Advanced hardware system of self-service checkout booth

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing an advanced hardware system for a kiosk are disclosed herein. In a particular embodiment of the invention, a payment interface device is provided. The device comprises an integrated touch display, means for receiving payment information, and a housing accommodating the integrated touch display and the means for receiving payment information. The device also includes an application microprocessor and a security microprocessor located within the housing. The application microprocessor instantiates the operating system and stores instructions for execution by the operating system for operative communication with the peripheral barcode scanner and the peripheral display. The secure microprocessor stores instructions to encrypt payment information of the system and is in operative communication with a device for receiving the payment information.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent with application number 2020106354611, application date July 3, 2020, and invention name “Advanced hardware system for self-service checkout kiosk”. Background Art

[0002] Self-service checkout kiosks allow stores to reduce their human resource needs and free up employees to perform other tasks. Figure 1 An illustration of standard components of a self-service kiosk 100 is provided. Figure 1 The embodiment includes a display 101, a scanner cabinet 102, a payment interface device 103, a bagging area 104, and a computer 105. The scanner cabinet 102 includes a barcode scanner 106 that can be used to scan items. When the items are scanned, the price and identifier of the items can be provided on the display 101. In some methods, the bagging area 104 includes a scale to determine when the scanned items are placed in the bag and to determine whether the items are added to the bag without being scanned. After the customer has scanned all items, as shown, they can be instructed to complete the payment portion of the transaction using the payment interface device 103. This process may involve providing a card 107 to a card reader on the payment interface device 103.

[0003] The self-service kiosk 100 includes an additional display 101 because the display on the payment interface device 103 may be too small to allow the user to check the characteristics of the current transaction, such as the list of items that have been scanned and their associated prices. Moreover, in some embodiments, the payment interface device 103 will be a simple card reader and mechanical keypad with only a basic display.

[0004] A payment interface device such as payment interface device 103 will typically be a basic peripheral device intended for use with a merchant-facing payment interface device having a fully functional touch display. However, there is no merchant in the self-service kiosk payment process. As such, it does not make sense to introduce a complete merchant-facing payment interface device to provide information to display 101. Furthermore, doing so may expose the merchant's system to peripherals that are easily accessible to customers and are therefore less secure. A common solution to this problem is to use a computer 105 to run an application that displays the required information to display 101. Computer 105 is typically a standard personal computer running a Windows operating system. This computer is used because it is typically cheaper than devices optimized for payment card industry (PCI) compliance and sensitive payment information processing. Using this approach, the payment interface device 103 can be kept in a logical hierarchy separate from the control of the computer 105, which helps maintain the PCI compliance of the system. However, computer 105 still increases the cost of the system and takes up valuable space and power in the merchant's location. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing an advanced hardware system for a self-service kiosk. Specific embodiments disclosed herein relate to a payment interface device having a device footprint similar to a standard card reader, but rather than being used as a peripheral device, it is used as the main hub of a self-service checkout kiosk. These methods can be simplified by a device architecture that essentially moves the workload of a separate self-service kiosk computer to the payment interface device itself while maintaining isolation between payment processing and the customer-facing peripherals of the self-service kiosk. Thus, the resulting payment interface device can eliminate the need for an additional computer (e.g., computer 105) to run the main display of the self-service kiosk and any other peripheral elements (e.g., barcode scanners, scales, and receipt printers) required for the self-service kiosk to function. In addition, the combined kiosk requires fewer power connections and network connections, and no connection is required between the payment device and the general-purpose computer. As a result, the system not only shows benefits in terms of reduced cost and space footprint, but is also generally more reliable and easier to set up than traditional systems.

[0007] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a device is provided. The device can be a payment interface device. The device includes an integrated touch display, a device for receiving payment information, and a housing that accommodates the integrated touch display and the device for receiving payment information. The device can be a payment interface device because it has the ability to receive payment information, encrypt the received payment information, and send the encrypted information to a POS network to seek approval for a payment transaction. The device also includes an application microprocessor and a security microprocessor located within the housing. The application microprocessor instantiates an operating system and stores instructions for the operating system to execute to communicate operatively with a peripheral barcode scanner and a peripheral display. The security microprocessor stores instructions to encrypt the payment information of the system and to communicate operatively with the device for receiving payment information. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided that includes such a device, a peripheral display, and a peripheral barcode scanner.

[0008] As used herein, a device for receiving payment information refers to a device that can accept payment information from a user in person and physically provide the information to the system. Devices for receiving payment information include: a keypad for receiving a PIN, a barcode scanner (including a QR code scanner), a magnetic stripe reader (MSR) for reading a magnetically encoded account number, a near field communication (NFC) reader for contactless payment processing, a fingerprint reader, an infrared surface or gesture analyzer, a chip card reader, a microphone for receiving auditory information, and any device known in the industry for receiving payment information from a user who appears in person. Payment information includes an account number, a personal identification number (PIN), biometric information, a password, or any other information used by a payment processor to authorize the transfer of funds from one entity to another. Common examples of payment information include a 16-digit credit card number for credit card transactions and a 4-digit PIN for debit card transactions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 A self-service checkout kiosk according to the prior art is shown.

