Point of Sale Access Voucher System for Secure Transaction Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated points of sale, such as vending machines, face challenges with high costs and vulnerability to unauthorized access due to the need for sophisticated processing units and secure identification databases to manage various payment methods, including credit cards and electronic wallets.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where access to goods and services is authorized using an access voucher with user and service identifications transmitted to a central processing unit for verification, eliminating the need for detailed processing at the point of sale and using machine-readable data like QR codes for secure and cost-effective transactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vending machine uses sophisticated processing units and secure identification databases to manage credit cards and electronic wallets, then payment security is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex identification database and processing unit from the vending machine itself, placing them in a remote server instead. The vending machine only retains basic voucher reading capability, while all security-critical verification operations are performed externally, thus reducing local complexity while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an access voucher as an intermediary carrier that holds identification data. Instead of directly storing sensitive payment information in the vending machine, the system uses vouchers as a medium to transfer minimal necessary data (voucher ID and goods ID) to the remote server for verification, reducing the security burden on the vending machine.
2Reliability
If a vending machine stores detailed identification databases locally for secure verification, then access security is improved, but loss of information and vulnerability to unauthorized access increase
Solution Approach 1:
The identification database is extracted from the local vending machine environment and relocated to a secure remote server. This prevents local data breaches, as the sensitive database no longer resides in the vulnerable point-of-sale device. The vending machine only stores minimal operational data locally.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing the full identification database locally, the system creates and uses copies in the form of access vouchers. These vouchers contain only the necessary identification data (voucher ID and goods ID) needed for verification, while the master database remains secure on the remote server.
3Ease of operation
If a vending machine uses simple voucher reading without centralized verification, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability and security deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The access voucher serves as an intermediary that bridges simplicity and security. From the user perspective, the interaction remains simple (present voucher, receive goods), but the voucher itself carries encrypted identification data that enables secure verification by the remote server, thus maintaining both ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical security systems (local databases, sophisticated processing units) with an information-based system using standardized data communication protocols. The verification process is substituted from local computational verification to remote information exchange, maintaining security while simplifying the point-of-sale device.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for authorizing access to goods and/or services at a point of sale is disclosed. An access voucher may be issued and presented to a reading means of the point of sale. At least one good and/or service of the point of sale can be selected by the user and the corresponding identification can be transferred to the internal processing unit. A comparison can be performed. If the transferred identification of the user matches an identification of the user, and if the transferred identification of the goods and/services matches an identification of the goods/and services, the user profile data and the access parameter can be retrieved. An authorization can be transferred to the point of sale if the user profile data correspond to the access parameter for the goods and/or services.