Patents by Inventor Mark Jen

Mark Jen 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: 11861581
    Abstract: Described is a technology that enables a customer, who uses a payment card in a point-of-sale (POS) transaction and provides a biometric identifier to the merchant, to use the biometric identifier as a payment mechanism in future transactions. In some embodiments, the technology involves communication between a customer's user device, a payment service system (PSS), and one or more merchant POS systems. A merchant POS system collects information around the time or after the time of the POS transaction between the merchant POS system and the customer, including, among others, a biometric identifier of the customer and forwards this information to the PSS. The PSS stores the biometric identifier in association with the payment card used in the transaction. In a second transaction, the customer may provide the biometric and the PSS may process the transaction based at least in part on the identifier without the customer needing to provide a payment card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Grassadonia, Ajit Kalidindi Varma, Mark Jen
  • Patent number: 11847627
    Abstract: Product catalogs are received at a first point-of-sale (POS) device of a first business entity from POS devices of a second business entity and a third business entity. At least one product specification is selected from the product catalog of the second business entity and at least one product specification is selected from the third product catalog of the third business entity. A product catalog for the first business entity is then generated at the first POS device that includes a product specification that is different from, but informed by, the received product specifications. The generated catalog is transmitted by the first POS device to a fourth POS device of a fourth business entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Shawn Morel
  • Publication number: 20230306399
    Abstract: Product catalogs are received at a first point-of-sale (POS) device of a first business entity from POS devices of a second business entity and a third business entity. At least one product specification is selected from the product catalog of the second business entity and at least one product specification is selected from the third product catalog of the third business entity. A product catalog for the first business entity is then generated at the first POS device that includes a product specification that is different from, but informed by, the received product specifications. The generated catalog is transmitted by the first POS device to a fourth POS device of a fourth business entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Shawn Morel
  • Patent number: 11769129
    Abstract: Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are exposed by a service provider to point-of-sale (POS) devices of a plurality of merchants. Product catalogs including product specifications are received from merchants via a merchant support application executing on the POS devices. Pricing records are received from the POS devices of the merchants that indicate prices, locations, and time periods for the prices. Sales data including quantity, time, and location of historical sales is obtained. A price recommendation is provided to a merchant based at least in part on correlations between the historical sales data and pricing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Shawn Morel
  • Publication number: 20230062625
    Abstract: Described is a technology that enables a customer, who uses a payment card in a point-of-sale (POS) transaction and provides a biometric identifier to the merchant, to use the biometric identifier as a payment mechanism in future transactions. In some embodiments, the technology involves communication between a customer's user device, a payment service system (PSS), and one or more merchant POS systems. A merchant POS system collects information around the time or after the time of the POS transaction between the merchant POS system and the customer, including, among others, a biometric identifier of the customer and forwards this information to the PSS. The PSS stores the biometric identifier in association with the payment card used in the transaction. In a second transaction, the customer may provide the biometric and the PSS may process the transaction based at least in part on the identifier without the customer needing to provide a payment card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Brian Grassadonia, Ajit Kalidindi Varma, Mark Jen
  • Publication number: 20220398556
    Abstract: Described is a technology that enables a customer, who uses a payment card in a transaction and further provides an identifier in the same transaction, to use the identifier as a payment mechanism in all future transactions. In some embodiments, the technology involves communication between a customer's user device, a payment service system (PSS), and one or more merchant POS systems. A merchant POS system collects information in a transaction conducted between the merchant POS system and the customer, including, among others, the customer's contact information (e.g., telephone number), and forwards this information to the PSS. The PSS stores the information as an identifier, where the identifier is stored in association with the card used in the transaction. In a second transaction, the PSS sends a verification request to the user device based on the identifier (e.g., a text message), and processes the transaction only upon confirmation from the customer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Brian Grassadonia, Ajit Kalidindi Varma, Mark Jen
  • Publication number: 20220391869
