Pairing A Payment Object Reader With A Point-Of-Sale Terminal

Abstract

In some examples, a system and method for pairing a payment object reader with a point-of-sale (POS) terminal is described herein. The payment object reader includes one or more light indicators configured to display information in an optical pattern of one or more colors, brightness, lightness, and intensities, wherein the light indicators display a first optical pattern representative of an operational status of the payment object reader in a first mode, and a second optical pattern representative of a pairing code in a second mode. A display control component, executed by a processor, is configured to control the light indicators in accordance with the pairing code to generate the second optical pattern, the second optical pattern when shared with the POS terminal enables pairing between the payment object reader and the POS terminal. When paired, the payment object reader allows the POS terminal to accept payments from a customer.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for facilitating a payment transaction between a merchant and a customer, using a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, the system comprising:
 one or more processors of the POS terminal; and   one or more computer-readable media that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
 receiving, via a signal strength component executed by the one or more processors, a plurality of signal strength values emitted by a plurality of payment object readers, wherein a signal strength value emitted by a payment object reader of the plurality of payment object readers is based at least in part on a distance of the payment object reader from the POS terminal, and wherein each payment object reader of the plurality of payment object readers includes a transceiver which, when enabled, emits at least one signal; 
 determining, by the signal strength component, that the signal strength value meets a signal strength criterion; and 
 selecting, by a POS pairing component of the POS terminal, a companion payment object reader from amongst the plurality of object readers in response to the determination. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , the acts further comprising re-arranging at least one of a direction, a position, or an orientation of the companion payment object reader to modify the signal strength value. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the signal strength component measures a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) level corresponding to the companion payment object reader, and wherein a wireless communication channel is established based at least in part on the RSSI level and optical authentication data. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the signal strength value is associated with a network connectivity strength of one or more devices within a particular distance of the companion payment object reader. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one signal comprises a wireless signal, the wireless signal comprising the signal strength value. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , the acts further comprising:
 determining, by at least one of visual inspection and an image capture through an image capturing component, a user input from a user of an optical representation of alphanumeric authentication data, wherein the alphanumeric authentication data is used to establish a wireless communication channel for exchange of information between the companion payment object reader and the POS terminal;   transmitting, by the transceiver, the user input to the companion payment object reader;   receiving, by the transceiver, a permission from the companion payment object reader to establish the wireless communication channel between the companion payment object reader and the POS terminal for exchange of information, wherein the permission is based on comparison of the user input with the optical representation of the alphanumeric authentication data by the companion payment object reader;   establishing the wireless communication channel between the companion payment object reader and the POS terminal; and   in response to the payment transaction between the merchant and the customer associated with a payment object, transferring payment transaction data obtained from the payment object by the companion payment object reader to a payment processing system, wherein the payment processing system causes funds to be transferred from a financial account of the user to a financial account of the merchant to process the payment transaction.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the optical representation of the alphanumeric authentication data is transmitted through one or more visual indicators of the companion payment obj ect reader or as light signals through the companion payment obj ect reader. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , the acts further comprising receiving one or more security tokens through the established wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         29 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media maintaining instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, program the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
 receiving, via a signal strength component executed by a processor of a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, a plurality of signal strength values emitted by a plurality of payment object readers, wherein a signal strength value emitted by a payment object reader of the plurality of payment object readers is based at least in part on a distance of the payment object reader from the POS terminal, and wherein each payment object reader of the plurality of payment object readers includes a transceiver which, when enabled, emits at least one signal;   determining, by the signal strength component, that the signal strength value meets a signal strength criterion; and   selecting, by a POS pairing component of the POS terminal, a companion payment object reader from amongst the plurality of object readers in response to the determination.   
     
     
         30 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 29 , the acts further comprising:
 determining, by at least one of visual inspection and an image capture through an image capturing component, a user input from a user of an optical representation of alphanumeric authentication data, wherein the alphanumeric authentication data is used to establish a wireless communication channel for exchange of information between the companion payment object reader and the POS terminal;   transmitting, by the transceiver, the user input to the companion payment object reader;   receiving, by the transceiver, a permission from the companion payment object reader to establish the wireless communication channel between the companion payment object reader and the POS terminal for exchange of information, wherein the permission is based on comparison of the user input with the optical representation of the alphanumeric authentication data by the companion payment object reader;   establishing the wireless communication channel between the companion payment object reader and the POS terminal; and   in response to a payment transaction between a merchant and a customer associated with a payment object, transferring payment transaction data obtained from the payment object by the companion payment object reader to a payment processing system, wherein the payment processing system causes funds to be transferred from a financial account of the user to a financial account of the merchant to process the payment transaction.   
     
     
         31 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 30 , the acts further comprising receiving one or more security tokens through the established wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         32 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 30 , wherein the optical representation of the alphanumeric authentication data is transmitted through one or more visual indicators of the companion payment object reader or as light signals through the companion payment object reader. 
     
     
         33 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 29 , the acts further comprising re-arranging at least one of a direction, a position, or an orientation of the companion payment object reader to modify the signal strength value. 
     
     
         34 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 29 , wherein the signal strength value comprises a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) level corresponding to the companion payment object reader, and wherein a wireless communication channel is established based at least in part on the RSSI level. 
     
     
         35 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 29 , wherein the signal strength value is associated with a network connectivity strength of one or more devices within a particular distance of the companion payment object reader. 
     
     
         36 . A method for pairing at least one payment object reader, selected from amongst a plurality of payment object readers, with a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a signal strength component executed by a processor of the POS terminal, a plurality of signal strength values emitted by the plurality of payment object readers, wherein a signal strength value emitted by a payment object reader of the plurality of payment object readers is based at least in part on a distance of the payment object reader from the POS terminal, and wherein each payment object reader of the plurality of payment object readers includes a transceiver which, when enabled, emits at least one signal;   determining, by the signal strength component, that the signal strength value meets a signal strength criterion; and   selecting, by a POS pairing component of the POS terminal, a companion payment object reader from amongst the plurality of object readers in response to the determination.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 determining, by at least one of visual inspection and an image capture through an image capturing component executed by the processor, a user input from a user of an optical representation of alphanumeric authentication data being transmitted as light signals through one or more visual indicators associated with the selected payment object reader, wherein the alphanumeric authentication data is used to establish a wireless communication channel for exchange of information between the selected payment object reader and the POS terminal;   transmitting, by the transceiver, the user input to the companion payment object reader;   receiving, by the transceiver, a permission from the companion payment object reader to establish the wireless communication channel between the companion payment object reader and the POS terminal for exchange of information, wherein the permission is based on comparison of the user input with the optical representation of the alphanumeric authentication data by the companion payment object reader;   establishing the wireless communication channel between the companion payment object reader and the POS terminal; and   in response to a payment transaction between a merchant and a customer associated with a payment object, transferring payment transaction data obtained from the payment object by the companion payment object reader to a payment processing system, wherein the payment processing system causes funds to be transferred from a financial account of the user to a financial account of the merchant to process the payment transaction.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising re-arranging at least one of a direction, a position, and an orientation of the companion payment object reader to modify the signal strength value. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the signal strength value is associated with a network connectivity strength of one or more devices within a particular distance of the companion payment object reader. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the signal strength value comprises a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) level corresponding to the companion payment object reader, wherein a wireless communication channel is established based at least in part on the RSSI level.