Patent on the NFC Mechanics of Apple Pay Details Its Inner Workings

It's worth noting that tokenization isn't an Apple thing - it's something the card networks came up with a year ago: http://about.americanexpress.com/news/pr/2013/mc-visa-amex-p...

Re: Patent on the NFC Mechanics of Apple Pay Details Its Inner Workings

#5

Post by discardorama » Thu, Oct 09, 2014, 3:56 PM UTC

Here's a link to the patent: http://1.usa.gov/1nelibZ

Re: Patent on the NFC Mechanics of Apple Pay Details Its Inner Workings

#6

Post by drdaeman » Thu, Oct 09, 2014, 4:02 PM UTC

What I don't get is how something like this could be patented. Isn't it all obvious? I think we had every single non-trivial component (single-use tokens passed over secure channels, initialize-send-retry_if_failed loops and other stuff) for years. If the "innovation" is that those are now used for payments over NFC — I don't get it. Or I've missed something novel on a quick glance.

Re: Patent on the NFC Mechanics of Apple Pay Details Its Inner Workings

#7

Post by el_duderino » Thu, Oct 09, 2014, 4:23 PM UTC

"That could be ideal for the forthcoming iPad, which is rumored to offer Touch ID and Apple Pay"

Can't wait to be in line behind the person fumbling to get our their iPad to pay for a pack of gum. Phone and watch should be smooth though.

Re: Patent on the NFC Mechanics of Apple Pay Details Its Inner Workings

#8

Post by nobodyshere » Thu, Oct 09, 2014, 4:31 PM UTC

dan1234 wrote: post #3

Does this mean Apple Pay won't work with existing NFC payment terminals?

Nope. It will.

Re: Patent on the NFC Mechanics of Apple Pay Details Its Inner Workings

#9

Post by Someone1234 » Thu, Oct 09, 2014, 4:36 PM UTC

el_duderino wrote: post #7

"That could be ideal for the forthcoming iPad, which is rumored to offer Touch ID and Apple Pay" Can't wait to be in line behind the person fumbling to get our their iPad to pay for a pack of gum. Phone and watch should be smooth though.

It might not be as silly on an iPad Mini. Also you may be using Apple Pay to pay for things at home (e.g. Pizza Delivery, or to renew your Keurig 3.0 online subscription to re-activate your coffee machine).

Re: Patent on the NFC Mechanics of Apple Pay Details Its Inner Workings

#10

Post by gvb » Thu, Oct 09, 2014, 4:39 PM UTC

discardorama wrote: post #5

Here's a link to the patent: http://1.usa.gov/1nelibZ

Claim 1, 8, and 15, on which the other claims are based, indicates the patent applies to how the system recovers from NFC failures, not the NFC payment mechanism itself. The other claims cover ways of diddling (mostly hardware) parameters to recover.

1. A method of operating a portable electronic device, comprising: using the electronic device to conduct a mobile payment transaction at a merchant terminal; and in response to detecting that the mobile payment transaction has failed, updating at least one operating setting on the electronic device prior to performing a subsequent payment attempt at the merchant terminal.