Validating transactions using information transmitted through magnetic fields
The technology described in this document can be embodied in a method that includes receiving, at one or more servers from a first computing device, (i) authentication information identifying a user-account associated with (a) the first computing device or (b) an application executing on the first computing device, and (ii) a transaction identifier generated by a second computing device. The transaction identifier is obtained by the first computing device by detecting one or more parameters of a magnetic field generated by the second computing device. The method also includes determining, by the one or more servers, that the user-account is authorized to initiate a transaction identified by the transaction identifier, and in response to determining that the user-account is authorized to initiate the transaction, transmitting, from the one or more servers to the second computing device, confirmation information usable by the second computing device to proceed with the transaction.
1. A method of processing a transaction at a kiosk device, the method comprising:
transmitting, by the kiosk device to a mobile device, a handshake signal i) that identifies directions of axes of a three dimensional coordinate system and ii) is usable by the mobile device to calibrate an orientation of the mobile device based on the directions of the axes of the three dimensional coordinate system;
generating, by the kiosk device, a magnetic field to encode a transaction identifier in the three dimensional coordinate system;
receiving, from one or more servers by the kiosk device, confirmation information of a user account associated with the mobile device that detects, based on a calibrated orientation determined from the handshake signal, the transaction identifier generated by the kiosk device; and
responsive to receiving the confirmation information by the kiosk device, proceeding with the transaction.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the confirmation information is transmitted from the one or more servers to the kiosk device responsive to receiving, by the one or more servers from the mobile device:
(i) authentication information identifying a user-account associated with
(a) the mobile device or (b) an application executing on the mobile device, and
(ii) the transaction identifier generated by the kiosk device, wherein the transaction identifier is obtained by the mobile device by detecting one or more parameters of the magnetic field generated by the kiosk device.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the authentication information is transmitted from the mobile device to the one or more servers responsive to determining, by the mobile device, that a user of the mobile device is authorized to access the user-account.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a wearable device is communicatively connected to the mobile device, and wherein the confirmation information is transmitted from the one or more servers to the kiosk device responsive to receiving, by the one or more servers, the transaction identifier from the mobile device, the transaction identifier transmitted from the mobile device upon receiving the transaction identifier from the wearable device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transaction identifier comprises transaction information and an identifier of the kiosk device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the magnetic field comprises changing one or more parameters of the magnetic field, the one or more parameters of the magnetic field comprising at least one of a strength of the magnetic field and a direction of the magnetic field.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a receiver of the mobile device comprises a magnetic sensor configured to detect the magnetic field to receive the transaction identifier.
8. A system comprising:
at least one processing device; and
a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processing device, the memory storing instructions which, when executed, cause the at least one processing device to perform operations for processing a transaction, the operations comprising:
transmitting, to a mobile device, a handshake signal i) that identifies directions of axes of a three dimensional coordinate system and ii) is usable by the mobile device to calibrate an orientation of the mobile device based on the directions of the axes of the three dimensional coordinate system;
generating a magnetic field to encode a transaction identifier in the three dimensional coordinate system;
receiving, from one or more servers, confirmation information of a user account associated with the mobile device that detects, based on a calibrated orientation determined from the handshake signal, the transaction identifier generated by a kiosk device; and
responsive to receiving the confirmation information, proceeding with the transaction.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the confirmation information is transmitted from the one or more servers to the at least one processing device responsive to receiving, by the one or more servers from the mobile device:
(i) authentication information identifying a user-account associated with (a) the mobile device or (b) an application executing on the mobile device, and
(ii) the transaction identifier generated by the at least one processing device, wherein the transaction identifier is obtained by the mobile device by detecting one or more parameters of the magnetic field generated by the at least one processing device.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the authentication information is transmitted from the mobile device to the one or more servers responsive to determining, by the mobile device, that a user of the mobile device is authorized to access the user-account.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein a wearable device is communicatively connected to the mobile device, and wherein the confirmation information is transmitted from the one or more servers to the kiosk device responsive to receiving, by the one or more servers, the transaction identifier from the mobile device, the transaction identifier transmitted from the mobile device upon receiving the transaction identifier from the wearable device.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the transaction identifier comprises transaction information and an identifier of the kiosk device associated with the at least one processing device.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein generating the magnetic field comprises changing one or more parameters of the magnetic field, the one or more parameters of the magnetic field comprising at least one of a strength of the magnetic field and a direction of the magnetic field.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein a receiver of the mobile device comprises a magnetic sensor configured to detect the magnetic field to receive the transaction identifier.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon computer readable instructions for causing one or more processing devices to perform operations for processing a transaction, the operations comprising:
transmitting, to a mobile device, a handshake signal i) that identifies directions of axes of a three dimensional coordinate system and ii) is usable by the mobile device to calibrate an orientation of the mobile device based on the directions of the axes of the three dimensional coordinate system;
generating a magnetic field to encode a transaction identifier in the three dimensional coordinate system;
receiving, from one or more servers, confirmation information of a user account associated with the mobile device that detects, based on a calibrated orientation determined from the handshake signal, the transaction identifier generated by a kiosk device; and
responsive to receiving the confirmation information, proceeding with the transaction.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the confirmation information is transmitted from the one or more servers to the one or more processing devices responsive to receiving, by the one or more servers from the mobile device:
(i) authentication information identifying a user-account associated with (a) the mobile device or (b) an application executing on the mobile device, and
(ii) the transaction identifier generated by the one or more processing devices, wherein the transaction identifier is obtained by the mobile device by detecting one or more parameters of the magnetic field generated by the one or more processing devices.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the authentication information is transmitted from the mobile device to the one or more servers responsive to determining, by the mobile device, that a user of the mobile device is authorized to access the user-account.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , a wearable device is communicatively connected to the mobile device, and wherein the confirmation information is transmitted from the one or more servers to the kiosk device responsive to receiving, by the one or more servers, the transaction identifier from the mobile device, the transaction identifier transmitted from the mobile device upon receiving the transaction identifier from the wearable device.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the transaction identifier comprises transaction information and an identifier of the kiosk device associated with the one or more processing devices.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein generating the magnetic field comprises changing one or more parameters of the magnetic field, the one or more parameters of the magnetic field comprising at least one of a strength of the magnetic field and a direction of the magnetic field.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein a receiver of the mobile device comprises a magnetic sensor configured to detect the magnetic field to receive the transaction identifier.