Dynamic Optical Code Anti-Fraud Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing optical code systems in self-service terminals, such as ATMs, are vulnerable to fraudulent activities where a criminal can copy and overlay a genuine optical code from one ATM onto another, leading to unauthorized fund dispersions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dynamic optical code system where the code changes visually over time, using different formats such as color changes, spatial shifts, and background images, ensuring that the code appears to move or change, distinguishing it from static overlays and maintaining the same encoded content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a static optical code is displayed on the ATM screen, then the user can easily capture and decode it with a mobile device, but the code becomes vulnerable to copying and overlaying by criminals
Solution Approach 1:
The optical code dynamically changes its visual appearance by alternating between different formats (e.g., black marks on white background, white marks on black background, different colors) at predetermined time intervals. This dynamic transformation prevents criminals from creating static overlays while maintaining decodability by mobile devices, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of capture and security against fraud
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes visual parameters of the optical code including color, contrast, and spatial arrangement at specific time intervals. These parameter changes create multiple distinguishable formats that appear different to human users but encode the same information, preventing static copying while preserving functional equivalence for mobile device decoding
2Reliability
If the optical code changes format dynamically, then security against fraud is improved, but the complexity of the display system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical code undergoes periodic format transformations at predetermined time intervals, switching between a limited set of predefined formats. This periodic action provides dynamic security features while maintaining system simplicity through repetition of a small number of format patterns, avoiding the need for complex continuous variation mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The display system implements dynamic format switching using controlled temporal transformations of a limited set of visual formats. This approach achieves security through time-based differentiation rather than spatial or structural complexity, reducing the burden on display hardware while maintaining anti-fraud capabilities
3Reliability
If different formats are used at different time periods, then fraudulent activities are prevented, but the time required for transaction may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical code transforms between formats at predetermined, optimized time intervals that balance security requirements with transaction efficiency. The periodic transformation cycle is designed to be sufficiently fast to prevent fraud but slow enough to allow users to capture the code, thereby minimizing transaction time loss while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides advance notice to users about the format transformation schedule, allowing users to time their code capture appropriately. This preliminary information enables users to capture the code during optimal windows without experiencing delays, as they can anticipate when the code will be in a capture-friendly format
Data Source
AI summary
A method of presenting an optical code on a display is described. The method comprises: presenting the optical code in a first format at a first time period so that the optical code can be captured and decoded by a mobile device, such as a smart phone. The method also comprises presenting the optical code in a second format at a second time period. The second format is visually different to the first format to a human but when captured and decoded by a mobile device, the second format produces the same decoded results as the first format.