{
  "patent_number": "US 12737569",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Mobile Payment Reader Base with Physical Connector for Phones",
  "original_title": "Base with connector to couple to mobile computing device",
  "summary": "This patent describes a base that physically connects to a mobile computing device, allowing it to read payment information from cards and send it to the phone.",
  "what_it_does": "The apparatus includes a base with reader circuitry designed to interact with a payment object, such as a credit card, to read payment information. A connector protrudes from this base, physically coupling to a mobile computing device. This connector serves two purposes: it conveys the read payment information from the base's reader circuitry to the mobile device, and it also holds the mobile device firmly in place relative to the base. For example, a small business owner could attach their smartphone to this base, then swipe a customer's credit card through the base's reader, with the payment data instantly sent to the phone for processing.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover wireless payment readers that communicate with a mobile device without a physical connector, such as Bluetooth or NFC-only devices.",
    "Does not cover systems where the mobile computing device is not physically retained in a fixed position relative to the base by the connector.",
    "Does not cover reading non-payment information from objects, as the circuitry is specifically for 'payment information from a payment object'.",
    "Does not cover payment systems where the mobile computing device itself contains the primary payment reader circuitry.",
    "Does not cover systems where the connector only provides power or data without conveying payment information from the base's reader circuitry."
  ],
  "filed": "2024-05-09",
  "granted": "2026-09-15",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": null,
  "holder_url": null,
  "inventors": [],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "telecommunications",
    "ecommerce",
    "finance",
    "software"
  ],
  "abstract": "Systems and methods are described for a base with a connector to couple to a mobile computing device. In some examples, and apparatus includes a base, reader circuitry, and a connector protruding from the base. The reader circuitry is configured to read payment information from a payment object that interacts with the reader circuitry. The connector is configured to convey the payment information from the reader circuitry to the mobile computing device. The connector being coupled to the second connector of the mobile computing device retains a position of the mobile computing device relative to the base.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12737569/base-with-connector-to-couple-to-mobile-computing-device",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12737569/base-with-connector-to-couple-to-mobile-computing-device/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12737569",
  "relatedPatents": []
}