# US 10,121,134 B2 · Payment terminal messaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,121,134 B2 - Document ID: US10121134B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/757,932 - Filed: 2015-12-24 - Published: 2016-06-16 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2009-12-22 - Assignees: First Data Corporation - Applicants: First Data Corporation - Inventors: Bruce Dragt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121134B2 ## CPC - G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR} - G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems - G06Q 20/204: {comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit} - G06Q 20/3221: {Access to banking information through M-devices} - G06Q 20/3255: {using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS} - G06Q 20/326: {Payment applications installed on the mobile devices} - G06Q 30/0603: {Catalogue creation or management} - G07G 1/01: Details for indicating - G07G 1/14: Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit - H04L 51/214: using selective forwarding - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07G: REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A payment terminal and a host computer system are configured to provide human-readable messaging capability with a person at an external location outside of a financial infrastructure. A payment terminal at a point of sale may be used to cause human-readable message content to be forwarded to the person by the host computer system, either automatically or at the instigation of an operator of the payment terminal. Message content from the person may be delivered to the payment terminal for display to the operator. The person at the external location may be able to retrieve information stored in the payment terminal via standard communication channels. The system also provides a mechanism for exchanging messages between payment terminals. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of providing human-readable information from a payment terminal to a person away from the payment terminal and at a destination external to a financial infrastructure, the financial infrastructure for processing financial transactions at the payment terminal, the method comprising: receiving, by a host computer system, from the payment terminal, over a first communication channel used for processing financial transactions, a first electronic message including message content and an indication that the message content is to be forwarded in human-readable form to a person not conducting a financial transaction at the payment terminal; obtaining, by the host computer system, destination information identifying an external destination to which the message content is to be forwarded; generating, by the host computer system, a second electronic message including the message content for presentation in a human-readable form compatible with the external destination; and forwarding, by the host computer system and based on the destination information, the second electronic message, including the message content, to the external destination over a second communication channel via an external interface included in the host computer system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the second electronic message comprises sending a short message service message including the message content. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the second electronic message comprises sending an electronic mail message including the message content. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the second electronic message comprises serving a web page containing the message content. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication channel also carries transaction approval requests from the payment terminal to the host computer system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the second electronic message comprises forwarding the second electronic message to an entity that provides support or maintenance services for the payment terminal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second communications channel comprises a connection to the Internet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second communications channel comprises a connection to a mobile telephone network. ### Claim 9 A host computer system, comprising: a processor; a memory; and interfaces to first and second communication channels; wherein the memory contains instructions that when executed by the processor cause the host computer system to receive, from a payment terminal, over the first communication channel, a first electronic message including message content and an indication that the message content is to be forwarded in human-readable form to a person not conducting a financial transaction at the payment terminal, the person located away from the payment terminal and at a destination external to a financial infrastructure, the financial infrastructure for processing financial transactions at the payment terminal; obtain destination information identifying the external destination outside of a financial infrastructure to which the message content is to be forwarded; generate a second electronic message including the message content for presentation in a human-readable form compatible with the external destination; and forward the second message, including the message content, to the indicated destination over the second communication channel and based on the destination information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The host computer system of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the host computer system to send, as the second electronic message, a short message service message including the message content. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The host computer system of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the host computer system to send, as the second electronic message, an electronic mail message including the message content. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The host computer system of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the host computer system to serve a web page containing the message content. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The host computer system of claim 9, wherein the first communication channel also carries transaction approval requests from the payment terminal to the host computer system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The host computer system of claim 9, wherein the second electronic message is forwarded to an entity that provides support or maintenance services for the payment terminal. ### Claim 15 A method of providing human-readable information from a payment terminal to a person away from the payment terminal and at a destination external to a financial infrastructure, the financial infrastructure for processing financial transactions at the payment terminal, the method comprising: receiving, by a host computer system, from the payment terminal, over a first communication channel used for processing financial transactions, a first electronic message including message content and an indication that the message content is to be forwarded in human-readable form to a person not conducting a financial transaction at the payment terminal; obtaining, by the host computer system, an indication of an external destination to which the message content is to be forwarded; generating, by the host computer system, a second electronic message including the message content for presentation in a human-readable form compatible with the external destination; and forwarding, by the host computer system and based on the indication of an external destination, the second electronic message, including the message content, to the external destination over a second communication channel via an external interface included in the host computer system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the indication of an external destination comprises a mobile telephone number or an email address. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the indication that the message content is to be forwarded comprises an indication of a message destination in the first electronic message, and wherein obtaining, by the host computer system, an indication of an external destination further comprises: extracting from the first electronic message, by the host computer, the indication of an external destination. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the host computer system maintains a database of destination indications, and wherein obtaining, by the host computer system, an indication of an external destination to which the message content is to be forwarded comprises: accessing, by the host computer, the database based on an identification of the payment terminal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the host computer maintains a database of destination addresses, wherein the first electronic message includes an index value indicating the external destination, and wherein the host computer accesses the database based on the index value.