Pairing techniques for a wireless card reader

1. A method of pairing a wireless payment card reader and a mobile computing device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the wireless payment card reader, first user input setting the wireless card reader in a pairing mode;

sending, from the wireless payment card reader to the mobile computing device via a wireless communication link, an indication that a pairing mode of the wireless card reader is enabled;

receiving, at the wireless payment card reader via the wireless communication link, an indication from the mobile computing device that a pairing mode of the mobile computing device is enabled;

detecting, in the wireless payment card reader, a sequence of actuations, by a user, of a button on the wireless payment card reader;

determining, in the wireless payment card reader, whether the sequence of actuations of the button corresponds to a desired timing sequence that corresponds to one or more instructions output by the mobile computing device while the mobile computing device is in the pairing mode; and

in response to a determination that the sequence of actuations of the button matches the desired timing sequence, pairing the wireless payment card reader with the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations corresponds to a desired timing sequence comprises determining whether the sequence of actuations matches a sequence represented by sequence data stored in the wireless card reader.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a button on the wireless payment card reader, and wherein the sequence of actuations of the button includes a combination of pressing and holding the pairing button for one or more instances.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the desired timing sequence includes at least one of the instances having a specified time duration.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations corresponds to a desired timing sequence comprises:

determining, in the wireless payment card reader, whether an actual timing of each instance the pairing button on the wireless payment card reader is engaged satisfies a desired timing for the pairing button to be engaged, the desired timing corresponding to a timing of an outputting of a visual cue by the mobile computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, from the wireless payment card reader to the mobile computing device, data specifying a pairing technique for pairing the wireless payment card reader, the one or more instructions being dependent on the pairing technique.

7. A method of pairing a wireless card reader with a computing device, the method comprising:

detecting, in the wireless card reader, a sequence of actuations of a sensor on the wireless card reader by a user;

determining, in the wireless card reader, whether the sequence of actuations satisfies a predetermined timing criterion; and

in response to a determination that the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined timing criterion, pairing the wireless card reader with the computing device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined timing criterion comprises determining whether the sequence of actuations corresponds to a desired timing sequence of actuations.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined timing criterion comprises determining whether the sequence of actuations matches a sequence of actuations represented by data stored in the wireless card reader.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined timing criterion comprises determining whether the sequence of actuations corresponds to one or more instructions presented on a user interface of the computing device.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sensor comprises a button on the wireless card reader, and wherein the sequence of actuations of the sensor includes a combination of pressing and holding the pairing button for one or more instances.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined timing criterion includes at least one of the instances having a specified time duration.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined timing criterion comprises:

determining, in the wireless card reader, whether an actual timing of each instance the pairing button on the wireless card reader is engaged satisfies a desired timing for the pairing button to be engaged, the desired timing corresponding to a timing of an outputting of a visual cue by the computing device.

14. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

sending, from the wireless card reader to the computing device, data specifying a pairing technique for pairing the wireless card reader.

15. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

sending, from the wireless card reader to the computing device, an indication that a pairing mode of the wireless card reader is enabled; and

receiving, at the wireless card reader, an indication from the computing device that a pairing mode of the computing device is enabled.

16. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sensor comprises a button on the wireless card reader.

17. A wireless card reader comprising:

a card read interface to read a card;

a wireless transceiver to enable the card reader to communicate with a computing device over wireless link;

a sensor capable of being actuated by a user of the card reader; and

a processor configured to cause the wireless card reader to perform operations including:

receiving first user input setting the wireless card reader in a pairing mode;

sending, to the computing device over the wireless link, an indication that a pairing mode of the wireless card reader is enabled;

receiving an indication from the computing device that a pairing mode of the computing device is enabled;

receiving second user input indicative of a sequence of actuations of the sensor;

determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies a predetermined criterion; and

in response to a determination that the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined criterion, pairing the wireless card reader with the computing device.

18. The wireless card reader of claim 17 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined criterion comprises determining whether the sequence of actuations corresponds to a desired timing sequence.

19. The wireless card reader of claim 17 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined criterion comprises determining whether the sequence of actuations matches a sequence represented by data stored in the wireless card reader.

20. The wireless card reader of claim 17 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined criterion comprises determining whether the sequence of actuations corresponds to one or more instructions presented on a user interface of the computing device.

21. The wireless card reader of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a button on the wireless card reader, and wherein the sequence of actuations of the sensor includes a combination of pressing and holding the pairing button for one or more instances.

22. The wireless card reader of claim 21 , wherein the predetermined criterion includes at least one of the instances having a specified time duration.

23. The wireless card reader of claim 17 , wherein determining whether the sequence of actuations satisfies the predetermined criterion comprises:

determining, in the wireless card reader, whether an actual timing of each instance the pairing button on the wireless card reader is engaged satisfies a desired timing for the pairing button to be engaged, the desired timing corresponding to a timing of an outputting of a visual cue by the computing device.

24. The wireless card reader of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:

sending, from the wireless card reader to the computing device, data specifying a pairing technique for pairing the wireless card reader.

25. The wireless card reader of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:

sending, from the wireless card reader to the computing device, an indication that a pairing mode of the wireless card reader is enabled; and

receiving, at the wireless card reader, an indication from the computing device that a pairing mode of the computing device is enabled.

26. The wireless card reader of claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a button.