Offline Transit Fare Assessment via Pre-Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transit fare systems face challenges in offline transactions due to lack of network connectivity, incompatible payment devices across multiple transit systems, and security risks associated with on-line authorization of financial institution portable payment devices (FIPPDs) in transit environments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a payment processing system that allows FIPPDs to conduct transactions off-line by reading data from the device at a point of service, storing transaction information centrally, and calculating fares based on stored rider history, with mechanisms to prevent fraud using negative and positive lists.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If on-line authentication is used for FIPPD transactions, then transaction security and authorization control are improved, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements worsen due to need for real-time network connectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing authentication and authorization checks before the actual transaction occurs. The system pre-validates the FIPPD credentials, account status, and transaction eligibility in advance, allowing the actual fare assessment to occur without real-time network connectivity. This resolves the contradiction by establishing security measures beforehand rather than requiring continuous on-line verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism that acts as a mediator between the transit system and the FIPPD authentication system. This intermediary component handles the authentication process independently, enabling secure transactions without direct real-time network dependency. The intermediary validates credentials and maintains authorization state, allowing transactions to proceed with reduced system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If real-time network connectivity is required for fare assessment, then accurate fare calculation and transaction authorization are improved, but accessibility and ease of operation worsen in environments without network infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary fare calculation and authorization determinations before the actual transaction execution. By pre-assessing fare values and validating transaction eligibility in advance, the system enables accurate fare calculation without requiring real-time network connectivity during the actual access event. This maintains measurement precision while improving accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The FIPPD and transit system engage in a self-service transaction model where the portable payment device contains sufficient information and processing capability to complete transactions independently. The system uses stored value accounts and pre-loaded fare information on the FIPPD itself, eliminating the need for external network connectivity during transactions. This self-service approach maintains calculation accuracy while dramatically improving ease of operation in network-denied environments.
3Productivity
If closed transit system with proprietary payment devices is used, then transaction processing speed and system control are improved, but adaptability and versatility worsen when customers need to use multiple transit systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing the FIPPD to function across multiple transit systems and payment environments. The portable payment device uses standardized communication protocols and can interface with different transit system infrastructure, enabling a single device to serve multiple functions and systems. This maintains efficient transaction processing while dramatically improving adaptability and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs parameter changes to adapt the same FIPPD infrastructure to different transit systems. By modifying software parameters, configuration settings, and communication protocols rather than requiring hardware changes, the system enables one FIPPD to operate across multiple transit systems. This approach maintains fast transaction processing speeds while achieving broad compatibility and versatility.
4Loss of time
If fare calculation is performed at point of service, then transaction time and processing speed are improved, but measurement precision and accounting accuracy worsen when fare depends on unknown travel parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary fare assessment and calculation in advance of the actual transaction execution. By pre-determining fare values based on available information and travel parameters before the customer completes their journey, the system enables accurate accounting without requiring real-time calculation at the point of service. This resolves the contradiction by performing measurement-intensive tasks beforehand rather than at transaction time.
Data Source
AI summary
At each of a plurality of point of sale terminals (POS) of a merchant for each of a plurality of consumers, where each consumer seeks to conduct a transaction with the merchant for a good or service at a cost by using a payment device issued by an issuer in a payment system, data is read from a payment device. The data can include an identifier for an account issued by an issuer, information is stored for each transaction and the consumer is permitted to receive the good or service from the merchant. After the consumer has received the good or service, a batch of the transaction are processed to derive there from the respective costs that are assessable to the respective accounts, where the merchant can be a transit system, the consumer a rider thereon, end the transaction can be access to a facility thereof.