WO2020146235A1 | 2020-07-16 |
US20180121051A1 | 2018-05-03 | |||
US20160057135A1 | 2016-02-25 | |||
US20090167716A1 | 2009-07-02 | |||
US20080214239A1 | 2008-09-04 |
CLAIMS 1 . A method for replicating an input device, the method including the steps of: establishing communication between a mobile device and a primary input device; using the mobile device to input data that is desired to be inputted into the primary input device; transmitting the inputted information from the mobile device to the primary input device thereby causing the information inputted on the mobile device to be inputted, in effect, to the primary input device without a user having to physically interact with the primary input device. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including the step of establishing communication by means of a wireless connection; 3. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims further including the step of establishing wireless connection by any one or more of the group consisting of: an internet connection; short-range wireless technology; near field connection (“NFC”); and Bluetooth. 4. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims further including the step of using a mobile device to identify a primary input device. 5. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the primary input device is a touch screen. 6. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the primary input device has physical buttons. 7. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the primary input device is a combination of a touch screen and physical buttons. 8 8. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the data to be inputted into the mobile device includes personal information. 9. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the data to be inputted 5 into the mobile device is done by making use of the mobile device’s touch screen. 10. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the data to be inputted into the mobile device is done by selection buttons displayed on the mobile device’s display means. 0 1 1 . A method as in any of the preceding claims which includes the step of a two-factor identification confirmation. 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to method for replicating an input device more specifically a method for replicating an input device related to a financial transaction device.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
US patent number US9721319B2 in the name of Smets et al. (“Smets”) entitled “Tap and wireless payment methods and devices” discloses methods and apparatus for exchanging, using a contactless interface included in a portable device, transaction information associated with an electronic merchant device when the portable device is brought into close proximity to a contactless interface associated with the electronic merchant device, with the information identifying the electronic merchant device and identifying a handover wireless network connected to the electronic merchant device and with information including security credentials required to form a secure connection, establishing a persistent, secure wireless connection with the electronic merchant device, using a wireless network interface in the portable device and the transaction information, over the handover wireless network and exchanging transaction messages between the portable device and the electronic merchant device over the persistent, secure wireless connection during a shopping interval.
Smets describes the loading of a user’s credit or debit card information onto the user’s mobile phone and then using the mobile phone’s near field communication (“NFC”) technology to perform a “contactless payment" instead of “tapping” a “proximity payment card”. In this instance the mobile phone merely replaces the debit or credit card in that the information which would usually be read from the card is now read from data (which includes, in some instances, personally and identification numbers) which is preloaded into the mobile device's memory.
One problem with Smets is that some people are wary of using these contactless payments as they believe that anyone with a card reader may tap a person’s purse, wallet, or mobile device without them knowing, read information from the person’s contactless payment device and thereby appropriate funds to themselves.
Another drawback is that should someone be able to break into the mobile device they may be able to make payments as all the card information, including the personal identification number (“PIN”), is preloaded into the application on the mobile device.
“Proximity payment cards” are used similar as described above, in that the data is read from a radio frequency tag associated with a card to a point-of-sale (“POS”) machine. A user may then be required to physically type their PIN into the point-of-sale machine. The problem in this instance is that a large number of users may use the point-of-sale machine in a short amount of time. A sick person may use the machine at some point, and this may lead to cross contamination and infection of healthy people.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a method for replicating an input device which, at least partially, alleviates some of the above-mentioned difficulties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention there is provided a method for replicating an input device including the steps of: establishing communication between a mobile device and a primary input device; using the mobile device to input data that is desired to be inputted into the primary input device; transmitting the inputted information from the mobile device to the primary input device thereby causing the information inputted on the mobile device to be inputted, in effect, to the primary input device without a user having to physically interact with the primary input device.
The method including the step of establishing communication by means of an internet connection, or short-range wireless technology, such as near field connection (“NFC”), Bluetooth or any other suitable method.
The method further including the steps of using a mobile device to identify a primary input device.
The primary input device may be a touch screen and/or physical buttons and/or a combination of a touch screen and physical buttons.
The data to be inputted into the mobile device may include personal information such as a PIN however the invention is not limited in this regard as the mobile phone may be used to input any data which is desirous of being inputted into the primary input device.
The data to be inputted into the mobile device may be done by making use of the mobile device’s keypad/keyboard or touch screen, however, selection buttons may be displayed on the mobile device’s display means which may be selected by a user.
The method further including the steps of sending a two-factor authentication request to the mobile device for added security.
These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a graphical representation of use of the method in practice; and
Figure 2 shows a graphical representation of an alternative use of the method in practice.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With reference to the drawings, a method of remote controlling an input device is generally indicated by referencing below 1 .
A first step of the method 1 of remote controlling an input device is establishing communication 2 between a mobile device 3 and a primary input device 4.
The mobile device 3 is used as a remote control to input data that a user wishes to input into the primary input device 4. The mobile device 3 has a secondary input device 5 which forms part of a standard mobile devices 3.
The data input into the mobile device 3 is communicated 2 from the mobile device 3 to the primary input device 4 which is connected to and used to control a point-of-sale machine 6. This is done to remove the need for a user to physically touch the primary input device 4 or handle the point-of-sale machine 6. The communication 2 is established by scanning a quick response code 7 (“QR-code”) by the mobile device 3. A secure internet connection will allow for communication 2 between the mobile device 3 and the point-of-sale machine 6. The mobile phone 3 is used to identify a specific primary input device 4 being associated with a specific point-of-sale device 6.
The primary input device 4 includes a touch screen 8 and physical buttons 9. The user will use the secondary input device 5 on the mobile device 3 to replicate any input which would have been done on the that screen 8 or physical buttons 9 which makes part of the primary input 4. This data inputted into the secondary input device 5 will usually be to accept an amount to be paid and to input a PIN.
The applicability of the method 1 is not limited to point-of-sale machines 6, the method 1 can also be implemented at automatic teller machines 10 (“ATM”) or cash machines. At an ATM 10 a user will usually be required to make a large number of selections which would usually be inputted into a primary input device 4. The use of a mobile device 3 to input the data which would have been inputted to the primary input device 4 does away with the need for user to physically touch the primary input device 4 or any part of the ATM 10.
The invention is not limited to the precise details as described above. For example, the connection 2 can be made by means of any short-range wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth or NFC as most modern mobile devices already incorporate these connection protocols.
Part of the data transferred across the connection 2 can be a two-factor authentication which is sent to the mobile device 3 requesting the user to authenticate their intention of performing a transaction.
The primary input device 4 need not be associated with a machine used for financial transactions but any device which is used by a large number of users such as an access code input device at an entrance to a building or an input device for a vending machine. It is envisaged that the method for replicating an input device will alleviate the need for a large number of users to physically touch an input device such as one connected to a point-of-sale machine. Diseases are easily spread through physical contact not only between people but 5 also between an infected person touching an object or input device which in turn is then touched by another person.
The method can also limit cases of ATM machine cloning since a cloned ATM will not be able 0 to send a prompt to a user’s mobile device requiring the user to authenticate a particular transaction to be performed. A true prompt from the bank associated with the ATM in question will only be able to be sent by an authentic ATM.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the precise5 details as described herein.