Access Voucher System for Point of Sale Authorization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for authorizing access to goods and services at points of sale are cumbersome, requiring human intervention, costly infrastructure, and external database connections, and lack flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses an access voucher with machine-readable data, such as QR codes, to authorize access by matching stored identifications at the point of sale, eliminating the need for external connections and allowing for easy control and single-use validation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automated points of sale use cards, chips, or electronic payment means, then access authorization is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure costs increase due to required wired/wireless data connections to central units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authorization data from external central units and embeds it directly into the access voucher (QR code). The reading means at the point of sale reads and validates the voucher locally without requiring connections to external databases, thereby eliminating the complex wired/wireless infrastructure while maintaining reliable access authorization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service authorization where the access voucher contains all necessary validation information internally. The reading means validates the voucher independently without external intervention, making the system autonomous and eliminating dependency on central unit connections.
2Reliability
If rechargeable chips or badges are used for access, then access control is improved, but manufacturing costs and infrastructure requirements increase due to recharge points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive rechargeable chips and badges with inexpensive disposable access vouchers in the form of QR codes. These vouchers can be generated, distributed, and validated without any recharge infrastructure, dramatically reducing both manufacturing costs and infrastructure requirements while maintaining effective access control.
3Ease of operation
If conventional stores or shops are operated, then access to goods is provided, but device complexity increases due to requirement of employees for payment procedure and access control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service system where customers use access vouchers (QR codes) to automatically authorize access to goods at points of sale. The reading means validates vouchers and controls access without human intervention, eliminating the need for employees to manage payment procedures and access control while maintaining ease of operation for customers.
4Extent of automation
If automated points of sale are used, then personnel requirements are reduced, but loss of time increases due to manual emptying of repositories for banknotes, coins or tokens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the value carrier from physical forms (banknotes, coins, tokens) and represents it as digital information in QR code vouchers. This eliminates the need for physical repositories that require manual emptying, as the system uses electronic validation of voucher codes instead of physical cash handling.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for authorizing access to goods and services, including issuing an access voucher by a voucher issuing device, the access voucher having identification of the goods and services and an identification of the point of sale, presenting the access voucher to a reading device of the point of sale, transferring the identification of the goods and services and the identification of the point of sale by the reading device to a processing device of the point of sale, the processing device having access to a database with stored identification of goods and services and to a database with stored identification of the point of sale, comparing the transferred identification of goods and services and the transferred identification of the point of sale by the processing device with the stored identification of the goods and services and the stored identification of the point of sale, and authorizing access to the goods if the identification matches.