Ephemeral Token Server for Contactless Payment Handoff
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic point-of-sale systems in retail establishments often create bottlenecks during payment processing, requiring guests to handle devices that may be unclean and inconvenient, and lack private tip entry and feedback mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enables transaction handoff from a point-of-sale terminal to a guest's smart device using ephemeral transaction authorization tokens, allowing for payment authorization and feedback without physically handling the terminal, through a server-mediated process involving registration, token association, and push notifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If staff present electronic POS terminal to guests for payment processing, then payment authorization can be obtained, but staff must wait for guest completion and devices may become unclean
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the payment completion interface from the physical POS terminal and transfers it to the guest's personal mobile device. The POS terminal retains only the authorization function, while the mobile device handles tip entry, feedback, and signature capture. This separation eliminates the staff waiting time as guests can complete transactions independently on their own devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary between the guest and the POS terminal. The mobile device receives transaction details from the POS terminal via QR code or direct communication, processes the payment completion locally, and then communicates back with the POS terminal. This intermediary approach allows simultaneous operation of multiple transactions without staff intervention.
2Reliability
If staff present electronic POS terminal to guests for payment processing, then payment authorization can be obtained, but guests must handle potentially unclean devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the payment completion interface from the shared POS terminal and relocates it to the guest's personal mobile device. Since each guest uses their own device, there is no cross-contamination between users. The POS terminal remains stationary and is handled only by staff, eliminating the cleanliness issue entirely.
3Productivity
If electronic devices are used for payment processing, then automated transmission and processing is achieved, but guests lack privacy for tip entry and feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the guest's personal mobile device as an intermediary that provides a private interface for sensitive operations. The mobile device displays tip options, feedback forms, and signature fields in a private space that only the guest can see and interact with. This personal device acts as a confidential mediator between the guest's private inputs and the public transaction record.
4Device complexity
If manual order entry is used, then simplicity is maintained, but accuracy and automation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the transaction interface on the guest's mobile device that mirrors the POS terminal's transaction details. This digital copy includes itemized orders, pricing, and transaction information, ensuring accuracy is maintained through automated data transmission while the guest interacts with a simplified touch interface on their personal device.
Data Source
AI summary
A server includes: a database that registers a payment instrument, associates the instrument with ephemeral tokens, and stores a payment token that associates the ephemeral tokens with the instrument in a record along with an identifier for a device; a communication circuit, that receives transaction details from a POS terminal, transmits one of the ephemeral tokens to the device, and receives the one of the ephemeral tokens from the POS terminal; and a code segment, that employs the payment token to access the identifier in the record, directs the communication circuit to send a push notification, and, upon execution of the proprietary application on the device, directs the communication circuit to transmit transaction details to the POS terminal and the device, receives transaction data from the device, completes the transaction, and directs the communication circuit to notify the POS terminal that the transaction is complete.