Self-Checkout System with Proximity Detection and Transaction Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional self-checkout systems with mobile payment techniques require additional customer actions and may not fully eliminate the need for manual processes, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors in detecting all items for payment.
Innovation Solution
A self-checkout system comprising a proximity device, a cashier system, and a server device that automatically recognizes shopping items and confirms payment through transaction identifiers, allowing for seamless cashless and cardless transactions without additional customer interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If conventional mobile payment techniques are used at a point of sale, then payment can be processed without cash or cards, but the customer still has to manually place items on a checkout belt, require cashier scanning, and repack items, resulting in hardly noticeable time advantage
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service checkout by automatically detecting items in the customer's vicinity via proximity devices, eliminating the need for manual item placement, cashier scanning, and repackaging. The customer simply approaches the checkout area and the system autonomously identifies and processes all items.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical checkout process (manual item handling, physical scanning, repackaging) with an automated system using proximity detection technology. The mechanical actions of placing items on a belt and repackaging are substituted by electronic item detection through proximity devices.
2Extent of automation
If self-checkout systems with mobile payment are implemented, then some manual processes are reduced, but additional customer actions are still required and not all items may be detected, leading to potential errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the proximity device continuously monitors and detects items in the customer's vicinity, and the server device receives and processes this information to confirm payment. This feedback loop ensures that all items are detected and accounted for, improving detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server device as an intermediary that receives shopping information from the proximity device and the mobile device, matches transaction identifiers, and confirms payment. This intermediary layer coordinates the interaction between detection and payment components, ensuring accurate and complete item detection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If existing point of sale terminal infrastructure is used for mobile payment, then payment can be processed through existing systems, but additional customer actions are required and the system just emulates card present transaction without solving time-consuming checkout processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains universality by being compatible with existing point of sale infrastructure while adding new functionality. The proximity device and server device work alongside traditional POS terminals, allowing the system to serve multiple functions: traditional card payments and the new automated proximity-based mobile payment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic elements by using proximity detection that automatically activates based on customer presence. The system transitions from static card-present emulation to a dynamic process where the proximity device continuously monitors for items and the mobile device automatically communicates transaction information, adapting to customer actions in real-time.
Data Source
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AI summary
There are provided measures for enabling self-checkout with mobile payment, such as in a self-checkout fastlane with cashless and cardless payment by a mobile payment service in a retail shop. Such measures could exemplarily include a self-checkout system comprising: a proximity device configured to detect or get detected by a mobile device of a user of a mobile payment service in the proximity of a point-of-sale of a shop supporting the mobile payment service, wherein the user of the mobile device is a customer, a cashier system configured to automatically recognize shopping items of the customer when approaching and/or passing the cashier system, and to generate shopping information, including at least one of a shopping basket content and a total amount of the recognized shopping items, and a server device configured to confirm payment of the recognized shopping items of the customer by the mobile payment service upon matching between a first transaction identifier, which is generated by the server device on the basis of the shopping information received from one of the proximity device and the cashier system, and a second transaction identifier, which is delivered by the mobile device and received from the mobile device or the one of the proximity device and the cashier system, and to supply a payment confirmation at least to the one of the proximity device and the cashier system.