Merchant Account Pricing System with Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current merchant account initialization and maintenance processes for payment transaction processing systems involve manual handling and expose users to proprietary pricing data, making it difficult to manage accounts without unauthorized access or disclosure of sensitive information.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for managing merchant payment transaction processing accounts that restricts access to proprietary pricing algorithms, allowing users to provide pricing information to merchants without revealing confidential data, using a system comprising merchant initialization, transaction pricing, and access control systems to generate and manage pricing data securely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If users are given access to proprietary pricing data and algorithms to manage merchant accounts, then pricing accuracy and customization are improved, but security risks and unauthorized disclosure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (pricing engine with abstraction layer) that separates the user interface from the proprietary pricing algorithms. This mediator translates user-friendly pricing requests into internal algorithmic operations without exposing the underlying proprietary logic, thus maintaining pricing accuracy while preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the pricing functionality into separate layers: a public interface layer for user interaction and a private implementation layer containing proprietary algorithms. This segmentation allows the system to provide accurate pricing services while keeping the sensitive algorithmic code isolated and inaccessible to users, reducing security risks.
2Ease of operation
If manual pricing processes are used for merchant accounts, then user control and customization are improved, but time consumption and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service functionality where users can independently initiate pricing requests, view pricing information, and manage their own merchant accounts through the interface. The system automatically processes pricing calculations in the background without requiring manual intervention from sales representatives, thus maintaining user control while significantly improving operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of sales representatives manually calculating and presenting pricing is replaced with an automated electronic system. The pricing engine automatically processes requests, retrieves merchant data, calculates pricing based on proprietary algorithms, and presents results through the interface, eliminating manual labor while maintaining user control and customization capabilities.
3Reliability
If proprietary pricing algorithms are made accessible to users for account management, then pricing transparency and trust are improved, but security vulnerabilities and data exposure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary abstraction layer that provides pricing transparency to users without exposing the underlying proprietary algorithms. The interface layer presents simplified pricing information and allows users to understand pricing factors while the mediator layer translates these into secure algorithmic operations, preventing data exposure while maintaining transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a functional copy or interface representation of the pricing algorithms that allows users to interact with and understand pricing logic without accessing the actual proprietary code. This copy provides pricing transparency and trust while the original secure algorithms remain protected, preventing information loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for managing merchant payment transaction processing accounts is provided. The system includes a merchant initialization system that receives merchant account data from a user, such as to provide a quote to the merchant for payment processing. A transaction pricing system receives the merchant account data and provides transaction pricing data for payment transaction processing in response to the merchant account information. User access to one or more merchant account pricing algorithms that are used generate the merchant account pricing data in response to the merchant account data is restricted to a predetermined set of users, so as to prevent unauthorized users from obtaining access to the merchant account pricing algorithms.