WO2020034013A1

WO2020034013A1 - Apparatus, system and method for facilitating transactions

Info

Publication number: WO2020034013A1
Application number: PCT/AU2019/050871
Authority: WO
Inventors: Admir NASIC
Original assignee: Safe2Pay Pty Limited
Priority date: 2018-08-17
Filing date: 2019-08-19
Publication date: 2020-02-20

Abstract

A method and apparatus for facilitating a transaction, hosting plurality of separate transaction processes. The apparatus includes a processor, a memory, an operating 5 system arranged to support transaction processes, and a container module, arranged to host a plurality of separate transaction types and processes.

Description

Apparatus, System and Method for Facilitating Transactions

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method for facilitating transactions, and,

particularly, but not exclusively, to an apparatus, system and method for facilitating financial transactions at point of sale.

Background of the Invention It is very well known to implement transactions utilising computer networks. Transaction information and messaging is provided over the computer network to facilitate transactions such as, for example, financial transactions for payments for goods and services. For example, it is well known to prosecute card (credit, debit, or other) transactions at point of sale (POS) to pay for product (goods and/or services). Such

transactions are facilitated by well-known EFTPOS

(electronic funds transfer point of sale) devices. These devices are arranged to process transaction details, including secure card numbers, for example, and generate secure messaging for transmission over transaction networks. The messaging may be encrypted. In a typical transaction, transaction details (e.g. card details, transaction amount, merchant identifier, product identifier etc.) are provided to the POS device. The POS device generates messaging including these details that is then passed on to a payment network. The payment network may comprise a number of parties, including transaction acquirer, card or (other account) issuer, card association, and other potential parties. The transaction processing network operates to settle the account and a number of messages are passed around the network

(including to and from the POS device) .

As well as card-type payments (debit, credit, charge or other) other payment systems are available, such as tokenised payment systems (Apple Pay™, Samsung Pay™, and others) . These payment systems are "tokenised" which aims to improve security. Among the first tokenised payment systems was a system created by Safepay Australia Pty Ltd. The content of Safepay Australian Patent No. 2002010077 is incorporated herein by reference. This describes a tokenised payment system where a random token is generated for each transaction.

Each of these different types of payment processes may need to be processed by different processing nodes on a network, or even by different network channels. For example, processing payments via tokenised Apple Pay™ or Samsung Pay™ processes requires transmission of messaging across networks to servers or computing systems associated with the Apple Pay™ and Samsung Pay™ payment systems, as well as interaction with merchant systems and payment systems .

Typically, EFTPOS terminals are provided to a merchant and associated with a particular financial institution who will act as the transaction acquirer. For example, in Australia, EFTPOS terminals may be associated with one or more of the banks so that any transaction at the merchant via the particular EFTPOS terminal will be routed over the transaction network with the associated financial institution as the transaction acquirer. These EFTPOS terminals are provided with software/firmware and hardware which will generally have fairly limited

functionality and will be associated with the transaction processing types allowed by the transaction acquirer associated with the EFTPOS terminal. For example, many EFTPOS terminals are able to transact card payments associated with the major card associations e.g. Visa™, Mastercard™, etc. They may also transact debit cards associated with the major financial institutions that conform to the particular transaction network, and are able to be processed by the transaction acquirer.

In addition to conventional EFTPOS systems are systems that might use other devices such as tablet computers or laptop to enable transactions through a payment gateway hosted on a network accessible server.

Current EFTPOS terminals generally allow for only a limited number of transaction processing types, generally card (debtor credit) associated processes and some digital wallets. Where users rely on other processing types, then separate terminals may need to be provided. For example, WeChat Pay™ is only available on a WeChat Pay™ terminal, so that a separate terminal needs to be displayed by a retailer in addition to the EFTPOS terminal. Similarly, specific terminals may be required for many applications, such as AliPay™, and third party payment providers.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for facilitating a transaction, comprising a processor, a memory, an

operating system arranged to support transaction

processes, and a container module, arranged to host a plurality of separate transaction types and processes.

In an embodiment, each of the separate transaction processes may implement different transaction processing types and/or implement transactions via different channels. For example, types of transactions that may be implemented comprise financial transactions, loyalty transactions (for loyalty points, for example), and other types. They may comprise tokenised transactions or non- tokenised transactions or other proprietary processes such as, for example, WeChatPay™, AliPay™, Apple Pay™, and others. Different applications may require different communication channels. For example, WeChatPay™ may require communication via different nodes through

different hosts located geographically separate from nodes and/or channels used by other transaction processing- types .

An apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention provides a "generic" or agnostic transaction terminal which can host and implement a number of

different transaction processes. This has the advantage of not requiring separate transaction terminals or hardware, as is often the case with the prior art where different transaction process-types are required to be serviced at point of sale, for example, and therefore different payment terminals must be provided. Instead, a number of different transaction processes may be

aggregated by the same apparatus.

