# US 11,308,472 B2 · Temporarily provisioning functionality in a multi-device point-of-sale system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,472 B2 - Document ID: US11308472B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/942,332 - Filed: 2018-03-30 - Published: 2019-10-03 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-30 - Assignees: Block, Inc. - Applicants: Block, Inc. - Inventors: Sara Sanchez-Llorens; Todor Ristov; Elise Hurwitz; Arnaud Ponchon; Evan Doyle; Isreal Blagdan; Christine Lin; Imran Khan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308472B2 ## 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 20/204: {comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit} - G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring} - G06Q 20/3278: {RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices} - G06Q 20/38215: {Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights} - G06Q 20/4012: {Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]} - G06Q 20/4014: {Identity check for transactions} - G07G 1/0009: {Details of the software in the checkout register, electronic cash register [ECR] or point of sale terminal [POS]} - G07G 1/01: Details for indicating - 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 ## Abstract Temporarily provisioning functionality to a personal device in a multi-device point-of-sale (POS) system is described. In an example, a personal device can be determined to be within a range of a POS system of a merchant. The POS system can include a merchant-facing device and a customer-facing device that is coupled to the merchant-facing device. Functionality can be provisioned to the personal device that (i) configures the personal device to present a customer user interface (UI) via a display of the personal device to enable a customer operating the personal device to interact with the merchant and (ii) enables the personal device to interact with at least one of the merchant-facing device or the customer-facing device. Responsive to determining an occurrence of an event, the functionality can be de-provisioned from the personal device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining that a personal device is proximate to a point-of-sale (POS) system of a merchant, the POS system including a merchant-facing device and a customer-facing device that is coupled to the merchant-facing device; based at least in part on an identifier associated with the personal device, determining an identity of a customer; based at least in part on determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system of the merchant, provisioning functionality to the personal device by transferring software to the personal device, the functionality (i) configuring the personal device to present a customer user interface (UI) via a display of the personal device to enable a customer operating the personal device to perform one or more types of actions associated with at least one of building a virtual cart or settling a transaction and (ii) enabling the personal device to interact with at least one of the merchant-facing device or the customer-facing device, wherein the one or more types of actions are based at least in part on the identity of the customer; determining an occurrence of an event; and de-provisioning, based at least in part on determining the occurrence of the event, the functionality to the personal device by causing removal of the software transferred to the personal device or deactivating the software transferred to the personal device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claim 1 recites, wherein determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system comprises determining that the personal device is within a geo-fence associated with the POS system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claim 1 recites, wherein determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system comprises: determining a signal strength associated with the personal device; determining that the signal strength satisfies a threshold signal strength; and determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system based at least in part on determining that the signal strength exceeds the threshold signal strength. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as claim 1 recites, wherein the provisioning the functionality is based at least in part on transmitting the software directly from the merchant-facing device or the customer-facing device to the personal device via at least one short-range communication network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as claim 1 recites, further comprising: prior to the provisioning the functionality and based at least in part on determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system of the merchant, sending, via a short-range communication network, a link to the personal device, the link being associated with a remote location from which the software is downloadable; and transmitting, from the remote location and via a long-range communication network, the software to the personal device based at least in part on an actuation of the link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as claim 1 recites, wherein the provisioning the functionality comprises provisioning the software via a web browser until the functionality is de-provisioned. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as claim 1 recites, further comprising: determining, based at least in part on an identifier associated with the personal device, an identity of the customer; accessing, based at least in part on the identity of the customer, customer information associated with the customer, the customer information identifying at least one preference of the customer; and determining, based at least in part on the at least one preference of the customer, at least a method for provisioning the functionality to the personal device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as claim 1 recites, wherein the event comprises at least one of: a determination that the personal device is no longer proximate to the POS system; a completed transaction between the customer and the merchant; or an expiration of a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 9 A system comprising: at least one merchant-facing device associated with a merchant; at least one customer-facing device that is coupled to the at least one merchant-facing device, wherein the at least one merchant-facing device and the at least one customer-facing device comprise a point-of-sale (POS) terminal; 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 program the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: determining that a personal device is proximate to the system; based at least in