System for interfacing a client device with a point of sale system

Abstract

An information technology system taking the form of a management console, central server, point of sale system, software running on a point of sale system and software running on a customer's mobile phone. The software on the customer's mobile phone lets a customer interact with the point of sale system, allowing the customer to view a pending economic transaction, optionally add or remove items to the transaction, and pay for the transaction using payment information stored on the mobile phone.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A computer readable medium comprising a set of instruction, the set of instruction when executed to cause a processor to:
 receive a request to connect to a tab with a merchant;   establish a communication session between a client device and a point of sale system at a location of the merchant in response to the request to open the tab;   determine that the tab is open in response to the communication session being established;   receive, at the client device, real-time information from the point of sale system about the tab while the tab is open, wherein the real-time information includes items added to the tab; and   display the real-time information on a display device of the client device.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , further to cause the processor to:
 receive a request to pay the tab;   provide a payment request in response to the request to pay the tab; and   receive an approval/denial message in response to the payment request being provided.   
     
     
         21 . The computer readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the payment request is provided to the point of sale system at the location of the merchant. 
     
     
         22 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein a tab is opened with the merchant in response to a tab not currently being open when the request to connect to the tab is received. 
     
     
         23 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , further to cause the processor to:
 provide a form of payment to the point of sale system prior to the determination that the tab is open.   
     
     
         24 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , further to cause the processor to:
 provide, to a central server, a query to request a list of merchants within a specific distance from the client device;   receive a list of merchants in response to the query; and   display the list of merchants on a display device of the client device.   
     
     
         25 . The computer readable medium of  claim 24 , further to cause the processor to:
 sort the list of merchants according to distances from the client device prior to the list of merchants being displayed on the display device of the client device.   
     
     
         26 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , further to cause the processor to:
 receive a request to modify a proposed gratuity associated with the tab; and   update a gratuity amount to equal the modified proposed gratuity.   
     
     
         27 . A computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions, the set of instructions when executed to cause a processor to:
 receive a request to establish a communication session from a client device;   provide a session identifier and transaction identifier to the client device in response to the request to establish the communication session;   receive an encrypted form of payment from the client device;   create a tab in response to the form of payment being received;   identify the tab as open in response to an indication that an alphanumeric code displayed on the client device matches an alphanumeric code displayed on a display screen of point of sale system; and   provide, to the client device, real-time information about the tab while the tab is open, wherein the real-time information includes items added to the tab.   
     
     
         28 . The computer readable medium of  claim 27 , further to cause the processor to:
 receive a payment request associated with the tab;   process the payment form for the bill in response to the payment request; and   provide an approval/denial message to the client device in response to the payment form being processed.   
     
     
         29 . The computer readable medium of  claim 27 , further to cause the processor to:
 communicate with a central server;   generate a private encryption key; and   provide the private encryption key and a signature for the private encryption key to the central server to establish a secure communication with the central server.   
     
     
         30 . The computer readable medium of  claim 27 , further to cause the processor to:
 receive a signature and certificate from the client device in the request to establish the communication session; and   authenticate the client device based on the signature and the certificate prior to the session identifier and the transaction identifier.   
     
     
         31 . The computer readable medium of  claim 27 , further to cause the processor to:
 pre-authorize the form of payment prior to the tab being created.   
     
     
         32 . The computer readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the alphanumeric code is a first and last name associated with the form of payment. 
     
     
         33 . The computer readable medium of  claim 27 , wherein the payment request includes the session identifier, the transaction identifier, and a payment amount for the tab. 
     
     
         34 . A server comprising:
 a memory to store a list of enrolled merchants; and   a processor to communicate with the memory, the processor to receive, from a management console computer, a private encryption key and a signature for the private encryption key in a request to establish a secure communication between the management console computer and the server, to enroll merchant associated with the management console computer in a managed tab transaction system, to provide a certificate to the management console computer and to add the merchant to the list of enrolled merchants in response to the merchant being enrolled, to receive a search request from a client device, to provide the client device with merchants on the list of enrolled merchants within a specific distance from the client device, and to initiate a secure communication between the client device and the point of sale of the merchant.   
     
     
         35 . The server of  claim 34 , the processor further to receive a sign-on request from a point of sale system, and to provide the merchant associated with the point of sale system to client devices within the specific distance from the client device in response to the sign-on request. 
     
     
         36 . The server of  claim 34 , wherein the sign-on request includes a merchant name and the certificate. 
     
     
         37 . The server of  claim 34 , wherein the memory further stores a list of enrolled client devices. 
     
     
         38 . The server of  claim 37 , wherein the processor further to verify that the client device is in the list of enrolled client devices before providing the merchants on the list of enrolled merchants within the specific distance from the client device.