Mobile Payment Scanning for Anonymous Transactions Without Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing payment methods, such as cash and credit cards, are inconvenient and require specialized equipment, limiting accessibility and security.

Innovation Solution

A mobile application system that allows users to make payments using encoded images generated on a mobile device, which can be scanned to facilitate transactions without the need for specialized equipment, ensuring anonymity and convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If cash is used for payments, then no specialized equipment is required, but cash is inconvenient and subject to theft

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment requirementVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses encoded images (visual copies) to represent payment information instead of physical cash. The encoded image contains transaction details and can be scanned by the system, eliminating the need for physical currency while maintaining security through digital encoding and verification mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If credit cards are used for payments, then convenience is improved, but specialized equipment is required to process transactions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveconvenienceVSAvoidspecialized equipment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical card-swiping or magnetic stripe reading system with an optical scanning system. Instead of using specialized credit card terminals, the system uses image scanning and decoding capabilities to process payment information, simplifying the hardware requirements while maintaining convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If anonymity is provided to the payer, then security is improved, but transaction verification becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidtransaction verification
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an encoded image as an intermediary that carries transaction information without revealing the payer's identity. The image contains encoded payment details that can be verified by the system through decoding, allowing anonymous transactions to be securely verified without exposing personal information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250232281A1System and method for mobile payments
Publication Date: 2025.07.17 CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC
  • US20250232281A1 patent drawing
  • US20250232281A1 patent drawing
  • US20250232281A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A system and method allows a user to pay for a transaction by scanning an encoded image, for example, using a mobile device. The payor is anonymous to the party receiving payment.