[0010] Figure 2 A self-service checkout kiosk using a payment interface device according to certain embodiments of the invention disclosed herein is shown.

[0011] Figure 3 A block diagram of a payment interface device operating in conjunction with a peripheral display in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention disclosed herein is shown.

[0012] Figure 4 A detailed block diagram of a payment interface device operating in conjunction with a more complex peripheral display in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention disclosed herein is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] A high-level hardware system for a self-service kiosk according to the above overview is disclosed herein.The methods and systems disclosed in this section are non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, are provided for illustration purposes only, and should not be used to limit the full scope of the present invention.

[0015] In a particular embodiment of the present invention, an advanced self-service kiosk system is provided. The self-service kiosk system may include a payment interface device having an integrated device for receiving payment information that can be used to settle a transaction, and one or more peripheral devices for facilitating interaction with a user so as to enable the user to create a purchase order for the transaction. The payment interface device can be configured to manage the above-mentioned peripheral devices. The payment interface device can accordingly serve as the sole main computing platform of the self-service kiosk. To this end, the payment interface device can be connected to one or more peripheral devices via a communication port on the payment interface device (including a port for wired or wireless communication). Figure 2System 200 is shown for use as a non-limiting embodiment of such a self-service kiosk system.

[0016] The peripherals of a self-service kiosk system may take a variety of forms depending on the requirements of a given application. For example, if a self-service kiosk is used to create a purchase order for groceries in a grocery store, the peripherals may include a standard LCD display, a scale, and a barcode scanner for establishing the purchase order. In these embodiments, the payment interface device may be configured to provide information to the display and receive information from the scanner and scale to guide the user through the creation of the purchase order for the transaction. In particular embodiments, the same standard LCD may be replaced by a touch display to receive input from the user via the display as well as the scanner. As another example, if the self-service kiosk is used to create a purchase order for transportation tickets, the peripherals may be limited to a touch display and a speaker. In Figure 2 In an embodiment of the invention, the peripheral device includes a large peripheral touch display 201 and a peripheral barcode scanner 202. The peripheral device may include additional elements such as a scale, a handheld or tabletop barcode scanner, a camera, an antenna for short-range communication (e.g., an NFC antenna), and any element for tracking, identifying, or characterizing items for a purchase order. The peripheral device may include any form of user interface for providing information to or obtaining information from a customer to help the customer create a purchase order, such as a microphone, a speaker, a display, a touchpad, a mouse, a keyboard, a keypad, a biometric reader, a wireless card reader (e.g., an NFC card reader), and other peripheral devices.

[0017] In certain embodiments of the invention, in addition to creating a purchase order, the payment interface device will also be configured to manage additional peripheral devices associated with the alternative portions of the transaction. The payment interface device may have multiple ports for connecting and managing these additional peripheral devices. The additional peripheral devices may include a receipt printer, an alternative device having means for receiving payment information, an additional display, external memory, and any other peripheral devices used in the industry.

[0018] Depending on the requirements of a given application, the payment interface device may include a variety of elements. The payment interface device may include a secure microprocessor and a separate and discrete application microprocessor, which will be described in more detail below. The application microprocessor and / or the secure microprocessor may be located on a motherboard within the housing of the payment interface device. The secure microprocessor may be located within a tamperproof net within the housing of the payment interface device. The payment interface device may have various communication ports, such as external USB, UART, I2C, Lightning, Thunderbolt, Ethernet, or other communication protocol ports, and an internal or external antenna that can be used as a wireless communication port. The payment interface device may have a wired communication protocol driver or radio device for communicating with a POS network to transmit encrypted payment information and receive payment approval. The payment interface device may use the same or different wired or wireless connections to communicate with the peripheral devices mentioned herein. The payment interface device may include various devices for accepting payment information. The payment interface device may also include other user interface elements, such as speakers, microphones, displays, touch displays, gesture recognition devices, and other user interface elements known in the industry. In Figure 2 In the figure, the payment interface device 203 is connected to the peripheral barcode scanner 202 using a USB cable and to the display 201 using an HDMI cable, where both cables are routed under the shared countertop where the items are placed, so they are not visible in the figure.

[0019] In certain embodiments of the present invention, the payment interface device will include one or more computer readable memories storing instructions to perform various actions as disclosed herein. The instructions may include instructions for managing peripheral devices, accepting payment information, encrypting payment information, sending payment information, receiving approval for a transaction, displaying a payment flow, displaying a purchase order creation flow, and any other functions. The memory may be volatile or non-volatile and may include read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). The memory may be located on an application microprocessor, on a secure microprocessor, on an external storage device on a printed circuit board, or distributed across the architecture of the payment interface device.

