Mobile Credit Transfer via Application Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals without ATM cards or bank accounts face challenges in accessing cash, and those with accounts may struggle due to ATM unavailability or malfunction, highlighting a need for alternative methods to transfer credit for immediate cash needs.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for transferring credit from a mobile terminal user's account to a reseller's account through a telecommunication network, utilizing an application server that receives authentication codes and requests for credit transfers, enabling cash availability using a mobile terminal with prepaid or postpaid connections, without requiring a bank account.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional ATM card and bank account systems are used for cash access, then cash availability can be achieved, but the system becomes inaccessible to people without bank accounts or ATM cards, and vulnerable to ATM unavailability or malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile terminal as an intermediary device between the user and the billing server. The mobile terminal acts as a mediator that can initiate credit transfer requests to resellers, enabling cash access without requiring traditional bank accounts or ATM cards. This intermediary approach allows the system to reach users who are excluded from traditional banking infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile terminal is utilized for multiple purposes: it serves as both a communication device and a financial access tool. By leveraging the ubiquity of mobile phones, the system enables diverse user groups (including those without bank accounts) to access cash through a single device that they already possess, thereby achieving universality across different user segments.
2Ease of operation
If credit transfer functionality is added to enable cash availability, then accessibility improves, but system complexity increases due to authentication and communication protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal autonomously handles the initiation of credit transfer requests without requiring complex user interventions. The terminal automatically manages authentication codes, communicates with the billing server, and coordinates with resellers. This self-service capability simplifies the user experience while the backend complexity is abstracted away from the end user.
Solution Approach 2:
Authentication codes are pre-configured and stored in the mobile terminal before actual credit transfer operations. This preliminary setup of authentication credentials enables rapid and convenient transaction initiation without requiring complex real-time authentication procedures, thereby improving ease of operation while managing system complexity.
3Reliability
If authentication protocols are implemented to ensure secure credit transfer, then transaction security improves, but the authentication process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication codes are pre-configured and stored in the mobile terminal before actual credit transfer operations. This preliminary setup of authentication credentials enables rapid and convenient transaction initiation without requiring complex real-time authentication procedures, thereby improving ease of operation while managing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication code is copied and stored locally in the mobile terminal, eliminating the need for repeated transmission or complex verification processes during each transaction. This local copying of authentication credentials speeds up the authentication process while maintaining security, as the pre-shared code serves as a reliable identifier without requiring additional verification steps.
Data Source
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AI summary
For transferring credit from an account held by a user owning a mobile terminal (MT) to an account held by a reseller owning a communication device (CD) in a billing server (BS), an application server (AS) receives a first message sent by the mobile terminal (MT), the message comprising at least an authentication code (Ca), a reseller identifier (IdR) and an amount of credit. The application server sends a request (Req) to the communication device (CD), the request comprising a demand of credit transfer, and sends a second message (Mes) to the billing server (BS) to perform a credit transfer of said amount of credit from the account held by the user to the account held by the reseller, after reception of a response (Res) sent by the communication device, if the received response comprises an authentication code identical to the authentication code (Ca) comprised in the received first message.