Patents by Inventor Christopher Michael BROCK

Christopher Michael BROCK 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: 11915212
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a securities transaction system includes a ledger storing securities balances of security assets managed by a payment service and owned by users of the payment service. The securities balances relate to securities purchased on from a securities exchange system. The securities transaction system includes processors for executing instructions executable to send, to a mobile wallet application associated with the payment service, information regarding one or more of the security assets managed by the payment service; receive, from the mobile wallet application, a purchase request to acquire an amount of one of the security assets; update, via the ledger, the securities balances to reflect amounts of security assets respectively managed by the payment service and owned by the user based on the purchase request; and initiate one or more transactions from the securities exchange system to maintain a specified level of the security asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Publication number: 20230394446
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for payment associated with a transaction between a first user and a second user, where the request specifies a payment amount in a fiat currency and identifying an indication that the first user intends to satisfy the request for payment using a non-fiat instrument. The method also includes initiating a first transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the non-fiat instrument from a first balance of the first user to one or more service balances of a payment service and initiating a second transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the fiat currency from the one or more service balances of the payment service to a second balance of the second user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 11710108
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for payment associated with a transaction between a first user and a second user, where the request specifies a payment amount in a fiat currency and identifying an indication that the first user intends to satisfy the request for payment using a non-fiat instrument. The method also includes initiating a first transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the non-fiat instrument from a first balance of the first user to one or more service balances of a payment service and initiating a second transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the fiat currency from the one or more service balances of the payment service to a second balance of the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Publication number: 20230115953
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a securities transaction system includes a ledger storing securities balances of security assets managed by a payment service and owned by users of the payment service. The securities balances relate to securities purchased on from a securities exchange system. The securities transaction system includes processors for executing instructions executable to send, to a mobile wallet application associated with the payment service, information regarding one or more of the security assets managed by the payment service; receive, from the mobile wallet application, a purchase request to acquire an amount of one of the security assets; update, via the ledger, the securities balances to reflect amounts of security assets respectively managed by the payment service and owned by the user based on the purchase request; and initiate one or more transactions from the securities exchange system to maintain a specified level of the security asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 11348190
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a payment service system (PSS), a request for a cash advance drawn from a line of credit approved for a user. The line of credit is associated with an account maintained by the PSS and includes default repayment terms. The method includes in response to receiving the request, identifying, by the PSS, context characteristics of the request. The method includes determining, by the PSS using a machine learning model applied to the identified characteristics and historical context information stored at the payment service system, that the requested cash advance qualifies for repayment terms that are different form the default repayment terms. The method includes based on the determination, generating a set of modified repayment terms to be associated with the cash advance. The method includes transmitting, by the PSS, an indication of the modified repayment terms to a user device for authorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: BLOCK, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Emily Chiu
  • Publication number: 20220084134
    Abstract: In some examples, a payment service system (PSS) receives transaction data for a transaction of a user of the PSS, including an identifier associated with the user and an amount of the transaction. The PSS may use the identifier to identify a user account of the user, and may determine that the amount of the transaction will cause the balance of the account to satisfy a threshold. Based at least on determining that the user account satisfies a condition and that the transaction will cause the balance to satisfy the threshold, the PSS may process the transaction using funds from the balance and from an additional source of funds provided by another user. Based on the user account receiving a deposit of funds, the PSS may withhold a portion of the deposit as repayment for at least a portion of the funds received from the additional source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Emily Chiu
  • Patent number: 11145005
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a payment service system (PSS) from a first device associated with a first user, a request to borrow an amount from a second user. The first user is associated with a first user account and the second user is associated with a second user account, both of which are maintained by the PSS. The method includes in response to receiving the request, identifying, by the PSS, a first transaction history associated with the first user account and a second transaction history associated with the second user account in a data store of the PSS. The method includes determining, by the PSS, repayment terms to be associated with the request to borrow the amount based on the first transaction history and the second transaction history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SQUARE, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Emily Chiu
  • Publication number: 20210133868
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a payment service system (PSS), a request for a cash advance drawn from a line of credit approved for a user. The line of credit is associated with an account maintained by the PSS and includes default repayment terms. The method includes in response to receiving the request, identifying, by the PSS, context characteristics of the request. The method includes determining, by the PSS using a machine learning model applied to the identified characteristics and historical context information stored at the payment service system, that the requested cash advance qualifies for repayment terms that are different form the default repayment terms. The method includes based on the determination, generating a set of modified repayment terms to be associated with the cash advance. The method includes transmitting, by the PSS, an indication of the modified repayment terms to a user device for authorization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Emily Chiu
  • Publication number: 20210133869
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a payment service system (PSS) from a first device associated with a first user, a request to borrow an amount from a second user. The first user is associated with a first user account and the second user is associated with a second user account, both of which are maintained by the PSS. The method includes in response to receiving the request, identifying, by the PSS, a first transaction history associated with the first user account and a second transaction history associated with the second user account in a data store of the PSS. The method includes determining, by the PSS, repayment terms to be associated with the request to borrow the amount based on the first transaction history and the second transaction history.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Emily Chiu
  • Patent number: 10817853
