Integrated Financial Services Terminal Merging Customer and Cashier Interfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems require two separate computer terminals for customers and cashiers to process financial transactions, leading to increased costs and complexity due to the need for multiple peripherals and the lack of a unified platform for both purchase and financial services.

Innovation Solution

A single financial services terminal that integrates with both customers and cashiers, communicating with point-of-sale store servers and external servers to handle both purchase and financial transactions, including fee processing, while ensuring regulatory compliance through cashier review of customer-entered information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If two separate computer terminals are used for customer and cashier operations, then functional separation and regulatory compliance are improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregulatory complianceVSAvoidterminal configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the customer terminal and cashier terminal into a single integrated financial services terminal. The terminal includes a customer interface for receiving transaction information and a cashier interface for reviewing and approving transactions, eliminating the need for separate terminals while maintaining regulatory compliance through the cashier review requirement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The financial services terminal is designed as a multi-functional device that can perform both customer-initiated financial transactions and cashier-supervised transactions. The terminal integrates various financial service capabilities (money transfers, bill payments, check cashing) within a single device that serves both customers and cashiers, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If two separate computer terminals are used for customer and cashier operations, then operational independence is improved, but cost increases due to multiple peripherals

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational independenceVSAvoidperipheral equipment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the customer terminal and cashier terminal into a single integrated financial services terminal. The terminal includes a customer interface for receiving transaction information and a cashier interface for reviewing and approving transactions, eliminating the need for separate terminals while maintaining regulatory compliance through the cashier review requirement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Quantity of substance

If a single terminal is used for both purchase and financial transactions, then device cost is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterminal quantityVSAvoidterminal functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9633346B2Flexible financial services terminal and methods of operation

Publication Date: 2017.04.25 NCR VOYIX CORP

AI summary

A flexible financial services terminal and methods of operation is presented. The flexible financial services terminal provides a list of financial services to a customer. The customer selects a financial service and provides requested information related to the selected financial service. After the customer information is entered, a cashier trained in money transfers is called to the terminal to review the information and approve the financial service. Each financial service approved by the cashier is processed by the terminal and a fee is charged to the customer. The terminal further performs a purchase transaction that includes the fee for the financial service and receives payment from the customer for the purchase.