Offline Retail Machine Payment Processing via Short-Range Transceiver
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vending machines and similar payment accepting units often face challenges in processing cashless payments due to the requirement for persistent network connections, which can be interrupted, limiting their ability to accept mobile payments, especially in areas without internet access.
Innovation Solution
A mobile-device-to-machine payment processing system that uses a combination of short-range and long-range communication technologies to facilitate cashless transactions over a non-persistent network connection, allowing users to make payments via a mobile device without the need for continuous internet access, through a method involving an adapter module and a mobile application that enables hands-free and manual payment modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a persistent network connection is required for cashless payments, then payment reliability is improved, but device complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the payment processing system into three distinct components: (1) a payment initiating device that stores payment credentials, (2) a short-range transceiver in the vending machine for local communication, and (3) a remote server for authorization. This segmentation allows the vending machine to operate with minimal network dependency, as the critical payment initiation and verification functions are handled locally through the transceiver.
Solution Approach 2:
The short-range transceiver acts as an intermediary between the payment initiating device and the remote server. It enables local wireless communication (via Bluetooth, NFC, or RFID) to establish payment transactions without requiring the vending machine to maintain a persistent network connection, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining payment reliability.
2Reliability
If persistent network connection is maintained, then payment processing capability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining a continuous persistent network connection, the system uses periodic short-range wireless communication through the transceiver. The transceiver activates only when a payment transaction is initiated, establishing a temporary connection for data exchange and then entering a low-power state. This periodic action dramatically reduces energy consumption compared to maintaining a constant network connection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If short-range transceiver is added, then adaptability to non-persistent connections is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The short-range transceiver is designed with multi-functionality, capable of supporting multiple communication protocols (Bluetooth, NFC, RFID) within a single device component. This universality allows the vending machine to adapt to different payment initiating devices and network conditions without requiring separate hardware for each protocol, thereby improving adaptability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An offline retail machine comprising a short-range transceiver, one or more processors, and memory performs communications operations via one or more mobile devices. The communications operations include establishing via the short-range transceiver a connection with a first mobile device, and transmitting first information to the first mobile device. Upon not receiving an acknowledgement that the first information was received by a remote server, the offline retail machine maintains the first information in the memory and establishes, via the short-range transceiver, a connection with a second mobile device, appends the first information to second information, and transmits the first and second information to the second mobile device. Upon receiving acknowledgement that the first and second information were received by a remote server, the offline retail machine deletes the first and second information.