Payment-on-delivery device for secure electronic lock actuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional collect-on-delivery (COD) transactions are labor-intensive and prone to errors due to the need for manual payment collection by third-party delivery services, which can result in wasted resources and assurance issues regarding consumer payment capabilities at the time of delivery.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and system that uses a payment-on-delivery device to detect and communicate with a carrier's mobile device, enabling electronic transactions by scanning a machine-readable code, transmitting payment details, and actuating an electronic lock for secure delivery access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual payment collection is used by third-party delivery services, then payment can be collected upon delivery, but the process becomes labor-intensive and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayment collection reliabilityVSAvoidmanual process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical payment collection process with an automated electronic system. The payment-on-delivery device automatically detects the carrier's mobile device, establishes communications, receives payment details, and processes transactions electronically, eliminating the need for manual cash handling and reducing human error in the payment collection process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service payment processing where the payment-on-delivery device autonomously performs payment collection without requiring manual intervention. The device automatically detects carrier presence, establishes communications, processes payments, and actuates locks without human involvement in the transaction processing steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If manual payment collection is used, then payment can be collected at delivery time, but consumer absence at delivery time prevents the transaction from completing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepayment assuranceVSAvoiddelivery accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a payment-on-delivery device as an intermediary between the carrier and the consumer. This device automatically collects payment information and processes transactions even when the consumer is not physically present, using the carrier's mobile device as an intermediary communication channel to complete the payment process remotely

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary payment processing actions before the physical delivery completion. By detecting the carrier's mobile device and initiating electronic payment collection in advance, the system ensures payment is processed even if the consumer is not immediately present to complete the transaction manually

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If manual transaction processing is used, then payment can be collected, but human input errors increase and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction processing speedVSAvoidtransaction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual human input and processing with automated electronic systems. The payment-on-delivery device automatically captures payment details, communicates with financial institutions, and processes transactions without human intervention, eliminating typographical errors and improving processing speed and accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the payment-on-delivery device receives real-time responses from financial institutions regarding payment authorization and status. This automated feedback loop ensures accurate transaction processing and immediate resolution of payment issues without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10930104B2Systems and methods for actuating an electronic lock upon payment for delivery services

Publication Date: 2021.02.23 MASTERCARD INT INC

AI summary

A system and computer-implemented method includes the operation of detecting, by a payment-on-delivery device, a carrier mobile computing device of a package carrier. The payment-on-delivery device establishes a communications link with the carrier mobile computing device. The payment-on-delivery device receives a carrier mobile device identifier from the carrier mobile computing device. In addition, the payment-on-delivery device presents an access code to the package carrier for actuating the electronic lock to unlock an access point to a delivery location. The payment-on-delivery device then obtains a location of the carrier mobile computing device from a location service associated with the carrier mobile computing device using the carrier mobile device identifier. Furthermore, the payment-on-delivery device transmits a “lock” command to the electronic lock for actuating the electronic lock to lock the access point based on the location of the carrier mobile computing device.