# How Wearable Devices Act as Secure Bridges for Transactions > A system where a wearable device acts as a secure middleman between your phone and a payment terminal or electronic lock to verify your identity and complete transactions. - **Patent:** US 9699159 - **Original title:** Methods, apparatuses and systems for providing user authentication - **Owner:** OLogN Technologies AG - **Granted:** 2017 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 2 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, telecommunications, finance ## What it does The patent describes a wearable device, such as a watch or ring, that acts as an intermediary between a personal communication device (like a smartphone) and a transaction device (like a point-of-sale terminal or a smart lock). The wearable device uses two distinct radios: an ultra short-range transceiver for communicating with the transaction device and a short-range transceiver for communicating with the phone. By receiving user authentication—such as a PIN or biometric data—the wearable device processes and relays encrypted transaction information between the phone and the terminal. This setup ensures that the transaction device never directly communicates with the phone, forcing all sensitive data to pass through the wearable's secure processing layer. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover direct communication between a smartphone and a payment terminal without a wearable intermediary. - Does not cover systems where the wearable device acts only as a passive display without processing or relaying encrypted transaction data. - Does not cover authentication methods that do not involve a wearable device as an active bridge between two other devices. ## The clever bit The innovation lies in using the wearable as a secure, active relay that bridges two different wireless protocols (ultra short-range vs. short-range) to isolate the transaction device from the phone, effectively creating a hardware-gated security tunnel. ## Real-world examples 1. Smartwatches used for contactless payments at retail terminals 2. Wearable rings used to unlock smart doors or secure entry points 3. Two-factor authentication hardware tokens that bridge mobile apps and external systems ## Why it matters This patent addresses the security risks of using smartphones for sensitive transactions by introducing a hardware-based 'man-in-the-middle' that the user controls. By requiring a wearable device to authenticate and process the transaction, it adds a physical layer of security that is harder to spoof than software alone. It is particularly relevant for the evolution of secure payments and physical access control systems. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Wearable Devices Act as Secure Bridges for Transactions cover? A system where a wearable device acts as a secure middleman between your phone and a payment terminal or electronic lock to verify your identity and complete transactions. ### Who owns patent US 9699159? OLogN Technologies AG owns this patent, granted in 2017. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on July 4, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 9699159 cited by? This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? This patent addresses the security risks of using smartphones for sensitive transactions by introducing a hardware-based 'man-in-the-middle' that the user controls. By requiring a wearable device to authenticate and process the transaction, it adds a physical layer of security that is harder to spoof than software alone. It is particularly relevant for the evolution of secure payments and physical access control systems. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover direct communication between a smartphone and a payment terminal without a wearable intermediary. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9699159/microsoft-teams **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US9699159 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Mobile Phones Can Securely Authorize Payments Using Random ID Codes](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7577616/method-and-apparatus-of-secure-authentication-and-electronic-payment-through-mobile-communication-tool) — A 2006 system that uses a mobile phone to receive and relay a unique, temporary ID code to a store terminal to verify and authorize a payment transaction. - [Central Bank Digital Currency for Phones and Watches](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10147076/airbnb-experiences) — This patent describes a system for using a central bank-issued digital currency on mobile devices, generating a special 3D code for payments that can be scanned or read via near field communication. - [How Digital Wallets Pull Data From Multiple Sources for Payments](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12100000/starship-mars-edl) — A system that lets a digital wallet gather and combine account information from different companies to help a user complete a payment transaction. - [How Online Systems Verify Your Identity Using External Data](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10212148/touch-id) — A system for verifying user identity and payment details in an online environment by pulling data from external sources and generating virtual payment tokens. - [How a Single Card Can Pay for Transit Using Loyalty Points](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10176475/square-point-of-sale) — A system that lets one payment card handle both retail shopping and transit fares, automatically converting loyalty points between different geographic regions to cover travel costs.