In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a user interface, which is arranged to generate a menu enabling selection of one or more transaction process from the available transaction processes.

In an embodiment, the apparatus enables loading of transaction processes into the container module, whereby further transaction processes may be added to the

apparatus from time to time.

In an embodiment, the container module is quarantined and separated from the operating system (which in an embodiment is an operating system particularly designed for payments transactions) .

Advantageously, the payment processes housed in the quarantined container module are therefore aggregated within a secure quarantined environment.

One of the problems with current transaction

terminals (e.g. EFTPOS terminals) is with regard to security. If they are hacked, for example, then all the system is hacked, including the payments operating system, immediately exposing and compromising the integrity of the system and even the system of the financial institution that may support the particular transaction process.

Advantageously, in this embodiment, the transaction processes are secure in the quarantined container module, and even if one of the processes is hacked, the

hacker/weakness does not flow through automatically to the operating system, which may therefore remain

uncompromised.

In an embodiment, the container module is also isolated from the apparatus hardware.

In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a base module supporting a base payment process. The base payment process may be associated with a main host, such as a main transaction acquirer, for example. The base module may be outside the container module, in this embodiment .

In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a tokenisation module arranged to support a tokenisation transaction application. The tokenisation transaction application is arranged to tokenise secure information, such as account identifiers, during transaction

processing. In an embodiment, the transaction module also supports a communications core process, which is arranged for communications relating to the tokenisation

application .

In an embodiment, the apparatus is also arranged to support other computer processes. The other computer processes may be housed in the container module. In an embodiment, other computer processes may be any computer process, which may implement any use case/business need. For example, in an embodiment, a computer process may comprise an inventory system process that logs every purchase/transaction made, notwithstanding that the transaction may occur via different ones of the plurality of separate transaction processes.

In this embodiment, rather than separate devices, the terminal apparatus may become a business enablement tool, which not only can deal with transactions, but also with other business needs and requirements of an organisation.

In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a device which is arranged to be used at the point of sale (POS) at a merchant's premises, for example.

In accordance with a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of facilitating transactions, comprising the step of hosting a plurality of separate transaction processes, by a single host, and selecting one or more of the transaction processes to process a

transaction, depending upon user preference for the transaction process.

In an embodiment, the plurality of separate

transaction processes are hosted by a host device, the host device also comprising an operating system, and the separate transaction processes being contained securely and separately from the operating system. In accordance with a third aspect, the present invention provides a computer program, comprising

instructions for controlling a computer to implement an apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention .

In accordance with a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a non-volatile computer readable medium, providing a computer program in accordance with the third aspect of the invention.

In accordance with a fifth aspect, the present invention provides the data signal, comprising a computer program in accordance with the third aspect of the invention .

Brief Description of the Drawings

Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of

embodiments thereof, by way of example only, with

reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a schematic functional diagram

illustrating structure and operation of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of components of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and

Figures 3 to 7 are views of an apparatus in

accordance with an embodiment of the invention, showing various interface screens illustrating operation of the apparatus . Detailed Description of Embodiments Referring to Figure 1, an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 1. The apparatus 1 comprises a housing 2 which mounts circuitry (not shown) for facilitating transaction processes, in this example generally financial transaction processes. The circuitry comprises one or more processors, memory and an operating system 3 which is arranged to support transaction processes . In this example embodiment, the operating system may be in the form of software supported by the device 2, and the transaction processes may also be implemented by software applications supported by the device 2. The operating system 3 and computer transaction processes may facilitate the processing of financial transactions and other transactions, as will be explained in detail later. In an embodiment, the operating system 3 may be any of the known operating systems provided for operation of EFTPOS terminals, such as INGENICO™ operating system, or any other operating system that can support transaction processing .

The apparatus 1 further comprises a container module 4, in this example in the form of a "shell" that hosts a plurality of separate transaction processes (shown in Figure 1 as "App 1", "App 2 etc.) .

In this embodiment, a diverse number of transaction processes may therefore implement different types of transaction processes, allowing the device 2 to operate with users types different transaction processing types.

In this example, the shell 4 is separate and

quarantined from the operating system 3, and also other software and hardware in the apparatus 1. This increases security of the apparatus. For example, if security of the shell is breached via hacking into one of the Apps, the integrity of the operating system is still maintained.

As well as transaction processes, Apps may also be hosted that support other uses and business needs. For example, accounting, catalogues/menus, inventory/stock management, bookings, rosters etc.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing components of the apparatus 1 of Figure 1. The apparatus 1 comprises one or more processing units (CPUs) 10; memory 11, which may include volatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as various types of RAM memories and solid-state memories; a local communications interface 12, which may include circuitry implementing one or more local communication processes for communications with cards, smart phones, etc., such as near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth etc.); and a network communications facility 13 for communicating over a network 19, such as the Internet or other telecommunications network.

