Payment acceptance device, its control method, and control device.

Abstract

To provide a payment acceptance device, its control method, and its control device. [Solution] Embodiments of this specification provide a payment acceptance device and a method for controlling the same. The payment acceptance device includes a controller, a first NFC module, and a second NFC module. The first NFC module and the second NFC module operate under the control of the controller. The first NFC module is configured to operate in card reader mode, emitting a first radio frequency signal, detecting first response information, and acquiring customer payment information based on the first response information. The second NFC module is configured to operate in card emulation mode, and in response to sensing a second radio frequency signal, transmit second response information including store payment acceptance information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One or more embodiments of this specification relate to the technical field of sensing interactions, and more particularly, to a payment acceptance device, its control method, and a control device.

Background Art

[0002] Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range high-frequency wireless technology that integrates and evolves the interconnection technology with contactless RFID, providing a safe and high-speed communication means for various electronic products. The NFC technology operates at a frequency of 13.56 MHz and establishes wireless communication between sensing objects within 20 cm.

[0003] Due to the convenience of NFC technology, its applications in various life scenarios have increased, such as reading access cards and touching at subway ticket gates. In these scenarios, an NFC card reader is installed, and by reading the card information of a physical card or a virtual card, authority management is realized.

[0004] In recent years, the application of NFC technology has also started in the payment scenario. In view of the complexity and flexibility of the payment scenario, improvement measures for the payment acceptance device to improve its compatibility and adaptability with NFC payments are required.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] One or more embodiments of this specification describe a payment acceptance device, its control method, and a control device. The payment acceptance device is operable in different NFC operation modes, thereby supporting different NFC payment methods.

[0006] According to a first aspect, this specification provides a payment acceptance device including a controller, a first NFC module, and a second NFC module, wherein the first NFC module and the second NFC module operate under the control of the controller, wherein the first NFC module is configured to operate in card reader mode, emit a first radio frequency signal, detect first response information, and acquire customer payment information based on the first response information, and the second NFC module is configured to operate in card emulation mode, and in response to sensing a second radio frequency signal, transmit second response information including store payment acceptance information.

[0007] According to a second aspect, this specification provides a method for controlling a payment acceptance device, the payment acceptance device comprising a first NFC module and a second NFC module, the control method comprising: operating the first NFC module in card reader mode under first conditions to emit a first radio frequency signal, detect first response information, and acquire customer payment information based on the first response information; and operating the second NFC module in card emulation mode under second conditions to transmit second response information including store payment acceptance information in response to sensing a second radio frequency signal.

[0008] According to a third aspect, the Specification provides a control device within a payment acceptance device, the payment acceptance device comprising a first NFC module and a second NFC module, the control device comprising: a first operating module configured to, under first conditions, operate the first NFC module in card reader mode to emit a first radio frequency signal, detect first response information, and acquire customer payment information based on the first response information; and a second operating module configured to, under second conditions, operate the second NFC module in card emulation mode to respond to sensing a second radio frequency signal and transmit second response information including store payment acceptance information.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect, this specification provides a computer program product including a computer program / instruction, which, when executed by a processor, realizes the steps of the method of the second aspect.

[0010] As described above, by employing the payment acceptance device and control method disclosed in the embodiments of this specification, an NFC module supporting card emulation operation mode and an NFC module supporting card reader operation mode are placed on the payment acceptance device side, enabling the payment acceptance device to simultaneously support these two NFC payment methods. By selectively activating each NFC module under different scene conditions, the payment acceptance device can establish communication with payment tools operating in any NFC operation mode, improving the short-range communication compatibility of the payment acceptance device and enabling it to integrate more smoothly into payment scenes.

[0011] To more clearly explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings used in the description of the embodiments. Naturally, the drawings in the following description are only a few embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these without any creative effort. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a payment acceptance device that supports NFC. [Figure 2A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the case where both parties in an NFC communication are in active communication mode. [Figure 2B] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the case where one NFC device is in active communication mode and the other is in passive communication mode. [Figure 3A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of a payment acceptance device in card reader mode as disclosed herein. [Figure 3B] This flowchart shows the processing of a settlement transaction by a settlement acceptance device under a typical mode disclosed herein. [Figure 3C] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of a payment acceptance device in card emulation mode as disclosed herein. [Figure 3D] This flowchart shows the processing of a settlement transaction by a settlement acceptance device under a novel mode disclosed herein. [Figure 4A] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation framework of a payment acceptance device according to the embodiments described herein. [Figure 4B] This flowchart shows a control method for a payment acceptance device according to an embodiment of this specification. [Figure 5A] This is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of a payment acceptance device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5B] This is a control flowchart relating to the embodiments described herein. [Figure 5C] This is a schematic diagram showing the external structure of a payment acceptance device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5D] This is a flowchart of the transaction processing according to one embodiment. [Figure 6A] This shows the control process flow of a payment acceptance device as an example. [Figure 6B] The following shows the control process flow of a payment acceptance device in another example. [Figure 6C] The following shows the control process flow of a payment acceptance device in yet another example. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the method for switching the operating mode of a payment acceptance device according to the embodiments described herein. [Figure 8A] This is a flowchart illustrating the method for switching the operating mode of a payment acceptance device according to the embodiments described herein. [Figure 8B] A flowchart of the transaction processing according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing the control device of a payment acceptance device according to an embodiment of this specification. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The solutions provided by the embodiments of this specification will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0014] As described above, due to the popularization of short - range communication technology and its convenience, short - range communication is widely used in various business scenarios, providing convenient and safe interaction means for many customers. This not only improves the efficiency of business transactions but also enhances the security of data transmission, making various operations in daily life simpler and smarter.

[0015] In the payment scene, with the popularization of NFC technology, payment acceptance devices (acquiring devices) are also beginning to support NFC technology. In this specification, a payment acceptance device refers to a device for a store to accept electronic payments from customers, including, but not limited to, POS (Point - of - Sale) terminals, card readers, self - checkout devices, payment components of vending machines, and smart terminals equipped with an electronic payment function by installing a specific program. The payment acceptance device is usually embodied as a dedicated hardware device and has the internal structure shown in FIG. 1. However, with the evolution of smart terminals such as smartphones, smart wearable devices, and mobile computers, the hardware integration level is constantly improving. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that more and more smart terminals have the core components shown in FIG. 1 and support the NFC protocol. Thus, in some scenes, the payment acceptance device may be a smart terminal installed with a payment acceptance application. The payment platform distributes the corresponding payment acceptance application to the smart terminal and realizes the payment acceptance function by calling the NFC component built into the smart terminal through the payment acceptance application. Such a smart terminal can function as a payment acceptance device in the payment scene.

[0016] In the embodiments described herein, one or more embodiments are explained using a payment acceptance device as dedicated hardware as an example, but it should be understood that this does not limit the form of the payment acceptance device. As described above, any smart terminal can implement the functions of a payment acceptance device by installing a payment acceptance application, provided that it is equipped with the basic hardware that realizes NFC functionality. In addition, various shapes and structures of payment acceptance devices are described below for illustrative purposes, but none of these descriptions should be interpreted as limiting the payment acceptance devices described herein. The payment acceptance devices described herein may adopt any form, appearance, or structure.

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a payment acceptance device that supports NFC. For clarity and simplicity, so as to be easily understood, Figure 1 shows only the components related to payment and settlement using NFC technology, and other general components are omitted.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the payment acceptance device includes a controller. The controller can be implemented using, for example, a microcontroller unit (MCU) or a dedicated integrated circuit chip (ASIC), and is used to control the startup and operation of each component inside the payment acceptance device and to communicate with the backend system. Specifically, the controller controls the operation of the components inside the payment acceptance device based on instruction data input from the backend system, and can transmit the information necessary for payment read by the payment acceptance device to the backend system. The backend system may be a payment acceptance main system running on a cloud server connected via a network, or a payment acceptance application running on a local device, and is not specifically limited to these.

[0019] As the core supporting NFC payments, the payment acceptance device includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) module containing an NFC chip and an NFC antenna. The NFC chip is responsible for exchanging and managing communication data according to the NFC protocol. The NFC antenna is used to transmit and receive radio frequency signals and is generally designed as a coil that can create electromagnetic coupling with the coils of other NFC devices, thereby enabling data transmission of the NFC protocol. Typically, the payment acceptance device is further provided with a Secure Element (SE) for storing confidential data (e.g., encryption keys, payment card tokens). The Secure Element may be an embedded element (eSE) integrated into the NFC chip or a separate external Secure Element (e.g., a SIM card SE, an SD card SE). As one type of NFC device, the operating modes that can be employed by an NFC payment acceptance device (more specifically, the NFC chip within it) include card reader mode and card emulation mode. In card reader mode, the NFC device employs an active communication mode, generating its own radio frequency electromagnetic field and actively initiating communication. Active communication mode is typically used in situations requiring high-speed data exchange, such as data exchange between multiple devices or setting device operating parameters. A key feature of active communication mode is that the NFC device can operate independently without relying on an external radio frequency electromagnetic field. In card emulation mode, NFC devices generally employ passive communication mode, not generating their own radio frequency magnetic field. Instead, they obtain power by relying on a radio frequency electromagnetic field generated by an external sensing device (such as a card reader), which drives the chip to transmit data. This communication mode is commonly found in powerless NFC devices such as bank cards, bus cards, and NFC tags that support NFC technology. These powerless NFC devices receive a radio frequency electromagnetic field, and their internal NFC chip is driven by a sensing current to transmit response data. A key feature of card emulation mode is that it is powered by the radio frequency electromagnetic field of an external sensing device and can operate normally even if the host device (e.g., an IC card) does not have an internal power supply.

[0020] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of a case where both NFC communication devices employ active communication mode. In active communication mode, the NFC chips are powered by a power supply, and both NFC chips involved in the communication can spontaneously generate radio frequency electromagnetic fields when transmitting data to each other. Referring to the diagram, the NFC sender or NFC target device generates a radio frequency signal when initiating communication or when sending data (initial command, response) to the other party. The generated radio frequency signal carries data through modulation, and each device radiates a radio frequency signal using its own power supply to form its own radio frequency electromagnetic field, thereby enabling communication. This is a peer-to-peer network communication method that allows for rapid communication connection.

[0021] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram of a case where one NFC device employs an active communication mode and the other employs a passive communication mode. The device employing the active communication mode is in card reader mode, and as the NFC transmitter, its communication chip is powered by a power supply and generates a radio frequency electromagnetic field. The NFC target device employing card emulation mode may be an unpowered device and is usually in power-off mode. When placed within the radio frequency electromagnetic field of the NFC transmitter, the oscillator circuit of the NFC target device generates a sensing current, drives its NFC chip to generate response data, and transmits the response data to the NFC transmitter within the same radio frequency electromagnetic field.

[0022] In a typical scenario, NFC payment receiving devices, such as point-of-sale (POS) terminals in stores, are usually set to card reader mode. In this mode, the payment receiving device spontaneously generates a radio frequency electromagnetic field and attempts to capture response information from other sensed objects present in that field, thereby reading the card information of an NFC card and completing the payment. Here, an NFC card includes both a physical card that supports NFC and a virtual card emulated by a smart terminal (in this case, the smart terminal is in card emulation mode).

