POS Terminal Card Reader Power Management via Workflow Context
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Point-of-sale (POS) terminals with dual-display, dual-reader configurations face challenges in managing battery life due to the power requirements of EMV-compliant card readers, leading to reduced usage time and increased maintenance needs, while also being confusing for users during workflow transitions.
Innovation Solution
A POS terminal with a reader controller that dynamically manages the power states and communication protocols of multiple card readers based on workflow states, optimizing power usage and user interaction through context-based management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If EMV-compliant card readers are enabled continuously to provide contactless reading capability, then payment functionality is improved, but battery life is substantially reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the power state of the card reader based on workflow context. The reader controller monitors POS terminal states and transitions the card reader between fully-powered, reduced-power, and disabled states according to whether payment operations are currently needed, thereby maintaining payment functionality when required while conserving battery life during other operations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the power consumption parameter of the card reader based on operational context. By adjusting power states (fully-powered, reduced-power, disabled) according to workflow state, the system optimizes the balance between maintaining EMV contactless reading capability and extending battery usage time
2Adaptability or versatility
If both card readers in dual-display configuration are enabled simultaneously, then user flexibility is improved, but power consumption increases and user confusion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the control of multiple card readers by associating each reader with a specific display and workflow context. The reader controller determines which card reader should be active based on the current POS terminal state and which display is being used, thereby providing user flexibility through multiple readers while avoiding confusion by ensuring only the appropriate reader is active at any given time
3Speed
If card readers are kept in high-power state to ensure immediate responsiveness, then transaction speed is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic monitoring of workflow states by the reader controller, which assesses whether payment operations are currently needed and adjusts the card reader power state accordingly. This periodic assessment allows the system to maintain high responsiveness when transactions are active while reducing power consumption during non-transaction periods
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for context-based credit card reader management is provided that includes a point-of sale (POS) terminal, configured to accept employee login credentials via a magnetic stripe card, to display menu items for selection, to add selected menu items to an order, and to accept payment for the order, where the payment may be obtained via swipe, dip, or tap. The POS terminal has a card reader and a reader controller. The card reader reads provided cards when fully powered and enabled. The reader controller is coupled to the card reader, and determines one or more workflow states of the POS terminal, and dynamically controls power states of the card reader according to the one or more workflow states.