The apparatus 1 also comprises a user interface 14, which, in this embodiment, comprises a keyboard 15 and touch screen 16. Note that in embodiments the keyboard may be dispensed with and a keyboard implemented by the touch screen 16. Alternatively, the touch screen may be replaced by a conventional display unit, and keyboard used for user input .

The processor 10 and memory 11 store and support computer processes for processing data, and including the modules shown in Figure 1 and generally designated by reference numeral 20, in order to implement functionality of the apparatus 1. The computer processes may be implemented as separate modules, which may share common foundations such as routines and sub-routines. The computer processes may be implemented in any suitable way and are not limited to separate modules. Any

software/hardware architecture that implements the functionality may be utilised.

Referring again to Figure 1, the apparatus 1

implements a "generic" transaction terminal which can host and implement a number of different transaction processing types, as well as having the capacity to host Applications with other functions. A number of different payment and non-payment transaction processes may be aggregated in the shell 4, as well as other transaction processes being supported in the rest of the stack 20.

As well as the operating system 3, in this

embodiment, a base module provides a base transaction process 4. The base transaction process 4 may be a type of transaction process typically provided on EFTPOS devices and associated with the "main" transaction acquirer which may be a financial institution (FI) 50.

The FI may be a bank or any other financial institution. The base transaction process 4 communicates with the FI 50 via usual communications pathways . The usual

communications pathway may comprise any network.

Conventional transactions supported by the FI 50, such as debit and credit card processing may be carried out by the base transaction process 4 supported by the operating system 3. The FI 50 will usually operate as the

transaction acquirer for these transactions. The FI system 50 may communicate with systems of a card

association and other financial providers (51, 52, 53) to implement credit and debit transactions, in the usual manner .

In addition, the FI system 50 may be arranged to implement other types of payment processes, such as those using payment apps on smart phones (e.g. Apple Pay™) . An Apple Pay system 54 is shown schematically in Figure 1.

The system 54 communicates with the FI 50 in the

conventional manner.

The terminal 2 may communicate with cards 60 smart phone apps 62 in the conventional, local communications, manner (e.g. NFC, Bluetooth, etc.).

In addition to the operating system 3 and base transaction process 5, in this embodiment, a tokenisation module 6 is supported by the apparatus 1. A tokenisation process may be implemented by a tokenisation system such as that provided by Safe2Pay™, or any other tokenisation process. The tokenisation app is arranged to communicate with a tokenisation infrastructure which may provide tokens in response to a request from a smart phone 61 carrying the smart phone tokenisation app 64. In response to the smart phone requesting a transaction, the

tokenisation apps on the smartphone and in the terminal 2 communicate with a tokenisation infrastructure 65 and the token is provided for the purposes of each transaction.

For example, the token for the transaction can replace the secure account details (e.g. card number) and optionally other transaction data. Tokenisation infrastructure 65 may also communicate with the FI 50 if the FI 50 is responsible for acquiring the transaction, for example.

The tokenisation infrastructure 65 may detokenise the account number (and any other transaction data embedded in the token as required by the FI for the transaction) , and provide it to the FI for processing of the payment transaction . The stack 20 also comprises a core communications module 7 which is arranged to manage communications, mainly for the tokenisation process 6.

The shell 4 can contain any number of separate transaction computer processes, each of which may

facilitate operation of a different transaction

processing-type. Although supported by the device 1 and operating system 3, these applications 21 may use

different communications channels, implement different transaction processes, and may not rely on the operating system 3. The shell is quarantined from the hardware, the operating system 3 and other software on the apparatus 1. This increases security, while allowing as many Apps as required to be loaded. The quarantine enables software to support a wide variety of payment types - for example apps for communication with the various user side devices and service providers for each of the payment types. This enables obtaining the required data for the transaction via these services for passing to the platform/core transaction processing modules.

New Apps with new functionality may be loaded on to the device depending on business needs. These need not be Apps relating to transaction processing, but could be other Apps. For example, and App could be provided for liaising with accounting systems of a proprietor of a retail outlet. The retail outlet may require the option to use a number of different payment processes and the apparatus 1 can do this in a single terminal (as discussed above) . The proprietor may require reconciliation of each transaction, however, to their single account system. An App may be loaded which ties in to the inventory and accounts system and logs every transaction, notwithstanding which transaction process was implemented. Other Apps may be loaded for any business use or

application .

This embodiment has the advantage of implementing a multifunctional device which can, in a secure manner, host any number of Apps and therefore operate as a business applications device as well as a payment processor. A single device can therefore provide many business

functions and payment transaction functions, in a single apparatus .

