Transaction Sequencer Unified Product List Arbitration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Point-of-sale (POS) terminals face challenges in efficiently processing transactions involving multiple payment programs and approved product lists, particularly in distinguishing and arbitrating payments across different payment tenders like food stamps and WIC, while maintaining confidentiality and control over transaction data.
Innovation Solution
A transaction sequencer and approved product list management system that utilize a processor and non-transitory memory to create and manage master approved product lists, search multiple approved product lists, and arbitrate payment transactions based on predefined rules, ensuring accurate payment processing and maintaining confidentiality by using dual-level filtering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a POS terminal processes transactions for multiple payment programs (food stamps, WIC, etc.) with separate approved product lists, then the system can accommodate diverse payment tenders and comply with different program regulations, but the device complexity and processing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple approved product lists into a single unified approved product list that contains all items from all payment programs. This consolidation eliminates the need for the POS terminal to maintain and search multiple separate lists, reducing device complexity while preserving the ability to handle diverse payment tenders through the unified list structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified approved product list serves as a universal data structure that supports multiple payment programs simultaneously. Instead of creating separate processing paths for each payment program, the system uses a single multi-functional list that can be queried for any payment tender type, simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Reliability
If the POS terminal maintains multiple separate approved product lists for different payment programs, then it can ensure accurate item eligibility verification for each program, but the processing time and computational resources required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary consolidation of all approved product lists into a unified list before transaction processing. By pre-organizing all eligible items from all payment programs into a single structured list, the system eliminates the need for multiple sequential searches during transactions, reducing processing time while maintaining verification accuracy through the unified structure.
3Reliability
If the system implements dual-level filtering to maintain confidentiality and control over transaction data, then data security and program compliance are improved, but the processing complexity and time required for transaction approval increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filtering process is segmented into two distinct levels: first filtering items against the unified approved product list to determine eligibility, then applying payment program-specific rules as a second filter. This segmentation organizes the complexity into manageable stages, maintaining security requirements while improving processing efficiency through structured sequential filtering.
Data Source
AI summary
A transaction sequencer that comprises a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an application stored in the non-transitory memory. The application receives a message comprising information about a first purchase item, wherein the message was created by a point-of-sale after a filtering step that assured that the first purchase item is associated with a master approved item list, searches a plurality of different approved product lists using the information about the first item, wherein the plurality of different approved product lists comprise a first approved product list and a second approved product list, creates a first transaction based on finding the first item in the first approved product list, transmits the first transaction to a first transaction processing system, receives a first response from the first transaction processing system, bundles the first response in a unified response, and transmits the unified response.