-facing device comprise a first customer-facing device, the attribute comprises a first attribute, the accommodation capability comprise a first accommodation capability, and wherein a second customer-facing device of the plurality of customer-facing devices is associated with a second accommodation capability compatible with a second attribute of the customer or another customer. 
     
     
         15 . The system as  claim 11  recites, wherein a first action associated with the transaction is performed at the merchant-facing device and a second action associated with the transaction is performed at the customer-facing device. 
     
     
         16 . The system as  claim 11  recites, wherein the customer-facing device comprises a first customer-facing device, and wherein a first action associated with the transaction is performed at the first customer-facing device and a second action associated with the transaction is performed at a second customer-facing device. 
     
     
         17 . The system as  claim 16  recites, wherein the first action comprises providing payment data associated with a payment instrument of the customer and the second action comprises entering a gratuity. 
     
     
         18 . The system as  claim 11  recites, wherein causing presentation of the user interface comprises causing presentation of the user interface on the merchant-facing device. 
     
     
         19 . The system as  claim 11  recites, wherein determining the customer-facing device is further based at least in part on a customer flow. 
     
     
         20 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
 receiving, by a merchant application executing on a merchant-facing device associated with a merchant, data corresponding to a customer conducting a transaction with the merchant;   based at least in part on the data, determining, by the merchant application, an attribute associated with the customer;   determining, by the merchant application, a plurality of customer-facing devices coupled to the merchant-facing device;   determining, by the merchant application, accommodation capabilities of the plurality of customer-facing devices;   based at least in part on the attribute and the accommodation capabilities of the plurality of customer-facing devices, determining, by the merchant application, a customer-facing device of the plurality of customer-facing devices that is associated with an accommodation capability compatible with the attribute;   generating, by the merchant application, a user interface including an instruction that the customer proceed to the customer-facing device; and   
       causing presentation, by the merchant application, of the user interface.