Appliance Management Subsystem for Remote Payment Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for managing user devices remotely for payment purposes are complex and costly, requiring multiple hardware units and mobile communication capabilities, making it difficult to ensure timely payments and deploy remotely.
Innovation Solution
A system that embeds an appliance management subsystem (AMS) within devices, allowing remote activation and deactivation based on payment status, using a USB-connected internet-capable device to communicate with a third-party infrastructure for payment verification, enabling remote control without the need for device-specific communication capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple hardware units are used for controlling and managing payments, then payment management capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the payment management functionality from separate hardware units and relocates it to a remote server infrastructure. The appliance management subsystem in the appliance communicates payment status and control commands through a USB-connected internet-capable device to a third-party server, eliminating the need for dedicated hardware payment management units while maintaining reliable payment management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a USB-connected internet-capable device as an intermediary between the appliance and the third-party payment management infrastructure. This intermediary handles the communication and control functions that previously required dedicated hardware units, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining payment management reliability.
2Ease of operation
If mobile communication capability is required in the device, then remote control capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the USB-connected internet-capable device universal by allowing any such device (smartphones, tablets, laptops) to serve as the control interface. Instead of requiring the appliance itself to have mobile communication capability, the system leverages the universal connectivity of common devices to provide remote control functionality, reducing appliance complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If third-party infrastructure is used for payment verification, then payment assurance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a third-party infrastructure as an intermediary for payment verification, allowing the appliance management subsystem to outsource payment processing to a specialized server. This intermediary handles the complex payment verification logic remotely, improving payment assurance while keeping the appliance itself simple.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein include methods and systems for remotely managing appliances, including enabling communication between a user of the appliance and third party systems. The third party systems can include any entity that has a relationship with the user of the appliance, such as a payment infrastructure handling incremental payments for the appliance, and managing access to the appliance accordingly. In some embodiments, the appliance being controlled is a mobile phone that also includes third party operating system software. Various methods for preventing alteration or replacement of the third party operating system are also described.