Mobile Card Reader Activation via Web Browser Push Notifications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic payment systems for merchants lack efficient and user-friendly methods for processing transactions using mobile devices, particularly in environments where a generic web browser is used, and there is a need for improved integration with web-based accounting solutions to facilitate seamless payment processing.
Innovation Solution
A payment processing system that transmits payment information to a merchant's mobile device, allowing for the activation of a card reader and presentation of notifications with selectable icons for accepting, declining, or editing the purchase amount, enabling the merchant to authorize electronic payments through a mobile payment app, even when using a generic web browser.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a merchant uses a traditional POS terminal with a card reader for payment processing, then the payment processing is reliable and secure, but the system complexity and overhead costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the card reader functionality from the traditional POS terminal and relocates it to the merchant's mobile device. The mobile device's camera and image processing capabilities are used to capture and process card information, eliminating the need for a dedicated card reader hardware component while maintaining payment processing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device serves multiple functions: it acts as the customer interface for viewing payment information, serves as the card reader through camera-based card scanning, functions as the POS terminal for processing payments, and provides the user interface for transaction confirmation. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity while maintaining reliability
2Ease of operation
If a merchant uses a dedicated mobile payment application, then the ease of operation improves, but the adaptability to different operating systems and web-based solutions decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a web-based payment interface as an intermediary between the merchant's computer system and the mobile payment processing. The web interface receives payment information from the merchant's computer, transmits it to the mobile device, and relays transaction confirmations back, enabling seamless integration without requiring dedicated mobile applications or OS-specific implementations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical requirement of installing dedicated mobile payment applications with a software-based web interface approach. Instead of requiring merchants to install and configure OS-specific payment applications, the system uses universal web browsing capability to access payment processing functions, thereby increasing adaptability across different operating systems while maintaining ease of operation through familiar web interfaces
3Ease of operation
If the payment information is transmitted to a mobile device for customer approval, then the user-friendliness and customer control improve, but the transaction processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by displaying the complete payment information (merchant name, amount, transaction details) to the customer on the mobile device before the transaction is finalized. This allows the customer to review and approve the payment in advance, ensuring user-friendliness and customer control while enabling quick confirmation through simple touch interface interactions that minimize actual processing time
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for processing electronic payments for customer purchases. In some implementations, a system receives a payment request from a merchant, and transmits payment information to a mobile computing device associated with the merchant. The payment information includes a transaction ID to identify the purchase, a purchase amount, and instructions that cause the mobile computing device to activate a card reader, present a notification of the purchase amount to the customer, receive an acceptance of the purchase amount from the customer, and authorize the card reader to process an electronic payment for the purchase amount. The system receives payment confirmation from the mobile computing device, and provides the parameter confirmation to the merchant.