Service Code Integration for Offline Payment and Invoice Issuance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing process of using electronic invoices for reimbursement is inefficient and prone to interruptions between payment and invoice issuance, particularly in offline environments, lacking integration and accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A service processing method and apparatus that generates a service code based on user access, performs payment processing, and delivers invoice application information to the merchant terminal, integrating payment and invoice issuance through a service code creation request, rendering, and delivery system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a traditional reimbursement process is used with separate payment and invoice issuance steps, then the process is flexible and adaptable to different scenarios, but the process efficiency is low and prone to interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereimbursement process efficiencyVSAvoidprocess integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the payment processing system and invoice issuance system into a unified service code system. The service code contains both payment information and invoice application information, allowing the merchant terminal to complete both payment and invoice acquisition in a single scanning operation, thereby eliminating the need for separate manual steps and improving overall process efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The service code is designed as a multi-functional identifier that simultaneously serves as a payment code and an invoice application code. This universal code structure allows a single code to trigger both payment processing and invoice issuance procedures, reducing the number of separate systems and operations needed while maintaining flexibility across different reimbursement scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If manual invoice application procedures are used, then the system is adaptable to various reimbursement scenarios, but accuracy is reduced and resource loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinvoice issuance accuracyVSAvoidmanual intervention time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service automation where the service code automatically contains all necessary invoice application information (invoice type, taxpayer ID, amount, etc.). When the merchant terminal scans the service code, the system automatically retrieves and processes the invoice information without requiring manual data entry or review, thereby improving accuracy and eliminating manual intervention time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invoice application information is pre-configured and embedded within the service code during the payment initiation phase. This preliminary action ensures that all necessary invoice data is prepared in advance with accurate formatting and validation, eliminating the need for subsequent manual processing and reducing both errors and time consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If separate payment and invoice systems are used, then each system can be optimized independently, but the overall process requires more manual intervention and is prone to interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess continuityVSAvoidsystem integration structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The service code acts as an intermediary that bridges the payment system and invoice issuance system. By encoding both payment and invoice information within a single service code structure, the system enables seamless communication between the two previously separate systems, allowing the merchant terminal to trigger both processes simultaneously through a single scanning action, thereby improving operational continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If the service code is created for each access, then security and accuracy are improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice code securityVSAvoidcode generation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The service code generation system dynamically changes parameters such as the service code identifier, invoice type, taxpayer ID, and amount based on the specific payment context. By automatically adjusting these parameters according to the payment information and user preferences, the system generates unique, secure service codes for each access without requiring complex manual configuration, thereby maintaining high reliability while managing system complexity through automated parameter management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4583028A1Service processing method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.07.09 ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECH CO LTD
  • EP4583028A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4583028A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4583028A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Embodiments of this specification provide service processing methods and apparatuses. The service processing method includes generating a service code creation request including service access information and a user identity identifier based on an access instruction of a user for a target service, and sending the service code creation request to a service platform based on the access instruction; performing service code rendering based on service code information returned after the service platform performs service code creation, and sending a rendered service code corresponding to the access instruction to the user; performing payment processing based on a payment request submitted after a merchant terminal scans the service code, and reading invoice application information associated with a service code identifier included in the payment request after payment succeeds; and delivering the invoice application information to the merchant terminal to perform invoice issuance.