Granted Patent B1

US 12,626,284 · App. 17/892,354 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventors: Ravi Durairaj (San Antonio, TX); Ryan Thomas Russell (San Antonio, TX); Ashley Raine Philbrick (San Antonio, TX); Carlos JP Chavez (San Antonio, TX); Stacy Callaway Huggar (San Antonio, TX); Quian Antony Jones (San Antonio, TX); Janelle Denice Dziuk (Falls City, TX); Yevgeniy Viatcheslavovich Khmelev (San Antonio, TX); Sumita T. Jonak (San Antonio, TX)

Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)

G06Q30/04G06Q20/209G06Q20/227G06Q20/3223G06Q20/3224G06Q20/3672G06Q20/405G06Q20/42G06Q30/0281

Abstract

Claims (48)

1 . A system for managing orders and invoicing among multiple customers, comprising:

a mobile computing device, associated with a primary customer,

at least one point of sale device in electronic communication with the mobile computing device, the point of sale including a processor, a cash register, and a wi-fi network adaptor for engaging in electronic communication with the mobile computing device over a local wi-fi network; and

wherein the point of sale device is configured to perform the steps of:

receiving entrance location data over the wi-fi network from the mobile computing device that is associated with the primary customer, indicating that the primary customer has entered a geographical location of a merchant, the entrance location data having been generated by the mobile computing device using GPS technology based on a geographic location of the mobile computing device;

sending over the wi-fi network a check-in electronic prompt to the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer, the check-in electronic prompt requesting whether the primary customer wishes to start an open invoice with the merchant at the point of sale device including the cash register;

creating an open invoice for the primary customer based on an input received in response to the check-in electronic prompt;

receiving over the wi-fi network first inside location data from the primary customer indicating a location of the primary customer inside the geographical location of the merchant;

receiving over the wi-fi network second inside location data from at least one third party customer indicating a location of the at least one third party customer inside the geographical location of the merchant;

identifying whether the at least one third party customer is likely to be a secondary customer associated with the primary customer, by comparing the first inside location data with the second inside location data and determining whether the first inside location data and the second inside location data are within a threshold distance;

sending over the wi-fi network a party confirmation electronic prompt to the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer, the party confirmation electronic prompt requesting confirmation that at least one secondary customer identified within the threshold distance is associated with the primary customer, and is authorized to add purchases to the primary customer's open invoice;

sending over the wi-fi network an authorization electronic notification to a secondary mobile computing device associated with the at least one secondary customer indicating that the at least one secondary customer is authorized to add purchases to the primary customer's open invoice;

receiving an order from a secondary customer, and adding the order to the primary customer's open invoice;

computing an open invoice total purchase price;

receiving over the wi-fi network exit location data from the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer indicating that the primary customer has exited the geographical location of the merchant, the exit location data having been generated by the mobile computing device using GPS technology based on a geographic location of the mobile computing device;

sending over the wi-fi network a check-out electronic prompt to the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer, the check-out electronic prompt requesting that the primary customer confirm that the open invoice has been closed and paid.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the check-out electronic prompt further includes a payment option that enables the primary customer to pay the open invoice total purchase price to the merchant; and

the point of sale device is further configured to:

store information associated with at least two payment methods;

recall the stored payment method information in response to the check-out electronic prompt, and

provide a recommendation to the primary customer regarding which of the at least two payment methods should be used to pay the open invoice total purchase price to the merchant, the recommendation being based on at least one of: a merchant discount available, a reward associated with a payment method, and a coupon offered by a party other than the merchant.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the point of sale device is further configured to:

send an order confirmation electronic prompt to the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer each time the point of sale device receives an order from the secondary customer,

the order confirmation electronic prompt prompting the primary customer to accept or deny whether the order made by the secondary customer will be placed on the primary customer's open invoice.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the point of sale device is further configured to:

generate and send to the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer a digital token, the digital token including one or more criteria by which to automatically accept or deny whether the order made by the secondary customer will be placed on the primary customer's open invoice.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the point of sale device is further configured to:

receive a party confirmation input, in response to sending the party confirmation electronic prompt;

the party confirmation input including data inputted by the primary customer describing a relationship between the primary customer and the secondary customer.

6 . A system for managing orders and invoicing among multiple customers, comprising:

a mobile computing device, associated with a primary customer,

at least one point of sale computing device in electronic communication with the mobile computing device, the point of sale computing device including a processor, a display screen, a cash register, and a wi-fi network adaptor for engaging in electronic communication with the mobile computing device over a local wi-fi network; and

wherein the point of sale computing device is configured to perform the steps of:

receiving entrance location data over the network from the mobile computing device that is associated with the primary customer, indicating that the primary customer has entered a geographical location of a merchant, the entrance location data having been generated by the mobile computing device using GPS technology based on a geographic location of the mobile computing device;

sending over the network a check-in electronic prompt to the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer, the check-in electronic prompt requesting whether the primary customer wishes to start an open invoice with the merchant at the point of sale device including the cash register;

creating an open invoice for the primary customer based on an input received in response to the check-in electronic prompt;

receiving over the network first inside location data from the primary customer indicating a location of the primary customer inside the geographical location of the merchant;

receiving over the network second inside location data from at least one third party customer indicating a location of the at least one third party customer inside the geographical location of the merchant;

identifying whether the at least one third party customer is likely to be a secondary customer associated with the primary customer, by comparing the first inside location data with the second inside location data and determining whether the first inside location data and the second inside location data are within a threshold distance;

sending over the network a party confirmation electronic prompt to the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer, the party confirmation electronic prompt requesting confirmation that at least one secondary customer identified within the threshold distance is associated with the primary customer, and is authorized to add purchases to the primary customer's open invoice;

sending over the network an authorization electronic notification to the at least one secondary mobile computing device associated with the at least one secondary customer indicating that the at least one secondary customer is authorized to add purchases to the primary customer's open invoice;

receiving over the network over the network an order from a secondary customer, and adding the order to the primary customer's open invoice;

computing an open invoice total purchase price;

receiving over the network exit location data from the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer indicating that the primary customer has exited the geographical location of the merchant, the exit location data having been generated by the mobile computing device using GPS technology based on a geographic location of the mobile computing device; and

sending over the network a check-out electronic prompt to the mobile computing device associated with the primary customer, the check-out electronic prompt requesting that the primary customer confirm that the open invoice has been closed and paid.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the point of sale computing device further includes a credit card reader.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a wireless cell phone network, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (36)