Secure remotely configurable point of sale terminal

Abstract

The embodiment(s) relate to a method of remotely configuring a Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminal. The method includes generating, at a merchant device, payment information based on a transaction input, signing the generated payment information with a private key, and transmitting the signed payment information and a public key certificate signed by a certificate authority to the PoS terminal for validation of the payment information at the PoS terminal using the public key certificate. The PoS terminal configures a terminal profile of the PoS terminal according to instructions received in the payment information from the merchant device when the payment information is validated at the PoS terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of remotely configuring a Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminal, the method comprising:
 generating, at a merchant device, payment information based on a transaction input;   signing the generated payment information with a private key; and   transmitting the signed payment information and a first public key certificate signed by a certificate authority to the PoS terminal for validation of the payment information at the PoS terminal using the first public key certificate,   wherein the PoS terminal configures a terminal profile of the PoS terminal according to instructions received in the payment information from the merchant device when the payment information is validated at the PoS terminal.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising encrypting the signed payment information and the first public key certificate before transmitting the signed payment information and the first public key certificate using a second public key certificate of one of the PoS terminal and an acquiring bank. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first public key certificate is a public key certificate associated with the merchant device, and
 the merchant device transmits the signed payment information and the merchant public key certificate to the PoS terminal.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the PoS terminal validates the merchant public key certificate using a public key certificate of the certificate authority. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the PoS terminal uses the merchant public key certificate to validate the payment information when the merchant public key certificate is validated. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the private key is a private key of the merchant device,
 the signing the generated payment information with the private key comprises signing, by the merchant device, the generated payment information with the private key of the merchant device, and   the transmitting the signed payment information comprises transmitting the signed payment information directly from the merchant device to the PoS terminal.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the merchant device, the signed payment information to an acquiring bank prior to the signed payment information being transmitted to the PoS terminal. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the first public key certificate is a public key certificate of the acquiring bank. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising validating, at the acquiring bank, the signed payment information with a public key certificate associated with the merchant device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the private key is a private key of the acquiring bank, and
 the signing the generated payment information with the private key comprises signing, by the acquiring bank, the payment information with the private key of the acquiring bank when the payment information is validated by the acquiring bank.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the transmitting the signed payment information and the public key certificate comprises transmitting, by the acquiring bank, the signed payment information and the acquiring bank public key certificate directly to the PoS terminal. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the PoS terminal validates the acquiring bank public key certificate using a public key certificate of the certificate authority. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the PoS terminal uses the acquiring bank public key certificate to validate the payment information when the acquiring bank public key certificate is validated. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the PoS terminal configures the terminal profile for one transaction based on the instructions received in the payment information. 
     
     
         15 . A method of remotely configuring a Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminal, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the PoS terminal, signed payment information signed with a private key and a public key certificate signed by a certificate authority;   validating, at the PoS terminal, the payment information using the public key certificate; and   configuring, at the PoS terminal, a terminal profile of the PoS terminal according to instructions received in the payment information from a merchant device when the payment information is validated at the PoS terminal.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the private key is a private key of the merchant device, the generated payment information being signed with the private key of the merchant device and being transmitted directly from the merchant device to the PoS terminal,
 the public key certificate is a public key certificate associated with the merchant device, and   the validating the payment information comprises
 validating the merchant public key certificate using a public key certificate of the certificate authority, the merchant public key certificate being received from the merchant device, and 
 validating the payment information using the merchant public key certificate when the merchant public key certificate is validated. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the signed payment information is validated with a public key certificate associated with the merchant device at an acquiring bank,
 the private key is a private key of the acquiring bank, the payment information received at the PoS terminal being signed with the private key of the acquiring bank when the payment information is validated by the acquiring bank, and   the public key certificate received at the PoS terminal is a public key certificate of the acquiring bank received from the acquiring bank directly at the PoS terminal.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the validating the payment information comprises
 validating the acquiring bank public key certificate using the public key certificate of the certificate authority, and   validating the payment information using the acquiring bank public key certificate when the acquiring bank public key certificate is validated.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the configuring the terminal profile comprises configuring the terminal profile for one transaction based on the instructions received in the payment information. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising automatically reconfiguring, by the PoS terminal, the terminal profile with a default terminal profile after payment processing is completed in accordance with payment instructions presented at the PoS terminal. 
     
     
         21 . A method of remotely configuring a Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminal, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the merchant device, a transaction input;   generating, at the merchant device, payment information based on the transaction input;   signing the generated payment information with a private key;   transmitting the signed payment information and a public key certificate signed by a certificate authority to the PoS terminal;   validating, at the PoS terminal, the public key certificate using a public key certificate of the certificate authority;   validating, at the PoS terminal, the payment information using the certificate authority-signed public key certificate; and   configuring, at the PoS terminal, a terminal profile of the PoS terminal according to instructions received in the payment information when the payment information is validated at the PoS terminal.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the signed payment information and the certificate authority-signed public key certificate are transmitted from the merchant device, the certificate authority-signed public key certificate being a public key certificate of the merchant device. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the signed payment information and the certificate authority-signed public key certificate are transmitted from the acquiring bank, the certificate authority-signed public key certificate being a public key certificate of the acquiring bank.