Machine-Readable Credentials for Secure In-Person Device Purchasing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Customers desire to acquire products in-person using their own devices at brick-and-mortar locations while enjoying in-person perks, but existing systems lack this capability and impose additional fraud detection layers for online transactions.

Innovation Solution

A system that grants in-person status credentials to a user's device by generating a machine-readable element with a tracking and product identifier, verifying the request within a time threshold, and transmitting in-person status credentials to enable secure and streamlined transactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If customers use their own device to acquire products online, then convenience and contactless interaction are improved, but fraud detection complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer convenienceVSAvoidfraud detection system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the in-person status credential system with tracking identifiers and time thresholds) that mediates between the customer's remote device and the merchant's fraud detection system. This intermediary layer enables customers to use their own devices while maintaining simplified fraud verification through the credential transmission mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the in-person verification process that can be replicated remotely. By generating tracking identifiers and machine-readable elements that can be scanned or entered, the system creates a portable verification credential that replicates the in-person verification function without requiring physical presence at the merchant location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If merchants perform additional fraud detection for online customers, then security is improved, but transaction time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud preventionVSAvoidtransaction processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification actions by validating the tracking identifier and time threshold before the actual transaction occurs. The credential is pre-validated and transmitted to the customer's device, so that when the transaction happens, the fraud detection is already partially completed, reducing the time needed during transaction processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the server validates the tracking identifier and time threshold, then provides feedback to the customer's device by transmitting in-person status credentials. This feedback loop enables rapid verification and reduces transaction processing time by pre-establishing verification status.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If customers maintain physical distance from employees, then health safety is improved, but in-person verification capability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact transmission riskVSAvoidin-person verification

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical in-person verification process with an electronic/digital system. Instead of requiring physical presence and direct interaction, the system uses tracking identifiers, machine-readable elements, and credential transmission to verify customer identity and in-person status, eliminating the need for physical contact while maintaining verification reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12354101B2Systems and methods for providing in-person status to a user device

Publication Date: 2025.07.08 CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

AI summary

Disclosed embodiments may include a method that includes scanning a machine-readable element, by a second user device, generated by a first user device and embedded with a tracking identifier and a product identifier and recognizing the link embedded in the machine-readable element. Responsive to recognizing the link, the method may include transmitting, by the second user device, a verification request to acquire the product to a server, wherein the verification request comprises the tracking identifier and product identifier. Responsive to receiving in-person status credentials at the second user device, the method may include rendering a description of the product on a display of the second user device, receiving a second user input confirming intent to acquire the product, and transmitting, to a server, instructions to acquire the product in response to receiving the first user input.