System and method for transaction handoff and completion employing ephemeral token

1. A method for handoff of a transaction for completion, the method comprising:

registering a payment instrument with a server, associating the payment instrument with ephemeral transaction authorization tokens, and storing a payment token that associates the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens with the payment instrument in a payment token database record;

storing a push notification device identifier that corresponds to the payment token in the payment token database record;

via a smart device, requesting and receiving one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens from the server;

via a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, scanning the one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens, and transmitting the one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens via the internet cloud to the server, wherein the server is not collocated with the POS terminal, and wherein communications between the POS terminal and the server are transmitted and received through a gateway device that is collocated with the POS terminal;

via the server, using the payment token to access the push notification device identifier and transmitting a push notification to a smart device that corresponds to the push notification device identifier;

upon acceptance of the push notification, executing a proprietary application on the smart device and simultaneously displaying details for the transaction on both the smart device and POS terminal;

receiving transaction completion data that is entered via the smart device and transmitting the transaction completion data to the server; and

completing the transaction at the server and notifying the POS terminal and the smart device that the transaction is complete.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a credit card number.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a gift card number that has been previously issued by the server.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the smart device comprises a smart phone.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the guest device comprises a smart tablet.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the transaction completion data comprises a tip amount.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens is valid to authorize handoff of the transaction for completion for a prescribed period of time.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for handoff of a transaction for completion, the method comprising:

registering a payment instrument with a server, associating the payment instrument with ephemeral transaction authorization tokens, and storing a payment token that associates the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens with the payment instrument in a payment token database record;

storing a push notification device identifier that corresponds to the payment token in the payment token database record;

via a smart device, requesting and receiving one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens from the server;

via a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, scanning the one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens, and transmitting the one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens via the internet cloud to the server, wherein the server is not collocated with the POS terminal, and wherein communications between the POS terminal and the server are transmitted and received through a gateway device that is collocated with the POS terminal;

via the server, using the payment token to access the push notification device identifier and transmitting a push notification to a smart device that corresponds to the push notification device identifier;

upon acceptance of the push notification, executing a proprietary application on the smart device and simultaneously displaying details for the transaction on both the smart device and POS terminal;

receiving transaction completion data that is entered via the smart device and transmitting the transaction completion data to the server; and

completing the transaction at the server and notifying the POS terminal and the smart device that the transaction is complete.

9. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 8 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a credit card number.

10. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 8 , wherein the payment instrument comprises a gift card number that has been previously issued to the server.

11. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 8 , wherein the smart device comprises a smart phone.

12. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 8 , wherein the smart device comprises a smart tablet.

13. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 8 , wherein the transaction completion data comprises a tip amount.

14. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 8 , wherein the one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens is valid to authorize handoff of the transaction for completion for a prescribed period of time.

15. A system for handoff of a transaction for completion, the system comprising:

a server, configured to receive payment instrument, and configured to store a payment token that represents said payment instrument and associates said payment instrument with ephemeral transaction authorization tokens in a payment token database record, and configured to store a push notification device identifier that corresponds to said payment token in said payment token database record, and, when a request is received from a smart device that corresponds to said push notification identifier, configured to transmit one of said ephemeral transaction authorization tokens to said smart device; and

a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, configured to read said one of said ephemeral transaction authorization tokens that is presented for authorization of the transaction, and configured to transmit said one of said ephemeral transaction authorization tokens via the internet cloud to said server, wherein said server is not collocated with said POS terminal, and wherein communications between said POS terminal and said server are transmitted and received through a gateway device that is collocated with said POS terminal;

wherein said server uses said payment token to access said push notification device identifier, and wherein said server transmits a push notification to said smart device;

wherein, upon acceptance of said push notification, said smart device executes a proprietary application, and wherein details for the transaction are simultaneously displayed details on both said smart device and said POS terminal;

wherein said smart device receives transaction completion data that is entered and transmits said transaction completion data to said server; and

wherein said server completes the transaction and notifies said POS terminal and said smart device that the transaction is complete.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein said payment instrument comprises a credit card number.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein said payment instrument comprises a gift card number that has been previously issued by said server.

18. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein said smart device comprises a smart phone.

19. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein said transaction completion data comprises a tip amount.

20. The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein said one of the ephemeral transaction authorization tokens is valid to authorize handoff of the transaction for completion for a prescribed period of time.