Synchronized POS Transaction Status Signals for Contactless Payments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contactless payment systems lack customizable and synchronized transaction status indications that effectively communicate transaction success to both payment reader devices and customer devices, limiting the user experience.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where payment reader devices and customer devices output synchronized transaction status indications, such as audio and visual signals, based on transaction characteristics, merchant preferences, and customer device types, using timer synchronization and customized libraries for enhanced communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If contactless payment systems provide transaction status indications, then customer awareness of transaction success is improved, but the system lacks customization and synchronization between devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts transaction status indications based on device type, transaction characteristics, and merchant preferences. Different device types (mobile phones, wearables, tablets) receive customized indications through their respective output capabilities (vibration, audio, visual displays), making the system flexible and adaptable rather than static and uniform.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters of transaction status indications including timing, duration, intensity, and type of feedback based on device characteristics and transaction context. For example, the duration of vibration or audio tone is adjusted according to the specific device and transaction type, enabling customized communication without requiring separate systems for each device.
2Reliability
If payment terminal provides audible success tone, then transaction confirmation is provided, but synchronization with customer device indications is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements synchronized feedback between the payment terminal and customer device by exchanging timing information. The payment terminal determines when to provide its indication and communicates this timing to the customer device, which then provides its indication in synchronization. This creates a coordinated feedback loop that reinforces transaction confirmation while eliminating delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The payment terminal determines the timing of its transaction status indication in advance and communicates this timing information to the customer device before the actual indication is provided. This preliminary coordination ensures that both devices are synchronized when delivering their indications, preventing delays and ensuring reliable confirmation.
3Loss of information
If mobile device provides vibration or beep indication, then customer awareness is enhanced, but the system lacks integrated synchronization with payment terminal
Solution Approach 1:
The payment terminal acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the transaction processing system and the customer device. It determines the timing and characteristics of indications, communicates this information to the customer device, and receives confirmation that the device will provide its indication. This intermediary role simplifies the overall system by centralizing the synchronization logic in the payment terminal rather than requiring complex peer-to-peer coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
Facilitating transaction status indications for point-of-sale (POS) systems is described. A POS application stored on a POS terminal of a POS system may communicate with a payment reader device coupled to the POS terminal and a payment server application. The POS application may receive, from a customer device associated with a customer and via a short-range communication network, payment information for satisfying a cost of a transaction. The POS application may send the payment information to the payment server application to attempt to authorize the payment information for the cost of the transaction and may receive, from the payment server application, an indication of a status of the transaction. Responsive to receiving the indication of the status of the transaction, the payment reader device and the customer device may output respective aspects of a transaction status indication associated with the status of the transaction.