Card Accessory Device Haptic Feedback for Impaired Users
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with visual impairments, hearing impairments, or deafness face challenges in conducting payment card transactions due to limited effective visual or auditory feedback regarding transaction success or errors.
Innovation Solution
A card accessory device that converts transaction data into haptic feedback using a rumble pack, providing distinct vibration sequences for successful transactions and error messages, thereby enabling users with impairments to independently conduct transactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If visual or auditory feedback is used for transaction status, then users with normal senses can receive clear information, but users with visual or hearing impairments cannot effectively receive feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a haptic feedback device as an intermediary between the payment terminal and the user. This intermediary converts transaction status information into tactile vibrations that can be perceived by all users regardless of their visual or hearing capabilities, thus bridging the information gap for impaired users while maintaining compatibility with standard terminals
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional visual displays and auditory signals with a mechanical haptic feedback system. The payment terminal's electronic information output is substituted with physical vibrations through a motor-driven mechanism, creating a new sensory channel that is accessible to users with visual or hearing impairments
2Adaptability or versatility
If haptic feedback is added to payment terminals, then accessibility for impaired users is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the haptic feedback system into separate modular components: a vibration motor, a mounting structure, and control circuitry. This segmentation allows the feedback mechanism to be added as an independent module to existing terminals without redesigning the entire system, thereby reducing the impact on overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic feedback device is designed to serve multiple functions: it can indicate transaction success, error conditions, and different transaction types through varied vibration patterns. This multi-functionality consolidates multiple feedback needs into a single device, reducing the number of separate components that would otherwise be required
3Loss of information
If multiple vibration sequences are implemented for different transaction outcomes, then information differentiation is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses different periodic patterns of vibration to encode various transaction status information. By varying the frequency, duration, and rhythm of vibration sequences, the system can convey multiple types of information through a single haptic channel, achieving information differentiation through temporal patterns rather than requiring multiple separate feedback mechanisms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The card accessory device effectively communicates transaction status and errors through haptic feedback, enhancing the independence and efficiency of payment card transactions for users with impairments.
Implementation Method 1
perform, via the rumble pack, one or more predetermined vibration sequences
Data Source
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AI summary
A card accessory device 100, 200 is suggested, that among other functional elements, has a processor 102, 310 and a memory 330 for storing instructions. The instructions are configured to cause the card accessory device to receive, from a terminal 112 in communication with the card 110, one or more messages comprising a complete message indicative of successfully reading the card and a read error message indicative that there was an error in reading the card, identify one or more predetermined sequences based on the one or more messages, and perform via a rumble pack 104, one or more predetermined vibration sequences comprising a first vibration sequence associated with the complete message and a second vibration sequence associated with the read error message in a predetermined pattern. The device is suitable to improve a disabled person to improve handling a card transaction.