Proximity-Based Device Identification for Faster Bill Splitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conducting financial transactions between individuals in social settings, such as splitting a bill at a restaurant, is often inconvenient and time-consuming, especially when using credit cards, leading to awkward interruptions in social interactions.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device application enables proximity-based payments by detecting nearby devices with enabled payment functionality, allowing users to specify and execute transactions without requiring additional contact information, using wireless personal area network circuitry and a remote payment service system to facilitate secure and convenient transfers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional payment methods (cash, credit cards) are used for splitting bills in social settings, then financial transactions can be completed, but the process becomes time-consuming and creates awkward interruptions in social interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing payment profiles and contact information in the payment application. When users are detected to be in proximity, the system has already prepared the necessary payment data, eliminating the need for manual information exchange and calculation during the actual payment moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies of payment information (contact details, payment preferences, account information) that can be automatically exchanged between devices. This eliminates the need for manual copying of information through communication channels, speeding up the payment process.
2Measurement precision
If manual tracking and calculation of individual costs are performed, then accurate bill splitting is achieved, but the complexity of the process increases and requires significant time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting proximate devices, retrieving stored contact information, calculating individual costs based on order items, and preparing payment requests without requiring manual intervention. The complex calculations and data retrieval are handled autonomously by the payment application.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical processes (writing down orders, calculating costs, exchanging contact information) with automated electronic processes. The mobile device's processor and payment application handle all calculations and data management, substituting human cognitive and manual labor with computational automation.
3Ease of operation
If contact information is exchanged manually for payment processing, then payment between individuals is enabled, but the process requires additional steps and time that disrupt social interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The payment application serves as an intermediary that stores and manages contact information and payment data. Instead of users directly exchanging sensitive information through communication channels, the pre-established payment profiles act as intermediaries, allowing automatic retrieval and matching of payment data when devices are in proximity.
Solution Approach 2:
Contact information and payment preferences are established in advance within the payment application before the actual payment event. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for real-time information exchange during payment, as the system already has the necessary data ready for automatic retrieval and processing.
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
Enables quick and easy financial transactions among individuals in proximity, reducing the need for manual calculations and contact information exchange, thus enhancing the social experience by minimizing interruptions during group events.
Implementation Method 1
a wireless personal area network circuitry configured to detect another mobile device in proximity to the mobile device
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques disclosed include receiving, via a user interface of a first device associated with a first user, an input indicating an amount of funds to be transferred from a first user's financial account to a second user's financial account without identifying another user to whom the funds will be transferred; detecting, using an NFC wireless network, a second device that is in physical proximity of the first device, the second device being associated with a second user, wherein each of the first user and the second user have respective accounts registered with a payment service system; sending, by the first device and via the NFC wireless network, an electronic message requesting or sending a payment in the amount of the funds to the second device; and transmitting a notification to the payment service system to process the payment between the first user and the second user.