In this embodiment, where the tokenisation process 6 is Safe2Pay™, a corresponding app (Safe2Pay app) is incorporated in the shell 4.

The apps 21 may implement any payment process.

Figure 1 illustrates the potential for apps to interface with the AliPay™ infrastructure 70, WeChatPay™

infrastructure 71, and others. Apps may also be provided for loyalty points transactions, interfacing with loyalty points provider's infrastructure 72. Also shown is an accommodation provider system (e.g. hotels or other rental residencies) 73 which may communicate with an

accommodation transaction app 21 accommodated by the shell 4. For example, transactions for payment for hotel rooms and hotel services may be implemented utilising the apparatus 1.

The touch screen 16 may provide a menu for user input, the menu listing the different transaction

processes that are supported by the stack 20, for

selection by the user.

In an embodiment, further applications may be loaded to the shell, enabling adaptation of the apparatus 1 to incorporate further transaction processes. Figures 3 through 7 show a representation of an apparatus in accordance with this embodiment, showing various "screen" interfaces that may be presented. Figure 3 shows a menu, from which an item "Transactions" may be selected.

Figure 4 shows a list of types of transactions process that may be selected from (in this case Safe2Pay™, WeChatPay™, and AliPay™) . In an example of a transaction process, a user selects the payment method to use from the list of transaction types (for example as shown in Figure 4) . Selection of the payment type opens the appropriate App 21 in the container module shell 4. The payment amount is entered (this may be manual or automatically entered via integration with instore transaction register systems) . The payment transaction is then executed in accordance with the selected payment process. Where the selected payment process is via an external payment provider, such as WeChatPay™, the payment is processed under control of the selected app via the container module shell. Thus, the transaction is quarantined from the base transaction processes. Where the payment transaction is a conventional

EFTPOS style transaction or tokenised transaction, data is passed via the App from the shell to the base transaction module or tokenised transaction module and the transaction is processed via these core transaction modules.

Figure 5 illustrates an output in the form of a paper printout 100. As well as listing the transaction details 101, the printout 100 also displays the identity 102 of the transaction processing application utilised for the transaction.

Figure 6 shows a display which enables an amount to be entered and Figure 7 shows operation of a tokenised payment process, to produce a QR code 110, that can be scanned by a user's mobile device, to implement

tokenisation of a payment process.

It will be appreciated that many other displays can be produced by the apparatus 1, not just those shown in Figures 3 to 7, depending upon the applications hosted and operating on the apparatus 1.

The apparatus 1 is designed to be used at point of sale (POS) for example to substitute a conventional EFTPOS terminal. Thus, embodiments can provide a single payment terminal or device which integrates multiple different types of payment processes. In an embodiment it is constructed as a dedicated payment terminal. The payment terminal may also include integrated NFC or card readers, QR or bar code readers etc. The invention is not limited to this, however. In other embodiments, other processing apparatus can be programmed to operate as the payment terminal. General computers may be programmed to operate as the payment terminal. Any computer system architecture may be utilised to implement the payment terminal, with associated software/hardware. For example, an interface may be provided at point of sale and the functionality of the terminal may be provided by a remote computer, such as a Cloud computer, or any other architecture.

Invention is not limited to embodiments only used at point of sale. Other embodiments may process transactions online. For example, a terminal may be emulated over the network to implement transaction processes for on-line transactions .

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

1. An apparatus for facilitating a transaction

comprising a processor, a memory, an operating system arranged to support transaction processes, and a container module, arranged to host a plurality of separate transaction types and processes.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the separate transaction processes may implement different transaction processing-types.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the separate transaction processes may implement transactions via different channels.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, 2 or 3,

comprising a user interface, which is arranged to generate a menu enabling selection of one or more transaction processes from the available transaction processes .

5. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the

preceding claims, which enables loading of

transaction processes into the container module, whereby further transaction processes may be added.

6. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the

preceding claims, further comprising a base module supporting a base payment process.

7. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the

preceding claims, further comprising a tokenisation module arranged to support a tokenisation transaction application .

8. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the

preceding claims, wherein the container module is quarantined from the operating system, whereby to enhance security.

9. An apparatus in accordance with any one of the

preceding claims, which enables loading of

application processes other than transaction

processes into the container module, for implementing other application functionality.

10. A method off facilitating transactions, comprising the steps of hosting a plurality of separate

transaction processes, by a single host, and

selecting one or more of the transaction processes to process a transaction, depending upon user selection of the transaction process.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the transaction processes are mounted in a container module, which is quarantined from an operating system and other software of an apparatus mounting the container module.

12. A computer program, comprising instructions for

controlling a computer to implement an apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. A non-volatile computer readable medium, providing a computer program in accordance with claim 12.

14. A data signal, comprising a computer program in

accordance with claim 12.