Offline Mobile Payment Token System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing online vending transactions face challenges with connectivity issues and security threats, particularly due to the lack of reliable wireless signal in indoor locations and the risk of malware compromising account information during transactions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that generates and uses tokens with time stamps and geofences for offline vending transactions, where tokens are stored on a wireless appliance and validated by a remote server, ensuring secure and offline payment processing without transmitting sensitive account information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless appliances are used for online vending transactions, then payment convenience is improved, but connectivity reliability deteriorates due to lack of wireless signal in indoor locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating and storing tokens in the wireless appliance before the actual transaction occurs. These tokens are created when connectivity is available and cached locally, enabling the appliance to conduct transactions offline without real-time server communication, thus resolving the connectivity reliability issue while maintaining payment convenience
2Productivity
If account information is stored in wireless appliances for transactions, then transaction speed is improved, but security deteriorates due to malware retrieving key account information
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts sensitive account information from the wireless appliance and replaces it with tokens that have no intrinsic value outside the specific transaction context. The tokens are generated by the server and stored in the appliance, containing only minimal necessary data for transaction validation, thereby eliminating the security risk of storing actual account credentials while maintaining fast transaction processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses disposable tokens that are valid for only a single transaction and then become obsolete. Each token is generated fresh for the specific transaction and deleted afterward, preventing malware from retrieving reusable account information. This approach maintains transaction speed while eliminating security risks associated with storing persistent account data
3Reliability
If tokens are generated and validated through remote server, then transaction security is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional validation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces tokens as intermediary objects that simplify the validation process. Instead of complex account verification protocols, the server generates tokens that encapsulate all necessary validation logic, and the POS terminal only needs to verify token authenticity with the server. This intermediary mechanism enhances security while actually reducing system complexity by replacing complex authentication flows with simple token verification
Data Source
AI summary
A method for performing vending transactions includes generating a token upon request by a wireless appliance is provided. The method includes placing the token in a remote server; placing the token in the wireless appliance; providing the token from the wireless appliance to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal; authenticating the token with the remote server; validating the token to perform the vending transaction; and deleting the token from the remote server when the vending transaction is complete. A method for using a wireless appliance in vending transactions is provided. A method for using a remote server configured to connect to a wireless appliance and a POS terminal in vending transactions is provided. A system to perform vending transactions using an internet connection as above is provided. The system may include a remote server including a private account; the remote server configured to communicate with a POS terminal and a wireless appliance.