RF Pulse Location Codes for Contactless Payment Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Contactless payment methods face challenges in verifying the physical location of devices, leading to potential fraud and security issues, as existing technologies like GPS and cell tower triangulation can be easily spoofed and do not scale effectively.
Innovation Solution
A network-based location verification system using radio frequency (RF) pulses and location codes to verify the absolute and relative position of user devices, ensuring they are within a geo-referenced area associated with a transaction, by distributing location codes from transmitters to user devices and merchant devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPS or cell tower triangulation is used for location verification, then the system is simple to implement, but the location verification can be easily spoofed and lacks security
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces radio network transmitters (cell towers, base stations) as intermediary elements that broadcast location codes. These transmitters serve as trusted mediators between the verification system and user devices, providing cryptographic proof of location without requiring complex client-side verification logic. The transmitters act as authoritative sources that both the server and user device can trust, resolving the security-complexity contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses existing radio network infrastructure transmitters that are already deployed for communication purposes. By repurposing these existing transmitters for location verification (partial action), the system avoids building a completely new infrastructure. The transmitters broadcast location codes in addition to their normal communication function, providing verification capability without excessive new deployment complexity.
2Productivity
If traditional location verification methods are used, then the system is easy to operate, but they do not scale effectively
Solution Approach 1:
User devices automatically receive location codes from transmitters and include them in verification requests without user intervention. The device's radio communication stack handles the reception and transmission of location codes seamlessly. This self-service approach maintains ease of operation while enabling scalable verification across many devices simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The radio network transmitters serve multiple functions: they provide both communication services and location verification services. This multi-functionality allows the system to scale using existing infrastructure rather than requiring separate dedicated verification transmitters, thereby improving productivity without complicating operation.
3Reliability
If contactless payment is enabled without location verification, then the transaction speed is fast, but fraud risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
Location codes are broadcast by transmitters before transactions occur. User devices continuously have access to current location codes, so when a transaction is initiated, the verification can proceed immediately by including the pre-obtained location code. This preliminary availability of verification data minimizes transaction time while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the already-received location code from the transmitter without requiring additional verification steps or user actions during the transaction. The location verification is rushed through by simply including the pre-obtained code in the transaction request, maintaining fast transaction speed while improving reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of a transaction verification service is implemented by an electronic device. The method includes receiving a transaction identifier from a user device or a merchant device, requesting at least one transmitter near the user device or the merchant device to send a location code to the user device or the merchant device, receiving the location code from the user device or the merchant device, verifying the location code, and forwarding the transaction identifier to a payment processing service, in response to verification of the location code.