Electronic Receipt System Using NFC and Social Media Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
The environmental impact of paper receipts, including deforestation and high water usage, and the inconvenience of physically storing them, necessitate the development of an efficient electronic receipt system that also provides confirmation for purchases.
Innovation Solution
An electronic receipt system utilizing NFC technology between a POS terminal and a mobile device, which includes a processor and memory for verifying user identifiers, generating electronic receipts, and adding social media network links to facilitate sharing purchases on corresponding networks, thereby eliminating the need for physical receipts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If paper receipts are used to confirm purchases, then consumers receive purchase confirmation, but environmental damage occurs including deforestation and high water utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical paper receipts with electronic receipt images that can be captured and stored on mobile devices. The camera captures an image of the receipt, creating a digital copy that preserves all purchase information while eliminating the need for physical paper, thus resolving the contradiction between environmental protection and purchase confirmation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical paper-based receipt system with a digital imaging system using mobile phone cameras. This replacement eliminates the physical paper component entirely, preserving the information function while removing the environmental harm associated with paper production and disposal.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electronic receipt systems are introduced to reduce paper usage, then environmental impact is reduced, but consumers face inconvenience in storing and accessing receipts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables consumers to automatically capture and store their own receipt images using mobile phone cameras. The system is self-service in that consumers independently perform the receipt capture and storage without requiring merchant intervention or complex centralized systems, making the process convenient while eliminating paper usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions receipts from a two-dimensional physical paper format to a digital image format stored on mobile devices. This dimensional change allows receipts to be stored, accessed, and managed in a more convenient digital space while maintaining all original information and reducing environmental impact.
3Ease of operation
If NFC technology is used to transfer electronic receipts, then physical card carrying is eliminated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the mobile phone as a multi-functional device that already possesses camera, computing, and communication capabilities. By using the existing mobile device for receipt capture and storage rather than requiring specialized hardware, the system achieves cardless transaction convenience without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
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
This system efficiently generates and stores electronic receipts, reduces environmental impact, and allows users to conveniently share purchases on social media, enhancing user experience and retailer efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
near field communication (NFC) can be used to transfer an electronic receipt between an NFC communications device at the POS and an NFC-enabled mobile phone
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic receipt system may include a point-of-sale (POS) terminal having a near field communication (NFC) device for communicating with a mobile wireless communications device during a transaction for purchasing at least one item, and a server. The server may be for receiving a user identifier transmitted from the mobile communication device via the NFC device, verifying an enrollment status of the user identifier, based upon results of the verifying, generating an electronic receipt associated with the transaction, and generating a social media network link feature in the electronic receipt and associated with the item, the social media network link feature for sharing the purchase of the item on a corresponding social media network.