[0023] Figure 3A is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of a payment acceptance device in card reader mode. Here, only the components used in card reader mode are shown for the payment acceptance device. As illustrated, in card reader mode, when the controller of the payment acceptance device detects an relevant interrupt signal or meets the necessary conditions (e.g., receives a control command transmitted from a peripheral MCU), it can control the signal generator in the NFC chip to activate high-frequency modulation, radiate a radio frequency signal through the NFC antenna, and form a radio frequency electromagnetic field. Selectively, the payment acceptance device can operate in Low Power Card Detection (LPCD) mode by default, in which the controller determines the proximity of a sensing object based on the interrupt signal, and if a sensing object is detected, controls the activation of the signal generator to generate a radio frequency signal.

[0024] The aforementioned LPCD technology is used to efficiently detect nearby NFC cards or tags, and is primarily used to reduce power consumption when an NFC reader device is waiting for an object to be detected to come into contact with it. In LPCD mode, a payment acceptance device can periodically transmit low-power pulses as a detection signal. When another NFC object approaches, the presence of the object causes a change in the amplitude or phase of the detection signal. Based on this, the payment terminal determines that it has detected the proximity of another object, exits LPCD mode, switches to normal card reader mode, searches for an NFC object, and establishes communication. By reducing power consumption by applying LPCD technology, the payment acceptance device is not limited to fixed, powered installations, but can be deployed as a mobile payment terminal.

[0025] Continuing to refer to Figure 3A, specifically, in one application scenario, the payment acceptance device operates in LPCD mode and continuously detects objects approaching the sensing area of ​​its NFC antenna. When an NFC card (sensing object) approaches, the payment acceptance device detects the proximity of the NFC card due to fluctuations in the intensity of the radio frequency electromagnetic field. This causes the payment acceptance device to activate normal card reader mode, and the controller within the payment acceptance device controls the signal generator to initiate high-frequency modulation, radiating a radio frequency signal via the NFC antenna to establish communication with the NFC card, acquire the card information of the NFC card, and further communicate with the backend payment system (which may be a transaction settlement system built into the payment acceptance device or a cloud payment system) to acquire the corresponding payment order and execute the payment transaction processing flow. In another application scenario, when the payment acceptance device receives a payment order from the backend payment system, the controller may be configured to immediately activate the signal generator to perform high-frequency modulation, radiate a radio frequency signal via the NFC antenna, and generate a radio frequency electromagnetic field. An NFC card (the object to be sensed) approaches the payment acceptance device and enters the radio frequency electromagnetic field. In response to a radio frequency signal emitted by the payment acceptance device in the radio frequency electromagnetic field, the NFC card emits card information through the radio frequency electromagnetic field. After receiving the card information, the payment acceptance device executes the payment transaction processing flow based on the payment order.

[0026] Accordingly, Figure 3A further illustrates the structure of a corresponding NFC card device, taking a virtual bank card emulated on a smartphone as an example, which typically comprises an NFC antenna, NFC services, a secure element, and a digital wallet, where the NFC services may include an NFC chip hardware module and a system-level service interface that invokes the hardware. A customer can install a payment application, or application called a digital wallet, on their smartphone, which provides the functionality to emulate a bank card, allowing the customer to use it to store a physical bank card available in their name as a virtual bank card on their smartphone. When payment is required, the customer selects a virtual card of the bank card to be used for payment from the digital wallet and activates the virtual NFC card. When the smartphone approaches a payment receiving device operating in card reader mode, in response to the radio frequency signal emitted by the payment receiving device, the digital wallet in the smartphone reads the payment information of the bank card to be paid for via the secure element and transmits it to the payment receiving device, which then executes the payment transaction processing flow based on the payment information.

[0027] As can be understood, if the NFC card is a physical card, its internal structure may consist only of processing circuits and an NFC antenna.

[0028] Based on the payment acceptance device and NFC card device shown in Figure 3A, the payment acceptance processing flow shown in Figure 3B can be executed. Referring to Figure 3B, this discloses a flowchart of payment transaction processing by the payment acceptance device under typical mode. As illustrated, the process may include the following steps.

[0029] Step 1: The payment acceptance device equipped with NFC functionality transmits a radio frequency signal. As mentioned above, a payment acceptance device operating in card reader mode can generate a radio frequency electromagnetic field by transmitting a radio frequency signal after activating the NFC function. The radio frequency electromagnetic field activates an NFC-sensing object (in this scenario, the NFC card mentioned above) within a predetermined distance and performs data exchange.

[0030] Step 2: The customer selects the bank card to be used for payment on their smartphone and brings the smartphone close to the sensing area of ​​the payment receiving device, or the customer directly brings the NFC physical bank card to be used for payment close to the sensing area of ​​the payment receiving device.

[0031] Step 3, the payment acceptance device acquires payment information from the sensing object that responds to the radio frequency signal. The payment information may be pre-written to the sensing object to identify the payment channel used by the sensing object and the identity of the payer. For example, the payment information may include card identification information (e.g., the three elements of a bank card).

[0032] Step 4, the payment acceptance device displays the payment acceptance information to the customer in order to verify the transaction. If the sensing target is a virtual bank card, the payment acceptance device can send the payment acceptance information to the sensing target's carrier, for example, the customer's smartphone. If the sensing target is a physical bank card, the payment acceptance device can print the payment acceptance information on a transaction certificate or purchase slip, or display the payment acceptance information to the customer via the payment acceptance device's display module.

[0033] Step 5: The customer verifies the payment acceptance information. If the sensing target is a virtual bank card, the customer can verify the payment acceptance information on the corresponding smartphone. If the sensing target is a physical bank card, the customer can verify the payment acceptance information by signing in or via the interaction module of the payment acceptance device. The verification methods described above include, but are not limited to, signatures, digital signatures, biometric authentication, and password verification.

[0034] Step 6: The payment authorization information is sent to the payment receiving device, and the payment receiving device completes the payment acceptance operation.

[0035] To ensure clarity, the order of some steps in the process described above can be rearranged as needed, or some steps can be omitted or deleted. For example, to further improve payment efficiency, if the payment amount is within the customer's non-authenticated payment limit, the payment acceptance information verification process described in steps 4 and 5 above can be omitted, and payment approval information can be automatically generated.

[0036] In the above payment flow, when the sensing target is a virtual bank card emulated by a smartphone, the core of ensuring the asset security of the virtual card is payment based on token technology, and its core component is the Secure Element (SE) within the smartphone, as shown in Figure 3A. In NFC-related technical specifications, when performing card emulation with payment security in mind, it is usually necessary to store important data, such as payment tokens, through the Secure Element. The Secure Element enables hardware separation of normal data and payment token data. The Secure Element is mutually independent from other components of the smartphone at the physical layer, has an independent execution environment and storage area, and communicates with the outside using a secure protocol, thus preventing tampering with stored content by malicious software or hardware. A digital wallet operating on the smartphone's operating system needs to be able to access the Secure Element through an interface permitted by the operating system. Specifically, when a smartphone emulates a bank card (or activates a virtual bank card), the issuing bank sends one (or more) payment tokens to the payment application, and the digital wallet can call an access interface authorized by the operating system to store these payment tokens in a secure element. When executing a payment, the digital wallet retrieves the payment tokens stored in the secure element via the access interface, transfers the payment tokens to the payment receiving device using NFC technology, and the payment service provider to which the payment receiving device belongs, after receiving the payment tokens, performs token verification, clearing, and settlement with the corresponding issuing bank, and executes the payment transaction processing flow.

[0037] From a security standpoint, the access permissions for the Secure Element SE's access interface are set and managed by the operating system. While this ensures security, it also imposes some limitations. When a customer emulates a bank card with a smartphone's digital wallet, as mentioned above, the digital wallet can only read and write data to the smartphone's Secure Element if it has obtained access permissions to it, thereby enabling bank card emulation. However, access to the Secure Element is generally managed by the provider of the device's operating system. Some open-source operating systems may open the Secure Element's access interface to digital wallets, allowing them to implement bank card emulation and support customer operations in the payment scenario. On the other hand, some relatively closed operating systems often do not open the Secure Element's access interface to third-party digital wallets. In these operating systems, it is difficult for digital wallets to access the Secure Element (or the cost of obtaining access permissions is high), resulting in the inability to implement bank card emulation on smartphones running these operating systems, which in turn affects the execution of the payment flow in the payment scenario.

[0038] Therefore, in a certain implementation technology, we propose a new type of payment acceptance device and an alternative payment acceptance processing method that differ from the typical modes described above. This new payment acceptance device operates in card emulation mode, emulating the store's payment acceptance information as a virtual card or NFC tag. This allows it to transmit the corresponding card information and complete the payment and transaction when a sensing device with card reader functionality approaches. In certain scenarios, a smartphone can be operated in card reader mode, and payment can be realized by reading the store's payment acceptance information contained in the NFC card emulated by the payment acceptance device.

[0039] Figure 3C is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of a payment acceptance device in card emulation mode. In card emulation mode, when a sensing object operating in card reader mode approaches or touches the payment acceptance device, the radio frequency electromagnetic field formed by the radio frequency signal radiated by the sensing object excites the NFC antenna of the payment acceptance device, generating a sensing current sufficient to drive the NFC chip. The NFC chip of the payment acceptance device modulates the radio frequency signal based on payment acceptance information (static information pre-written to the NFC chip via a backend system) (for example, this may be powerless modulation, which modulates the radio frequency signal by adjusting the impedance or capacitive reactance of the circuit), generates a response radio frequency signal containing the payment acceptance information, transmits this to the sensing object to establish communication, and executes the payment transaction processing flow. In this scenario, the power supply module in the payment acceptance device is typically selectable, and by configuring the power supply module, additional MCUs or NFC chips can be powered to dynamically modulate the received radio frequency signal from the card reader based on real-time payment acceptance information, generating a dynamic response radio frequency signal. Alternatively, by configuring a power supply module, power can be supplied to additional excitation circuits, thereby increasing the field strength of the response radio frequency signal of the payment acceptance device.

[0040] Accordingly, Figure 3C further illustrates the structure of a smart terminal, taking a smartphone operating in card reader mode as an example, which typically comprises a power supply module, an NFC antenna, an NFC service, and a digital wallet, where the NFC service may include an NFC chip hardware module and a system-level service interface that invokes said hardware. A customer can install a digital wallet on their smartphone, and when the smartphone's NFC service detects a relevant interrupt signal or meets the necessary conditions (e.g., receives a control command to activate the NFC reader function), it can initiate high-frequency modulation, radiate a radio frequency signal through the NFC antenna, and form a radio frequency electromagnetic field. Upon receiving a response radio frequency signal from a payment acceptance device operating in card emulation mode, the smartphone can perform a corresponding payment action based on the payment acceptance information contained therein, which includes, but is not limited to, displaying a payment window as a pop-up, transitioning to a payment acceptance website, or calling the corresponding digital wallet application screen. Furthermore, a customer can actively start the smartphone's NFC service and set the smartphone to card reader mode by activating the relevant functions of the digital wallet on the smartphone. As can be seen from the above, this implementation technology does not require the smartphone to emulate a bank card, thus eliminating the need to access the smartphone's secure element and reducing the device's dependence on the carrier's or operating system's permissions.

