# US 12,223,527 B1 · Multi-merchant concomitant-use point-of-sale device

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- Number: US 12,223,527 B1
- Document ID: US12223527B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/303,515
- Filed: 2023-04-19
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-16
- Assignees: Block, Inc.
- Applicants: Block, Inc.
- Inventors: Claudia J. Ng; Mark Funk
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223527B1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0268: {at point-of-sale [POS]}
- G06F 16/27: Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
- G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring}
- G06Q 20/204: {comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit}
- G06Q 20/209: {Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output}
- G06Q 20/356: {Aspects of software for card payments}
- G06Q 30/0269: {based on user profile or attribute}
- G06Q 30/0631: {Recommending goods or services}
- 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
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Techniques for using one point-of-sale (POS) device and application for the sale of two merchants' items are described. A first period of time of operation for the first merchant is received from the POS device via a first merchant account. A second period of time of operation for the second merchant is received via a second merchant account. A portion of the first period of time exclusive of the second period of time is determined. Access to the second merchant items via the first merchant account is provided, enabling the first merchant to offer the second merchant items for purchase during the portion of the first period of time. A request to authorize a purchase of an item from the first merchant that is one of the second merchant items is received during the portion of the first period of time. The transaction is facilitated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a point-of-sale (POS) device executing an application having associated therewith a first merchant account of a first merchant and a second merchant account of a second merchant, wherein the first merchant account and the second merchant account comprise different merchant accounts that are accessible by respective merchants, and wherein the first merchant, the second merchant, and the POS device are in a common physical establishment; and
a payment service configured to:
receive, from the POS device via the first merchant account, an indication of a first period of time during which the first merchant offers first merchant items for purchase;
receive, from the POS device via the second merchant account, an indication of a second period of time during which the second merchant offers second merchant items for purchase;
determine, based at least in part on the first period of time and the second period of time, a portion of the first period of time exclusive of the second period of time;
provide access to the second merchant items via the first merchant account on the POS device during the portion of the first period of time, wherein providing access to the second merchant items enables the first merchant to offer the second merchant items for purchase on behalf of the second merchant during the portion of the first period of time;
receive, from the POS device, a request to authorize a transaction for a purchase of an item by a customer from the first merchant;
determine that the item is one of the second merchant items, and that a time of the request is during the portion of the first period of time; and
based at least in part on determining that the item is one of the second merchant items, and that the time of the request is during the portion of the first period of time, facilitate the transaction between the first merchant and the customer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the payment service is further configured to:
determine that the first merchant account has associated therewith a first set of services provided by the payment service;
determine that the first merchant is operating the POS device at a first time associated with the first period of time; and
enable access to the first set of services based at least in part on a determination that the first merchant is operating the POS device at the first time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the payment service is further configured to:
determine that the second merchant is operating the POS device at a second time associated with the second period of time; and
disable access to the first set of services based at least in part on a determination that the second merchant is operating the POS device at the second time.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the payment service is further configured to:
determine that the second merchant account has associated therewith a second set of services provided by the payment service;
determine that the second merchant is operating the POS device at a second time associated with the second period of time; and
enable access to the second set of services based at least in part on a determination that the second merchant is operating the POS device at the second time.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein providing access to the second merchant items via the first merchant account on the POS device during the portion of the first period of time comprises:
modifying a user interface associated with the first merchant account to include one or more selectable options associated with the second merchant items; and
causing the user interface to be presented on a display of the POS device during the portion of the first period of time.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the item is a first item and the transaction further includes a second item that is one of the first merchant items and the payment service is further configured to:
receive, from the POS device, a request to authorize a payment instrument for a total price of the transaction between the first merchant and the customer, the request indicating that the transaction is for the first item and the second item;
determine a first portion of the total price associated with the first item and a second portion of the total price associated with the second item; and
cause the first portion of the total price to be transferred to a first financial account associated with the second merchant and the second portion of the total price to be transferred to a second financial account associated with the first second merchant.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the second portion of the total price comprises at least a cost associated with the second item and a commission associated with a sale of the first item on behalf of the second merchant.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the item is a first item and the transaction further includes a second item that is one of the first merchant items and the payment service is further configured to:
receive, from the POS device, a request to authorize a payment instrument for the transaction between the first merchant and the customer, the request indicating that the transaction is for the first item and the second item;
process the transaction between the first merchant and the customer; and
update a first inventory associated with the first merchant and a second inventory associated with the second merchant based at least in part on the transaction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the payment service is further configured to:
send, to the POS device during the second period of time, a first message recommending that the second merchant authorizes the first merchant to offer the second merchant items for purchase during the portion of the first period of time; and
receive, from the POS device, a second message authorizing the first merchant to offer the second merchant items for purchase during the first period of time, wherein providing access to the second merchant items via the first merchant account on the POS device is based at least in part on the second message.

