Certificate-authenticated, tag-initiated dormant transaction application apparatuses, methods and systems

An apparatus for automatically launching a transaction application, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory disposed in communication with the processor and storing processor-executable instructions to:
• obtain an indication that a user device is in proximity to an NFC tag, the NFC tag being associated with a merchant;
• obtain, based on the indication, contents of the NFC tag, the contents including an authentication certificate for the merchant that is stored in the NFC tag;
• authenticate the NFC tag using the authentication certificate, wherein the authenticating of the NFC tag generates an authentication result indicating a validity of the NFC tag;
• provide an application launch instruction to the user device based on the authentication result;
• and
• process the application launch instruction at the user device to open an application associated with the merchant on the user device, the application being configured to initiate a transaction with the merchant.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for automatically launching a transaction application, the computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed, cause a processing system to execute steps comprising:

• obtaining an indication that a user device is in proximity to an NFC tag, the NFC tag being associated with a merchant;
• obtaining, based on the indication, contents of the NFC tag, the contents including an authentication certificate for the merchant that is stored in the NFC tag;
• authenticating the NFC tag using the authentication certificate, wherein the authenticating of the NFC tag generates an authentication result indicating a validity of the NFC tag;
• providing an application launch instruction to the user device based on the authentication result;
• and
• processing the application launch instruction at the user device to open an application associated with the merchant on the user device, the application being configured to initiate a transaction with the merchant.

A system for automatically launching a transaction application, the system comprising:

• means for obtaining an indication that a user device is in proximity to an NFC tag, the NFC tag being associated with a merchant;
• means for obtaining, based on the indication, contents of the NFC tag, the contents including an authentication certificate for the merchant that is stored in the NFC tag;
• means for authenticating the NFC tag using the authentication certificate, wherein the authenticating of the NFC tag generates an authentication result indicating a validity of the NFC tag;
• means for providing an application launch instruction to the user device based on the authentication result;
• and
• means for processing the application launch instruction at the user device to open an application associated with the merchant on the user device, the application being configured to initiate a transaction with the merchant.