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the processing flow of settlement transactions in this mode, Figure 3D discloses a flowchart of settlement transaction processing by a settlement acceptance device to which the implementation technology is applied. As shown in the figure, the process may include the following steps.

[0042] Step 1: A smart terminal equipped with NFC functionality emits a radio frequency signal to activate an NFC-sensing target. The smart terminal may be a portable or wearable mobile device such as a smartphone or smartwatch. The smart terminal may operate in card reader mode, emitting a radio frequency signal to generate a radio frequency electromagnetic field, which can be used to activate an NFC-sensing target within a predetermined distance. The NFC-sensing target may be a powerless NFC tag or an NFC virtual card (in this scenario, a virtual card emulated by a payment acceptance device), which, after entering the radio frequency electromagnetic field of the smart terminal, can generate a sensing radio frequency signal and exchange data with the smart terminal.

[0043] Step 2: The payment acceptance device responds to the smart terminal's radio frequency signal and sends response information containing payment acceptance information to the smart terminal. Taking a virtual card as an example, the payment acceptance device can pre-write the store's payment acceptance information into the NFC virtual card information. The payment acceptance information may be the website information of the register that the customer uses for payment, or it may be payment application information that needs to be launched (e.g., package name, Intent information, etc.). Based on the received payment acceptance information, the smart terminal can launch the payment acceptance page or digital wallet.

[0044] Step 3: The smart terminal displays the payment acceptance page based on the payment acceptance information. The payment acceptance page can be understood as the payment platform page to which the payment acceptance device belongs, or the transaction platform page of the payment service provider or card brand associated with the payment acceptance device.

[0045] Step 4, the smart terminal obtains payment information provided by the customer based on the payment acceptance page. The payment information that the customer can enter and submit on the payment acceptance page may include the payment amount, payment method, etc. The payment information includes, but is not specifically limited to, the payment element information necessary to execute the payment acceptance transaction. In actual applications, the payment acceptance device may pre-write the payment acceptance amount to the virtual card information, and when the smart terminal displays the payment acceptance page to the customer, the payment acceptance amount will be automatically displayed, or the customer may set the payment amount themselves. The payment acceptance page may further include transaction confirmation controls for submitting payment information, such as a submit button that the customer can click to submit payment information, or a time control that considers the payment acceptance transaction to have timed out if the customer does not perform the submission operation within a specified time frame.

[0046] Step 5, the smart terminal sends a payment request containing the payment information to the server, which is used to process the transaction based on the payment request. The smart terminal can generate a payment request based on the payment information submitted by the customer and send it to the server, so that the server can complete the transaction based on the received payment request. The payment request may include information on both parties involved in the transaction, the transaction amount, the transaction method, etc. In actual application, the payment request may include a payment acceptance account (e.g., a store's payment acceptance account written to the virtual card by the payment acceptance device), a payment account (e.g., a bank card account entered by the customer), and a payment amount (e.g., a payment acceptance amount written to the virtual card by the payment acceptance device, or an amount entered by the customer on the payment acceptance page).

[0047] To ensure clarity, the order of some steps in the process described above can be rearranged as needed, or some steps can be omitted or deleted. For example, to further improve payment efficiency, if the payment amount is within the customer's non-authenticated payment limit, the process described in step 4 above, where the customer submits and verifies payment information, can be omitted, and the smart terminal can automatically generate and send the payment request to the server.

[0048] A smart device equipped with NFC functionality (e.g., a smartphone) establishes short-range communication between itself and another NFC-sensing object (e.g., a virtual card emulated by a payment acceptance device) via a radio frequency electromagnetic field when they are in close proximity. The technical basis for this process is the Low Power Card Detection (LPCD) technology of the smart device. Similar to the payment acceptance device operating in LPCD mode described above, in LPCD mode, the smart device closes the radio frequency electromagnetic field and transmits only a low-power detection signal when there are no NFC-sensing objects nearby, thereby reducing power consumption and extending operating time. When the smart device approaches another NFC-sensing object, it can detect the influence of the NFC-sensing object on the detection signal, thereby ending LPCD mode and switching the NFC module to normal card reader mode operation to search for the NFC-sensing object and establish communication.

[0049] Due to the low power consumption characteristics of LPCD, smart terminals that utilize LPCD technology can transmit NFC detection signals in real time. As can be easily understood, in scenarios where this implementation technology is applied, the smart terminal can detect other NFC-sensing objects nearby (e.g., a payment acceptance device emulated as a virtual card) in real time in the background, and obtain the payment acceptance information written by the payment acceptance device to the virtual card via the NFC method. Furthermore, it can display a payment acceptance page based on the payment acceptance information, and the customer can complete the payment acceptance by submitting the payment information on that page. In this way, the customer does not need to launch a digital wallet in advance, select a payment card, and perform the corresponding payment operation. On the other hand, the smart terminal can dynamically display a payment acceptance page to the customer based on the payment acceptance information of the payment acceptance device. The display format of the payment acceptance page is diverse and can be automated application transitions or dynamic widget pop-up displays that do not affect the customer's front-end application. As can be seen from the above description of the method, in the scenario of small-amount authentication-free payments, a customer experience that is expected to be "one-touch payment" can be realized.

[0050] For the sake of brevity, in the following, an NFC payment method in which the payment receiving device is in card reader mode and the payment tool is in card emulation mode will be referred to as the first NFC payment method, and an NFC payment method in which the payment receiving device is in card emulation mode and the payment tool is in card reader mode will be referred to as the second NFC payment method.

[0051] As can be seen from the transaction processing processes in the two NFC payment scenarios described above, customers tend to choose either the first or second NFC payment method depending on their network environment and the smart device they use. In response, the payment receiver needs to respond in the corresponding operating mode. However, as mentioned earlier, due to the unidirectional nature of the communication role and function of NFC technology, in actual applications, an NFC device can only use one of the different operating modes to adapt to the corresponding communication scene, and cannot respond to communication scenes corresponding to the other operating mode. For example, a payment receiver in card reader mode can communicate with a sensing target that is a physical or virtual card, but since both are waiting to receive data rather than sending data to a sensing target that is also operating in card reader mode, the payment receiver cannot respond. In card emulation mode, a payment receiver can communicate with a sensing target that has card reader functionality, but similarly, since both are waiting to receive a response to a communication request rather than actively initiating communication to a sensing target that is also operating in card emulation mode, the payment receiver cannot respond. Thus, a problem of mismatch in operating modes arises between the payment receiver and the sensing target.

[0052] Furthermore, given the payment platform's emphasis on global expansion, the introduction of payment acceptance devices must also consider the payment method preferences of consumers in each country and region. Specifically, the penetration rates of digital and mobile payments vary greatly from region to region. In some regions, consumers are accustomed to card payments using physical bank cards, so the payment platform needs to install payment acceptance devices in stores that operate in card reader mode to read information from physical bank cards. On the other hand, in other regions, consumers are accustomed to the second NFC payment method using the NFC function of smart terminals, so the payment platform needs to install payment acceptance devices in stores that operate in card emulation mode so that smart terminals can read payment acceptance information.

[0053] Furthermore, real-world payment scenarios are far more complex than the situation described above. Even in areas where card payments are dominant, there is a demand for a second NFC payment method, and conversely, even in areas where the second NFC payment method is preferred, the demand for the first NFC payment method cannot be overlooked. In this case, if only payment acceptance devices that support a single NFC payment method are installed, it will be impossible to meet the diverse payment needs of consumers, resulting in a limitation of the store's service range and the consumer's payment experience.

[0054] Some implementation technologies employ a "dual deployment" strategy for introducing payment acceptance devices to address the complexity of payment scenarios. Specifically, the store installs both a payment acceptance device A, operating in card reader mode, and a payment acceptance device B, operating in card emulation mode, to accommodate different consumer payment habits. If a consumer presents a physical bank card or virtual card, the store must use payment acceptance device A to read the card information and complete the transaction. If the consumer uses a smart terminal operating in card reader mode, the store must use payment acceptance device B to transmit the payment information to the smart terminal and complete the transaction. While this technical solution can handle two payment scenarios, its drawbacks are also clear: the store must install two independent payment acceptance devices, meaning it must simultaneously open and manage two payment acceptance channels, which presents many operational difficulties. Furthermore, the store incurs additional costs, including not only the cost of the additional payment acceptance device but also the cost of training cashiers to ensure they accurately identify the type of payment tool used by the consumer and complete the transaction using the appropriate payment acceptance device.

[0055] The numerous challenges encountered in the diverse transaction processing scenarios and payment acceptance device deployment environments described above clearly demonstrate that payment acceptance devices that support only a single NFC operating mode impose constraints and limitations on the development of payment operations.

[0056] To solve the above problems, embodiments of this specification provide a new payment acceptance device and a method for controlling the payment acceptance device. Based on the technical concept of this solution, an improved payment acceptance device is designed that can simultaneously support different operating modes of near-field communication technology, namely card reader mode and card emulation mode, and that utilizes one of these operating modes depending on the scene conditions to realize interaction with the sensing object, thereby supporting both the first NFC payment method and the second NFC payment method.

[0057] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating an implementation framework of a payment acceptance device according to one or more embodiments of this specification. Referring to the drawing, in the payment acceptance device, the NFC components connected to the controller include a first near-field communication module and a second near-field communication module, hereinafter abbreviated as the first NFC module and the second NFC module. The first NFC module operates in card reader mode, emitting radio frequency signals and attempting to capture response information from a sensing object. In card reader mode, the payment acceptance device can be used as a card reader to read relevant information from sensing objects that support near-field communication technology (e.g., IC cards, posters, electronic tags, etc.). The second NFC module operates in card emulation mode, sensing radio frequency signals from a sensing object. In card emulation mode, the payment acceptance device emulates a smart card or tag using near-field communication technology and is read as a sensing object by the card reader.

[0058] In different embodiments, the first NFC module and the second NFC module may have different implementation and cooperation methods. For example, in one embodiment, the first NFC module and the second NFC module are independent modules, and the two modules can operate simultaneously. In another embodiment, the first NFC module and the second NFC module may be embodied by the same NFC module, which can operate as either the first NFC module or the second NFC module under different conditions.

[0059] In accordance with the technical concept described above, Figure 4B is a flowchart showing a control method for a payment acceptance device according to an embodiment of this specification. The implementing body of the method may be a payment acceptance device that supports short-range communication technology, more specifically, a controller therein, and from a software perspective, the implementing body may be an application program running on a smart device. Referring to Figure 4B, in one embodiment, the method includes at least the following steps: S401: Under first conditions, the first NFC module is operated in card reader mode to emit a first radio frequency signal, detect first response information, and acquire customer payment information based on the first response information. S403: Under second conditions, the second NFC module is operated in card emulation mode to transmit second response information, including store payment acceptance information, in response to sensing a second radio frequency signal.

