Contactless Payment Terminal Gesture Input

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current contactless payment systems in public and retail environments lack the ability to allow users to specify and complete payments entirely without contact, which is inconvenient and poses hygiene concerns, especially for tipping and charitable donations.

Innovation Solution

A mobile contactless payment terminal equipped with a contactless payment transceiver, display, and non-contact user input device that detects gestures to increment, decrement, and confirm payment amounts, enabling contactless transactions without physical interaction with the device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional payment terminal with keypad is used, then payment authentication can be completed, but users must physically contact the device which creates hygiene concerns and reduces convenience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontactless operationVSAvoidpayment authentication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical contact-based input (keypad buttons) with contactless gesture recognition. The gesture recognition system detects hand movements and gestures in proximity to the device without requiring physical contact, thereby substituting the mechanical input system with a non-contact detection system that maintains hygiene while enabling payment authentication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces gesture recognition technology as an intermediary between the user and the payment terminal. This intermediary layer allows user intent to be communicated through gestures detected by sensors, without direct contact between the user's fingers and the device surface, thus maintaining payment reliability while eliminating hygiene concerns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If contactless payment is enabled, then hygiene and convenience are improved, but the ability to specify custom payment amounts (especially for tips and donations) is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontactless payment capabilityVSAvoidcustom amount specification

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the gesture recognition system multi-functional by designing different gestures for different purposes: some gestures control numerical value adjustment (increment/decrement), while other gestures confirm the selected amount and initiate payment. This universal gesture-based interface enables both contactless operation and custom amount specification within a single system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a dynamic interface where the display shows a numerical value that can be adjusted in real-time through gesture input. The system transitions between different states (value adjustment mode, confirmation mode, payment execution mode) based on the sequence of gestures received, enabling flexible custom amount specification while maintaining contactless operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If a keypad interface is used for tip selection, then custom amounts can be entered, but the process requires physical contact and increases transaction time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetip amount selection capabilityVSAvoidtransaction completion time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical keypad entry process with gesture-based control. Instead of requiring users to physically press buttons to enter tip amounts, the system detects gestures that automatically adjust the displayed numerical value, eliminating the time-consuming process of individual key presses while maintaining the ability to specify custom amounts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a display showing a numerical value that is ready to be adjusted before the user completes their gesture. The system prepares the interface in advance with the correct display elements and response mechanisms, so that when the gesture is performed, the amount adjustment occurs immediately without requiring multiple sequential actions, thus reducing transaction time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12087139B2Contactless payment terminal

Publication Date: 2024.09.10 SPICE RICHARD

AI summary

A contactless payment transceiver with a display; a non-contact user input device configured for detecting a gesture of a user corresponding to a select input, a gesture of a user corresponding to an increase input and a gesture of a user corresponding to decrease input. The apparatus is configured to display an initial numerical value on the display; respond to detecting the gesture corresponding to the increase input by incrementing the numerical value displayed; respond to detecting the gesture corresponding to the decrease input by decrementing the numerical value displayed; respond to detecting the gesture corresponding to the select input by setting a transaction amount that corresponds to the numerical value displayed at the time of detection of the gesture corresponding to the select input; anduse the contactless payment transceiver to initiate execution of a transaction for the transaction amount with a contactless payment token.