[0020] The payment interface device can take various forms depending on the requirements of a given application. The payment interface device can include all of its various elements in a single discrete device. For example, the elements of the payment interface device can all be integrated with the device, attached to a common frame, surrounded or enclosed by a common housing, or otherwise configured as a single discrete unit. The above-mentioned elements such as means for receiving payment information, ports, and displays can be integrated elements of the payment interface device because they are fixed in place in the frame of the payment interface device, encapsulated in the housing of the payment interface device, or otherwise arranged relative to the body of the payment interface device. The payment interface device can be configured to be attached to a vertical surface, such as the back panel of a self-service kiosk, or other vertical surfaces of a self-service kiosk. The payment interface device can be configured as a countertop device. In a specific embodiment, the same payment interface device can be configured for vertical installation or countertop use. The payment interface device can be placed on a rotating bracket to allow the user to adjust the angle of the user interface elements of the display payment interface device.

[0021] In certain embodiments of the invention, the payment interface device will be a small footprint device. The payment interface device may be approximately the size of a standard keypad and card reader device typically used in self-service kiosk systems. In certain embodiments of the invention, the payment interface device may be a countertop device having a countertop form factor. The payment interface device may have a top-to-bottom footprint of less than one square foot of counter space to reduce the overall footprint of the self-service kiosk by replacing a large stand-alone computer with internal components with the device that the self-service kiosk already requires.

[0022] A specific embodiment of a payment interface device that may be used in accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention includes a discrete device with an integrated physical keypad and means for receiving payment information in the form of a chip card reader and MSR. The discrete device may include a simple display for information, such as the total amount to be charged, etc., but will lack a touch screen or more complex user interface elements. However, such a device may include a microprocessor for managing a peripheral touch display via an external communication connection. In this way, the device may appear to be a peripheral device to a self-service kiosk, but will act as a primary computing platform.

[0023] Payment interface devices having various combinations of the above disclosed elements and form factors may be used in conjunction with specific embodiments of the systems disclosed herein. In addition, specific payment interface devices according to the present disclosure may be used in various self-service kiosk systems according to the present disclosure. For example, Figure 2An embodiment of a payment interface device 203 having an integrated touch display 204 and a payment card reader 205 is provided. In the system shown, the payment interface device 203 is used in conjunction with a large peripheral display 201, which can present information to the user, allowing them to generate a purchase order for a transaction, and a barcode scanner 202, which can allow the user to scan items in the purchase order. As such, the integrated display 204 may only be needed when the user is in the payment process of a transaction. However, due to its integrated display 204, Figure 2 The same payment interface device 203 shown can also be used as a standalone POS terminal for a self-service kiosk. For example, the display 201 can be removed from the system and a purchase order can be generated by a user scanning items with the scanner 202 and viewing the purchase order with the integrated touch display 204.

[0024] In a particular embodiment, the payment interface device includes an application processor located within a housing of the payment interface device. The application processor may be a processor of an application microprocessor on a printed circuit board located in the housing. The application microprocessor may instantiate an operating system for the self-service kiosk and store instructions for controlling peripheral devices (e.g., peripheral displays) of the self-service kiosk through a communication port on the device. For example, the operating system may communicate with the peripheral display through a port on the device and a peripheral display port on the peripheral device. The application microprocessor may be in operative communication with system peripherals. The application microprocessor may additionally store instructions for controlling integrated components of the payment interface device, such as integrated radios, routers, displays, touch displays, or other user interface elements. The operating system may control peripheral devices of the self-service kiosk. The operating system may control these peripheral devices through communication connections, including pins on the application microprocessor, routing inside the payment interface device, and external wired or wireless connections between the payment interface device and the peripheral devices. The operating system may control the integrated components of the payment interface device. The operating system may control these components through communication connections, including pins on the application microprocessor and routing inside the payment interface device. The operating system may control integrated devices and peripherals using discrete controllers specific to those components, such as a touch display controller, display driver, etc.

[0025] The operating system may be used to execute instructions stored on the payment interface device. The instructions may include instructions for managing the peripheral devices of the self-service kiosk and any integrated components of the payment interface device. For example, the instructions may include instructions for identifying items using information from a peripheral scanner, instructions for displaying items on a peripheral display, instructions for displaying a set of purchase order flow user interface screens on the peripheral display, and instructions for displaying a set of payment flow user interface screens on the integrated touch display screen of the POS terminal. Displaying items may include displaying images of items, text descriptions of items, or any other item identifiers. The payment flow screen may allow the user to identify a means for providing payment information that they want to use to conduct the transaction, display the total amount of the purchase order to the user, obtain confirmation from the user to process the transaction, and provide an approval or rejection message to the user to inform them of the transaction results. The payment flow screen may include other elements, such as user interface elements for printing receipts, adding tips, canceling transactions, and any other elements known in the art. The purchase order flow screen may allow the user to use other peripheral devices (such as a scale or a barcode reader) to identify items to be purchased or view items added to the purchase order. The purchase order process screens may include other elements, such as user interface elements for identifying the quantity of items or services, selecting a particular item from a digital display of available items or services, and any other elements known in the art.

