Terminal Image Capture and Purchase Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile terminals lack a convenient method for facilitating the purchase of products directly from images captured, limiting user experience in terms of seamless transaction processing and product acquisition.
Innovation Solution
A terminal with a display unit, storage unit, and controller that captures images of products, allows users to save images as normal or purchase-related images, and enables easy navigation through thumbnail screens, purchase-related screens, and payment processes, including default payment cards and receipt management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a terminal captures and stores images for purchase purposes, then the ability to facilitate product purchase from images is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional storage categories and management systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image storage system into two distinct categories: normal images and purchase-related images. This segmentation allows the terminal to manage different types of images separately, with purchase-related images containing embedded purchase information and buttons. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by organizing complexity into manageable segments while maintaining the versatility to handle both regular photography and purchase facilitation functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal device is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a conventional camera for normal image capture and as a purchase facilitation tool. The same image capture and display hardware is used for both purposes, with the controller intelligently routing captured images to appropriate storage categories based on detected purchase indicators. This universality reduces the need for separate dedicated hardware systems.
2Ease of operation
If the terminal displays purchase-related information and buttons on the image, then the ease of operation for purchasing is improved, but the information overload on the display increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by strategically positioning purchase-related information and buttons within specific regions of the displayed image. Rather than overlaying information across the entire image, the system places purchase buttons and key information in localized areas that do not obscure the main product visual. This allows users to easily access purchase functionality while maintaining clear visibility of the product image.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that intelligently manages the overlay of purchase information on product images. It detects purchase indicators in captured images, selectively adds purchase buttons and information only when appropriate, and ensures the overlay does not compromise the primary visual information. This intermediary function balances ease of purchase operation with maintaining information clarity.
3Productivity
If the terminal stores multiple types of images (normal and purchase-related), then the productivity of purchase processing is improved, but the storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges purchase information and purchase buttons directly into the image data structure itself, rather than storing separate metadata files or database records. This merging approach consolidates multiple data elements (image data, purchase indicators, product information, interactive buttons) into a single integrated unit, improving purchase processing efficiency while optimizing storage space utilization compared to separate storage methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal including a display unit; a memory; a camera; and a controller configured to control the display unit to display an image of a product obtained by the camera, control the camera to capture the image of the product as a normal image in response to a preset first command, control the camera the capture the image of the product as a purchase related image together with purchasing information for purchasing the product in response to a preset second command, and control the display unit to display a thumbnail image screen including the purchase related image and the normal image in response to an input of a thumbnail image display command.