Phone-on-file opt-in for merchant billing servers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing process of charging purchases to a consumer's phone bill is cumbersome, particularly for frequent customers, as it requires manual entry of a PIN code, leading to potential lost purchases due to arduous verification processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allows consumers to opt-in to a phone-on-file relationship by receiving an MSISDN from a consumer device, transmitting opt-in requests, verifying PIN codes, and initiating charge API calls, thereby streamlining the billing process by eliminating the need for repeated PIN code entries for verified opt-in status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the billing server communicates with the consumer mobile phone to confirm the charge by transmitting a PIN code, then the reliability of the billing process is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing the consumer's phone number on file and pre-configuring billing parameters before the actual purchase transaction. This allows the billing server to automatically retrieve and process payment information without requiring real-time PIN verification for each transaction, thus maintaining reliability while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing consumers to pre-register their phone numbers and billing preferences. Once registered, the system automatically handles subsequent billing transactions using the stored information, eliminating the need for manual PIN entry for each purchase while maintaining secure verification through the initial opt-in process.
2Reliability
If the consumer must enter a PIN code for each purchase, then the security of the billing process is improved, but the productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary security verification by obtaining consumer opt-in and storing phone number information before actual transactions. This preliminary action establishes security credentials that can be automatically reused for subsequent transactions, maintaining security while improving transaction processing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous billing capability by storing verified phone number information and using it across multiple transactions. Once the initial verification is complete, the system continuously processes subsequent charges without interruption or repeated manual verification, thereby maintaining security while improving productivity.
3Reliability
If the merchant server transmits multiple opt-in requests and verifies PIN codes, then the reliability of the phone-on-file status is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The billing server acts as an intermediary between the merchant server and the consumer's mobile phone. It manages the opt-in process, stores phone number information, and handles verification, thereby distributing system complexity across multiple components rather than concentrating it in one location. This maintains reliability while managing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the billing process into distinct functional modules: opt-in management, phone number storage, verification logic, and charge processing. Each module handles a specific aspect of the billing workflow, making the overall system more manageable and maintainable while ensuring reliable operation through specialized processing for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A phone-on-file opt-in method is described. A phone-on-file opt-in request is received at the billing server including a msisdn and a merchant supplied unique consumer identifier. The billing server confirms the phone-on-file opt-in with a consumer device and records a phone-on-file opt-in status as active if the first phone-on-file is confirmed. A charge method includes receiving, at the billing server, a charge API call from a merchant server including at least one identifier and an amount, determining a phone-on-file opt-in status corresponding to the identifier at the billing server and transmitting a request to charge a user account to a carrier server if the phone-on-file opt-in status is active, but not if the phone-on-file opt-in status is inactive, the request including an amount corresponding to the amount received in the charge API call.