part on an identifier associated with the personal device, determining an identity of a customer operating the personal device; based at least in part on determining that the personal device is proximate to the system, provisioning functionality to the personal device by transferring software to the personal device, the functionality (i) configuring the personal device to present a customer user interface (UI) via the personal device to enable the customer to engage in one or more types of interactions with the merchant associated with at least one of building a virtual cart or settling a transaction and (ii) enabling the personal device to interact with one or more of the at least one merchant-facing device or the at least one customer-facing device, wherein the one or more types of interactions are based at least in part on the identity of the customer; determining an occurrence of an event; and de-provisioning, based at least in part on determining the occurrence of the event, the functionality to the personal device by causing removal of the software transferred to the personal device or deactivating the software transferred to the personal device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system as claim 9 recites, wherein determining that the personal device is proximate to the system is performed by one or more of the at least one merchant-facing device, the at least one customer-facing device, or a remote computing device associated with a payment processing service, the system further comprising the remote computing device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system as claim 9 recites, wherein the provisioning the functionality to the personal device comprises at least one of: directly provisioning the software to the personal device; indirectly provisioning the software to the personal device; or provisioning the software via a web browser. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system as claim 9 recites, the operations further comprising: determining that at least one other personal device operated by another customer is proximate to the system; causing an indication of the personal device and the at least one other personal device to be presented via a selection UI presented via the merchant-facing device; receiving an input associated with the selection UI, the input selecting at least the personal device for provisioning the functionality; and provisioning the functionality responsive to receiving the input. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system as claim 9 recites, the operations further comprising: accessing customer information associated with the customer; and personalizing the provisioning of the functionality based at least in part on the customer information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system as claim 9 recites, wherein the event comprises at least one of: a determination that the personal device is no longer proximate to the system; a completed transaction between the customer and the merchant; or an expiration of a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 15 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 instructions to perform operations comprising: determining that a personal device is proximate to a point-of-sale (POS) system of a merchant, the POS system including a merchant-facing device and a customer-facing device that is coupled to the merchant-facing device; based at least in part on an identifier associated with the personal device, determining an identity of a customer operating the personal device; based at least in part on determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system of the merchant, provisioning functionality to the personal device by transferring software to the personal device, the functionality (i) configuring the personal device to present a customer user interface (UI) via a display of the personal device to enable the customer to engage in one or more types of interactions with the merchant associated with at least one of building a virtual cart or settling a transaction and (ii) enabling the personal device to interact with at least one of the merchant-facing device or the customer-facing device, wherein the one or more types of interactions are based at least in part on the identity of the customer; determining an occurrence of an event; and de-provisioning, based at least in part on determining the occurrence of the event, the functionality to the personal device by causing removal of the software transferred to the personal device or deactivating the software transferred to the personal device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 15 recites, wherein determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system of a merchant is based at least in part on determining that the personal device is within a geo-fence associated with the POS system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 15 recites, wherein determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system of a merchant is based at least in part on: determining a signal strength associated with the personal device; determining that the signal strength satisfies a threshold signal strength; and determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system based at least in part on determining that the signal strength exceeds the threshold signal strength. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 15 recites, the operations further comprising: prior to the provisioning the functionality and based at least in part on determining that the personal device is proximate to the POS system of the merchant, sending, via a short-range communication network, a link to the personal device, the link being associated with a remote location from which the software is downloadable; and transmitting, from the remote location and via a long-range communication network, the software to the personal device based at least in part on an actuation of the link. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 15 recites, the operations further comprising: accessing, based at least in part on the identity of the customer, customer information associated with the customer, the customer information identifying at least one preference of the customer; and determining, based at least in part on the at least one preference of the customer, at least a method for provisioning the functionality to the personal device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) The system as claim 9 recites, wherein the provisioning the functionality to the personal device by transferring software to the personal device comprises transferring the software to the personal device via at least one of a long-range communication network or a short-range communication network.