Payment Settlement System Handling Unit Mismatch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing settlement systems face challenges when a first settlement option is insufficient to cover the full fee, particularly when the remaining balance is in units that cannot be settled by a second option, such as when electronic money balance is low and only cash settlement is in units of 10 yen, leading to incomplete payment.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that calculates the fee and adjusts the monetary amounts between the first and second settlement options to ensure the second option can settle the remaining balance in acceptable units, even if it's in units like 1 yen, by setting the first option to its maximum and the second option to the remainder, or rounding up if necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electronic money settlement is used as the first settlement option, then settlement precision is improved (1 yen units), but settlement completeness deteriorates when balance is insufficient and remainder cannot be settled by cash (10 yen units)
Solution Approach 1:
The total fee is segmented into two parts: the maximum amount settleable by electronic money (first settlement option) and the remainder to be settled by cash (second settlement option). This segmentation allows the system to utilize the precision advantage of electronic money for the bulk payment while ensuring the remainder can be handled by cash settlement in 10 yen units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the settlement parameters by calculating the maximum electronic money settleable amount based on account balance and modifying the cash settlement amount accordingly. This parameter adjustment ensures that the cash portion is always rounded to acceptable 10 yen units while electronic money covers the precise remainder.
2Ease of operation
If cash settlement is used for the remainder, then ease of operation is improved (simple payment method), but manufacturing precision deteriorates (cannot settle in 1 yen units)
Solution Approach 1:
The payment is divided into an electronic money portion (precise 1 yen settlement) and a cash portion (rounded to 10 yen units). This segmentation allows cash to be used for the rounded remainder amount where precision is less critical, while electronic money handles the precise calculation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different precision requirements are applied to different portions of the payment: the electronic money portion requires 1 yen precision while the cash portion accepts 10 yen unit rounding. This local quality approach matches the settlement method to the precision requirements of each portion.
3Manufacturing precision
If the system requires exact match between remainder and second settlement option units, then manufacturing precision is improved (exact unit matching), but adaptability deteriorates (cannot handle low electronic money balance scenarios)
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the cash settlement parameter from requiring exact unit matching to accepting rounded amounts in 10 yen units. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to various electronic money balance scenarios while maintaining acceptable settlement precision through the combination of both payment methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The settlement system dynamically adjusts the division between electronic money and cash based on the available electronic money balance. When balance is sufficient, electronic money covers more; when balance is low, cash covers more after rounding. This dynamic adjustment maintains adaptability across different scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to: calculate a fee as compensation for a product or service; and adjust, if settlement by a first settlement option selected initially is insufficient to settle a full amount of the calculated fee, a monetary amount to be settled by the first settlement option and a monetary amount to be settled by a second settlement option different from the first settlement option, so that the monetary amount to be settled by the second settlement option is in units acceptable for settlement by the second settlement option.