Mobile Terminal Card Emulation for Offline Credit Payments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current public transportation payment methods, such as cash and pre-paid cards, are inconvenient and prone to loss, wear, and require exact change, while existing mobile payment technologies do not fully address the need for secure and efficient credit payments in public transportation systems.

Innovation Solution

A credit payment method and device based on card emulation of a mobile terminal, which enables offline credit payments by sending an application authorization request to a server, receiving and storing public and private keys, and using device and user identity information to verify hardware and security conditions, allowing for the installation of a credit payment application and enabling credit payments without the need for online transactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cash payment is used for bus tickets, then exact amount preparation is required, but user convenience deteriorates and staff workload increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepayment accuracyVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses virtual card emulation in mobile terminals to replicate the functionality of physical transit cards. The mobile terminal generates and stores virtual card information including account identifiers and authentication data, allowing users to tap their phones at fare gates just like physical cards, eliminating the need for cash while maintaining reliable payment processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical cash handling system with an electronic payment system. Instead of physical currency exchange and manual counting by staff, the system uses mobile terminal authentication, electronic fare deduction, and automated verification, substituting mechanical operations with electronic processes that improve both convenience and reliability

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

2Ease of operation

If pre-paid cards are used for public transportation, then card damage and loss occur easily, but payment convenience should be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepayment convenienceVSAvoidcard durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of transit card functionality within mobile terminals. Instead of relying on physical plastic cards that can be bent, scratched, or lost, the system embeds virtual card emulations in the mobile device's secure environment, replicating all card functions without the physical vulnerabilities of traditional transit cards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the card from a flexible plastic medium to a digital data structure stored in the mobile terminal's secure memory. This parameter change from physical to digital eliminates wear and tear, bending damage, and surface abrasion while maintaining the card's identification and payment functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If reusable pre-paid cards are used, then registration and loss reporting are required, but user convenience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecard securityVSAvoidoperational simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the transit card functionality with the mobile terminal itself, which users already carry and have registered for other purposes. By integrating transit payment capabilities into the existing mobile device ecosystem, the system eliminates separate card registration and loss reporting procedures - the mobile phone serves as both the transit card and the user's registered identification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the mobile terminal a multi-functional device that serves as both a general-purpose smartphone and a registered transit card. The mobile device's existing authentication mechanisms and user profiles are leveraged for transit payment, allowing the same device to handle multiple functions without requiring separate registration processes for each application

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Productivity

If offline credit payment is enabled in mobile terminals, then payment speed improves, but security verification complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepayment speedVSAvoidsecurity verification
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs security verification and authentication in advance during the card enabling process. The mobile terminal and server exchange cryptographic keys and verify identities before the actual payment transaction occurs. This preliminary security setup allows subsequent offline payments to proceed quickly without repeated complex verification, as the authentication credentials are already established and stored securely

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that handles complex security verification tasks remotely. The server manages key generation, authentication, and authorization, communicating only essential verification results to the mobile terminal. This intermediary approach offloads computational complexity from the mobile device while maintaining secure verification, enabling fast offline payments without burdening the terminal with complex security protocols

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3410376B1Credit payment method and device based on card emulation of mobile terminal
Publication Date: 2022.05.18 ADVANCED NEW TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD
  • EP3410376B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3410376B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3410376B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a credit payment method and apparatus based on card emulation of a mobile terminal. The method includes: sending an application authorization request to a predetermined server; receiving an application public key certificate and an application private key sent by the predetermined server; storing the application public key certificate and the application private key in a credit payment application of the mobile terminal; sending a credit payment data acquisition request to the predetermined server; and receiving credit payment data sent by the predetermined server, and enabling a credit payment function of the mobile terminal based on the credit payment data. After enabling a payment application, a user can complete offline credit payment on a transaction terminal by using the mobile terminal, to quickly and securely complete a payment transaction. Online payment is not needed. As such, unlike the existing technologies, the user can complete the payment transaction without using cash or a public transportation card when taking a public transportation vehicle.