Settlement Server Alternative Processing Trigger Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing settlement systems face challenges in starting alternative processing at an appropriate timing due to inconveniences such as failures or delays in acquiring settlement permission determination from inquiry systems, leading to discrepancies in payment processing and potential missed payment opportunities.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system that includes a settlement server with a settlement request reception unit, inquiry unit, result acquisition unit, and alternative processing start unit, which receives settlement requests, inquires about settlement permission, acquires results, and starts alternative processing upon receiving a final settlement confirmation request at a predetermined timing, ensuring timely and accurate payment processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If alternative processing is started upon receiving any settlement confirmation request, then the system responds quickly to settlement requests, but alternative processing may be started too early before the inquiry system fails or delays occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse speed to settlement requestsVSAvoidaccuracy of alternative processing activation timing

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by receiving and queuing settlement confirmation requests before actually starting alternative processing. The alternative processing is triggered only after a predetermined time elapses without receiving settlement permission determination from the inquiry system, ensuring the trigger timing is appropriate rather than immediate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the inquiry system's response status to determine when to activate alternative processing. By monitoring whether settlement permission determination is received within the expected time frame, the system dynamically decides when alternative processing should start, creating a feedback-based control mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the system waits for inquiry system response before starting alternative processing, then processing accuracy is maintained, but payment opportunities may be missed due to delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of settlement permission determinationVSAvoidtime lost waiting for inquiry system response

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system prepares alternative processing in advance by receiving settlement confirmation requests and maintaining them in a queued state. When the inquiry system fails to respond within the predetermined time, the alternative processing can start immediately without additional delay, as all preparatory work has already been done

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts its processing approach based on the inquiry system's response status. It initially waits for the inquiry system's settlement permission determination, but automatically switches to alternative processing if the response is not received within the expected time frame, creating a flexible hybrid processing model

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If multiple settlement confirmation requests are received while awaiting inquiry results, then the system handles repeated inquiries from POS terminals, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling of repeated settlement confirmation requestsVSAvoidcomplexity of managing multiple pending requests

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple settlement confirmation requests by storing them together in a queued state while awaiting the inquiry result. When alternative processing is triggered, all queued requests are handled in a unified manner, reducing the complexity of managing individual requests separately

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the settlement confirmation request state by storing the request information in memory while awaiting the inquiry result. This allows the system to quickly restore and process the request state when alternative processing is triggered, without needing to maintain complex state management for each individual request

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS12106277B2Information processing device, method, and medium

Publication Date: 2024.10.01 RAKUTEN GROUP INC

AI summary

An information processing device includes: a settlement request reception unit that receives a settlement request; an inquiry unit that inquires of an inquiry system in charge of permission determination for settlement using a first settlement method about the settlement permission determination related to the settlement request; a result acquisition unit that acquires a result of the settlement permission determination by the inquiry system; a settlement confirmation request reception unit that is able to receive settlement confirmation requests for inquiring about a settlement result related to the settlement request a plurality of times from a settlement request issuing source while awaiting the result of the settlement permission determination by the inquiry system; and an alternative processing start unit that starts alternative processing to the first settlement method at a timing at which a final settlement confirmation request is received among the settlement confirmation requests received by a first time point determined with reference to the settlement request.