[0026] Figure 2 An illustration of the internal components of the payment interface device 203 is provided. An application microprocessor 210 is included. As shown, the application microprocessor 210 is in operative communication with a display driver 211. The display driver can be a driver for an integrated touch display 204. The display driver 211 can be an integrated component of the application microprocessor 210 or a separate element. As shown, the application microprocessor 210 is connected to the display driver 211 using external pins and traces of a PCB 212 of the payment interface device 203. The application microprocessor 210 is also in operative communication with a peripheral display driver 213 via external pins, traces on the PCB 212, a communication port 214, and external wires. The peripheral display driver 213 can be an internal component of the display 201. The application microprocessor 210 is also in operative communication with a peripheral scanner controller 215 via external pins, traces on the PCB 212, a communication port 216, and external wires. The scanner controller can be an internal component of the peripheral scanner 202.

[0027] In a particular embodiment, the payment interface device includes a secure processor located within the housing of the payment interface device. The secure processor may be an additional element located on the payment interface device that is logically separate and isolated from the above-mentioned application processor. In a particular embodiment, the secure processor may also be physically isolated from the application processor. The secure processor may be a processor of a secure microprocessor located on a printed circuit board in the housing. The same printed circuit board may include an application microprocessor as described above. The application microprocessor may include a secure memory for storing cryptographic keys and encrypted payment information. The secure microprocessor may be directly connected to a device for receiving payment information integrated with the payment interface device. For example, the secure microprocessor may have pins connected to traces inside the housing of the payment interface device that are connected to a magnetic stripe reader (MSR) or a chip card reader. As another embodiment, the secure microprocessor may be directly connected to a touch controller of the payment interface device. In this way, the secure microprocessor may receive the touch coordinates of a PIN number entered on a touch display of the payment interface device. The payment interface device may be configured to detect when the self-service kiosk is in a state of receiving such a PIN and switch the connection of the touch controller from the application microprocessor to the secure microprocessor when the state is detected.

[0028] The secure microprocessor may include various passwords and other sensitive information stored in a secure memory. The secure memory may be an integrated component of the secure microprocessor, such as an embedded flash memory or an integrated ROM memory. The secure memory may store a payment key for encrypting payment information received by the device for receiving payment information. The payment key may be a single payment key from a set of payment keys stored by a first discrete device. The payment key may also be a key set of a unique derived key per transaction (DUKPT) key management scheme specified in ANSI X9.24 Part 1. The POS system may use the payment key or its derived key to encrypt the payment information received by the POS system for transmission to the payment processor in encrypted form.

[0029] The secure memory of the secure microprocessor can be used to store data used in performing the methods disclosed herein and computer executable instructions necessary to enable the processor to perform the methods disclosed herein. The secure memory can be used to store payment keys distributed through the system. The secure memory can take various forms. They can be integrated with the secure processor and include ROM, EPROM or E-type memory integrated with the secure processor. 2PROM memory. For example, the secure memory can be a combination of ROM and embedded flash memory. The secure memory can store instructions for executing cryptographic algorithms that are intended to be executed by the secure processor to perform the methods disclosed herein. In addition, the secure memory can include multiple components, such as memory integrated on the secure processor and separate memory accessible to the secure memory but not integrated with the secure processor. The secure memory can be part of a memory system on each device that also includes many physical components. The payment interface device may also include a backup battery that is specifically responsible for maintaining power to protect components associated with the secure processor that require continuous power, such as tamper sensors and any volatile memory that stores injected payment keys.

[0030] return Figure 2 , the secure microprocessor 217 is shown as being in operative communication with the card reader 205 and the application microprocessor 210. As shown, the secure microprocessor 217 is a component on the PCB 212, and all operative communication links with the secure microprocessor 217 can be via the pins of the microprocessor and the traces and routing inside the housing of the payment interface device 203. Both the secure microprocessor 217 and the application microprocessor 210 can be connected to the touch controller 218. The payment interface device can be configured so that the communication connection between the secure microprocessor 217 and the touch controller 218 does not include the application microprocessor 210. For example, the payment interface device can be configured so that all touch data from the touch controller is first routed to the secure microprocessor, and is only routed to the application microprocessor if it is determined that the touch controller is not used to provide payment information to the payment interface device. As another embodiment, the payment interface device can be configured to change the routing state between the touch data being routed to the application microprocessor and being routed to the secure microprocessor based on the detected mode in which the payment interface device is operating. Data can be routed directly to the application microprocessor in an unsecure mode and directly to the secure microprocessor in a secure mode. For example, the payment interface device may store instructions to display a PIN pad on the touch display and change the mode of the system to route touch coordinates directly from the touch display to the secure microprocessor when the PIN pad is displayed. The instructions may be executed by both the secure microprocessor and the application processor, but the system state that exists between these two modes may ultimately be controlled by the secure microprocessor, such that, for example, the application microprocessor cannot display the PIN pad on the touch display unless the device is in secure mode and the touch coordinates are routed directly to the secure microprocessor.

