Transaction Control System for Mobile Purchase Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile transaction systems lack efficient filtering mechanisms for mobile purchasers to find items or services that match their pre-set preferences, and they fail to provide real-time notifications or assurance of vendor availability and payment verification, leading to increased effort for both parties.
Innovation Solution
A cross-vendor platform that allows mobile users to set preferences and receive real-time notifications of matching vendor offerings, enabling remote initiation, processing, and closure of transactions through a downloadable mobile application, which includes a network interface for parameter storage, inventory updates, and a matching algorithm for automatic alerting and payment processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If purchasers manually filter data to locate desired items, then they can find specific items matching their needs, but the effort and time required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Purchasers pre-set their preferences, price ranges, and item criteria in advance before actually making a purchase. The system stores these preferences and automatically matches them against vendor inventory when conditions are met, eliminating the need for manual filtering at the time of purchase while maintaining high matching accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically performs the filtering and matching function that would otherwise require manual purchaser effort. The algorithm compares purchaser preferences against vendor data and autonomously identifies compatible transactions, freeing purchasers from time-consuming manual search and filter operations
2Ease of operation
If purchasers use services like Priceline that perform filtering, then filtering effort is reduced, but purchasers cannot view items before purchasing and have little control over actual items purchased
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time notifications to purchasers when their preferred items become available from vendors. Purchasers receive alerts with item details and can review the actual items before confirming purchases, maintaining control over what they buy while enjoying automated filtering benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary between purchasers and vendors, facilitating communication and information exchange. It provides purchasers with vendor information and item details through notifications, allowing them to verify items before purchase while the system handles the complex matching and filtering operations
3Ease of operation
If no payment verification is required until purchaser reaches the establishment, then the transaction process is simple, but vendors receive no assurance that payment will be completed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs payment verification and fund availability checks in advance, before the purchaser arrives at the vendor establishment. This preliminary action ensures that vendors receive payment assurance while maintaining transaction simplicity, as the verification occurs automatically through the system rather than requiring manual intervention at the point of sale
4Ease of operation
If purchasers must locate vendors in immediate proximity and complete transactions online then show up at establishments, then online convenience is provided, but no assurance is given to vendors of purchaser payment
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback to both purchasers and vendors about transaction status, payment verification results, and item availability. This feedback mechanism ensures vendors receive payment assurance while maintaining the convenience of online transaction initiation and tracking
Data Source
AI summary
A system controls a transaction from initiation to completion using live vendor inventory database and purchaser entered parameters from a mobile application. A network interface receives parameters entered by the subscribers through the mobile application on the subscriber mobile device and receives inventory updates from vendor systems, the inventory updates including at least a vendor price and identifying information. The system communicates with an accounts server to confirm subscriber funds and place a hold on subscriber funds equal to the required subscriber price and implementing a matching algorithm to detect matching results by determining if any vendor prices and identifying information satisfy any required subscriber prices and descriptions. The system transmits an alert to the subscriber mobile device with matching results, receives a selection from the subscriber of at least one of the matching results, conducting payment processing for the matching result and closes the transaction.