Proximity Coupon System Environment for Contactless Payment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contactless payment systems lack a standardized approach for efficiently incorporating coupons and loyalty points into transactions, leading to complexity and inconvenience in using these features with mobile devices and other portable payment devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Proximity Payment System Environment (PPSE) and Proximity Coupon System Environment (PCSE) on payment-enabled mobile devices, which allows for separate directories and processes to manage payment and coupon transactions, including the use of virtual wallets, RF communication, and NFC standards, enabling seamless integration of coupons and loyalty points into contactless payment processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If contactless payment systems incorporate coupons and loyalty points, then transaction functionality and user benefit are improved, but system complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the contactless payment system into separate environments: PPSE (Proximity Payment System Environment) for payment transactions and PCSE (Proximity Coupon System Environment) for coupon and loyalty point management. This segmentation allows each environment to handle its specific functions independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining enhanced functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a standardized interface and communication protocol as an intermediary between PPSE and PCSE. This intermediary layer enables seamless interaction between payment and coupon systems without requiring direct integration, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple coupon and loyalty point applications are integrated into contactless payments, then user benefit and transaction value are improved, but processing time and operational steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-configures multiple coupon and loyalty point applications within the PCSE environment before the actual transaction. During contactless payment, the system automatically selects and applies the most beneficial coupon or loyalty point without requiring real-time user selection, thereby reducing processing time while maximizing transaction value.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages coupon selection and application without requiring user intervention. The PCSE environment autonomously evaluates available coupons and loyalty points, selects the optimal one, and applies it to the transaction, eliminating manual steps and reducing processing time.
3Ease of manufacture
If separate directories for payment and coupon transactions are implemented, then system organization and management are improved, but device complexity and setup requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal contactless payment device architecture that can host both PPSE and PCSE environments. The device uses standardized interfaces and common hardware resources (antenna, processor, memory) to support both payment and coupon functionalities, achieving good organization without significantly increasing device complexity or setup requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the speed and convenience of transactions by allowing for cumulative coupon and loyalty point applications, influencing the final transaction amount, and simplifying the interaction between payment and couponing processes, thereby improving the user experience with contactless payment systems.
Implementation Method 1
the card is swiped through a magnetic stripe reader that is part of a point of sale (POS) terminal... automatically read from the card by radio frequency communication between the payment card and a 'proximity reader'... RFID integrated circuit (IC)... transmit data by RF communication via the antenna
Implementation Method 2
It has also been proposed to use wireless exchanges of information via NFC (Near Field Communication) for payment applications
Data Source
AI summary
Presented are apparatus and methods for utilizing coupons and the like in the context of a contactless payment process. A processor of a payment-enabled mobile device stores a Proximity Coupon System Environment (PCSE). The PCSE includes coupon applications that provide for an alternative form of payment and/or that influence a final transaction amount for a payment transaction. The method includes storing in a File Control Information (FCI) file of the PCSE a list of the coupon applications, and storing in a FCI file of a Proximity Payment System Environment (PPSE) an indication of the existence of the PCSE. When a payment transaction request is received from a proximity reader, the payment-enabled mobile device transmits the indication of the existence of the PCSE and the list of coupon applications that are to be considered before determining the final transaction amount.