[0060] With the dual module configuration described above, the payment acceptance device can simultaneously support card reader mode and card emulation mode, and establish short-range communication with the currently detected object using an appropriate operating mode under different scene conditions, thereby enabling a single payment acceptance device to support two NFC payment methods. Each embodiment of the payment acceptance device and its control method described herein will be described in detail below.

[0061] <Embodiment 1> Figure 5A is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of a payment acceptance device according to one embodiment. As shown in Figure 5A, in this embodiment, the near-field communication component in the payment acceptance device includes two NFC chips: a first NFC chip and a second NFC chip. The first NFC chip is used for data processing in card reader mode, and the second NFC chip is used for data processing in card emulation mode. Each NFC chip is connected to an oscillator circuit, which includes or functions as an NFC antenna and is used to radiate radio frequency signals to form a radio frequency electromagnetic field, and is also used to sense an external radio frequency electromagnetic field and generate a sensed current. It should be understood that in a typical circuit layout, each NFC chip operates at a predetermined oscillation frequency and has its own oscillator circuit to avoid interference, while in some other circuit layout examples, different NFC chips may share the same oscillator circuit and achieve load modulation by adjusting the resistance or capacitance.

[0062] An example is given in which a first NFC chip and a second NFC chip are each connected to a dedicated oscillation circuit to constitute a corresponding first NFC antenna and second NFC antenna. In this case, the first NFC chip and the first NFC antenna constitute the first NFC module described above, and the first NFC module operates in card reader mode, radiating a radio frequency signal and attempting to capture response information from the sensing target. The second NFC chip and the second NFC antenna constitute the second NFC module described above, and the second NFC module operates in card emulation mode, sensing a radio frequency signal from the sensing target and responding when an external radio frequency signal is detected.

[0063] In one embodiment, the controller simultaneously activates the first NFC module and the second NFC module in response to receiving a payment acceptance command from a store. When either module senses signal data it supports, it immediately initiates a payment-related interaction with the sensed object.

[0064] Furthermore, to prevent interference between the two modules and optimize their operation, the controller controls the operation of the two modules according to the flow shown in Figure 5B. As shown in Figure 5B, after the store starts accepting payments, the first NFC module starts operating, continuously emitting a first radio frequency signal, forming a first radio frequency electromagnetic field, and detecting whether or not it has received first response information. If it has received first response information, it can start processing the response information accordingly. The second NFC module, operating in card emulation mode, detects whether or not it has received a radio frequency signal. If it has received a radio frequency signal, the controller determines whether or not the radio frequency signal originated from the first NFC module. If the radio frequency signal originated from the first NFC module (for example, if the radio frequency signal is not effectively blocked or due to resonance), it is considered an interference signal and does not need to respond. In this case, the second NFC module can be considered not to have detected an external radio frequency signal. On the other hand, if the second NFC module detects a second radio frequency signal from outside the payment acceptance device, the second NFC module can respond to that radio frequency signal. In the above description, the processing of response information or the response to radio frequency signals may be performed asynchronously; in other words, subsequent processing of a valid radio frequency signal received by the payment acceptance device does not prevent the NFC module from continuing to detect other radio frequency signals. It should be understood that, as can be seen, in the flow shown in the drawings, the signal detection operations of the first NFC module and the second NFC module may be performed alternately, but not limited to this, and in some embodiments, the first NFC module and the second NFC module may perform signal detection operations simultaneously under a parallel strategy.

[0065] Selectively, the payment acceptance device may set different sensing areas, namely the first sensing area and the second sensing area, for the first NFC module and the second NFC module, respectively. The first sensing area corresponds to the first NFC module and may be adjacent to or include the area where the first NFC antenna is located, and the second sensing area corresponds to the second NFC module and may be adjacent to or include the area where the second NFC antenna is located. When a sensing target approaches or touches the first sensing area, the first NFC module, operating in card reader mode, attempts to read information from the sensing target by transmitting a radio frequency signal, and when a sensing target approaches or touches the second sensing area, the second NFC module, operating in card emulation mode, attempts to sense a radio frequency signal from the sensing target.

[0066] More specifically, in one embodiment, the first NFC module can maintain a low-power state by default through LPCD technology. When another NFC sensing object approaches or touches the first sensing area, the presence of the sensing object causes a change in the low-power detection signal, which causes the first NFC module to exit LPCD mode, switch to normal card reader mode, begin emitting a first radio frequency signal, establish a first radio frequency electromagnetic field, and attempt to establish communication with the NFC sensing object. Based on the first radio frequency electromagnetic field, the sensing object can return first response information to the first NFC module, which includes card information used for payment, and this information allows the payment acceptance device to complete the payment acceptance.

[0067] The second NFC module operates in card emulation mode. When a sensing object (i.e., a reader device) operating in card reader mode approaches or comes into contact with the second sensing area, the radio frequency electromagnetic field formed by the radio frequency signal radiated by the reader device excites the NFC antenna in the second NFC module, generating a sensing current sufficient to drive the second NFC chip. The second NFC chip then generates second response information based on the payment acceptance information, and through signal modulation generates a response radio frequency signal carrying the second response information, which is transmitted to the reader device to establish communication and thereby execute the payment transaction processing flow.

[0068] The appearance of the payment acceptance device can be designed so that customers can clearly distinguish between the first and second sensing areas. More preferably, icons corresponding to the two distinct areas can be placed so that customers can understand the functions of these two sensing areas. For example, a bank card icon can be placed in the area corresponding to the first sensing area. In this way, when a customer makes a payment using a bank card or virtual card, they may bring the card close to the first sensing area. In this case, the payment acceptance device functions the first NFC module as a card reader, reading the customer's card information and processing the payment. Correspondingly, an icon such as a smartphone in reading mode or a payment code waiting to be read can be designed in the corresponding part of the second sensing area. When a customer makes a payment using a smartphone that functions as a card reader, they may bring the smartphone close to the second sensing area. In this case, the payment acceptance device operates in card emulation mode via the second NFC module, sending the store's payment acceptance information to the smartphone as response information, allowing the customer to make the payment.

[0069] Figure 5C is a schematic diagram showing the external structure of a payment acceptance device according to one embodiment. As shown in the figure, in this design, the payment acceptance device has two sensing areas, area A and area B. Area A corresponds to the first NFC module, and area B corresponds to the second NFC module. Keyboard area C is used by the store to input store payment acceptance information such as the amount and control commands. Area A can be the front or back, angled upwards. When the device detects that the customer brings their NFC device close to area A, the payment acceptance device functions the first NFC module as a card reader and reads the card information. Area B corresponds to the lower, disc-shaped surface area. When the device detects that the customer brings their NFC device close to area B, the payment acceptance device operates in virtual card mode via the second NFC module, provides the store's payment acceptance information to the reader device held by the customer, and completes the payment.

[0070] In Figure 5C, the two sensing regions are designed as two planes forming an angle, but this is just one example. In other examples, the first and second sensing regions may be designed as two parallel planar regions, or two back-to-back planes, for example.

[0071] The following describes the payment acceptance process in detail, using an example of a plan to install two sensing areas. Figure 5D is a flowchart of the transaction processing according to one embodiment. Before payment begins, the store places an order for the transaction and sends the relevant payment acceptance information to the payment acceptance device (the payment acceptance information may be entered by the store into the payment acceptance device, or it may be obtained by the payment acceptance device from the server side). At this point, the customer can start the payment, the payment method is determined by the customer, and depending on the different payment method, the customer needs to bring the payment tool close to the corresponding sensing area.

[0072] Referring to Figure 5D, if a customer selects the first NFC payment method, the customer must bring their bank card / virtual card close to or touch the first sensing area of ​​the payment receiver. The first NFC module in the first sensing area operates in card reader mode and can detect objects that have entered its radio frequency electromagnetic field. Upon detecting the customer's payment card, the first NFC module emits a radio frequency signal and reads the payment card information. That is, the payment receiver sends an APDU request, and the bank card / virtual card responds to the request, encapsulating the card information in an APDU response and returning it to the payment receiver. The payment receiver completes the transaction based on the acquired card information. Here, APDU (Application Protocol Data Unit) is a type of message format used between a card reader and a smart card. In the NFC data transmission process, both parties can use this data format to encapsulate information and standardize the communication standard. To understand this, APDU is merely an example to illustrate the above communication process and does not limit the NFC message format.

[0073] Continuing to refer to Figure 5D, if the customer selects the second NFC payment method, the customer must bring a smart terminal operating in card reader mode close to or touch the second sensing area of ​​the touch payment acceptance device. The second NFC module in the second sensing area operates in card emulation mode and transmits response information, which allows the reader device to read the payment acceptance information. When the second NFC module is activated by the electromagnetic field of the smart terminal via the smart terminal's radio frequency electromagnetic field, the module returns an NFC message containing the payment acceptance information to the smart terminal. Based on the payment acceptance information, the smart terminal transitions to the corresponding payment acceptance page (which may be the corresponding payment application in some examples) and displays it to the customer to complete the transaction.

[0074] To make it clear, the payment acceptance device in this embodiment utilizes two NFC modules to support two operating modes, allowing customers to intuitively select and use either one, thereby significantly improving the convenience of payment.

[0075] <Embodiment 2> This specification further proposes an embodiment that supports two operating modes based on a single NFC module. According to the architecture of this embodiment, a single NFC module in a payment acceptance device supports two operating modes, card reader and card emulation, and can switch between modes in response to instructions from a control signal.

[0076] In one embodiment, the NFC chip in the single NFC module may include a first circuit section for performing data processing in card reader mode, a second circuit section for performing data processing in card emulation mode, and a shared circuit section for performing common NFC protocol processing. Specifically, the data processing performed by the first circuit section may include encapsulation of APDU requests, analysis of APDU responses, and preliminary processing of the analyzed card information. The data processing performed by the second circuit section may include encoding and modulation of store payment acceptance information. In some chips, different data processing logic is performed by different circuit sections that are structurally clearly distinguishable. However, more generally, in many chips, it may be difficult to distinguish circuits that perform different data processing as structurally clearly distinguishable circuit sections. Therefore, the first and second circuit sections described above should be understood as distinctions based on data processing logic, rather than structural distinctions.

[0077] Furthermore, when the first circuit portion within the NFC chip is activated and operated, the NFC chip and NFC antenna function as a first NFC module and operate in card reader mode. When the second circuit portion within the NFC chip is activated and operated, the NFC chip and NFC antenna function as a second NFC module and operate in card emulation mode. In this way, a single NFC module can operate in card reader mode and card emulation mode in a time-division manner and can switch between the two modes.

[0078] In one embodiment, the NFC chip is the only NFC chip in the payment acceptance device. In another embodiment, the NFC chip is one of several NFC chips in the payment acceptance device. For example, as shown in Figure 5A, the payment acceptance device has two NFC chips, one of which supports single mode and the other supports dual mode. For example, the first NFC chip supports only card reader mode and the second NFC chip supports dual mode. With both NFC chips enabled, the two NFC chips can be made to operate in different modes by setting the second NFC chip to card emulation mode. In some cases (for example, when power saving is required or when the use of a particular sensing area is inconvenient), the store can disable the single-mode NFC chip (e.g., the first NFC chip) and enable only the dual-mode compatible NFC chip (e.g., the second NFC chip). In this case, the activated NFC chip operates in time-division between card reader mode and card emulation mode, thereby enabling the payment acceptance device to combine both card reader and card emulation functions.

