How a Car Can Pay for Things Using Secure Short-Range Communication
This patent describes a system where a car acts as a payment device, using a very short-range wireless link from exterior hardware to securely send a tokenized credit card number to a payment terminal.
Original patent title: “Connected car as a payment device”
This patent describes a system where a car acts as a payment device, using a very short-range wireless link from exterior hardware to securely send a tokenized credit card number to a payment terminal. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a method for a vehicle to make payments. It involves selecting a stored financial card or account from the car's main display, called a head unit. To ensure security, the system transmits a 'tokenized card number'—a scrambled, unique code for your card—to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. This transmission happens over a very short-range link, meaning the car must be extremely close, like within a few inches or feet, of the payment terminal. This secure, short-range communication is handled by special electronic circuitry attached to the outside of the vehicle, which receives the tokenized number from the head unit and then sends it to the POS terminal. For example, a driver could select their preferred payment method on their car's screen, then pull up to a gas pump where exterior circuitry on the car communicates with the pump's payment terminal.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover payments made from the vehicle using long-range wireless technologies like cellular networks or Wi-Fi.
- Does not cover payment systems where the secure transmission circuitry is located entirely inside the vehicle cabin.
- Does not cover vehicle-based payments that do not use a tokenized card number for security.
- Does not cover payments where the vehicle is not within a threshold distance (e.g., one inch to three feet) of the point-of-sale terminal.
- Does not cover systems where the vehicle's head unit directly transmits the payment information to the POS terminal without intermediate exterior circuitry.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever part is combining the convenience of in-car payment selection with enhanced security by requiring a very short-range, exterior-mounted communication link to transmit a tokenized card number. This physical proximity requirement, enforced by dedicated external circuitry, helps prevent unauthorized interception of payment data.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Paying for fuel at a gas pump directly from the car's dashboard.
Making drive-thru purchases at restaurants without needing to use a phone or wallet.
Automated toll payments where the car interacts with a short-range reader.
Parking garage payments where the vehicle communicates with an exit gate terminal.
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses the growing demand for convenient, secure in-car payment solutions. By defining a specific mechanism for very short-range, exterior-based communication, it aims to make transactions like fueling up or paying at a drive-thru faster and more secure. This approach could streamline daily activities, reducing the need for drivers to use physical cards or phones for certain purchases.
Filed
November 7, 2025
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major automotive manufacturers like General Motors, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz are actively exploring and implementing in-car payment solutions. Payment processing companies such as Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe are also developing platforms and partnerships to enable connected car commerce. Technology companies specializing in secure short-range communication and tokenization are also key players in this evolving space.
Market impact
This patent could contribute to the development of a more seamless and secure ecosystem for in-car commerce. By establishing a specific method for secure vehicle-to-terminal payments, it could encourage broader adoption of such systems, potentially reducing transaction times and enhancing user convenience. It aims to address security concerns that might otherwise hinder the widespread use of cars as payment devices, thereby expanding the market for connected vehicle services.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a method for a vehicle to make payments. It involves selecting a stored financial card or account from the car's main display, called a head unit. To ensure security, the system transmits a 'tokenized card number'—a scrambled, unique code for your card—to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. This transmission happens over a very short-range link, meaning the car must be extremely close, like within a few inches or feet, of the payment terminal. This secure, short-range communication is handled by special electronic circuitry attached to the outside of the vehicle, which receives the tokenized number from the head unit and then sends it to the POS terminal. For example, a driver could select their preferred payment method on their car's screen, then pull up to a gas pump where exterior circuitry on the car communicates with the pump's payment terminal.
The clever bit
The clever part is combining the convenience of in-car payment selection with enhanced security by requiring a very short-range, exterior-mounted communication link to transmit a tokenized card number. This physical proximity requirement, enforced by dedicated external circuitry, helps prevent unauthorized interception of payment data.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover payments made from the vehicle using long-range wireless technologies like cellular networks or Wi-Fi.
- Does not cover payment systems where the secure transmission circuitry is located entirely inside the vehicle cabin.
- Does not cover vehicle-based payments that do not use a tokenized card number for security.
- Does not cover payments where the vehicle is not within a threshold distance (e.g., one inch to three feet) of the point-of-sale terminal.
- Does not cover systems where the vehicle's head unit directly transmits the payment information to the POS terminal without intermediate exterior circuitry.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$19K – $61K
Midpoint $38K · 19.1 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). How a Car Can Pay for Things Using Secure Short-Range Communication (U.S. Patent No. 12,737,744). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12737744/connected-car-as-a-payment-device
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How a Car Can Pay for Things Using Secure Short-Range Communication cover?
This patent describes a system where a car acts as a payment device, using a very short-range wireless link from exterior hardware to securely send a tokenized credit card number to a payment terminal.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses the growing demand for convenient, secure in-car payment solutions. By defining a specific mechanism for very short-range, exterior-based communication, it aims to make transactions like fueling up or paying at a drive-thru faster and more secure. This approach could streamline daily activities, reducing the need for drivers to use physical cards or phones for certain purchases.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover payments made from the vehicle using long-range wireless technologies like cellular networks or Wi-Fi.
Patent monitoring