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for payment associated with a transaction between a merchant and a customer, where a payment amount is specified in a fiat currency, determining a preference of the customer to pay for the transaction using a security asset, and verifying that a value of the security asset held by the payment system and assigned to the customer is sufficient to satisfy the payment amount. The method also includes initiating a transfer of at least a portion of the value of the security asset from a customer balance of the customer to a service balance of the payment service, initiating a transfer of a value in the fiat currency from the service balance of the payment service to a merchant balance of the merchant, and storing a record of the transaction between the customer and the merchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 10621561
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for payment associated with a transaction between a merchant and a customer, where a payment amount is specified in a fiat currency, determining a preference of the customer to pay for the transaction using a security asset, and verifying that a value of the security asset held by the payment system and assigned to the customer is sufficient to satisfy the payment amount. The method also includes initiating a transfer of at least a portion of the value of the security asset from a customer balance of the customer to a service balance of the payment service, initiating a transfer of a value in the fiat currency from the service balance of the payment service to a merchant balance of the merchant, and storing a record of the transaction between the customer and the merchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Publication number: 20200082365
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for payment associated with a transaction between a first user and a second user, where the request specifies a payment amount in a fiat currency and identifying an indication that the first user intends to satisfy the request for payment using a non-fiat instrument. The method also includes initiating a first transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the non-fiat instrument from a first balance of the first user to one or more service balances of a payment service and initiating a second transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the fiat currency from the one or more service balances of the payment service to a second balance of the second user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 10540639
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for payment associated with a transaction between a first user and a second user, where the request specifies a payment amount in a fiat currency and identifying an indication that the first user intends to satisfy the request for payment using a non-fiat instrument. The method also includes initiating a first transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the non-fiat instrument from a first balance of the first user to one or more service balances of a payment service and initiating a second transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the fiat currency from the one or more service balances of the payment service to a second balance of the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 10373130
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for payment associated with a transaction between a first user and a second user, where the request specifies a payment amount in a fiat currency and identifying an indication that the first user intends to satisfy the request for payment using a non-fiat instrument. The method also includes initiating a first transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the non-fiat instrument from a first balance of the first user to one or more service balances of a payment service and initiating a second transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the fiat currency from the one or more service balances of the payment service to a second balance of the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Publication number: 20190034888
    Abstract: The present technology provides a payment service for providing financial transactions between a customer and merchant wherein the customer can pay in any currency and the merchant can be paid in any currency. Furthermore, the present technology supports payment using cryptocurrency, while improving such transaction in a way that takes advantage of benefits of such transactions, like anonymity, while overcoming drawbacks such as delays in processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Brian Grassadonia, Christopher Michael Brock, Michael Moring, Crissy Solh
  • Publication number: 20190034889
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for payment associated with a transaction between a first user and a second user, where the request specifies a payment amount in a fiat currency and identifying an indication that the first user intends to satisfy the request for payment using a non-fiat instrument. The method also includes initiating a first transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the non-fiat instrument from a first balance of the first user to one or more service balances of a payment service and initiating a second transfer of a value corresponding to the payment amount in the fiat currency from the one or more service balances of the payment service to a second balance of the second user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 10163079
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes purchasing an amount of cryptocurrency assets from a cryptocurrency source system and storing, in a cryptocurrency wallet maintained by a payment service, private encryption keys representative of the purchased cryptocurrency assets. The method also includes assigning, in a ledger maintained by the payment service, ownership of amounts of cryptocurrency to the payment service and users of the payment service. The method further includes receiving, via an application executing on a device of a user of the payment service and associated with the payment service, a request from the user to acquire or sell an amount of cryptocurrency and, based on the request, processing the transfer of the amount of cryptocurrency by adjusting, in the ledger, the respective amounts of cryptocurrency owned by the user and the payment service, wherein the transfer is processed via the payment service instead of the cryptocurrency source system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 10108938
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a point-of-sale system associated with a merchant, a request for payment associated with a transaction, wherein a payment amount is specified in a fiat currency. The method also includes determining a preference of the customer to pay for the transaction using a cryptocurrency and calculating a cryptocurrency value of the payment based on an exchange rate between the cryptocurrency and the fiat currency. The method further includes initiating a transfer of cryptocurrency value from a customer balance of the customer to a service balance of the payment service, initiating a transfer of a value in the fiat currency from the service balance of the payment service to a merchant balance of the merchant, and generating a record of the transaction between the customer and the merchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Brock, Brian Grassadonia, Michael Moring
  • Patent number: 10055715
    Abstract: The present technology provides a payment service for providing financial transactions between a customer and merchant wherein the customer can pay in any currency and the merchant can be paid in any currency. Furthermore, the present technology supports payment using cryptocurrency, while improving such transactions in a way that takes advantage of benefits of such transactions while overcoming drawbacks such as delays in processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Grassadonia, Christopher Michael Brock, Michael Moring, Crissy Solh
  • Patent number: 9560040
    Abstract: Technology is disclosed for mitigating account enumeration and thus enhances network security. The technology can receive from a client computing device a sequence of characters corresponding to a portion of an email address input by a user. The technology retrieves a set of email addresses that have a common first portion identical to the received sequence of characters and generates hashed data. The hashed data is sent to the client computing device. A result value is then generated by hashing the input email address by using the same hashing function as the hashed data. If the result value is in the hashed data, the technology displays a text region for collecting from the user a password.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Michael Brock