[0079] The following describes an example of switching the operating mode of a single NFC module that supports dual mode.

[0080] <Example 1> According to one implementation method, the payment acceptance device can switch between two operating modes based on the store's settings. For example, when a customer makes a payment using an NFC-enabled physical bank card, the store can determine that the payment acceptance device needs to be in card reader mode and issue a first setting command through the payment acceptance device's backend control system. In response to this first setting command, the controller within the payment acceptance device sends a first control signal to the NFC chip. Based on this first control signal, the NFC chip activates a first circuit portion and functions as a first NFC module together with the NFC antenna, operating in card reader mode. When a customer makes a payment using an NFC device in card reader mode (e.g., a smartphone configured in card reader mode), the store can determine that the payment acceptance device needs to be in card emulation mode and issue a second setting command through the backend control system. In response to this second setting command, the controller sends a second control signal to the NFC chip. Based on this second control signal, the NFC chip activates a second circuit portion and functions as a second NFC module together with the NFC antenna, operating in card emulation mode.

[0081] In one specific implementation method, the payment acceptance device is set to a specific mode by default and can switch to another mode in response to a mode switching command from the store. Specifically, the payment acceptance device is set to card reader mode by default, meaning that in the default state, the NFC chip operates with the first circuit portion activated. When the store determines that it needs to use card emulation mode, it issues a mode switching command through the backend control system. In response to this mode switching command, the controller in the payment acceptance device sends a control signal to the NFC chip to support the mode switching, causing the NFC chip to switch to card emulation mode. After the payment is completed, or after a certain period of time has elapsed, the NFC chip returns to its default operating mode. Alternatively, the NFC chip in the payment acceptance device can also be set to card emulation mode by default. When it receives a mode switching command from the store, the NFC chip switches to card reader mode.

[0082] In one embodiment, the above-described first setting command / second setting command / mode switching command may be entered by the customer. Specifically, the payment acceptance system provides an interactive interface that allows the customer to select and configure the payment tool they wish to use. In a specific example, this interactive interface is embodied as a touchscreen that displays the store's payment acceptance information and selectable payment tools. The customer can review the store's payment acceptance information and select the payment tool to use through touch operation. If the customer selects a first NFC payment method (including the use of a physical bank card or virtual card), the payment acceptance device receives a first setting command from the interactive interface, causing the NFC chip to operate in card reader mode. If the customer selects a second NFC payment method, the payment acceptance device receives a second setting command from the interactive interface, causing the NFC chip to operate in card emulation mode.

[0083] Alternatively, the NFC chip in the payment receiving device may be set to a specific mode by default. If the payment tool selected by the customer does not match the default operating mode, the payment receiving device will receive a mode switching command and switch the operating mode of the NFC chip based on that command.

[0084] In one implementation, the payment receiving device can receive not only setting commands transmitted by the store through the backend control system, but also setting commands transmitted by the customer through an interactive interface. In this case, in one embodiment, the payment receiving device does not distinguish the source of the setting commands and executes the commands sequentially according to the time they are received. In another embodiment, the payment receiving device can set a higher priority for a particular source, for example, by setting customer input to a higher priority and waiting for or processing higher priority commands preferentially.

[0085] The specific operating methods and payment-related processing in the card reader mode and card emulation mode of the payment acceptance device can be found in the description combined with the above-mentioned embodiment, and a further explanation is omitted here.

[0086] <Example 2> The embodiments / examples described above provide means for the customer to select the operating mode of the payment acceptance device (e.g., touching different sensing areas, manually selecting a payment method), but the customer may confuse the functions of the two sensing areas or not understand which mode they should use. Therefore, this specification further provides several embodiments in which the payment acceptance device automatically switches the operating mode. The following describes how to achieve automatic switching with specific examples. Here, in order to explain the technical details of the embodiments more clearly, we will use the case where the customer uses a smart terminal as a payment tool as an example. Cases where the customer uses other tools such as NFC physical cards as payment tools can be inferred from the following description, so a further explanation is omitted here.

[0087] Figure 6A shows the control flow of a payment acceptance device in one example, which can be called Example A. The control flow in Figure 6A can be executed by the controller of the payment acceptance device. As shown in Figure 6A, first in step 601a, the payment acceptance device confirms that the order information is ready. Specifically, a store can place an order and confirm the order information (also called the store's payment acceptance information) through a local or cloud backend system. In a self-checkout scenario, it is also possible for the customer to determine the order information by operating the interaction page of the payment acceptance system. After the store or customer has confirmed the order information, the backend control system sends a message or command to the payment acceptance device, which confirms that the order information is ready and can initiate NFC payment. Then, in step 602a, the payment acceptance device first activates the first NFC module by default and sends a first request to request the use of the second NFC payment method. This first request is also called a request to operate as the second NFC module and complete the payment. In this step, once the store / customer confirms the order information and sends a ready status notification, the payment acceptance device activates the first NFC module by default and operates in card reader mode. In this mode, the first NFC module transmits a first radio frequency signal, forms a first radio frequency electromagnetic field, and attempts to transmit a first request and detect response information through the first radio frequency electromagnetic field. In one embodiment, the first NFC module can use LPCD technology to detect the proximity of an object to be sensed. After detecting the proximity of an object to be sensed, it exits LPCD mode and starts transmitting the first radio frequency signal, thereby transmitting the first request.

[0088] In Example A, the first NFC module may include instruction data in a predetermined format in the first request, which is used to specify the use of the second NFC payment method. One specific implementation is that the first request may be an APDU request, and one field of the APDU request may contain the instruction data. Specifically, the instruction data may be in the form of an AID (Application Identifier), and is used to specify the application identifier of an application module that supports the second NFC payment method (in other words, an application module that can interact with the second NFC module to complete the payment), which may be a specific digital wallet application or a specific service within a digital wallet application. In Example A, the AID is set as the AID of application module M1 that supports the second NFC payment method. As can be understood, although an AID was used as an example in this example, the instruction data described above may be in another format agreed upon between the payment acceptance system and the NFC service or operating system of the smart terminal.

[0089] In step 602a, after the first NFC module sends the first request, the smart terminal parses the first request through the NFC service and determines whether an application module supporting the second NFC payment method is installed, for example, determining whether application module M1 is installed based on the AID. If application module M1 is installed, the smart terminal sends an acknowledgment via a radio frequency signal and usually activates application module M1 accordingly. If application module M1 is not installed, the smart terminal sends an error response including an error code.

[0090] In response, step 603a determines whether or not an acknowledgment has been received for the first request. If an acknowledgment has been received, step 604a activates the second NFC module, in other words, switches the NFC chip's operating mode to card emulation mode. In card emulation mode, the second NFC module senses an external radio frequency signal and transmits response information including the store's payment acceptance information, thereby allowing the smart terminal to complete the payment.

[0091] If, in step 603a, it is determined that no acknowledgment has been received (including both cases where an error response has been received and cases where no response has been received at all (for example, when the customer uses a physical card instead of a smart terminal)), then in step 605a, the first NFC module sends a second request via a radio frequency signal to request the use of the first NFC payment method. This second request is also called a request to act as the first NFC module and complete the payment. In Example A, the first NFC module may include instruction data in a predetermined format in the second request, which is used to specify the use of the first NFC payment method. Specifically, the second request may be a request for information about available payment applications that support the first NFC payment method (in other words, available applications that can interact with the first NFC module to complete the payment) (e.g., SELECT PPSE), or it may be a request including the AID of application module M2 that supports the first NFC payment method (in other words, an application module that can interact with the first NFC module to complete the payment).

[0092] The smart terminal parses the second request via the NFC service and then performs the operation corresponding to the request. For example, if the second request is SELECT PPSE, the smart terminal determines whether there are any available payment applications that support the first NFC payment method. If multiple payment applications are available, the smart terminal prompts the customer to select one of them, and after the customer has made their selection, it provides the payment information of the selected payment application (or customer payment information, e.g., token information) to the payment receiver in the form of an APDU response. If only one payment application is available, the smart terminal directly provides the payment information of that payment application to the payment receiver in the form of an APDU response. If no payment applications are available, the smart terminal sends an APDU response containing an error code to the payment receiver.

[0093] If the second request specifies the AID of application module M2 which supports the first NFC payment method, the smart terminal can determine whether application module M2 is installed. If application module M2 is installed, the smart terminal directly provides the payment receiving device with payment information for application module M2 in the form of an APDU response. If application module M2 is not installed, the smart terminal sends an APDU response containing an error code to the payment receiving device.

[0094] Next, in step 606a, it is determined whether or not an acknowledgment has been received for the second request. If the first NFC module receives an APDU response containing the customer's payment information, it is determined that an acknowledgment has been received, and the process proceeds to step 607a, where the customer's payment information is retrieved from the response and the payment flow is completed accordingly. If the first NFC module receives an APDU response containing an error code, or if no response is received, it is determined that an acknowledgment has not been received, and the process proceeds to step 608a, where the error is fed back to the store and the flow is terminated accordingly.

[0095] Selectively, if the first NFC module receives an error code or no response after sending the second request in step 606a, this means that the smart terminal does not have a digital wallet component installed that supports NFC payments. In an optional implementation, in step 608a, the first NFC module may continuously send a third request via radio frequency signals that guides the customer to complete the payment. As a specific example, the third request may include the following URL, which points to a resource through which payment is made, or a resource for downloading the components (e.g., a specific digital wallet) necessary for the smart terminal to support NFC payments. The smart terminal then parses the third request to obtain the URL, navigates to a browser page or H5 page via the URL, enters information according to the conventional method, and makes the payment. Alternatively, the smart terminal (after customer verification) obtains the aforementioned component via the URL, installs the component, and then attempts NFC payment again.

[0096] In Example A above, after the order information is confirmed, the payment receiving device voluntarily sends a request through the first NFC module, specifying that the second NFC payment method should be given priority. After receiving a valid response, the payment receiving device activates the second NFC module, switches to card emulation mode, and performs the payment using the second NFC payment method.

[0097] Figure 6B shows the control flow of a payment acceptance device in another example, which can be called Example B. In Figure 6B, parts similar to Figure 6A are described briefly. As shown in Figure 6B, first in step 601b, the payment acceptance device confirms that the order information is ready. Then, in step 602b, it activates the first NFC module by default and sends a second request to request the use of the first NFC payment method. The second request and the operation of the smart terminal after receiving the second request can be found in Example A above and will not be repeated here.

[0098] In step 603b, it is determined whether or not an acknowledgment has been received for the second request. If it is determined that an acknowledgment has been received, the process proceeds to step 604b, where the first NFC module obtains the customer's payment information from the response and completes the payment flow accordingly. If it is determined that an acknowledgment has not been received, the process proceeds to step 605b, where the first NFC module transmits a first request via a radio frequency signal to request the use of the second NFC payment method. For the first request and the operation of the smart terminal after receiving the first request, refer to Example A above, which will not be repeated here.

