Smartphone Relay Payment Terminal for Offline Purchase Approval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers face difficulties in making purchases when merchants are not equipped to accept traditional credit or debit card transactions, leading to disappointed consumers and lost sales for merchants.
Innovation Solution
A payment system utilizing a consumer's smartphone as a proxy for communication between a frontend terminal and a backend kernel, enabling wireless power transfer and data transmission to facilitate transactions even in environments where the frontend terminal lacks internet connectivity and power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional payment system with physical cards is used, then payment processing is reliable, but it requires the merchant to have specialized hardware and infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The consumer's smartphone serves as an intermediary device that bridges the gap between the simple frontend terminal and the complex backend payment processing system. The smartphone handles all communication with the payment network and relays transactions through the terminal, eliminating the need for complex merchant infrastructure while maintaining reliable payment processing.
2Reliability
If the frontend terminal has independent communication connection with backend kernel, then transaction processing is reliable, but the terminal requires continuous power and internet connectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The consumer's smartphone provides its own power and communication capabilities to serve the frontend terminal. Instead of the terminal consuming power and bandwidth independently, the smartphone uses its existing battery and network connection to facilitate transactions, eliminating the need for continuous terminal power supply and internet connectivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the consumer uses their smartphone as a proxy for communication, then payment system adaptability improves, but the consumer device becomes part of the transaction infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The consumer's smartphone is already a universal device capable of running various applications and communicating with different systems. By leveraging its existing multi-functionality for payment processing, the solution avoids adding complexity to the consumer device while improving payment system adaptability. The smartphone's inherent capabilities are sufficient to handle the proxy communication role.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables consumers to complete purchases in more locations and circumstances by using their smartphone to relay payment data and power to the frontend terminal, enhancing transaction flexibility and reducing merchant infrastructure costs.
Implementation Method 1
the consumer's smartphone to wirelessly supply electrical power to the frontend terminal
Implementation Method 2
a first wireless connection may be established between the consumer's smartphone and the frontend terminal, and a second wireless connection may be established between the consumer's smartphone and the backend kernel
Data Source
AI summary
A payment system is provided for completing purchases using a consumer device like a smartphone. Once a consumer selects a product or good to purchase, payment data is transmitted from a frontend terminal to the consumer device over a first wireless connection. The payment data is then relayed to a backend kernel and/or payment network preferably over a second wireless connection. The first wireless connection may be an NFC connection, and the second wireless connection may be a cellular network. Once the purchase is approved, an approval message may be transmitted and relayed back to the frontend terminal over the first and second wireless connections.