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.

The invention provides a compact, coinless, ticketless parking meter device which includes a timer means; a payment facilitating arrangement operable in cooperation with a non-cash payment instrument for effecting payment of a monetary amount for a parking period; a display means for displaying a balance remaining of the parking period; and a power supply unit for supplying power to the timer means, the payment facilitating arrangement and the display means.

A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to enable an individual to complete a financial transaction by swiping a magnetic stripe card through a card reader connected to a mobile device. The size of the card reader is miniaturized to be portable for connection with the mobile device. The card reader is configured to reliably read data encoded in a magnetic strip of the card with minimum error in a single swipe and provide a signal that corresponds to the data read to the mobile device, which then decodes the incoming signal from the card reader and acts as a point-of-sale device to complete the financial transaction. Such an approach enables a person to become either a micro-merchant (payee) or a buyer/customer (payer) without having to purchase expensive card reader devices or software.

A user having an account with a payment provider receives an unregistered payment card that is associated with the payment provider, and that includes a magnetic strip encoded with a number unique to the card and a machine readable code such as a QR/barcode embossed thereon. The user may then open an application on the user's mobile device to capture the number associated with the card by, for example, scanning the QR/barcode, capturing an image of the number, speaking the number into the device, or manually entering the number into the user's device. The user may also authenticate with the payment provider by entering login credentials. The user may then confirm a request to link the number of the card with the user's payment provider account, which activates and links the card to the user account so that the user can immediately use the card for purchases.

Advanced loyalty applications are provided to improve the functionality of cards and devices. For example, a user interface may be placed on a card (e.g., a physical button) or a telephonic device (e.g., a virtual button on a capacitive touch screen). Manual input provided to this user interface may, for example, cause a non-merchant product (e.g., insurance) to be purchased with a merchant purchase. The product can be paid for with debit, credit, gift card balance, or points. A code indicative of a user's desire to purchase the product may be communicated to a payment card reader (e.g., to a magnetic stripe reader via a magnetic stripe communications device). A display may be provided next to a button to allow a user to scroll, or toggle by pressing the button repeatedly, through different products (which may be merchant or non-merchant products).

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.

The invention relates to an enabling card as well as a system and method for completing a financial transaction in a P.O.S. terminal comprising: a processor carried by the enabling card for: establishing a connection with a mobile device; receiving secure information from a mobile device and generating a digital signal; a coil carried by the enabling card for generating a magnetic field in response to the digital signal to simulate the swipe of card in the P.O.S. terminal and complete the financial transaction.

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.

An automated system and method for BUYING AND SELLING STOCKS, FRACTIONAL SHARES, SHARES, COMMODITIES, OR ANY OTHER PRODUCT LISTED ON ANY US OR GLOBAL STOCK EXCHANGES through a kiosk of debit card, credit card, or gift card. The kiosk having a housing to house electrical, network, and communication components; a user interface in communication with the kiosk, the user interface to receive user commands; the kiosk being managed and operated by an investment entity, the investment entity having the ability to buy or sell the one or more investments; and a gift card; the one or more investments include one or more stocks, fractional shares, shares, commodities, or any other product listed on any US or global stock exchanges; and the one or more user commands allow the user to purchase or sell the one or more investments via the kiosk.

A computer system can implement a network transaction service by receiving a transaction request from a computing device of a requesting user that has a customer account linked to the network transaction service. Based on the transaction request, the computer system can determine a merchant account of the registered merchant that is linked to the network transaction service. The computer system can then execute a remote transaction operation to transfer funds from a shared account of the network transaction service to the merchant account to fulfill the transaction request, where the shared account is different from the customer account of the requesting user.