[0099] In step 606b, it is determined whether an acknowledgment has been received for the first request. If it is determined that an acknowledgment has been received, the process proceeds to step 607b, where the controller activates the second NFC module, in other words, switches the NFC chip's operating mode to card emulation mode. In card emulation mode, the second NFC module senses an external radio frequency signal and transmits response information containing the store's payment acceptance information, thereby allowing the smart terminal to complete the payment. If it is determined that an acknowledgment has not been received, the process proceeds to step 608b, where an error is fed back to the store, and the flow is terminated accordingly. Similarly, in step 608b, the first NFC module may continue to transmit a third request via radio frequency signals to guide the customer to complete the payment.

[0100] In Example B above, after the order information is confirmed, the payment receiving device voluntarily sends a request through the first NFC module, specifying that the first NFC payment method should be given priority. After receiving a valid response, the first NFC module reads the payment information and performs the payment using the first NFC payment method.

[0101] Figure 6C shows the control flow of a payment acceptance device in yet another example, which can be called Example C. In Example C, considering a situation where a particular digital wallet supports a second NFC payment method and these digital wallets simultaneously support a first NFC payment method, the device is configured to verify that the customer is using a particular digital wallet and then request the use of the second NFC payment method.

[0102] As shown in Figure 6C, in step 601c, the payment receiving device first confirms that the order information is ready. Then, in step 602c, it activates the first NFC module and sends a second request to request the use of the first NFC payment method. For the second request and the operation of the smart terminal after receiving the second request, refer to Example A above, and we will not repeat it here.

[0103] In step 603c, it is determined whether an acknowledgment has been received for the second request. If it is determined that an acknowledgment has been received, the process proceeds to step 604c, where it is determined whether the payment method the customer is using is a specific digital wallet. Specifically, as described above, this can be determined based on the APDU response sent from the smart terminal. As a concrete example, it is possible to determine whether the payment method the customer is using is a specific digital wallet based on whether the APDU response contains the AID of a specific digital wallet. If it is determined that it is not a specific digital wallet, the second NFC payment method cannot be used, so the process proceeds to step 608c, where the first NFC module obtains the customer's payment information from the response and completes the payment flow using the first NFC payment method.

[0104] If it is determined that it is a specific digital wallet, the process proceeds to step 605c, where the first NFC module sends a first request via radio frequency signal to request the use of the second NFC payment method. The first request and the operation of the smart terminal after receiving the first request may be described in Example A above and will not be repeated here. In step 606c, it is determined whether or not an acknowledgment has been received for the first request. If it is determined that an acknowledgment has been received, the process proceeds to step 607c, where the controller activates the second NFC module, in other words, switches the operating mode of the NFC chip to card emulation mode. In card emulation mode, the second NFC module senses an external radio frequency signal and transmits response information including the store's payment acceptance information, thereby completing the payment using the second NFC payment method. If it is determined that an acknowledgment has not been received, the process proceeds to step 608c, where, as described above, the first NFC module obtains the customer's payment information from the response received in step 603c and completes the payment flow using the first NFC payment method.

[0105] If it is determined in step 603c that an acknowledgment for the second request has not been received, the process proceeds to step 609c, where the error is fed back to the store and the flow is terminated accordingly. Similarly, in step 609c, the first NFC module may continuously transmit a third request via radio frequency signals to guide the customer to complete the payment.

[0106] In Example C described above, the payment acceptance device confirms that the customer is using a specific digital wallet and then requests the use of the second NFC payment method.

[0107] Examples A, B, and C described above are just some examples of how a payment acceptance device interacts with a smart terminal to automatically determine its operating mode, and this specification is not limited to these examples. Considering factors such as available payment methods, user preferences, and store preferences, the interaction flow between the payment acceptance device and the smart terminal can be configured in an appropriate manner, and the optimal operating mode can be determined. In other embodiments, several modifications and / or substitutions can be made to the exemplary flows described above.

[0108] Through the above examples, it is possible to implement a function that automatically switches between card reader mode and card emulation mode depending on the payment tool being used by the customer.

[0109] <Example 3> In another embodiment of this specification, a magnetic field sensor may be provided in the payment acceptance device, and the payment acceptance device may automatically switch to a different operating mode based on the changes in the magnetic field around the payment acceptance device as detected by the magnetic field sensor.

[0110] Specifically, a payment acceptance device, as a sensing device, may generate a magnetic field itself, and the Earth also has a magnetic field, which affects the sensing device accordingly (the magnetic field strength of the Earth's environment is typically tens of microteslas). Generally, both are relatively stable, but when a sensing object comes into close proximity, it can cause a significant change in the magnetic field. Sensing objects, such as smart devices containing speakers and electronic components like smartphones, typically have relatively strong magnetic fields of tens to hundreds of microteslas. Taking a typical smartphone as an example, its magnetic field strength usually reaches several hundred microteslas. Compared to a smartphone, the magnetic field strength of powerless sensing objects such as IC cards is clearly lower. For example, commercially available IC cards such as common access cards, bank cards, and bus cards typically have a magnetic field strength of several microteslas. In this case, a smartphone or IC card suddenly coming into close proximity to a magnetic field sensor can cause a change in magnetic field strength of tens of microteslas or several microteslas, respectively. Furthermore, because it is necessary to continuously emit radio frequency signals, the change in magnetic field strength caused by a smart device operating in card reader mode is significantly larger than the change in magnetic field strength caused by a smart device operating in card emulation mode.

[0111] Based on the analysis described above, it is possible to infer whether or not there is a sensing object currently close to the payment acceptance device based on the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change reflected from the magnetic field data. Furthermore, it is possible to infer whether the nearby sensing object is a smart terminal in card reader mode, an NFC card, or a smart terminal in card emulation mode. If the magnetic field change reflected from the magnetic field data detected by the magnetic field sensor is small, for example, if the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is less than the first threshold, it can be inferred that the sensing object is an NFC card or a smart terminal in card emulation mode. In this case, the controller of the payment acceptance device activates the first NFC module and operates the payment acceptance device in card reader mode, thereby performing payment using the first NFC payment method. On the other hand, if the magnetic field change is relatively large, for example, if the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is greater than the second threshold (the second threshold is greater than the first threshold), it can be inferred that the sensing object is a smart terminal in card reader mode. In this case, the controller of the payment acceptance device activates the second NFC module and switches the payment acceptance device to card emulation mode, communicates with it, and performs payment using the second NFC payment method. Figure 7 is a flowchart of the method for switching the operating mode of the payment acceptance device according to this embodiment. The control flow in Figure 7 can be executed by the controller of the payment acceptance device.

[0112] In step 702, magnetic field data is detected using a magnetic field sensor placed in the payment acceptance device.

[0113] A payment acceptance device can be equipped with one or more magnetic field sensors. If multiple magnetic field sensors are present, distributing them allows for the detection of more reliable and complete magnetic field data. It is also possible to integrate magnetic field data from multiple sensors or to select magnetic field data from a specific sensor. The magnetic field data includes magnetic field strength (the direction of the magnetic field can also be considered if necessary), and may specifically include distribution data of magnetic field strength in the time dimension and / or spatial dimension.

[0114] In step 704, the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is determined based on the magnetic field data detected by the magnetic field sensor. In step 706, it is determined whether the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is less than the first threshold. If it is less than the threshold, the process proceeds to step 710, where it is inferred that the sensing target is an NFC card or a smart terminal in card emulation mode. Therefore, the payment acceptance device is set to card reader operation mode, in other words, the first NFC module is activated, and the payment is completed in cooperation with the sensing target using the first NFC payment method.

[0115] If it is determined that the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the process proceeds to step 708 to further determine whether the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is greater than the second threshold. If it is greater, the process proceeds to step 712, where it is inferred that the sensing target is a smart terminal in card reader mode, and therefore the payment acceptance device is set to card emulation operation mode, in other words, the second NFC module is activated, thereby coordinating with the sensing target to complete the payment using the second NFC payment method. If it is determined that the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is less than or equal to the second threshold, the process returns to step S706 to continuously monitor whether the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is less than the first threshold or greater than the second threshold.

[0116] The specific calculation method for the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change to be judged can be determined according to the actual payment method of each market, and this specification does not limit it in any way. As a specific example, if a large number of smart terminals in a certain market support both the first NFC payment method and the second NFC payment method simultaneously, it becomes necessary to precisely distinguish between smart terminals in card reader mode and smart terminals in card emulation mode. In this case, the average value of the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change detected by the magnetic field sensor over a relatively long period of time can be selected as the object of judgment in step 704, thereby mitigating interference caused by large short-term strength changes when a smart terminal in card emulation mode approaches a payment acceptance device. Selectively, large strength changes associated with the proximity of the payment acceptance device can also be excluded from the calculation range of the average value of the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change, thereby enabling accurate identification of smart terminals in card reader mode. In contrast, if a large number of smart terminals in a market support only the second NFC payment method, a short-term, large change in magnetic field strength caused when a smart terminal approaches a payment acceptance device can be the subject of the determination in step 704. That is, if a change in magnetic field strength exceeding a predetermined amplitude is detected, the process proceeds to step 712, and the payment flow is initiated using the second NFC payment method.

[0117] Furthermore, the first and second thresholds can be determined based on experimental data from mainstream smart terminals in each market, and this specification does not limit the method for determining the first and second thresholds. In addition, to improve identification accuracy, in the above embodiments, the first and second thresholds are set simultaneously, and the operating mode of the payment acceptance device is determined only when the value is less than the first threshold or greater than the second threshold. However, as those skilled in the art will understand, this specification is not limited thereto, and only one threshold can be set; in other words, the first and second thresholds can be the same value, and the operating mode of the payment acceptance device can be determined based on the relationship between the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change and that threshold. Selectively, if the first NFC payment method is mainstream in a market, one may consider setting only one relatively large threshold, and operating the payment acceptance device in card emulation mode only when the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is greater than that threshold, and operating the payment acceptance device in card reader mode otherwise. In contrast, if a second NFC payment method is dominant in a given market, one could consider setting only one relatively small threshold, and operating the payment acceptance device in card reader mode only when the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change is less than that threshold, and operating it in card emulation mode otherwise.

[0118] Similarly, other sensing targets besides those exemplified in the preceding paragraph can also be identified through different effects on changes in the magnetic field, thereby enabling the payment acceptance device to adopt an appropriate operating mode for mutual sensing.

[0119] Selectively, before deciding which operating mode to adopt based on changes in magnetic field strength, the system can first be set to maintain a relatively stable state of the existing magnetic field. This allows for a more reliable and accurate determination of changes in the magnetic field due to the proximity of the object being sensed, using this stable state as a reference.