[0031] In a particular embodiment of the present invention in which the payment interface device includes an operating system that controls an integrated display and a peripheral display, the operating system can be enhanced to control both displays simultaneously and additionally manage the purchase order process and the payment flow between the two displays. The operating system can control the two flows through a single application (e.g., a registration module or a checkout module) instantiated on the operating system. However, the operating system can control the two flows through separate modules that can interoperate through the communication infrastructure provided by the operating system. The operating system can use a first display object instantiated by the operating system to control the integrated display of the payment interface device, and can use a second display object instantiated by the operating system to control the peripheral display. The operating system can then associate those display objects with different parts of the hardware abstraction layer (HAL) of the operating system for the integrated display and the peripheral display. For example, a PIN keyboard user interface element can be provided to an integrated display by assigning the PIN keyboard user interface element to a display object associated with the HAL element of the display. Providing different screens for each display will therefore involve assignment statements pointing to these display objects. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the operating system is an Android operating system. In these particular embodiments, the associated display objects and the presentation dialog box assigned to the display object can be used to control the peripheral display. You can then use the presentation dialog box to display various aspects of the purchase order process, such as item information for items added to the purchase order.

[0032] Figure 3 A block diagram for a hardware configuration scheme representing an implementation of the systems and methods disclosed herein is shown. Figure 3 It includes a payment interface device 300 and a peripheral device 301. In this figure, the solid and dashed lines connecting two blocks represent a direct and two-way communication connection between these blocks, and the blocks with dashed outlines represent optional changes to the system shown in the figure. The lines with arrows represent one-way communication between these blocks in the direction of the arrow.

[0033] In one embodiment, the payment interface device 300 may include an application microprocessor 302 that can instantiate an operating system. As shown, the peripheral device 301 does not include a microprocessor. The operating system can be any type of operating system commonly used in mobile devices, such as iOS, Android, Android Go, Tizen, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and other operating systems. In this embodiment, the operating system can control both: one system interface displayed on the payment interface device 300, the touch screen display 303; and another system interface displayed on the peripheral device 301, the touch screen display 304; wherein the system interface can be used as a self-service kiosk interface as described above.

[0034] In one embodiment, where displays 303 and 304 can be controlled using an Android operating system, the operating system can utilize native applications, such as those available in Android version 7.0 "Nougat" and later, or third-party applications, such as the multi-window feature in the Samsung Galaxy series of mobile devices, to enable the application microprocessor 302 to implement system interfaces across multiple displays. In one embodiment, the application microprocessor 302 can be a Qualcomm Snapdragon series microprocessor, or another mobile device processor typically used to manage multiple displays. The touch screen displays 303 and 304 can optionally be augmented with other types of displays, such as those that do not have touch screen functionality, including LED, LCD, electronic paper, and other display types, and can optionally have a connected data input device, such as a keypad, keyboard, PIN pad, or other data input device, to enhance information input by the device user.

[0035] In one embodiment, the payment interface device 300 may have a payment interface 305. The payment interface may receive as input payment information, which may include an account number, a PIN, biometric information, a password, or any other information used by a payment processor to authorize the transfer of funds from one entity to another. Common examples of payment information include a 16-digit credit card number for a credit card transaction and a 4-digit PIN for a debit card transaction. In one embodiment, the payment interface device 300 may optionally include a secure microprocessor 306 for processing payment information in a cryptographically secure manner. The device may also include an injected payment key for encrypting payment information for transmission to the payment processor. In embodiments where a secure microprocessor 306 is present and connected to an application microprocessor 302, the connection is configured such that, in the case where secure information such as payment information is not encrypted, it cannot be transmitted from the secure microprocessor 306 to the application microprocessor 302.

[0036] In certain embodiments, the payment interface device 300 may include an electronic memory 307 for storing data, programs, and applications for processing by the application microprocessor 302, including an operating system and an interface system. In one embodiment, the memory 307 may be a volatile memory device, such as a dynamic random access memory, a static random access memory, or other types of volatile memory commonly used in mobile devices. In another embodiment, the memory 307 may be a non-volatile memory device, such as a solid state drive, a mechanical rotating hard drive, an optical disk, or other types of non-volatile memory commonly used in the industry.

[0037] In some embodiments, the payment interface device 300 and the peripheral device 301 may include accessories 308 that add various types of functionality to the devices on which they are installed. The accessories 308 of the payment interface device 300 and the peripheral device 301 may be identical, may have some in common and others specific to the device or other devices, or they may include different sets of accessories with no overlapping form or functionality. Examples of accessories commonly used in payment interface devices and display devices include image sensors, microphone devices, audio speakers, fingerprint readers, mouse touch pads, and modems configured with radios that can be used as transceivers for wireless communications of any standard type or frequency band, including standards such as Wi-Fi / IEEE 802.11 family, EDGE, EV-Do family, Flash-ODFM, GPRS, HSPA standards, Lorawan, LTE, RTT, UMTS family, WiMAX, 6LoWPAN, Bluetooth family, IEEE 802.15.4-2006, Thread, UWB, Wireless USB, ZigBee, ANT+, and the like.

