IP Library Granted Patent US 10,204,309
Granted Patent B2
US 10,204,309 · App. 15/857,471 · Granted Feb 12, 2019

Authenticated checkin via passive NFC

Inventor: John Hastings Granbery (Los Altos, CA)
Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
G06Q10/02G06Q50/01H04L9/3247H04L63/061H04W4/80G06Q2220/10H04L2209/805
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,204,309
App. No.
15/857,471
Granted
Feb 12, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure involves a method of verifying user check-ins to a venue. The method includes initializing a digital check-in chain for a venue. The method includes expanding, electronically by a processor, the check-in chain with a plurality of check-in entries that each correspond to a visit to the venue by a respective user. Each check-in entry on the check-in chain is generated in response to one or more preceding check-in entries on the check-in chain. The method includes detecting fraudulent check-in entries in response to a split in the check-in chain. The method includes removing the fraudulent check-in entries from the check-in chain.

Claims (54)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first check-in request corresponding to a first user, the first check-in request comprising a first check-in entry corresponding to the first user and a first check-in chain received by the first user from a check-in device at a venue, the first check-in chain comprising one or more first check-in entries associated with one or more other previous users;

verifying, electronically by a processor, the first check-in request; and

in response to the verifying of the first check-in request:

verifying whether the first check-in chain is fraudulent and

in response to verifying that the first check-in chain is not fraudulent:

appending the first check-in entry to the first check-in chain; and

sending the first check-in chain with the appended first check-in entry to the check-in device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the one or more first check-in entries includes one or more second check-in entries recorded in a second check-in chain previously received from the check-in device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the one or more first check-in entries includes two or more consecutive check-in entries by the first user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the first check-in chain has a lower frequency of check-ins than a second check-in chain previously received from the check-in device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to determining that the first check-in chain is fraudulent, not appending the first check-in entry to the first check-in chain.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to determining that the first check-in chain is fraudulent, notifying the venue of fraudulent activity by the first user.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first check-in entry includes a cryptographic signature of the first user;

the cryptographic signature is decrypted using a public key of the first user; and

the cryptographic signature is generated as a function of every other existing cryptographic signature in the first check-in chain.

8. A system, comprising:

a non-transitory memory; and

one or more hardware processors coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to read instructions from the non-transitory memory to cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first check-in request corresponding to a first user, the first check-in request comprising a first check-in entry corresponding to the first user and a first check-in chain received by the first user from a check-in device at a venue, the first check-in chain comprising one or more first check-in entries associated with one or more other previous users;

verifying, electronically by a processor, the first check-in request; and

in response to the verifying of the first check-in request:

verifying whether the first check-in chain is fraudulent; and

in response to verifying that the first check-in chain is not fraudulent:

appending the first check-in entry to the first check-in chain; and

sending the first check-in chain with the appended first check-in entry to the check-in device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the one or more first check-in entries includes one or more second check-in entries recorded in a second check-in chain previously received from the check-in device.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the one or more first check-in entries includes two or more consecutive check-in entries by the first user.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the first check-in chain has a lower frequency of check-ins than a second check-in chain previously received from the check-in device.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein in response to determining that the first check-in chain is fraudulent, the operations further comprise not appending the first check-in entry to the first check-in chain.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein in response to determining that the first check-in chain is fraudulent, the operations further comprise notifying the venue of fraudulent activity by the first user.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the first check-in entry includes a cryptographic signature of the first user;

the cryptographic signature is decrypted using a public key of the first user; and

the cryptographic signature is generated as a function of every other existing cryptographic signature in the first check-in chain.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first check-in request corresponding to a first user, the first check-in request comprising a first check-in entry corresponding to the first user and a first check-in chain received by the first user from a check-in device at a venue, the first check-in chain comprising one or more first check-in entries associated with one or more other previous users;

verifying, electronically by a processor, the first check-in request; and

in response to the verifying of the first check-in request:

verifying whether the first check-in chain is fraudulent; and

in response to verifying that the first check-in chain is not fraudulent:

appending the first check-in entry to the first check-in chain; and

sending the first check-in chain with the appended first check-in entry to the check-in device.

16. The non- transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the one or more first check-in entries includes one or more second check-in entries recorded in a second check-in chain previously received from the check-in device.

17. The non- transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the one or more first check-in entries includes two or more consecutive check-in entries by the first user.

18. The non- transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein verifying that the first check-in chain is fraudulent comprises determining whether the first check-in chain has a lower frequency of check-ins than a second check-in chain previously received from the check-in device.

19. The non- transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein in response to determining that the first check-in chain is fraudulent, the operations further comprise one or more of:

not appending the first check-in entry to the first check-in chain; or

notifying the venue of fraudulent activity by the first user.

20. The non- transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:

the first check-in entry includes a cryptographic signature of the first user;

the cryptographic signature is decrypted using a public key of the first user; and

the cryptographic signature is generated as a function of every other existing cryptographic signature in the first check-in chain.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: GRANBERY, JOHN HASTINGS
To: EBAY INC.
Reel/Frame 054138/0791 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: EBAY INC.
To: PAYPAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 054139/0175 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 14621011 · Feb 12, 2015
Continuation 14078465 · Nov 12, 2013
Continuation 13336696 · Dec 23, 2011
Related Publication 20180218292A1 · Aug 2, 2018