Encrypted 2D Barcode Merging for Secure Paperless Billing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current paper-based billing and receipt systems face challenges such as tampering, environmental impact, cost, and data integrity issues, particularly in field transactions where secure, reliable, and efficient digital alternatives are needed.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing portable devices like tablets and smartphones to create and verify digital invoices and receipts through encrypted 2D barcodes and biometric signatures, eliminating the need for physical paper by employing a proprietary algorithm for data encryption and image shuffling to ensure data integrity and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If paper-based billing and receipt systems are used, then data integrity and security are maintained through physical documentation, but environmental impact increases, costs increase, and data tampering becomes difficult to detect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical paper-based system with an electronic workflow system that uses digital documents, encrypted barcodes, and automated validation. This substitution eliminates paper consumption and associated environmental harm while maintaining data integrity through cryptographic methods and systematic validation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of billing documents from physical paper to digital format with embedded encryption. By transforming the document format and adding cryptographic parameters (encrypted barcodes, validation codes), the system maintains reliability while eliminating environmental impact.
2Reliability
If paper-based billing systems are used, then data security is maintained through physical control, but cost increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual paper handling with automated electronic workflows. Digital documents can be generated, transmitted, and validated automatically through the system, eliminating manual sorting, filing, and verification tasks while maintaining security through encryption and validation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs validation and encryption actions in advance during document generation. By embedding validation codes and encrypted data beforehand, the system enables rapid verification later without time-consuming manual checks, thus improving efficiency while maintaining security.
3Productivity
If digital billing systems are implemented, then environmental impact is reduced and efficiency improves, but data integrity and security validation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the validation process into distinct modular components: barcode scanning, decryption, validation code verification, and digital signature checking. Each component handles a specific aspect of validation, making the overall complex process manageable and systematic rather than monolithic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary validation mechanism using encrypted barcodes and validation codes that bridge the gap between simple digital transmission and complex security verification. These intermediaries carry verification data that simplifies the validation process while maintaining security requirements.
4Reliability
If paper receipts are used for record-keeping, then data authenticity is maintained through physical signatures, but loss of time occurs in manual handling and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual signature and handling processes with electronic validation mechanisms. Digital signatures and embedded validation codes automatically verify authenticity without requiring physical signature inspection or manual document handling, thus maintaining authenticity while eliminating time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates validated digital copies of billing documents that contain all necessary authentication data. These digital copies can be transmitted and stored electronically without loss of authenticity, eliminating the need for physical document reproduction and handling.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method allows for paperless billing transaction document exchanges between two parties to a sales transaction, with inherent document verification. In an embodiment, the system and method first encrypts the transaction document data according to a password which itself depends on unique transaction data in a particular sales document. The system and method then employs the unique data values to create a first 2-D barcode which directly represents the document data; and to create a second 2-D barcode which represents the encrypted document data. The two matrix codes are overlapped on a cell-by-cell basis into a single visual representation, employing multiple colors for different combinations of overlapped cells. At a receiving end, the two original matrix codes can be separated by extracting the two black and white 2-D barcodes from the combined color code. The data integrity of the received data is confirmed by checking that the encrypted 2-D barcode is consistent with the plaintext 2-D barcode. Additional methods are employed to attach secure, merged biometric image signatures, such as merged fingerprint images, to the merged 2-D barcode form of the transaction document.