Ghost Icon System for Remote Merchant App Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges with managing multiple merchant mobile applications on their devices, including storage space issues, cumbersome transaction monitoring, and the burden of organizing receipts from various financial institutions, as well as the need for location-based access to merchant services.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented system that allows users to access and transact with multiple merchants via a mobile device without downloading merchant applications, using a system controller that determines the device's location and automatically registers user profiles, enabling remote access and navigation through a location-modulated interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users download multiple merchant mobile applications onto their mobile devices, then they can access various merchant services and communicate with merchants, but the mobile device memory space is consumed and users are forced to purchase devices with more memory or delete apps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote server as an intermediary that hosts merchant mobile applications. Instead of downloading apps to the mobile device, the system streams or provides access to app functionality through the network, allowing users to access multiple merchant services without consuming local device storage space.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual copy of the merchant application environment on a remote server. The mobile device accesses this remote copy through network communication, enabling full app functionality without storing the actual application files locally on the device.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users manually register profiles on multiple merchant applications, then they can access personalized services, but the registration process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically retrieving user profile information from a central database or previous interactions before the user needs to access any merchant application. This pre-fetching and pre-processing of registration data eliminates the need for users to manually re-enter information for each app.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically handling the profile registration process. The mobile device communicates with the remote server, which autonomously retrieves, validates, and stores user profile information without requiring manual user input for each merchant application.
3Loss of information
If users manually monitor and organize transactions from multiple merchants and financial institutions, then they can track spending, but the process becomes burdensome and difficult to organize
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges transaction data from multiple merchants and financial institutions into a unified view. The remote server consolidates transaction information from various sources and presents it through a single interface on the mobile device, eliminating the need for users to manually collect and organize receipts and statements from multiple sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor transactions and provide real-time or periodic summaries to users. The remote server receives transaction data, processes it, and automatically generates organized reports or notifications, reducing the manual effort required to track and understand spending patterns.
4Volume of stationary object
If users access merchant applications remotely without downloading them, then mobile device storage is preserved, but the system requires location determination and proximity detection capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The remote server acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of location-based access control. The server receives location data from the mobile device, determines proximity to merchant locations, and controls app access accordingly, keeping the location processing logic centralized rather than requiring complex local implementation on each device.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented system provides clients with communicating and/or transacting with merchants by way of mobile applications. The system creates a virtual machine associated with a client and the client can download mobile applications provided by merchants on this virtual machine. The system creates ghost icons and ghost image input commands associated with the mobile applications and displayed via the mobile device. The client can enter inputs via the ghost image input commands and receive outputs via the mobile device without downloading the mobile applications onto their mobile device memory. The system displays a ghost icon of a mobile application via the mobile device when the mobile device is within a predetermined proximity level of a commercial location associated with a merchant controller system comprising this mobile application. When the mobile device is outside this predetermined proximity level, the system does not display the ghost icon.