IP Library Granted Patent US 12,450,600
Granted Patent B2
US 12,450,600 · App. 17/930,615 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Systems and methods for blockchain based proof of payment

Inventors: Sastry Durvasula (Phoenix, AZ); Andras Ferenczi (Phoenix, AZ); Sathish Muthukrishnan (Phoenix, AZ); Vishnuvajhala V. Subrahmanyam (Phoenix, AZ)
Assignee: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
G06Q20/3829G06Q20/047G06Q20/209G06Q20/34G06Q20/3823G06Q2220/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,450,600
App. No.
17/930,615
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A proof-of-payment system that allows smart connected devices to confirm a payment information. In one example, a smart connected device that comprises a computing device and program instructions. The program instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to at least retrieve an encrypted proof-of-payment (PoP) payload from a blockchain and decrypt the encrypted PoP payload to retrieve a first identifier from the encrypted PoP payload. The first identifier from the decrypted PoP payload is matched to a second identifier presented at the smart connected device. An action is triggered in response to the first identifier from the encrypted PoP payload matching the second identifier presented at the smart connected device.

Claims (45)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a smart connected device that comprises a processor and a solenoid lock, a first identifier from a payment device presented at the smart connected device;

invoking, by the smart connected device, a smart contract to fetch an encrypted proof-of-payment (PoP) payload from a blockchain node of a blockchain by passing a merchant public key to the smart contract;

decrypting, by the smart connected device, the encrypted PoP payload to retrieve a second identifier from the encrypted POP payload using a merchant private key;

matching, by the smart connected device, the second identifier from the encrypted PoP payload to the first identifier presented at the smart connected device by the payment device; and

actuating, by the smart connected device, the solenoid lock to unlock in response to the second identifier from the encrypted POP payload matching the first identifier presented at the smart connected device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting, by the smart connected device, a payment amount of the encrypted PoP payload in response to actuating the solenoid lock.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein fetching the encrypted proof-of-payment (PoP) payload from the blockchain node of the blockchain comprises fetching a list of encrypted PoP payloads.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein matching the second identifier from the encrypted PoP payload comprises iterating though a list of decrypted PoP payloads to identify a respective PoP payload with the second identifier that matches the first identifier, the list of decrypted POP payloads being derived from the list of encrypted PoP payloads.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is received using a magnetic stripe reader, wherein the smart connected device comprises the magnetic stripe reader.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is received over a wireless communication channel between the smart connected device and the payment device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solenoid lock is a solenoid-equipped door lock.

8. A smart connected device, comprising:

a solenoid lock;

a computing device comprising a processor and memory;

program instructions stored in the memory, in response to execution by the processor, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first identifier from a payment device presented at the smart connected device;

invoking a smart contract to fetch an encrypted proof-of-payment (PoP) payload from a first blockchain node of a blockchain by passing a merchant public key to the smart contract;

decrypting the encrypted PoP payload to retrieve a second identifier from the encrypted PoP payload using a merchant private key;

matching the second identifier from the decrypted PoP payload to the first identifier presented at the smart connected device by the payment device; and

actuating the solenoid lock to unlock in response to the second identifier from the encrypted PoP payload matching the first identifier presented at the smart connected device.

9. The smart connected device of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions, in response to execution by the processor, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

adjusting a payment amount of the encrypted PoP payload in response to the actuating the solenoid lock to unlock.

10. The smart connected device of claim 8 , wherein the encrypted proof-of-payment (PoP) payload is a list of encrypted PoP payloads.

11. The smart connected device of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions for matching the second identifier further cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

iterating though a list of decrypted PoP payloads to identify a respective PoP payload with the second identifier that matches the first identifier, the list of decrypted PoP payloads being derived from the list of encrypted PoP payloads.

12. The smart connected device of claim 8 , wherein the first identifier is received using a magnetic stripe reader, wherein the magnetic stripe reader is in communication with the smart connected device.

13. The smart connected device of claim 8 , wherein the solenoid lock is a solenoid-equipped door lock.

14. The smart connected device of claim 8 , wherein the first identifier is received over a wireless communication channel between the smart connected device and the payment device.

15. An electronic lock, comprising:

a solenoid lock;

a computing device comprising a processor and memory;

program instructions stored in the memory, in response to execution by the processor, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first identifier from a payment device presented at the electronic lock;

invoking a smart contract to fetch an encrypted proof-of-payment (PoP) payload from a blockchain by passing a merchant public key to the smart contract;

decrypting the encrypted PoP payload to extract a second identifier from the encrypted PoP payload using a merchant private key;

matching the second identifier from the encrypted PoP payload to the first identifier presented at the electronic lock by the payment device; and

unlocking the solenoid lock in response to the second identifier from the encrypted PoP payload matching the first identifier presented at the electronic lock.

16. The electronic lock of claim 15 , wherein fetching the encrypted proof-of-payment (PoP) payload from the blockchain comprises fetching a list of encrypted PoP payloads.

17. The electronic lock of claim 15 , wherein the program instructions, in response to execution by the processor, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

adjusting a payment amount of the encrypted PoP payload in response to unlocking the solenoid lock.

18. The electronic lock of claim 15 , further comprising a magnetic stripe reader, wherein the first identifier is received using the magnetic stripe reader.

19. The electronic lock of claim 15 , wherein the first identifier is received over a wireless communication channel between the electronic lock and the payment device.

20. The electronic lock of claim 19 , wherein the wireless communication channel is used to communicate between a mobile application executing on the payment device and the electronic lock.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2024
From: DURVASULA, SASTRY; FERENCZI, ANDRAS; MUTHUKRISHNAN, SATHISH; SUBRAMANYAM, VISHNUVAJHALA V.
To: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 069136/0663 →
Continuity (2)
Division 15405123 · Jan 12, 2017
Related Publication 20230004966A1 · Jan 5, 2023
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