Apple has been granted a patent (number 8255323) for motion-based payment confirmation by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Methods and devices for confirming payment transactions are provided, such as those used at Apple retail stores.

In one embodiment, an electronic device may include a graphical user interface (GUI) with one or more graphical elements that may be moved by a user to confirm or decline a payment transaction using a selected payment instrument. For example, a user may drag the graphical element to a confirmation position via a touch screen of the electronic device. In another example, a motion sensing device, such as an accelerometer, may sense movement of the electronic device and move the graphical element in response to the motion.

Upon confirmation, payment information for the payment transaction may be transmitted to a merchant or payment recipient. Various additional methods, machine-readable media, and devices for confirming payment transactions are provided.

Here's Apple's summary of the invention: "Certain aspects commensurate in scope with the originally claimed invention are set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of certain forms of the invention might take and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the invention may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

"The present disclosure generally relates to techniques for confirming a payment transaction. In accordance with one disclosed embodiment, an electronic device may include a graphical user interface (GUI) with one or more graphical elements that may be moved by a user to confirm or decline a payment transaction. The graphical elements may be configured to virtually represent a swipe of a credit card.

"For example, in one embodiment, the GUI may display a two position slide bar that may be moved in one direction to confirm the payment transaction and in another direction to decline the payment transaction. In accordance with another embodiment, the GUI may display an image of a credit card that may be moved towards an image of a credit card terminal to confirm the payment transaction.

"In certain embodiments, the graphical elements for confirming a payment transaction may be displayed in response to selection of a payment instrument through a touch screen of an electronic device. For example, credit cards may be digitally represented within an electronic wallet or an online payment system. After movement of the graphical elements, the electronic device may transmit a confirmation message to initiate payment with the selected payment instrument. The movable graphical elements may be used to confirm payment transactions in a wide variety of environments such as peer-to-peer transactions, online shopping transactions, and purchases made within brick and mortar stores.

"Various refinements of the features noted above may exist in relation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated in these various aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects alone or in any combination. Again, the brief summary presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodiments of the present disclosure without limitation to the claimed subject matter."

The inventors are Brandon J. Casey, Gary Wipfler and Erik Cressall.