    Abstract: A product catalog service allows merchants to create and store product catalogs indicating products that are available from the merchants. Transaction data from point-of-sale (POS) devices of a plurality of merchants can be received. A first catalog of a first merchant can be obtained from a first POS device of a first merchant. The first catalog contains items to be sold by the first merchant. Using the transaction data and the catalog, a second catalog of items to be sold by a second merchant can be generated or updated and transmitted to the second merchant. Items can be compared using item attributes. Item descriptions in the second catalog can be based on item descriptions in the first catalog.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Shawn Morel
  • Patent number: 11397933
    Abstract: A product catalog service allows merchants to create and store product catalogs indicating products that are available from the merchants. Transaction data from point-of-sale (POS) devices of a plurality of merchants can be received. A first catalog of a first merchant can be obtained from a first POS device of a first merchant. The first catalog contains items to be sold by the first merchant. Using the transaction data and the catalog, a second catalog of items to be sold by a second merchant can be generated or updated and transmitted to the second merchant. Items can be compared using item attributes. Item descriptions in the second catalog can be based on item descriptions in the first catalog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Shawn Morel
  • Patent number: 11348083
    Abstract: Described is a technology that enables a customer, who uses a payment card in a transaction and further provides an identifier in the same transaction, to use the identifier as a payment mechanism in all future transactions. In some embodiments, the technology involves communication between a customer's user device, a payment service system (PSS), and one or more merchant POS systems. A merchant POS system collects information in a transaction conducted between the merchant POS system and the customer, including, among others, the customer's contact information (e.g., telephone number), and forwards this information to the PSS. The PSS stores the information as an identifier, where the identifier is stored in association with the card used in the transaction. In a second transaction, the PSS sends a verification request to the user device based on the identifier (e.g., a text message), and processes the transaction only upon confirmation from the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Grassadonia, Ajit Kalidindi Varma, Mark Jen
  • Patent number: 11017369
    Abstract: Introduced is a technology for processing transactions on behalf of a merchant employing a legacy system, where the processing includes managing inventory data and bundle pricing data associated with transactions occurring at various point-of-sale (POS) devices that include both legacy and non-legacy POS devices. Briefly described, the technology involves a payment processing system (PPS) working in coordination with a legacy merchant system. The PPS includes a payment processing database system, a adapter module installed at the merchant system, and a payment processing engine installed at a cloud-based server system. The payment processing engine, via the adapter module, can receive the most up-to-date inventory data and bundle pricing rules from the legacy merchant system. Based on the bundle pricing rules, the payment processing engine can compute one or more minimum-price carts that apply pricing discounts to eligible items for transactions occurring at the POS device(s) associated with the PPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary Brock, Grace Huey Chen, Benjamin Hartard, Mark Jen, Kathryne Hollie Hawthorne
  • Patent number: 10959112
    Abstract: Systems and methods include [i] identifying operational attributes of the mesh radio network; [ii] identifying an Internet communication request originating from at least one of the plurality of network communication devices or identifying an Internet communication response originating from the one or more Internet sources; [iii] generating an Internet communication routing table for the mesh radio network; [iv] transmitting the Internet communication routing table to the mesh radio network; and [v] in response to identifying the Internet communication requests, selecting an optimal communications routing path for the Internet communication request or the Internet communication response based on the Internet communication routing table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Zachary Brock, Amrik Kochhar
  • Patent number: 10755275
    Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for intelligent payment capture in mixed fulfillment transactions. For example, the techniques described herein may include generating a purchase ticket associated with multiple items in a mixed fulfillment transaction. The purchase ticket may facilitate conducting a mixed fulfillment transaction in which a payment instrument is authorized for the cost of the multiple items in the mixed fulfillment transaction, with partial payment captures being made as items are fulfilled without requiring additional authorizations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Gillian May Lian Wee, Taylor Caswell Cascino, Grace Huey Chen, Benjamin Hartard
  • Publication number: 20200242579
    Abstract: A product catalog service allows business entities to create and store product catalogs indicating products that are available from the business entities. A product catalog includes multiple product family definitions. Each product family definition specifies attribute names of a product family and, for each attribute name, a set of allowed attribute values. In order to specify a particular product variant, an entity may supply one of the allowed attribute values for each specified attribute name of the product. The product catalogs may be received from multiple business entities. Each product catalog may also be shared with multiple business entities. A merchant, for example, may select products from a product catalog to purchase from another merchant. When creating a product catalog, a business entity may reference product family definitions of other product catalogs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Shawn Morel
