Contactless Card Reader Counter Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Contactless transaction cards often face issues with payment channel limitations and fraud control discrepancies due to simultaneous advancement of multiple payment application counters, leading to declined transactions.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system and method that polls for transaction application programs via a contactless transaction card reader, receives account information, activates corresponding transaction applications, and advances transaction counters, while comparing counter data to authorize transactions within a predefined tolerance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple payment application programs are read simultaneously from a contactless transaction card, then payment option flexibility is improved, but transaction counter discrepancies occur leading to transaction declines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayment option flexibilityVSAvoidtransaction authorization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system polls for and identifies multiple payment application programs on the contactless transaction card before activating any transaction. This preliminary identification allows the system to determine which specific application should handle the transaction, preventing counter advancement discrepancies by ensuring only the correct application's counter is incremented.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The contactless transaction card reader acts as an intermediary between the card and the host system. It polls for payment application programs, receives account information, and determines which application to activate based on the transaction type. This intermediary function prevents direct simultaneous counter advancement that would cause discrepancies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If a single payment application counter is advanced per transaction, then counter matching accuracy is improved, but payment option flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecounter matching accuracyVSAvoidpayment option flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically determines which payment application program to activate based on the transaction type and cardholder selection. The card reader polls for available applications and selectively activates the appropriate one, allowing the system to adapt to different payment scenarios while maintaining accurate counter matching by advancing only the selected application's counter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the state of the payment application program by activating a specific application based on transaction parameters. By polling for multiple applications and selecting one based on transaction type, the system maintains counter accuracy while providing payment option flexibility through parameter-driven application selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8616441B2Systems and methods for processing a transaction associated with a contactless transaction card

Publication Date: 2013.12.31 FIRST DATA CORP

AI summary

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for processing a transaction associated with a contactless transaction card. In one embodiment, a method for processing a transaction associated with a contactless transaction card can be provided. The method can include polling for at least one transaction application program via a contactless transaction card reader. Further, the method can include receiving account information from the contactless transaction card via the contactless transaction card reader. In addition, the method can include activating a corresponding transaction application program based at least in part on the received account information. Moreover, the method can include advancing a transaction counter associated with the contactless transaction card and a transaction counter associated with the corresponding transaction application program.