Block, Inc.

Square, Inc.

Molex Corporation

Jeremy Martin

Mani Razaghi

Joseph Laucks

Brett Andler

Yenliang Chen

Cory Douthat

Mani Razaghi Kashani

Rowan Schultz

Marvin Balaoro

Nicholas Kunst

Steven Stallion

John E Lopata

Isreal Blagdan

Joshua Boilard

Gregory D Spanier

Nicholas Slaney

Nikolaj Leschly

Dennis Pak

Patrick Willett

Paul Quang Vo

A transaction system receives a card into a slot between a plurality of surfaces (e.g., a first surface and a second surface) of a housing. The transaction system detects, using at least one detector, that a storage medium of the card faces the one of the plurality of surfaces at a first time while the card is received by the slot. Between the first time and a second time (that is after the first time), the transaction system prepares one of a plurality of reader interfaces (e.g., a first reader interface or a second reader interface) to read information from the storage medium in response to the at least one detector detecting that the storage medium of the card is facing the one of the plurality of surfaces. At the second time, the one of the plurality of reader interfaces reads the information from the storage medium of the card.

Reader device with a plurality of reader interfaces

A card reader includes a digital connector such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug or an Apple® Lightning® plug. The digital connector includes a corresponding connector interface, which provides voltage to at least a card reader interface and an integrated circuit (IC) of the card reader. The card reader interface outputs an analog transaction information signal upon reading the card. The IC generates a digital version of the analog transaction information signal, encrypts the digital version, converts that into an analog audio signal. The audio signal can then be sent to the connector interface, which converts it into a digital signal such as a USB or Apple® Lightning® signal that is sent by the digital connector to a mobile device. Alternately, the audio signal can be sent to a microcontroller that converts the audio signal to a digital format such as USB, and then to the digital connector.

Transaction object reader with shielding

Transaction object reader with interposer

A brick-and-mortar (BAM) store control system uses sensors and wireless transceivers to track customers, merchant representatives, devices, and/or objects within a BAM store area. The system can identify and track product and/or service inventory within the BAM store area and/or in individual's personal inventories, for instance by detecting movements of objects by individuals in sensor data. The system can generate inventory replenishment schedules, for instance based on inventory quantity patterns. The system can provide recommendations to customers and/or merchants, for example recommending products that customers have interacted with. The system can identify individuals and/or objects using a machine learning algorithm, which can learn based on feedback. The system can generate temporary identifiers for unrecognized individuals or objects, which it can merge or convert into long-term identifiers as more information is received. The system can recognize sensitive information based on secure identifiers generated based on the sensitive information.

Automatic inventory tracking in brick and mortar store based on sensor data

A point of sale (POS) device includes a nest portion and a cradle portion. The nest portion includes one or more payment card or near field communication (NFC) readers. The cradle portion couples to differently-sized interchangeable frames, which in turn help secure a mobile computing device to the cradle portion of the POS device. The mobile computing device is connected via a connector to the rest of the POS device. Payment card information read by the readers is conveyed to the mobile computing device over the connector for processing. The POS device may also include tamper detection circuitry.

Point of sale device with cradle for computing device

Point of sale device with cradle for mobile computing device

Card reader device

A card reader includes a digital connector such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug or an Apple&#xae; Lightning&#xae; plug. The digital connector includes a corresponding connector interface, which provides voltage to at least a card reader interface and an integrated circuit (IC) of the card reader. The card reader interface outputs an analog transaction information signal upon reading the card. The IC generates a digital version of the analog transaction information signal, encrypts the digital version, converts that into an analog audio signal. The audio signal can then be sent to the connector interface, which converts it into a digital signal such as a USB or Apple&#xae; Lightning&#xae; signal that is sent by the digital connector to a mobile device. Alternately, the audio signal can be sent to a microcontroller that converts the audio signal to a digital format such as USB, and then to the digital connector.

Transaction object reader with analog and digital signal interface

Transaction object reader with digital signal input/output and internal audio-based communication

A circuit card connector that utilizes flexible circuitry includes an elongated base, a pair of cradle spring members supported on the base, and a pair of contact springs movably supported on the cradle spring members. The cradle spring members include a plurality of reset arms that extend upwardly therefrom into contact with the undersides of the flexible circuitry. The flexible circuitry includes an apertured ground plane layer spaced apart from and located beneath the signal face layer. The apertures in the ground plane layer increase its flexibility especially at the interconnection interfaces to increase the compliance of the connector.

Microstrip edge card connector

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Jeremy Martin