Intermediary Mobile Wallet System for Online Payment Authorization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile wallets face limitations in processing transactions with online stores due to the absence of point-of-sale terminals and restricted access to mobile wallet information through operating system API calls, hindering their use in online shopping environments.
Innovation Solution
A mobile wallet management system facilitates online transactions by providing an API for online stores to interact with mobile wallets, enabling secure communication and authorization through unique account information transmission, even in the absence of physical POS terminals, using near field communication or magnetic secure transmission methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mobile wallets use contactless readers with POS terminals, then secure payments can be processed quickly, but online stores lack POS terminals and cannot access mobile wallet information through standard API calls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system comprising a server and database that mediates between online stores and mobile wallets. The server receives transaction requests from online stores, queries the database for mobile wallet information, and facilitates the transaction without requiring direct access between stores and wallets. This resolves the contradiction by enabling online transactions through an intermediate platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal transaction processing system that can handle both traditional POS-based transactions and online transactions through a single intermediary platform. The system provides multi-functional capability to serve different transaction types and environments, allowing mobile wallets to operate universally across physical and online retail channels.
2Reliability
If mobile wallets store unique account information securely, then payment security is maintained, but online stores cannot access this information without POS terminals or special API permissions
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary server acts as a secure mediator that accesses mobile wallet information on behalf of online stores. The server queries the database containing mobile wallet data, retrieves only the necessary transaction information, and forwards it to the online store. This maintains security by preventing direct access to sensitive wallet information while enabling necessary data retrieval for transactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates temporary copies of necessary account information in the intermediary database for transaction processing. Instead of giving online stores direct access to the original secure wallet data, the system copies relevant transaction details to the intermediary server, which then processes the transaction. This preserves the security of original wallet information while enabling online access.
Data Source
AI summary
A method may comprise: receiving, from a merchant server, an application programming interface (API) call including an authorization request for payment and a mobile wallet identification; querying a database with the mobile wallet identification to determine a logical location of a mobile wallet associated with the mobile wallet identification; transmitting, based on the determination, a request for a payment source for the payment to the mobile wallet; receiving, from the mobile wallet, an identification of a payment source; and forwarding the identification of the payment source to the merchant server.