[0038] In some embodiments, accessory 308 can be connected to accessory hub 309. In one embodiment, payment interface device 300 can have accessory hub 309 and accessory 308, where accessory 308 is connected to accessory hub 309, which is further connected to application microprocessor 302. In this embodiment, the connection can be a communication connection, and application microprocessor 302 can send information and separate instructions to accessory 308 to operate it, such as a command to take a picture using an image sensor, and receive information from accessory 308, such as receiving a picture taken with an image sensor to store in memory 307. On peripheral device 301, accessory 308 can interact with accessory hub 309 using the same configuration and methods described for payment interface device 300.

[0039] In some embodiments, accessory hub 309 may have permanent connections to internal components such as accessories 308, and non-permanent connections to devices external to the device on which accessory hub 309 is installed. In a first embodiment, a permanent, optional external connection may be established between payment interface device 300 or peripheral device 301 and other devices using an electrical data cable having an end connector selected by a standard associated with the data cable type. In this embodiment, the type of data cable may be any type, and accessory hub 309 may have a data cable end connector receiver that accepts the type of data cable end connector used, which may include Ethernet, token ring, coaxial cable, fiber optic, serial cable, Cat2, telephone cable, Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable, or other data cable types for sending digital information. Alternatively, the data cable may be dedicated to the communication of video information, in which case the type of data cable may include s-video, component video, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, CoaXPress, and MHL, as well as other video cable types. In a second embodiment, a non-permanent, optional external connection may be constructed between payment interface device 300 or peripheral device 301 using a wireless connection. In this embodiment, the connected device has a modem with a wireless transceiver that operates and connects using the standards and protocols described above, where the modem can be one of the accessories 308. In a third embodiment, a non-permanent, optional external connection can be established between the payment interface device 300 and the peripheral device 301 using a communication connection 310. The communication connection 310 can be established between the accessory hub 309 of each device using the aforementioned data cable or wireless methods. Again referring to Figure 2 , the communication connection 310 may be provided by electrical wiring routed beneath a countertop where the self-service kiosk system is located.

[0040] In some embodiments, the payment interface device 300 and the peripheral device 301 may have specific attachments 308 and may utilize one or more communication connections 310 to facilitate efficient and secure commercial transactions by using the attachments 308 and the communication connections 310. In one embodiment, the touch screen display 303 may be used to provide the customer with access to a payment flow interface instantiated by the application microprocessor 407 operating system, which may provide any type of commercial transaction information, commands, or prompts to the customer related to the customer, such as guiding the customer to complete the necessary commercial transaction steps and providing the customer with prompts for payment information. The customer may use the payment interface 305 in response to the prompt for payment information to make a payment using a compatible method (e.g., credit card, NFC, and other methods previously described). In another embodiment based on the configuration of the previous embodiment, a communication connection 310 may be established with the peripheral device 301 through the attachment hub 309 of the two devices, so that the application microprocessor 302 operating system can implement a multi-window display scheme. The multi-window display scheme may further provide access to the purchase order interface by displaying a set of purchase order interface screens to the customer on the touch screen display 304 of the peripheral device 301. The purchase order interface can provide any type of relevant commercial transaction information, commands, or prompts, such as prompts for adding or removing items from a purchase order. Utilization of the touch screen display 304 by the application microprocessor 302 through the accessory hub 309 of the peripheral device 301 makes the touch screen display 304 a specific type of device in the accessory 308 device class. In another embodiment, a communication connection can be established between other types of devices, such as a printer device, to the payment interface device 300 or the accessory hub 309 of the peripheral device 301. Through the communication connection 310, in addition to any other type of control provided by the functionality of the application microprocessor 302, the application microprocessor 302 can also send commands to, provide prompts from, receive input from, and provide a user interface to the display of the other type of device. As shown, the application microprocessor 302 can also have a more direct connection to provide display information to the touch screen display 304 that bypasses the accessory hub 309. Refer to the following Figure 4 Specific embodiments are disclosed in which the communication connection includes two communication paths. In certain embodiments, the operating system can utilize the MultiWindowMode command to control the size, pixel resolution, orientation, and other characteristics of the system interface to display correctly on the display.

[0041] Figure 4The configuration of hardware modules on the payment interface device 400 and the peripheral display device 401 according to the systems and methods disclosed herein is shown. In the figure, a solid line without an arrow connecting two blocks represents a direct two-way communication connection between these blocks, while a solid line with an arrow connecting two blocks represents a direct communication connection in the direction of the arrow. In addition, rectangular blocks with solid borders represent hardware modules, while rectangular blocks with dashed borders represent hardware that supplements the main system but is not part of it. Data, digital files, and device information can be transmitted along the block connections and through the blocks shown.

