Device, system, and method of electronic payment

Abstract

A method includes a mobile device of a customer using a GPS receiver on the mobile device determining the current geo-spatial location of the customer, receiving the geo-spatial location, generating a user-specific code at least an identity of one of the business establishments in the vicinity of the geo-spatial location, current time data, or customer-specific data for the customer, wirelessly sending the user-specific code to the mobile device, receiving a signal from a Point of Sale (PoS) terminal of a particular one of the business establishments in the vicinity of the geo-spatial location, indicating entry of the user-specific code into the PoS terminal, digitally associating the customer with a tab for ongoing purchases of the customer at the particular business establishment, and handling a customer instruction to close the tab using at least a pre-defined customer payment method.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for digitally associating a customer with an open tab, said method implementable on a server external to a business establishment and accessible by multiple business establishments, the method comprising:
 a mobile device of a customer using a GPS receiver on said mobile device determining the current geo-spatial location of said customer;   receiving said geo-spatial location;   generating a user-specific code at least from one of: an identity of one of said business establishments in the vicinity of said geo-spatial location, current time data, and customer-specific data for said customer, wherein said customer has a previously defined customer profile;   wirelessly sending said user-specific code to said mobile device;   receiving a signal from a Point of Sale (PoS) terminal of a particular one of said business establishments in the vicinity of said geo-spatial location, indicating entry of said user-specific code into said PoS terminal;   based on the user-specific code, digitally associating said customer with a tab for ongoing purchases of said customer at said particular business establishment; and   handling a customer instruction to close said tab using at least a pre-defined payment method of said customer stored in said customer profile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user-specific code comprises a numerical code that is suitable for entry into the PoS terminal via typing. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user-specific code comprises a code to be displayed on the mobile device of the customer and which is capable of being acquired by a scanner of said PoS terminal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  and wherein said scanner is one of: a scanner, a sensor, a camera, an image acquisition unit, and a barcode reader. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 wirelessly receiving from the PoS terminal a request to associate between (A) the mobile device of the customer, and (B) the open tab of the customer at the PoS terminal, based on an entered code;   comparing the entered code to the user-specific code;   unauthorizing to associate between (A) the mobile device of the customer, and (B) the open tab of the customer at the PoS terminal, if the entered code differs from the user-specific code.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 enabling the customer to utilize said mobile device of the customer for (A) forcing closure of the open tab at the business establishment, and (B) forcing self check-out and electronic payment of the customer for items accumulated in said open tab, without requiring manual input from an operator of the PoS terminal of the business establishment.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 automatically enrolling said customer in a virtual loyalty club for customers of said business establishment, based on at least one self check-out operation that the customer performed relative to said business establishment.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 automatically generating a membership record for said customer, in a virtual loyalty club for customers of said business establishment;   each time that the customer utilizes the mobile device to perform a self check-out at said business establishment, marking an additional purchase in said membership record of the customer in the virtual loyalty club.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether said business establishment is (A) a primary establishment in which said customer utilized self-checkout for a first time, or (B) a secondary establishment in which said customer utilized self-checkout after said user had already utilized self-checkout at one or more other establishments;   if the business establishment is a primary establishment, then, charging the primary establishment a first processing fee;   if the business establishment is a secondary establishment, then, charging the secondary establishment a second processing fee which is greater than the first processing fee.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is implemented on a computer comprising at least a hardware component. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said user-specific code is time-sensitive. 
     
     
         12 . A method implementable on a portable electronic device of a consumer, the method comprising:
 transmitting to a remote server an indication of an identity of a business establishment in which said portable electronic device is located; and   receiving from said remote server a unique code temporarily linking said portable electronic device with a purchase tab associated with said consumer at said business establishment.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving a command from said consumer to pay for said purchase tab; and   transmitting said command to said remote server.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting said payment method information exclusively to said remote server located externally to said business establishment, and avoiding transmission of said payment method information to a receiver within said business establishment.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining a geo-spatial location of said portable electronic device; and   determining the identity of said business establishment based on the geo-spatial location of said portable electronic device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining a geo-spatial location of said portable electronic device;   wirelessly transmitting said geo-spatial location to said remote server;   wirelessly receiving from said remote server a list of one or more candidate establishments located in proximity to said geo-spatial location;   receiving a user selection of said business establishment from said list of one or more candidate establishments presented to the user.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said command comprises instructions to pay a portion of said purchase tab split between said consumer and a second consumer having a second portable electronic device also associated with said purchase tab. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said purchase tab is split unevenly between said first consumer and said second consumer based on a ratio indication received from one of said portable electronic devices. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said purchase tab is split between said first consumer and said second consumer based on a list of items in said purchase tab received from a point of sale device.