IP Library Granted Patent US 11,715,146
Granted Patent B2
US 11,715,146 · App. 17/499,105 · Granted Aug 1, 2023

System, media, and method for a persistent virtual shopping cart

Inventor: Ajit Kalidindi Varma (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Block, Inc.
G06Q30/0633G06F3/04817G06Q20/102G06Q30/0643
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,715,146
App. No.
17/499,105
Granted
Aug 1, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some examples, a service computing device receives an indication that a buyer associated with a buyer profile has selected a first item to purchase from a first merchant site. The service computing device associates information related to the first item with a persistent virtual cart associated with the buyer profile. The service computing device receives an indication that the buyer has selected a second item to purchase from the second merchant site. The service computing device associates information related to the second item with the buyer profile. The service computing device receives, from a buyer device, an indication of intention to purchase the items in the persistent virtual cart. Consequently, the service computing device may send an order for the first item to a computing device associated with the first merchant and an order for the second item to a computing device associated with the second merchant.

Claims (42)

1. A payment service system comprising:

one or more memories having computer-readable instructions stored therein; and

one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to:

generate, at the payment service system, a persistent virtual shopping cart in association with a buyer profile of a buyer;

maintain, in the persistent virtual shopping cart, records of multiple items selected from different merchant sites by the buyer using a mobile device associated with the buyer, wherein the persistent virtual shopping cart is accessible to the buyer via the different merchant sites;

present, on the persistent virtual shopping cart, (1) a corresponding purchase option for each of the multiple items to allow the buyer to pay for a corresponding one of the multiple items in person or via the persistent virtual shopping cart and (2) a corresponding delivery or pickup option for each of the multiple items;

receive a selection of at least one of the multiple items included in the persistent virtual shopping cart for purchase and the corresponding purchase option;

electronically process a payment for each item selected for purchase according to the corresponding purchase option, the payment being electronically processed after (i) a payment processing request is received via the persistent virtual shopping cart or (ii) a corresponding payment is made by the buyer in person; and

transmit a notification to a corresponding merchant associated with each selected item that a corresponding payment has been rendered and that a corresponding item may be released to the buyer.

2. The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the persistent virtual shopping cart is created in response to a request received from the mobile device of the buyer.

3. The payment service system of claim 2 , wherein the request is an activation of a virtual command on any one of the different merchant sites.

4. The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to present, by the payment service system and on the mobile device of the buyer for processing the payment, a virtual control for adding a gratuity to at least one of the multiple items.

5. The payment service system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to generate a graphical user interface to include virtually selectable icons for items offered for sale on each of the different merchant sites.

6. The payment service system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to generate the graphical user interface by receiving textual data for the items and formatting the textual data for visual presentation as the virtually selectable icons on the mobile device of the buyer.

7. The payment service system of claim 6 , wherein the graphical user interface generated for each of the different merchant sites includes a corresponding sub-window providing transaction summary for one or more items selected for purchase from a corresponding merchant site of the different merchant sites.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a payment service system, cause the payment service system to:

generate, at the payment service system, a persistent virtual shopping cart in association with a buyer profile of a buyer;

maintain, in the persistent virtual shopping cart, records of multiple items selected from different merchant sites by the buyer using a mobile device associated with the buyer, wherein the persistent virtual shopping cart is accessible to the buyer via the different merchant sites;

present, on the persistent virtual shopping cart, (1) a corresponding purchase option for each of the multiple items to allow the buyer to pay for a corresponding one of the multiple items in person or via the persistent virtual shopping cart and (2) a corresponding delivery or pickup option for each of the multiple items;

receive a selection of at least one of the multiple items included in the persistent virtual shopping cart for purchase and the corresponding purchase option;

electronically process a payment for each item selected for purchase according to the corresponding purchase option, the payment being electronically processed after (i) a payment processing request is received via the persistent virtual shopping cart or (ii) a corresponding payment is made by the buyer in person; and

transmit a notification to a corresponding merchant associated with each selected item that a corresponding payment has been rendered and that a corresponding item may be released to the buyer.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the persistent virtual shopping cart is created in response to a request received from the mobile device of the buyer.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the request is an activation of a virtual command on any one of the different merchant sites.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the execution of the computer-readable instructions further cause the one or more processors to present, by the payment service system and on the mobile device of the buyer for processing the payment, a virtual control for adding a gratuity to at least one of the multiple items.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the execution of the computer-readable instructions further cause the one or more processors to generate a graphical user interface to include virtually selectable icons for items offered for sale on each of the different merchant sites.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12 , wherein the execution of the computer-readable instructions further cause the one or more processors to generate the graphical user interface by receiving textual data for the items and formatting the textual data for visual presentation as the virtually selectable icons on the mobile device of the buyer.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the graphical user interface generated for each of the different merchant sites includes a corresponding sub-window providing transaction summary for one or more items selected for purchase from a corresponding merchant site of the different merchant sites.

15. A method comprising:

generating, at a payment service system, a persistent virtual shopping cart in association with a buyer profile of a buyer;

maintaining, in the persistent virtual shopping cart, records of multiple items selected from different merchant sites by the buyer using a mobile device associated with the buyer, wherein the persistent virtual shopping cart is accessible to the buyer via the different merchant sites;

presenting, on the persistent virtual shopping cart, (1) a corresponding purchase option for each of the multiple items to allow the buyer to pay for a corresponding one of the multiple items in person or via the persistent virtual shopping cart and (2) a corresponding delivery or pickup option for each of the multiple items;

receiving a selection of at least one of the multiple items included in the persistent virtual shopping cart for purchase and the corresponding purchase option;

electronically processing a payment for each item selected for purchase according to the corresponding purchase option, the payment being electronically processed after (i) a payment processing request is received via the persistent virtual shopping cart or (ii) a corresponding payment is made by the buyer in person; and

transmitting a notification to a corresponding merchant associated with each selected item that a corresponding payment has been rendered and that a corresponding item may be released to the buyer.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the persistent virtual shopping cart is created in response to a request received from the mobile device of the buyer.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the request is an activation of a virtual command on any one of the different merchant sites.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein further comprising:

presenting, by the payment service system and on the mobile device of the buyer for processing the payment, a virtual control for adding a gratuity to at least one of the multiple items.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

generating a graphical user interface to include virtually selectable icons for items offered for sale on each of the different merchant sites.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the graphical user interface is generated by receiving textual data for the items and formatting the textual data for visual presentation as the virtually selectable icons on the mobile device of the buyer.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 18, 2022
From: SQUARE, INC.
To: BLOCK, INC.
Reel/Frame 058753/0503 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2021
From: VARMA, AJIT KALIDINDI
To: SQUARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 057764/0536 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16683802 · Nov 14, 2019
Continuation 14501332 · Sep 30, 2014
Related Publication 20220027980A1 · Jan 27, 2022