  • Patent number: 10636021
    Abstract: A product catalog service allows business entities to create and store product catalogs indicating products that are available from the business entities. A product catalog includes multiple product family definitions. Each product family definition specifies attribute names of a product family and, for each attribute name, a set of allowed attribute values. In order to specify a particular product variant, an entity may supply one of the allowed attribute values for each specified attribute name of the product. The product catalogs may be received from multiple business entities. Each product catalog may also be shared with multiple business entities. A merchant, for example, may select products from a product catalog to purchase from another merchant. When creating a product catalog, a business entity may reference product family definitions of other product catalogs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Shawn Morel
  • Publication number: 20190355034
    Abstract: Data describing a purchase order to be prepared by a merchant and an expected arrival time of a user for arriving at a geographic location of the merchant can be received. An order preparation time for the purchase order based on the one or more items specified in the purchase order can be determined. The order preparation time can be a time needed by the merchant to prepare the purchase order. An order start time based on the order preparation time for the purchase order and on the expected arrival time can be determined. The order start time can be a time for beginning preparation of the purchase order to have the purchase order ready at the expected arrival time. The data describing the purchase order and the order start time can be presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Dustin Moring, Nathan Spindel, Mark Jen
  • Patent number: 10470052
    Abstract: A system for network communication, preferably including: a plurality of nodes, a central routing server, a plurality of routers, a plurality of antennae, and/or one or more Internet sources. A method for configuring radio communication devices, preferably including: determining an installation region, determining candidate radio cluster locations, evaluating candidate radio cluster locations, and/or determining information associated with radio installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: COMMON NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Zachary Brock, Grace Chen, Jessica Shalek, Amrik Kochhar, Ralston Clarke
  • Patent number: 10467583
    Abstract: An inventory service allows business entities to create inventory reports and other reports based on inventory data records corresponding respectively to individual instances of a product. When events take place regarding the product instance, the data record corresponding to the product instance is updated to indicate such events, including descriptions of the events and times of the events. Events may include purchase or sale of the product instance, location movements of the product instance, repairs and returns of the product instance, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Square, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Jen, Shawn Morel
  • Patent number: 10405210
    Abstract: Systems and methods for allocating frequency channels across a radiofrequency (RF) mesh network, including identifying pairs of radio groups having a propensity for interference; allocating frequency channels to each of the plurality of radio groups; and deploying the allocated frequency channels to the plurality of radio groups, using a central routing server including an automated frequency planning module that executes an RF allocation algorithm, wherein the RF allocation algorithm determines the frequency channel to assign to each radio group and deploys the determined frequency channel to each radio group of the plurality of radio groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Common Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralston Clarke, Brian Emmanuel, Mark Jen, Zachary Brock
  • Publication number: 20190223029
    Abstract: Systems and methods for allocating frequency channels across a radiofrequency (RF) mesh network, including identifying pairs of radio groups having a propensity for interference; allocating frequency channels to each of the plurality of radio groups; and deploying the allocated frequency channels to the plurality of radio groups, using a central routing server including an automated frequency planning module that executes an RF allocation algorithm, wherein the RF allocation algorithm determines the frequency channel to assign to each radio group and deploys the determined frequency channel to each radio group of the plurality of radio groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Ralston Clarke, Brian Emmanuel, Mark Jen, Zachary Brock
  • Patent number: 10319013
    Abstract: Data describing a purchase order to be prepared by a merchant and an expected arrival time of a user for arriving at a geographic location of the merchant can be received. An order preparation time for the purchase order based on the one or more items specified in the purchase order can be determined. The order preparation time can be a time needed by the merchant to prepare the purchase order. An order start time based on the order preparation time for the purchase order and on the expected arrival time can be determined. The order start time can be a time for beginning preparation of the purchase order to have the purchase order ready at the expected arrival time. The data describing the purchase order and the order start time can be presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SQUARE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Dustin Moring, Nathan Spindel, Mark Jen