[0042] In some embodiments, the payment interface device 400 can be used in a cordless configuration while being powered by a battery 402. Alternatively, the payment interface device 400 can be powered by a power supply and module hub 403 connected to an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter 404 that plugs into a standard wall electrical outlet. The battery 402 can be charged while the payment interface device 400 is powered by the power supply and module hub 403. The payment interface device 400 can print on paper media to generate documents, such as commercial transaction receipts, using a printer 405 connected to the payment interface device 400 through the power supply and module hub 403. The power supply and module hub 403 can be connected to the payment interface device 400 using an on-board accessory hub 406, through which commands can be sent from the application microprocessor 407 to peripheral devices, such as the printer 405 and the peripheral display device 401, or to other internal hardware modules, such as the modem 408. In some embodiments, the payment interface device 400 has internal hardware modules that enable functions such as voice recognition through a microphone 409, image capture, video capture, and facial recognition using an image sensor 410, audio playback through a speaker 411, and wireless communication through a wireless modem 412, all of which can be directly connected to the application microprocessor 407. In the above embodiments, the listed hardware modules can include any brand, model, or type of device commonly used in mobile applications. For example, the battery 402 can be a lithium-ion battery, the accessory hub 406 can be configured to interface with other devices using a USB connection standard, and the application microprocessor 407 can be a Qualcomm Snapdragon microprocessor.

[0043] In some embodiments, a system including a payment interface device 400 having a touch screen display 413 and a memory 414 can operate in a first operating mode in which a user can use the payment interface device 400 to conduct commercial transactions. The touch screen display 413 can be of any size, with a display 413 having a diagonal length of fourteen inches being ideal for managing the information provided and the information input tools. The memory 414 provides services for the application microprocessor 407 to store the operating system and programming required to run the payment interface device 400 with connected peripherals. In one embodiment, the application processor 407 can provide access to a payment flow interface on the touch screen display 413, which a customer uses to provide payment information and conduct a purchase transaction. When payment information must be provided to the system, the customer can use any payment interface on the payment interface device 400, which can be, for example, a near field communication (NFC) interface 415, an integrated circuit card (ICC) interface 416, and a magnetic stripe reader (MSR) 417. Payment information provided by the methods and interfaces described herein can be transmitted to secure microprocessor 418 to complete the payment, wherein the unencrypted payment data cannot be accessed by the unsecured application microprocessor 407, and secure microprocessor 418 can access the network resources of modem 408 through accessory hub 406. In one embodiment, secure microprocessor 418 can be a Broadcom Strata GX device, or any other cryptographically secure processor or microcontroller.

[0044] The connection between the touch screen display 413 and the application microprocessor 407 can be a bidirectional connection between two dedicated ports on the application microprocessor 407, one of which is a dedicated touch controller input port and the output port is a dedicated display port. In addition, the control of the peripheral display device 401 can be completed by a communication connection 419 including two separate lines. The first line can be used by a unidirectional connection directly from the application microprocessor 407 to the touch screen display 420. The line can be a display peripheral line. The connection can be transitioned through a display port (DP) and a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI) display serial interface (DSI) bridge 421 that sends a purchase order interface. In other embodiments where the touch screen display 420 is DP-compatible, the bridge 421 can be removed. The second line can be used by an accessory hub 406 on the device 400 and 401 through a bidirectional connection from the application microprocessor 407 to the remaining peripheral display device 401 hardware modules. The line can be a USB line. Touch data from touch screen display 420 can be routed back to application microprocessor 407 via bridge 426 and accessory hub 406 to enter a purchase order into the system interface to effect a transaction.

[0045] Audio information can be provided using speakers 411 on peripheral display device 401. Data sent to this end can be processed by audio codec 422 to convert it into a format that can be used by speakers 411. Audio data received by application microprocessor 407 from peripheral display device 401, such as voice commands, can originate from microphone 409 thereon and can be formatted by audio codec 422 for transmission to accessory hub 406.

[0046] The peripheral display device 401 may include an image sensor 410 for image capture, video capture, and facial recognition, such as for unlocking a device with a cleared facial recognition identity, utilizing a MIPI camera serial interface (CSI) to a USB bridge 423 for image data conversion when sending the image data to the application microprocessor 407.

[0047] The peripheral display device 401 can be equipped with an ambient light sensor (ALS) 424 and a secure fingerprint scanner (FPS) 425. The ALS 424 is used to automatically adjust the screen brightness to promote power saving and ergonomic viewing. The ALS 424 and FPS 425 can communicate with the accessory hub 406 on the peripheral display device 401 through the serial peripheral interface (SPI) / inter-integrated circuit (I2C) of the USB bridge 426.