[0120] Based on this, magnetic field self-detection is performed in advance to determine the ambient magnetic field strength value, and thereafter, the status of magnetic field changes can be determined based on the ambient magnetic field strength value. As a specific example, magnetic field self-detection includes the following steps: initializing the ambient magnetic field strength value; determining the current magnetic field strength value based on magnetic field data and comparing it with the ambient magnetic field strength value; if the difference between the ambient magnetic field strength value and the current magnetic field strength value is sufficiently large, repeatedly determining the current magnetic field strength value and detecting whether the current magnetic field strength value is sufficiently stable; and if it is sufficiently stable, updating the ambient magnetic field strength value to the current magnetic field strength value. The ambient magnetic field strength value can be initialized to a relatively small value (e.g., 0 or a typical Earth magnetic field value), and if the difference between the ambient magnetic field strength value and the current magnetic field strength value is sufficiently large, it indicates that the initialized ambient magnetic field strength value is too small and may not match the actual situation. By detecting the current magnetic field strength value multiple times, the actual situation can be obtained, and the ambient magnetic field strength value can be updated using a more stable current magnetic field strength value.

[0121] Furthermore, in order to detect whether the current magnetic field strength value is sufficiently stable, it is necessary to detect the current magnetic field strength value multiple times. The current magnetic field strength value used as a reference is dynamically determined, and the stable maintenance time is dynamically re-recorded based on the new reference until the desired conditions are met. This makes it possible to evaluate stability more reliably. As a specific example, if the difference between the ambient magnetic field strength value and the current magnetic field strength value is sufficiently large, the current magnetic field strength value before re-determination can be recorded as the previously updated magnetic field strength value, and the corresponding previous update time can be recorded. Then, the current magnetic field strength value is re-determined, and it is determined whether the difference between the re-determined current magnetic field strength value and the previously updated magnetic field strength value is sufficiently large. If the difference is not sufficiently large, and the difference between the current time and the previous update time is sufficiently large, it is determined that the current magnetic field strength value is sufficiently stable. If the difference is sufficiently large, the previously updated magnetic field strength value is updated to the re-determined current magnetic field strength value, and the previous update time is updated to the current time, and the current magnetic field strength value is subsequently re-determined.

[0122] Before performing magnetic field self-detection, it is first necessary to confirm that there are no objects to be detected around the payment acceptance device, thereby avoiding any influence on the magnetic field self-detection results. Selectively, a Time of Flight (TOF) distance sensor can be placed on or near the payment acceptance device to detect distance data, and based on this distance data, it can be determined whether or not there are any objects to be detected around the payment acceptance device at present, thereby enabling magnetic field self-detection under the assumption that no objects are present. Similarly, it is also possible to first confirm whether or not the payment acceptance device itself is in motion, as motion can affect the reliability of the magnetic field self-detection results. Selectively, an angular velocity sensor can be placed on or near the payment acceptance device to detect angular velocity data, and based on this angular velocity data, it can be determined whether or not the payment acceptance device is currently in motion, thereby enabling magnetic field self-detection under the assumption that it has been confirmed that the device is not in motion.

[0123] If a distance sensor and / or angular velocity sensor are located on or near the payment acceptance device, the process may be selectively initiated after first determining, via the angular velocity sensor, that the sensing device is not currently in motion, and / or after first determining, via the distance sensor, that the sensing object is currently in close proximity to the payment acceptance device. In this way, it can be ensured that the magnetic field change is caused by the nearby sensing object, thereby increasing the reliability of subsequent decisions.

[0124] Through the above method, the system automatically adapts to nearby sensing targets and performs payment processing by switching between card reader mode and card emulation mode based on changes in the magnetic field strength around the payment acceptance device.

[0125] <Example 4> According to one embodiment, the controller of the payment acceptance device automatically switches between two operating modes based on a time interval. Specifically, the controller within the payment acceptance device can repeatedly perform mode switching at a fixed period T (hereinafter also referred to as the first period). In the first time period of the first period, the controller activates or starts up the first NFC module, thereby operating the payment acceptance device in card reader mode. In the second time period of the first period, the controller activates or starts up the second NFC module, thereby operating the payment acceptance device in card emulation mode. Figure 8A is a flowchart of the method disclosed in this embodiment.

[0126] Referring to Figure 8A, in the first time period, the payment acceptance device activates the first NFC module, operates in card reader mode, and forms a first radio frequency electromagnetic field by radiating a first radio frequency signal, and detects whether or not it has received first response information. In some scenarios, the first radio frequency signal radiated by the first NFC module is used only to construct the radio frequency electromagnetic field and does not carry communication request or command data. If a sensing object used for payment (e.g., an NFC bank card, a smartphone in card emulation mode, etc.) remains close to the payment acceptance device and enters the radio frequency electromagnetic field, the sensing object within the radio frequency electromagnetic field uses its internal oscillation circuit (usually composed of an inductor and a capacitor) to acquire radio frequency electromagnetic field energy and generate a sensing current. This sensing current can drive a communication chip within the sensing object, allowing it to transmit first response information, which the first NFC module can then capture. In some other scenarios, the first NFC module can modulate a first communication request into a radio frequency signal, radiate the radio frequency signal, and generate a first radio frequency electromagnetic field. A sensing target for payment located within a first radio frequency electromagnetic field drives its communication chip with a sensing current, demodulates the sensed radio frequency signal to obtain a first communication request, generates and radiates corresponding first response information in response to the first communication request, and the first NFC module can capture said response information.

[0127] Continuing to refer to the same figure, in the second time period, the payment acceptance device activates the second NFC module, thereby operating in card emulation mode and continuously detecting whether or not the second radio frequency signal has been received. In some scenarios, the second radio frequency signal may be a radio frequency signal radiated by an external sensing object and not containing a specific communication request. After receiving the radio frequency signal, the second NFC module drives its NFC chip to transmit response information, which may be general response information (e.g., handshake information, pre-configured payment acceptance store information, etc.). In other scenarios, the second radio frequency signal may be a radio frequency signal containing a specific communication request transmitted by an external sensing object through modulation, and the second NFC module drives its NFC chip to transmit response information (usually including store payment acceptance information) to respond to the communication request.

[0128] The above embodiment can be repeated, that is, the method is repeated in the first cycle, and by constantly switching between the two operating modes, it continuously detects or responds to sensing targets in close proximity to the payment acceptance device.

[0129] In the above embodiment, the first and second time zones may be set to be of equal length, or they may be customized based on specific communication demands and signal response sensitivity requirements.

[0130] In one implementation, the length of the first time zone is greater than the length of the second time zone. A payment acceptance device operating in card reader mode requires a certain waiting period after emitting a radio frequency signal until the sensing target returns response information. Accordingly, a payment acceptance device operating in card emulation mode only needs to directly detect whether or not a radio frequency signal emitted by another sensing target is present. Therefore, in this implementation, the time zone allocated for the payment acceptance device to operate in card reader mode (the first time zone) can be set to be longer than the time zone for operation in card emulation mode (the second time zone). As a specific example, the first time zone can be set to 500ms and the second time zone to 100ms.

[0131] As has been pointed out, short-range communication typically has the characteristics of a short communication distance and a fast communication response speed. Therefore, the time period for triggering the switching of the operating mode can be precisely set in milliseconds, but this does not mean that there are strict limitations on the setting of the time period. Depending on the differences in short-range communication technology adopted in the specific application scenario, the time period can be flexibly set based on the actual requirements. In some situations, a longer time period is required to ensure the stability and reliability of the communication, while in other situations, a shorter time period and a faster response speed are required to optimize the customer experience.

[0132] To illustrate this embodiment more clearly, Figure 8B shows a flowchart of a transaction process according to one embodiment. The store places an order for a transaction and transmits the relevant payment acceptance information to the payment acceptance device (the payment acceptance information may be entered by the store into the payment acceptance device, or it may be obtained by the payment acceptance device from the server side). At this point, the customer can start the payment, the payment method is determined by the customer, and when the customer brings the payment tool close to or touches the sensing area of ​​the payment acceptance device, the payment acceptance device automatically switches to the corresponding operating mode according to the payment method selected by the customer and performs NFC communication.

[0133] Referring to Figure 8B, the payment acceptance device preferentially operates in card reader mode and can actively detect other nearby sensing objects and initiate the payment acceptance flow. When a customer brings a payment tool close to or touches the sensing area of ​​the payment acceptance device, the payment acceptance device attempts to read the payment information of the payment tool in card reader mode. At this time, the payment acceptance device continuously attempts to send an APDU request, and if it succeeds in capturing an APDU response from the payment tool, it can complete the transaction based on the card information encapsulated in the response message.

[0134] If the payment acceptance device is unable to capture response information from another sensing object within a certain time, it switches to card emulation mode and expects to be activated by the radio frequency electromagnetic field of the other sensing object. When the payment acceptance device is activated by the radio frequency electromagnetic field of the payment tool, the payment acceptance device returns a response message containing payment acceptance information to the payment tool. In this scenario, the payment tool may be a smart terminal with NFC card reader functionality, and based on the received payment acceptance information, it transitions to the corresponding payment acceptance page (in some examples, it may be the corresponding payment application), displays it to the customer, and completes the transaction.

[0135] In another implementation of this embodiment, the first and second time zones can be customized based on time windows according to business requirements. For example, from 9:00 to 19:00 every day, the payment acceptance device is used as a card reading POS terminal, and during this time, the payment acceptance device needs to be set to card reader mode to process communications. On the other hand, from 19:00 to 9:00 the next day, the payment acceptance device needs to be identified as a payment tag by other reading devices, and during this time, it should be set to card emulation mode. Therefore, by setting the first time zone to correspond to 9:00 to 19:00, it is possible to ensure that the payment acceptance device operates efficiently as a reading POS terminal during this time, and by setting the second time zone to correspond to 19:00 to 9:00 the next day, it is possible to respond to requests to be read as a payment tag (virtual card) during that time.

[0136] As can be seen from the above explanation, the payment acceptance device can automatically switch operating modes under different conditions. In response to various operating modes, the payment acceptance device emits radio frequency signals to form a radio frequency electromagnetic field, thereby sensing corresponding response information or detecting radio frequency signals transmitted from other sensing targets in real time.

[0137] According to one embodiment, the payment acceptance device can stop the execution of the current cycle (the first cycle) before executing the payment-related target processing, and after the payment processing is completed, it starts the execution of the next cycle. In this embodiment, the payment acceptance device performs payment processing with an exclusive strategy, and during the payment acceptance processing, the payment acceptance device does not respond even if other sensing objects that are to be paid approach it. After the payment processing is completed, the payment acceptance device resumes switching the operating mode in the first cycle.

[0138] According to another embodiment, the payment acceptance device can perform payment processing using a parallel processing strategy, and in the process of payment acceptance processing, the payment acceptance device can simultaneously switch its operating mode in the first cycle and respond to other payment sensing targets in close proximity to itself, thereby realizing dual communication responses.

[0139] In addition, while one or more embodiments of this specification describe a method for controlling a payment receiving device that can be executed by a controller of the payment receiving device, the controller may be a controller within a smart device (e.g., a smartphone, smart terminal, etc.) that functions as a payment receiving device by executing a payment receiving application, or it may be a dedicated controller of the payment receiving device itself as dedicated hardware. Furthermore, the controller is not limited to a single control chip, but may consist of multiple control chips distributed throughout the payment receiving device, and may even include some circuits within an NFC chip. This specification does not limit the specific form of the controller.

