NFC Mobile Authentication Interface for Cardless Teller Transactions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing customer authentication methods at merchant locations and bank tellers are insecure, require physical tokens, and lack user-friendly interaction, especially when customers forget PINs or cards, and information sharing is cumbersome due to screen positioning issues.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing near field communication (NFC) to authenticate customers via their mobile devices, launching a dedicated app for secure token-based verification, allowing customers to view and interact with bank teller screens through their mobile devices, and providing digital receipts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional authentication methods using physical cards and PIN terminals are used, then customers can be authenticated, but security risks increase when cards are lost or stolen and customer convenience deteriorates when PINs are forgotten
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical cards with a digital copy in the form of a barcode displayed on the customer's mobile device screen. This digital copy contains the same authentication information as the physical card, allowing the customer to present their card information without physically handling the card, thereby eliminating risks associated with lost or stolen cards while maintaining authentication security
Solution Approach 2:
The customer's own mobile device serves as the authentication medium, utilizing the device they already carry and are familiar with. The barcode is generated and displayed on their personal device, which they can present without assistance, making the authentication process self-service oriented and eliminating dependency on physical cards or memorized PINs
2Ease of operation
If the teller's screen is positioned for teller visibility, then the teller can view account information, but customer visibility and information sharing are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of sharing the teller's screen display with the customer, the system creates a separate digital copy of the account information in the form of a barcode. This barcode is then displayed on the customer's mobile device, allowing the customer to view their own account information independently without interfering with the teller's screen positioning or operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the information display from a two-dimensional shared screen space to a separate mobile device display. By moving the customer information display to the customer's own device, the system eliminates the spatial conflict between teller visibility and customer visibility, allowing both parties to access information simultaneously without physical screen sharing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances security and user-friendliness by enabling secure, card-less authentication and transparent transaction monitoring, ensuring customers can verify and receive detailed transaction summaries on their mobile devices.
Implementation Method 1
In an embodiment, the identifying information is received by the NFC reader from the customer device via near field communication
Data Source
AI summary
A merchant device provides merchant data to a customer device. The merchant data cause a mobile application to launch on the customer device. Customer authentication data are received at a merchant server from the mobile application on the customer device. A customer is authenticated at the merchant server as a function of the customer authentication data. A line of communication is maintained between the customer device, the merchant server and the merchant device.