[0048] Although the present specification has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that those skilled in the art, after understanding the foregoing, can easily think of alternatives, variations and equivalents of these embodiments. For example, throughout the disclosure, an embodiment of a self-service kiosk with a barcode scanner for scanning physical items is used as an embodiment of a self-service checkout kiosk. However, the methods disclosed herein are widely applicable to any self-service kiosk for monetary transactions, including a self-service kiosk for purchasing goods and services, a self-service kiosk built into a gasoline pump or other self-service purchase location, a self-service kiosk for purchasing transit or event tickets, a self-service kiosk for purchasing parking spaces or toll passes, or a self-service kiosk for sending or receiving money from a network source or remittance of funds. As another example, throughout the disclosure, an embodiment of generating a purchase order using a peripheral display device is used as an embodiment. However, the application processor disclosed herein can provide any number of interfaces to the peripheral display device as needed, including advertisements, debugging information for operating on a payment processing device with limited display technology, and any other information that may need to be displayed to the customer or owner of the self-service kiosk. The method steps discussed above can be performed by a processor operating with a computer-readable non-transitory medium that stores instructions for those method steps. The computer-readable medium can be one or more memories in the payment interface device or other elements of the self-service kiosk system, or one or more memories that can be accessed by the self-service kiosk system via a network. The payment interface device can be a terminal, a smart phone, a point-of-sale terminal, a tablet computer, or any other device with a means for securely receiving payment information. The peripheral display device can be a terminal, a smart phone, a point-of-sale terminal, a tablet computer, or any other device with a display and can be communicatively connected to the payment interface device. These and other modifications and variations may be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. System, including: External display; a payment interface device having a housing, an integrated touch display, and an integrated card reader; as well as an application microprocessor located within the housing, wherein the application microprocessor is in operative communication with the external display and the integrated touch display, in: The integrated touch display and the integrated card reader are integrated with the housing of the payment interface device; The external display is connected to the payment interface device via at least one communication port; and The application microprocessor alone: (i) controlling the external display via the at least one communication port; and (ii) controlling the integrated touch display via routing into the payment interface device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application microprocessor controls the integrated touch display using a first display module, and wherein the application microprocessor controls the external display using a second display module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the application microprocessor controls the external display using a presentation dialog box.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: Touch controller; as well as Secure microprocessor, wherein the touch controller has a communication connection to the secure microprocessor; and Wherein the communication connection is not connected to the application microprocessor.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: Peripheral barcode scanner; as well as a non-transitory computer-readable medium in the housing, Wherein, the non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions for execution on the application microprocessor for: identifying an item using information received from the peripheral barcode scanner; displaying an item identification on the external display; and A set of payment flow user interface screens are displayed on the integrated touch display.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores instructions for: (i) displaying a PIN pad on the integrated touch display; and (ii) changing a mode of the system so that touch coordinates are routed directly from the integrated touch display to a secure microprocessor when the PIN pad is displayed.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the application microprocessor further controls the external display through an accessory hub, wherein the application microprocessor displays the PIN pad using a first display module, and wherein the application microprocessor displays the item identification using a second display module and a presentation dialog box.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein: The payment interface device has a countertop form factor; The housing is part of the tabletop form factor; and The mesa form factor has a top-to-bottom footprint of less than one square foot.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication port is an antenna.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication port allows at least one of a wired connection or a wireless connection to communicate with at least one peripheral device.

11. Payment interface equipment, including: Integrated touch display; Integrated card reader; shell; at least one communication port; as well as an application microprocessor within the housing, wherein the application microprocessor executes instructions to operatively communicate with an external display and the integrated touch display, in: The integrated touch display and the integrated card reader are integrated with the housing of the payment interface device; the external display being connected to the payment interface device via the at least one communication port; and The application microprocessor alone: (i) controlling the external display via the at least one communication port; and (ii) controlling the integrated touch display via routing into the payment interface device.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the application microprocessor controls the integrated touch display using a first display module, and wherein the application microprocessor controls the external display using a second display module.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the application microprocessor controls the external display using a presentation dialog box.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a touch controller located in the housing; as well as Secure microprocessor, wherein the touch controller has a communication connection to the secure microprocessor; and Wherein the communication connection is not connected to the application microprocessor.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: Peripheral barcode scanner; as well as a non-transitory computer-readable medium in the housing, Wherein, the non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions for execution using the application microprocessor for: identifying an item using information from the peripheral barcode scanner; displaying an item identification on the external display; and A set of payment flow user interface screens are displayed on the integrated touch display.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores instructions for: (i) displaying a PIN pad on the integrated touch display; (ii) changing a mode of the device so that touch coordinates are routed directly from the integrated touch display to a secure microprocessor when the PIN pad is displayed.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the application microprocessor further controls the external display through an accessory hub.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein: The device has a tabletop form factor; The housing is part of the tabletop form factor; and The mesa form factor has a top-to-bottom footprint of less than one square foot.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one communication port is an antenna.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one communication port allows at least one of a wired connection or a wireless connection to communicate with at least one peripheral device.

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