### Claim 10

A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device associated with a payment service and from a point-of-sale (POS) device associated with a first merchant and a second merchant, and via a first merchant account of the first merchant, an indication of a first period of time during which the first merchant offers first merchant items for purchase, wherein the first merchant, the second merchant, and the POS device are in a common physical establishment;
receiving, by the computing device and from the POS device via a second merchant account of the second merchant, an indication of a second period of time during which the second merchant offers second merchant items for purchase;
determining, by the computing device and based at least in part on the first period of time and the second period of time, a portion of the first period of time exclusive of the second period of time;
providing access, by the computing device, to the second merchant items via the first merchant account on the POS device during the portion of the first period of time, wherein providing access to the second merchant items enables the first merchant to offer the second merchant items for purchase on behalf of the second merchant during the portion of the first period of time;
receiving, from the POS device, a request to authorize a transaction for a purchase of an item by a customer from the first merchant;
determining that the item is one of the second merchant items, and that a time of the request is during the portion of the first period of time; and
based at least in part on determining that the item is one of the second merchant items, and that the time of the request is during the portion of the first period of time, facilitating the transaction between the first merchant and the customer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
determining, by the computing device, that the first merchant account has associated therewith a first set of services provided by the payment service;
determining, by the computing device, that the first merchant is operating the POS device at a first time associated with the first period of time; and
enabling access, by the computing device, to the first set of services based at least in part on a determination that the first merchant is operating the POS device at the first time.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
determining, by the computing device, that the second merchant is operating the POS device at a second time associated with the second period of time; and
disabling access, by the computing device, to the first set of services based at least in part on a determination that the second merchant is operating the POS device at the second time.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
determining, by the computing device, that the second merchant account has associated therewith a second set of services provided by the payment service;
determining, by the computing device, that the second merchant is operating the POS device at a second time associated with the second period of time; and
enabling access, by the computing device, to the second set of services based at least in part on a determination that the second merchant is operating the POS device at the second time.

### Claim 14

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing device that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
receiving, by the computing device associated with a payment service and from a point-of-sale (POS) device associated with a first merchant and a second merchant, and via a first merchant account of the first merchant, an indication of a first period of time during which the first merchant offers first merchant items for purchase, wherein the first merchant, the second merchant, and the POS device are in a common physical establishment;
receiving, by the computing device and from the POS device via a second merchant account of the second merchant, an indication of a second period of time during which the second merchant offers second merchant items for purchase;
determining, by the computing device and based at least in part on the first period of time and the second period of time, a portion of the first period of time exclusive of the second period of time;
providing access, by the computing device, to the second merchant items via the first merchant account on the POS device during the portion of the first period of time, wherein providing access to the second merchant items enables the first merchant to offer the second merchant items for purchase on behalf of the second merchant during the portion of the first period of time;
receiving, from the POS device, a request to authorize a transaction for a purchase of an item by a customer from the first merchant;
determining that the item is one of the second merchant items, and that a time of the request is during the portion of the first period of time; and
based at least in part on determining that the item is one of the second merchant items, and that the time of the request is during the portion of the first period of time, facilitating the transaction between the first merchant and the customer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, the acts further comprising:
determining, by the computing device, that the first merchant account has associated therewith a first set of services provided by the payment service;
determining, by the computing device, that the first merchant is operating the POS device at a first time associated with the first period of time; and
enabling access, by the computing device, to the first set of services based at least in part on a determination that the first merchant is operating the POS device at the first time.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, the acts further comprising:
determining, by the computing device, that the second merchant is operating the POS device at a second time associated with the second period of time; and
disabling access, by the computing device, to the first set of services based at least in part on a determination that the second merchant is operating the POS device at the second time.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, the acts further comprising:
determining, by the computing device, that the second merchant account has associated therewith a second set of services provided by the payment service;
determining, by the computing device, that the second merchant is operating the POS device at a second time associated with the second period of time; and
enabling access, by the computing device, to the second set of services based at least in part on a determination that the second merchant is operating the POS device at the second time.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein providing access to the second merchant items via the first merchant account on the POS device during the portion of the first period of time comprises:
modifying, by the computing device, a user interface associated with the first merchant account to include one or more selectable options associated with the second merchant items; and
causing, by the computing device, the user interface to be presented on a display of the POS device during the portion of the first period of time.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the item is a first item and the transaction further includes a second item that is one of the first merchant items, the acts further comprising:
receiving, by the computing device and from the POS device, a request to authorize a payment instrument for a total price of the transaction between the first merchant and the customer, the request indicating that the transaction is for the first item and the second item;
determining by the computing device, a first portion of the total price associated with the first item and a second portion of the total price associated with the second item; and
causing, by the computing device, the first portion of the total price to be transferred to a first financial account associated with the second merchant and the second portion of the total price to be transferred to a second financial account associated with the first merchant.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the item is a first item and the transaction further includes a second item that is one of the first merchant items, the acts further comprising:
receiving, by the computing device and from the POS device, a request to authorize a payment instrument for the transaction between the first merchant and the customer, the request indicating that the transaction is for the first item and the second item;
processing, by the computing device, the transaction between the first merchant and the customer; and
updating, by the computing device, a first inventory associated with the first merchant and a second inventory associated with the second merchant based at least in part on the transaction.