[0140] The above describes a novel payment acceptance device and its control method based on one or more embodiments. By adopting the payment acceptance device and its control method provided in the embodiments of this specification, the payment acceptance device can simultaneously support card reader operation mode and card emulation operation mode. Thus, by using the same payment acceptance device, it is possible not only to complete payments by reading the customer's physical / virtual card as a card reader, but also to make payments by reading the customer's smart device as an NFC card or NFC tag. This significantly improves the compatibility of the payment acceptance device in short-range communication and contributes to improving the customer experience in payment scenarios.

[0141] The above describes a payment acceptance device and its control method provided by the embodiments of this specification. Based on the same concept, this specification further provides a control device for a payment acceptance device. In one embodiment, the control device can be implemented as a hardware circuit. In another embodiment, the control device can be implemented as payment acceptance software installed on a smart terminal. In this case, the control logic of the control device can be implemented by a software program.

[0142] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the logic structure of the control device within the payment acceptance device. As shown in the figure, the control device is

[0143] Under the first condition, the first operating module 901 is configured to emit a first radio frequency signal, detect first response information, and obtain customer payment information from the first response information by operating the first NFC module in card reader mode,

[0144] The second operating module 902 is configured to transmit second response information, including store payment acceptance information, in response to sensing a second radio frequency signal by operating the second NFC module in card emulation mode under the second condition.

[0145] The first operating module 901 and the second operating module 902 can work together to perform all or some of the steps of the control method for the payment acceptance device described above, which will not be explained again here.

[0146] As should be noted further, in this specification, the terms "first" in "condition first," "first time," etc., and the corresponding "second," "third" (if any), etc., are for the sole purpose of distinction and explanation and do not have any restrictive meaning.

[0147] The above describes specific embodiments of this specification, but other embodiments are included in the appended claims. In some cases, the operations or steps described in the claims may be performed in a different order than in the embodiments, and the desired results may still be obtained. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the accompanying drawings do not necessarily require the specific order or sequence shown to obtain the desired results. In some embodiments, multitasking or parallel processing may be possible or advantageous.

[0148] As those skilled in the art will understand, in one or more of the above examples, the functions described in the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented by software, these functions can be stored in a computer-readable medium or transmitted as one or more commands or codes on a computer-readable medium.

[0149] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the above are merely specific embodiments of the embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made based on the technical solutions of the present invention should all be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A payment acceptance device comprising a controller, a first NFC module, and a second NFC module, wherein the first NFC module and the second NFC module operate under the control of the controller. The first NFC module is configured to operate in card reader mode, emit a first radio frequency signal, detect first response information, and acquire customer payment information based on the first response information. A payment acceptance device wherein the second NFC module operates in card emulation mode and is configured to transmit second response information, including store payment acceptance information, in response to sensing a second radio frequency signal.

2. The first NFC module and the second NFC module are independent physical modules. The first NFC module is provided at a position corresponding to the first sensing area of ​​the payment acceptance device and includes a first NFC chip and a first NFC antenna. The payment acceptance device according to claim 1, wherein the second NFC module is provided at a position corresponding to the second sensing area of ​​the payment acceptance device and includes a second NFC chip and a second NFC antenna.

3. The payment acceptance device according to claim 2, wherein the controller operates the first NFC module and the second NFC module simultaneously in response to receiving a payment acceptance command.

4. The second NFC module is, In response to sensing the second radio frequency signal, it is determined whether the second radio frequency signal is the first radio frequency signal emitted from the first NFC module. The payment acceptance device according to claim 2, configured to transmit the second response information when it is determined that the second radio frequency signal is not the first radio frequency signal.

5. The payment acceptance device according to claim 1, wherein the first NFC module and the second NFC module are composed of the same NFC module, and the same NFC module operates as the first NFC module or the second NFC module based on the control signal of the controller.

6. The aforementioned controller, In response to receiving the first setting command, the first control signal is transmitted to the same NFC module, and, In response to receiving a second setting command, it is configured to transmit a second control signal to the same NFC module. The same NFC module mentioned above, In response to receiving the first control signal, it operates as the first NFC module, and, The payment acceptance device according to claim 5, configured to operate as the second NFC module in response to receiving the second control signal.

7. The payment acceptance device according to claim 6, wherein the first setting command and / or second setting command are provided to the controller in response to a setting of the operating mode of the payment acceptance device by the store or customer.

8. The same NFC module mentioned above, In its default state, it operates as the first NFC module, and in response to a switching signal from the controller, it switches to operating as the second NFC module, or The payment acceptance device according to claim 5, configured to operate as the second NFC module in a default state and to switch to operating as the first NFC module in response to a switching signal from the controller.

9. The same NFC module mentioned above, It operates as the first NFC module and, using the first radio frequency signal, sends a first request to operate as the second NFC module and request to complete the payment, and The payment acceptance device according to claim 5, configured to switch to operating as the second NFC module and transmit the second response information in response to receiving an acknowledgment for the first request.

10. The same NFC module further, The payment acceptance device according to claim 9, configured to, if the acknowledgment is not received, to use the first radio frequency signal to send a second request requesting to operate as the first NFC module and complete the payment.

11. The payment acceptance device according to claim 9, wherein the first request includes an application identifier of an application module that can interact with the second NFC module to complete the payment.

12. The second request includes a request for information about available applications that can interact with the first NFC module to complete a payment, or The payment acceptance device according to claim 10, wherein the second request includes an application identifier of an application module that can interact with the first NFC module to complete the payment.

13. The same NFC module mentioned above, It operates as the first NFC module and uses the first radio frequency signal to send a second request to operate as the first NFC module and complete the payment, and The payment acceptance device according to claim 5, which, in response to receiving an acknowledgment for the second request, acquires the customer's payment information based on the acknowledgment.

14. The same NFC module further, The payment acceptance device according to claim 13, configured to, if the acknowledgment is not received, to use the first radio frequency signal to send a first request to operate as the second NFC module and request to complete the payment.

15. The same NFC module mentioned above, It operates as the first NFC module and, using the first radio frequency signal, sends a second request to request that it operate as the first NFC module and complete the payment. Based on the acknowledgment of the second request, in response to determining that the object of the dialogue is a specific digital wallet, the first radio frequency signal is used to send a first request requesting to operate as the second NFC module and complete the payment, and The payment acceptance device according to claim 5, configured to switch to operating as the second NFC module and transmit the second response information in response to receiving an acknowledgment for the first request.

16. The payment acceptance device further includes a magnetic field sensor, The aforementioned controller, In response to the fact that the amplitude of the change in magnetic field strength determined based on the magnetic field data detected by the magnetic field sensor is less than a first threshold, a first control signal is transmitted to the same NFC module, and, The system is configured to transmit a second control signal to the same NFC module in response to the amplitude of the magnetic field strength change being greater than a second threshold. The same NFC module mentioned above, In response to receiving the first control signal, it operates as the first NFC module, and, The payment acceptance device according to claim 5, configured to operate as the second NFC module in response to receiving the second control signal.

17. The same NFC module mentioned above, In the first time period of the first cycle, it operates as the first NFC module, and, The payment acceptance device according to claim 5, configured to operate as the second NFC module in a second time period of the first cycle that is different from the first time period.

18. A control method for a payment acceptance device, wherein the payment acceptance device includes a first NFC module and a second NFC module, and the control method is Under the first condition, the first NFC module is operated in card reader mode to emit a first radio frequency signal, detect first response information, and acquire customer payment information based on the first response information. A method for controlling the payment acceptance device, comprising: operating the second NFC module in card emulation mode under a second condition, thereby transmitting second response information including store payment acceptance information in response to sensing a second radio frequency signal.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first NFC module and the second NFC module are independent modules, and both the first and second conditions receive a settlement acceptance command.

20. The first NFC module and the second NFC module are composed of the same NFC module, and either the first condition or the second condition is met. The method according to claim 18, wherein if the first condition is met, the same NFC module is operated as the first NFC module, and if the second condition is met, the same NFC module is operated as the second NFC module.

21. The first condition is the received first setting command, and the second condition is the received second setting command. The method according to claim 20, wherein the first setting command and / or second setting command are provided to the payment receiving device in response to a setting of the operating mode of the payment receiving device by a store or a customer.

22. Under the first condition, operating the first NFC module in card reader mode is: In the default state, the same NFC module is operated as the first NFC module, and a first request is sent to request that it operate as the second NFC module and complete the payment using the first radio frequency signal. If no acknowledgment is received for the first request, the same NFC module is operated as the first NFC module, and a second request is sent using the first radio frequency signal to request that the NFC module operate as the first NFC module and complete the payment. Under the second condition, operating the second NFC module in card emulation mode is: The method according to claim 20, comprising switching the same NFC module to operate as the second NFC module in response to receiving the acknowledgment, and transmitting the second response information.

23. Under the first condition, operating the first NFC module in card reader mode is: In the default state, the same NFC module is operated as the first NFC module, and a second request is sent using the first radio frequency signal to request that the NFC module operate as the first NFC module and complete the payment. In response to receiving an acknowledgment for the second request, the same NFC module is made to operate as the first NFC module, and the customer's payment information is obtained based on the acknowledgment. If the aforementioned acknowledgment is not received, the same NFC module is operated as the first NFC module, and a first request is sent using the first radio frequency signal to request that it operate as the second NFC module and complete the payment. Under the second condition, operating the second NFC module in card emulation mode is: The method according to claim 20, comprising switching the same NFC module to operate as the second NFC module in response to receiving the acknowledgment for the first request, and transmitting the second response information.

24. Under the first condition, operating the first NFC module in card reader mode is: In the default state, the same NFC module is operated as the first NFC module, and a second request is sent using the first radio frequency signal to request that the NFC module operate as the first NFC module and complete the payment. The process includes, in response to determining, based on the acknowledgment of the second request, that the interaction target is a specific digital wallet, causing the same NFC module to operate as the first NFC module and, using the first radio frequency signal, sending a first request to request that it operate as the second NFC module and complete the payment, Under the second condition, operating the second NFC module in card emulation mode is: The method according to claim 20, comprising switching the same NFC module to operate as the second NFC module in response to receiving the acknowledgment for the first request, and transmitting the second response information.

25. The first condition is that the amplitude of the change in magnetic field strength around the payment acceptance device is less than a first threshold. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second condition is that the amplitude of the change in magnetic field strength around the payment acceptance device is greater than the second threshold.

26. The control method described above is executed repeatedly in the first cycle. The first condition is that it is the first time period of the first cycle. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second condition is a second time period of the first cycle that is different from the first time period.

27. A computer program product comprising a computer program / instruction, wherein, when the computer program / instruction is executed by a processor, a step according to any one of claims 18 to 26 is realized.

28. A control device within a payment acceptance device, wherein the payment acceptance device includes a first NFC module and a second NFC module, and the control device is A first operating module is configured to operate the first NFC module in card reader mode under first conditions, thereby emitting a first radio frequency signal, detecting first response information, and acquiring customer payment information based on the first response information. A control device within a payment acceptance device, comprising: a second operating module configured to transmit second response information, including store payment acceptance information, in response to sensing a second radio frequency signal by operating the second NFC module in card emulation mode under second conditions;

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