Anonymous Mobile Payment via Server-Mediated Random Number Exchange

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional face-to-face mobile payment methods compromise privacy by requiring the exchange of phone numbers, which can be cumbersome and infringe on users' privacy, especially in regions with basic mobile phones lacking advanced features.

Innovation Solution

A method where a server assigns distinct random numbers to buyer and seller mobile phones, allowing them to verify a match without exposing personal information, using SMS or other basic phone functions, and completing transactions based on these random numbers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional face-to-face mobile payment methods are used, then transaction verification is achieved, but user privacy is compromised due to phone number exchange

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction verificationVSAvoiduser privacy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

A server acts as an intermediary between buyer and seller, receiving price information from both parties and facilitating verification through random number exchange without requiring direct sharing of personal information. The server mediates the transaction process while preserving user privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of exchanging actual personal information (phone numbers), the system uses random number copies that represent the parties involved. These random numbers serve as temporary identifiers that can be exchanged and verified without revealing underlying personal data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If phone numbers are exchanged for transaction verification, then matching buyer and seller is achieved, but operation complexity increases and privacy is infringed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction processVSAvoidprivacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses temporary random numbers that are generated for each transaction and discarded afterward. These disposable identifiers replace persistent personal information like phone numbers, reducing privacy risks while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Loss of information

If random numbers are assigned and exchanged, then privacy is protected, but transaction matching complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoidmatching system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The server implements a feedback mechanism where it receives random numbers from both buyer and seller, verifies their correspondence, and confirms successful matching. This automated feedback loop simplifies the complexity by providing clear verification signals without requiring complex manual matching processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10825013B2Systems and methods for face-to-face mobile phone mercantile transactions

Publication Date: 2020.11.03 EDISON VAULT LLC

AI summary

Methods and arrangements for processing face-to-face mobile phone transactions. An agreed-upon price for a product is accepted from a buyer mobile phone and a seller mobile phone. Distinct random numbers are assigned to each of the buyer and seller mobile phones. The random number assigned to the seller mobile phone is received from the buyer mobile phone, and the random number assigned to the buyer mobile phone is received from the seller mobile phone. A match is ascertained between the buyer and seller mobile phones based on receipt from the buyer mobile phone the random number assigned to the seller mobile phone and receipt from the seller mobile phone the random number assigned to the buyer mobile phone.