Patents by Inventor Tom HANLEY

Tom HANLEY has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11915220
    Abstract: An apparatus for dynamic credit card reader mode management is provided, the apparatus including: a point-of sale (POS) terminal, configured to accept employee login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, to display menu items for selection, to add selected menu items to an order, and to accept payment for the order, where the payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap, the POS terminal including: a first card reader, configured to read first provided cards when enabled; a second card reader, configured to read second provided cards when enabled; and a dual reader controller, coupled to the first and second card readers, configured to determine one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and configured to dynamically control modes of the first and second card readers according to the one or more workflow states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Stephen Kirk, Chance Ashley Kirsch
  • Patent number: 11816650
    Abstract: A system for credit card reader mode management includes: a point-of sale (POS) terminal, that accepts login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, displays menu items, adds selected menu items to an order, and accepts payment instruments for the order, the POS terminal including: a first card reader, that reads first cards when enabled; a second card reader, that reads second cards when enabled; and a dual reader controller, that determines one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and controls modes of the first and second card readers; and a backend server, that receives messages transmitted by the POS terminal including payment information obtained by the POS terminal, and that employs the payment information to process one of more transactions with one or more financial institutions to complete the payment for the order, and that notifies the POS terminal that the payment for the order is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Stephen Kirk, Chance Ashley Kirsch
  • Patent number: 11748728
    Abstract: A method for dynamic adaptation of card reader protocol includes: providing a point-of sale (POS) terminal, that accepts login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, displays menu items for selection, adds selected menu items to an order, and accepts payment for the order, where the payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap; via a card reader, reading provided cards when enabled; via a reader controller, determining one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and controlling states and modes of the card reader; determining a type and capabilities of the card reader upon power up; and receiving instructions indicating the type and the capabilities, and communicating with the card reader according to the type and the capabilities responsive to a common set of commands employed by the POS terminal, and formatting data received from the card reader into a common data format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Stephen Kirk, Chance Ashley Kirsch
  • Patent number: 11568156
    Abstract: An apparatus for context-based credit card reader management is provided that includes a point-of sale (POS) terminal, configured to accept employee login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, to display menu items for selection, to add selected menu items to an order, and to accept payment for the order, where the payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap. The POS terminal has a card reader and a reader controller. The card reader reads provided cards when fully powered and enabled. The reader controller is coupled to the card reader, and determines one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and dynamically controls power states of the card reader according to the one or more workflow states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Stephen Kirk, Chance Ashley Kirsch
  • Publication number: 20220309483
    Abstract: An apparatus for dynamic credit card reader mode management is provided, the apparatus including: a point-of sale (POS) terminal, configured to accept employee login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, to display menu items for selection, to add selected menu items to an order, and to accept payment for the order, where the payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap, the POS terminal including: a first card reader, configured to read first provided cards when enabled; a second card reader, configured to read second provided cards when enabled; and a dual reader controller, coupled to the first and second card readers, configured to determine one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and configured to dynamically control modes of the first and second card readers according to the one or more workflow states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Stephen Kirk, Chance Ashley Kirsch
  • Publication number: 20220309484
    Abstract: A method for dynamic adaptation of card reader protocol includes: providing a point-of sale (POS) terminal, that accepts login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, displays menu items for selection, adds selected menu items to an order, and accepts payment for the order, where the payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap; via a card reader, reading provided cards when enabled; via a reader controller, determining one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and controlling states and modes of the card reader; determining a type and capabilities of the card reader upon power up; and receiving instructions indicating the type and the capabilities, and communicating with the card reader according to the type and the capabilities responsive to a common set of commands employed by the POS terminal, and formatting data received from the card reader into a common data format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Stephen Kirk, Chance Ashley Kirsch
  • Publication number: 20220309481
    Abstract: A system for credit card reader mode management includes: a point-of sale (POS) terminal, that accepts login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, displays menu items, adds selected menu items to an order, and accepts payment instruments for the order, the POS terminal including: a first card reader, that reads first cards when enabled; a second card reader, that reads second cards when enabled; and a dual reader controller, that determines one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and controls modes of the first and second card readers; and a backend server, that receives messages transmitted by the POS terminal including payment information obtained by the POS terminal, and that employs the payment information to process one of more transactions with one or more financial institutions to complete the payment for the order, and that notifies the POS terminal that the payment for the order is complete.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Stephen Kirk, Chance Ashley Kirsch
  • Publication number: 20220309259
    Abstract: An apparatus for context-based credit card reader management is provided that includes a point-of sale (POS) terminal, configured to accept employee login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, to display menu items for selection, to add selected menu items to an order, and to accept payment for the order, where the payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap. The POS terminal has a card reader and a reader controller. The card reader reads provided cards when fully powered and enabled. The reader controller is coupled to the card reader, and determines one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and dynamically controls power states of the card reader according to the one or more workflow states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Stephen Kirk, Chance Ashley Kirsch
  • Patent number: 10450189
    Abstract: The application describes a MEMS transducer comprising a substrate having a cavity. The transducer exhibits a membrane layer supported relative to the substrate to define a flexible membrane. An upper surface of the substrate comprises an overlap region between the edge of the cavity and a perimeter of the flexible membrane where the membrane overlies the upper surface of the substrate. At least one portion of the overlap region of the upper surface of the substrate is provided with a plurality of recesses. The recesses are defined so as to extend from the edge of the cavity towards the perimeter of the flexible membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Hanley, Timothy John Brosnihan, Euan James Boyd
  • Publication number: 20190100429
    Abstract: A MEMS transducer and method of forming a MEMS transducer. The MEMS transducer comprises a flexible membrane and a backplate, a membrane electrode being located on a polygon shaped first surface of the flexible membrane, and a backplate electrode being located on a first surface of the backplate facing the membrane electrode. At least one of the membrane electrode and the backplate electrode has an outline shape configured to correspond to a contour of a contour map, the contour map representing relative amounts of displacement of portions of the flexible membrane from an equilibrium position in response to pressure differences generated by incident sound waves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom HANLEY, Colin Robert JENKINS, Euan James BOYD
  • Publication number: 20190062146
    Abstract: The application describes a MEMS transducer comprising a membrane which comprises an active membrane region and a substrate having a cavity. An upper surface of the substrate comprises an overlap region which underlies the membrane. A first portion of the overlap region is provided with at least one recess. The at least one recess does not intersect an edge of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom HANLEY, Colin Robert JENKINS
  • Publication number: 20180148315
    Abstract: The application describes a MEMS transducer comprising a substrate having a cavity. The transducer exhibits a membrane layer supported relative to the substrate to define a flexible membrane. An upper surface of the substrate comprises an overlap region between the edge of the cavity and a perimeter of the flexible membrane where the membrane overlies the upper surface of the substrate. At least one portion of the overlap region of the upper surface of the substrate is provided with a plurality of recesses. The recesses are defined so as to extend from the edge of the cavity towards the perimeter of the flexible membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom HANLEY, Timothy John BROSNIHAN, Euan James BOYD