Service Agent Uniform Interface for Secure Payment Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current e-commerce payment systems, particularly SIM-based and browser-based systems, face issues such as complexity, insecurity, and inefficiency, including difficulties in upgrading SIM-based systems, clumsy user experiences in browser-based systems, and vulnerabilities to fraud, which hinder seamless and secure transactions across various devices.
Innovation Solution
A service agent is installed on user devices to provide a uniform interface for payment systems, interacting with both service providers and payment providers, enabling authentication, payment confirmation, and service activation, while a payment operator manages these interactions, simplifying the process and enhancing security by handling payment requests and confirmations centrally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If SIM-based payment systems are used, then authentication security is improved, but system adaptability deteriorates due to difficulty in upgrading and extending to multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates authentication functionality into a dedicated service agent component that can be independently deployed and upgraded on different devices. The service agent acts as an intermediary between the user device and payment provider, allowing the core authentication logic to be updated without reissuing SIM cards or modifying device hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The service agent serves as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between SIM-based authentication and diverse user devices. It receives authentication requests from various devices, processes them through the payment operator, and coordinates with the payment provider, thereby enabling SIM-based security to work across multiple device types without direct integration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If browser-based payment systems are used, then device versatility is improved, but user experience and transaction reliability deteriorate due to redirection issues and cookie restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The service agent acts as a reliable intermediary that maintains the payment transaction context across device and application boundaries. Instead of relying on browser cookies and redirects, the service agent stores and manages authentication state and transaction information, ensuring consistent payment experience across different devices and applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the service agent continuously monitors transaction state and provides status updates to both the user and the payment operator. This ensures that all parties have real-time visibility into payment completion status, eliminating the uncertainty experienced in browser-based systems.
3Ease of operation
If browser-based payment systems are used, then ease of operation is improved for accessing multiple services, but security against fraud deteriorates due to phishing vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The service agent and payment operator form a trusted intermediary layer between the user and service providers. Authentication credentials are never directly exchanged between the user's browser and the service provider, eliminating the phishing attack vector. The service agent verifies the authenticity of payment requests through the secured payment operator channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The service agent implements self-verification mechanisms to authenticate service providers and validate payment requests without requiring user intervention. This automatic verification process prevents users from being deceived by fake vendor sites, as the service agent independently confirms the legitimacy of each transaction request.
4Reliability
If SIM-based payment systems are used, then authentication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to special design requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication logic is extracted from the device hardware and SIM card into a separate service agent software component. This allows standard devices to support reliable authentication without requiring special SIM card integration or custom device design. The service agent can be deployed on any device with basic communication capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling payment in a communications system including the steps of providing a service accessing a service provider from the or one user device, selecting a product for purchase from the service provider, the service agent receiving a request for payment from the service provider via a payment operator and the service agent issuing a payment authorisation to a payment provider via the payment operator. The service agent is installable in a variety of user devices and provides a uniform interface to the payment system from a plurality of the user devices. The service agent may also provide a uniform interface to an ordering system from a plurality of the user devices.