Mobile Payment via Optical Credit Card Image Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for conducting credit card transactions are limited by their need for stationary points of sale and reliance on physical card data, making it difficult for mobile users to perform transactions efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A method and system using a mobile device with an image acquisition unit and a mobile application that captures, analyzes, and verifies credit card details, enabling communication with a billing center for authorization and transaction management over a communication network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If stationary point of sale systems with magnetic strip readers are used, then credit card transaction reliability is ensured, but mobile transaction capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobile transaction capabilityVSAvoidtransaction security

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent captures an image of the credit card using a camera, creating a visual copy of the card information. This optical copy is then processed through OCR to extract card details, enabling mobile transaction capability while maintaining security through verified data extraction rather than physical card handling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical magnetic strip readers with an optical imaging system combined with OCR software. The camera-based image acquisition and optical character recognition substitute for traditional mechanical card reading devices, enabling mobile transactions without compromising the core function of card information extraction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If manual card detail input is required, then transaction security is maintained, but transaction efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction efficiencyVSAvoidoperation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically extracts card information from the captured image using OCR technology without requiring manual typing by the user. The mobile device performs self-service by automatically processing the image, recognizing card details, and preparing transaction data, significantly improving efficiency while maintaining simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The card information is pre-extracted and verified from the image before the actual transaction occurs. The system performs preliminary OCR processing, validates the extracted data, and prepares all necessary transaction details in advance, making the actual transaction execution quick and efficient

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If physical card handling is required, then card verification accuracy is ensured, but user convenience is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidcard detail accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses optical copying through camera imaging to capture card details, eliminating the need for physical card handling. The high-resolution image capture maintains measurement precision while dramatically improving ease of operation, as users simply need to position the card in the camera view rather than manually input data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary OCR processing layer between the physical card and the transaction system. The OCR software acts as a mediator that extracts and verifies card details from the image with high accuracy, ensuring measurement precision while allowing convenient mobile operation without direct physical card manipulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10558967B2Mobile phone payment system using integrated camera credit card reader

Publication Date: 2020.02.11 JUMIO CORP

AI summary

A system and a method for conducting credit card transactions through a mobile device of a user. The mobile device comprises an image acquisition unit and a mobile application operated by the mobile device. The system enables acquiring an image of a client's credit card, using the image acquisition unit; analyzing data of the image; outputting details of the credit card from the analysis; verifying the output details, wherein the verification is further carried out through the mobile application; verifying authorization of inputted monetary transaction, wherein the mobile application enables verifying the authorization by communicating with the billing center, associated with at least one credit company associated with the credit card over at least one communication network, wherein the communication is carried out by the mobile application using the mobile device; and conducting monetary transactions using the verified credit card details.