# US 12,217,237 B2 · Systems and methods for providing gratuities to merchants > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,217,237 B2 - Document ID: US12217237B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/096,896 - Filed: 2023-01-13 - Published: 2023-06-01 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-17 - Assignees: Block, Inc. - Applicants: Block, Inc. - Inventors: Shahrouz Tavakoli; Nathan Spindel; William Henderson; Alan Fineberg; Nefaur Khandker; Christopher Clark - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12217237B2 ## CPC - G06Q 20/3224: {Transactions dependent on location of M-devices} - G06Q 20/386: {using messaging services or messaging apps (using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255)} - 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 ## Abstract Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to method for facilitating a transaction between a service provider and a customer using an online payment platform. The method includes receiving a request from a customer's device to enter into a transaction with a service provider and receiving a request from a service provider's device to process a cardless payment transaction for the transaction. The method further includes determining a tipping process to be applied to the transaction whereby an automatically determined tip amount or a manually determined tip amount is added to the transaction. The processing of the transaction is delayed until the automatically determined or the manual tip amount is added to the transaction. The cardless payment including the tip amount is then processed and a confirmation thereof is communicated to the respective devices of the customer and the service provider. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, at a server of an online payment platform and from a first software application associated with the online payment platform and executing on a first mobile device of a customer, a first request to enter into a transaction with a service provider, the transaction having a corresponding transaction amount, each of the customer and the service provider having an account including corresponding identifying information stored in a database associated with the online payment platform, the online payment platform enabling customers and merchants to engage in transactions without an exchange of financial information between the customers and the merchants; receiving, at the server and from a second software application associated with the online payment platform and executing on a second mobile device of the service provider, a second request to process a cardless payment for the transaction using payment information of the customer, wherein the second request serves as an indication that the transaction between the service provider and the customer is complete, wherein each of the first mobile device and the second mobile device send a respective request to the server to download and install a corresponding one of the first software application and the second software application, and wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device are in geographical proximity of each other at a time of receiving the first request; determining, at the server and for the transaction, a tipping process, the tipping process being one of an automatic tipping process for the transaction whereby a first tip amount is automatically determined by the server to be added to the transaction amount, or a manual tipping process whereby a second tip amount to be added to the transaction amount is provided via the first software application; after receiving the second request to process the cardless payment, applying one of the first tip amount or the second tip amount to the transaction amount based on the determined; delaying, by the server and after the transaction between the service provider and the customer is completed, processing of the cardless payment for the transaction until the first tip amount is applied based on the automatic tipping process, or until one of an expiration of a threshold timing or the second tip amount is received via the first software application based on the manual tipping process; processing, by the server, the cardless payment for the transaction based at least on the transaction amount and one of the first tip amount or the second tip amount using the payment information of the customer; and communicating, by the server and to each of the first software application and the second software application, an electronic message confirming the transaction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the server, a digital receipt for the transaction upon receiving the request to process the cardless payment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one or more options for adding the second tip amount are expressed as a percentage of the transaction amount. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one or more options for adding the second tip amount are expressed as fixed amounts to be added to the transaction amount upon selection. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one or more options for adding the second tip amount are generated by the server based on a transaction history of the customer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein confirming the transaction includes confirming the processing of the cardless payment between the customer and the service provider. ### Claim 7 An online payment platform, comprising: one or more memories having computer-readable instructions stored therein; and one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to: receive, from a first software application associated with the online payment platform and executing on a first mobile device of a customer, a first request to enter into a transaction with a service provider, the transaction having a corresponding transaction amount, each of the customer and the service provider having an account including corresponding identifying information stored in a database associated with the online payment platform, the online payment platform enabling customers and merchants to engage in transactions without an exchange of financial information between the customers and the merchants; receive, from a second software application associated with the online payment platform and executing on a second mobile device of the service provider, a second request to process a cardless payment for the transaction using payment information of the customer, wherein the second request serves as an indication that the transaction between the service provider and the customer is complete, wherein each of the first mobile device and the second mobile device send a respective request to a server associated with the online payment platform to download and install a corresponding one of the first software application and the second software application, and wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device are in geographical proximity of each other at a time of receiving the first request; determine, for the transaction, a tipping process, the tipping process being one of an automatic tipping process for the transaction whereby a first tip amount is automatically determined by the server to be added to the transaction amount, or a manual tipping process whereby a second tip amount to be added to the transaction amount is provided via the first software application; after receiving the second request to process the cardless payment, apply one of the first tip amount or the second tip amount to the transaction amount based on the determined tipping process; delay, after the transaction between the service provider and the customer is completed, processing of the cardless payment for the transaction until the first tip amount is applied based on the automatic tipping process, or until one of an expiration of a threshold timing or the second tip amount is received via the first software application based on the manual tipping process; process the cardless payment for the transaction based at least on the transaction amount and one of the first tip amount or the second tip amount using the payment information of the customer; and communicate, to each of the first software application and the second software application, an electronic message confirming the transaction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The online payment platform of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to generate a digital receipt for the transaction upon receiving the request to process the cardless payment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The online payment platform of claim 7, wherein one or more options for adding the second tip amount are expressed as a percentage of the transaction amount. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The online payment platform of claim 7, wherein one or more options for adding the second tip amount are expressed as fixed amounts to be added to the transaction amount upon selection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The online payment platform of claim 7, wherein one or more options for adding the second tip amount are generated by the server based on a transaction history of the customer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The online payment platform of claim 7, wherein confirming the transaction includes confirming the processing of the cardless payment between the customer and the service provider. ### Claim 13 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a server associated with an online payment platform, cause the server to: receive, from a first software application associated with the online payment platform and executing on a first mobile device of a customer, a first request to enter into a transaction with a service provider, the transaction having a corresponding transaction amount, each of the customer and the service provider having an account including corresponding identifying information stored in a database associated with the online payment platform, the online payment platform enabling customers and merchants to engage in transactions without an exchange of financial information between the customers and the merchants; receive, from a second software application associated with the online payment platform and executing on a second mobile device of the service provider, a second request to process a cardless payment for the transaction using payment information of the customer, wherein the second request serves as an indication that the transaction between the service provider and the customer is complete, wherein each of the first mobile device and the second mobile device send a respective request to the server to download and install a corresponding one of the first software application and the second software application, and wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device are in geographical proximity of each other at a time of receiving the first request; determine, for the transaction, a tipping process, the tipping process being one of an automatic tipping process for the transaction whereby a first tip amount is automatically determined by the server to be added to the transaction amount, or a manual tipping process whereby a second tip amount to be added to the transaction amount is provided via the first software application; after receiving the second request to process the cardless payment, apply one of the first tip amount or the second tip amount to the transaction amount based on the determined tipping process; delay, after the transaction between the service provider and the customer is completed, processing of the cardless payment for the transaction until the first tip amount is applied based on the automatic tipping process, or until one of an expiration of a threshold timing or the second tip amount is received via the first software application based on the manual tipping process; process the cardless payment for the transaction based at least on the transaction amount and one of the first tip amount or the second tip amount using the payment information of the customer; and communicate, to each of the first software application and the second software application, an electronic message confirming the transaction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the execution of the computer-readable instructions further cause the server to generate a digital receipt for the transaction upon receiving the request to process the cardless payment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein one or more options for adding the second tip amount are expressed as one of a percentage of the transaction amount or fixed amounts to be added to the transaction amount upon selection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein one or more options for adding the second tip amount are generated by the server based on a transaction history of the customer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein confirming the transaction includes confirming the processing of the cardless payment between the customer and the service provider.