Secure Physical Coupon Using Conductive Pattern Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current coupon and loyalty currency technologies are vulnerable to fraud and counterfeiting due to their digital nature, lacking the security and hand-deliverability of physical currency, which hinders merchants' ability to incentivize customers effectively.
Innovation Solution
Development of secure physical coupons, known as RockCoins, which utilize the 'Rock of Randomness' technology to embed identity and value in a physical coin-like format, verifiable through a coin-reader and blockchain, ensuring authenticity and preventing counterfeiting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If coupons are printed on paper or tokenized digitally, then they can be distributed easily, but they become vulnerable to fraud and counterfeiting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the physical parameters of the coupon by embedding conductive materials in specific patterns within the paper substrate. This changes the electrical conductivity parameters of the coupon, allowing verification through conductivity measurements. The conductive pattern serves as a unique physical signature that is difficult to replicate, thus enhancing security while maintaining the paper-based distributable format.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupon combines multiple materials: the base paper substrate and conductive materials embedded within it. This composite structure allows the coupon to function both as a physically distributable paper object and as an electronically verifiable security token. The conductive material embedded in the paper creates a unique electrical fingerprint that prevents counterfeiting while preserving the coupon's physical nature.
2Productivity
If coupons use high denomination store credit, then merchant incentive power increases, but fraud risk and loss from counterfeiting increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual verification methods with automated electronic verification. Instead of merchants manually checking coupon authenticity, a digital verification system measures the conductive pattern and compares it against recorded patterns. This substitution of mechanical verification with electronic measurement enables high-denomination coupons to be verified quickly and accurately, reducing fraud risk while maintaining high incentive value.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive pattern acts as an intermediary between the physical coupon and its verification. Rather than directly trusting the physical appearance or digital token, the system uses the conductive pattern as an intermediate verification layer. This intermediary provides an objective, measurable property that bridges the gap between physical distribution and digital verification, enabling high-value coupons to be securely validated.
3Reliability
If coupons require identification of payee or payor, then accountability increases, but the cash-like anonymity and ease of transfer decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the identification function from the transfer function. The conductive pattern provides a unique identifier for accountability purposes, while the verification process can be designed to only require validation of this pattern rather than collection of personal identification. This segmentation allows the system to provide accountability through the unique physical signature while maintaining cash-like anonymity in the transfer process, as the verification does not require knowing who the payee or payor is.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides merchants the capability to mint store credit as a secure physical handheld coin, resisting fraud and counterfeiting. It is based on a technology that marks the physical handheld coins with a large number of features, the reading of these features representing an assigned unique identity or signature, an assigned nominal monetary value, and assigned limitations of use, all verifiable through blockchain technology. This secure physical handheld coin, as well as a secure digital coin, may be cash-redeemable, and use-trackable to leverage the store's credibility to push its loyalty currency into the wallets of the public and win more customers.