User Identity Linking via Mobile Device IDs for In-Store Checkout

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Solution Overview

Problem

Physical stores face challenges in providing a seamless customer experience due to separate entry of customer details and payment card information at checkout, lacking the efficiency of online shopping.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing a 5G network and user identity management to generate a user identity based on a mobile number and device ID, enabling seamless account management and payment processing by linking payment card details to the user identity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If customers provide loyalty program membership details separately from payment card details at checkout in physical stores, then the system can process payments, but the customer experience has increased friction and complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer experienceVSAvoidcheckout process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges loyalty program membership identification and payment card detail retrieval into a single integrated process. The system uses the mobile device identifier (obtained during loyalty program verification) to automatically retrieve payment card details from the payment card management system, eliminating the need for separate entry of payment information at checkout.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a user identity management server as an intermediary that coordinates between the merchant system and payment card management system. This server generates user identities based on mobile device identifiers and facilitates secure retrieval of payment card details, enabling seamless integration without requiring customers to manually provide payment information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If online shopping allows one-time login for customer details retrieval, then the checkout flow is simplified, but physical stores lack this capability without additional system complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecheckout efficiencyVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the mobile device identifier serve multiple functions: it acts as both the loyalty program membership identifier and the key to retrieve payment card details. This multi-functional approach enables the physical store system to replicate the online shopping experience of one-time login efficiency without requiring separate authentication processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary retrieval of payment card details during the loyalty program verification process. By obtaining the mobile device identifier early in the customer interaction and using it to pre-fetch payment information from the payment card management system, the checkout process benefits from having payment details already ready, eliminating friction at the point of sale.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the system generates user identity as a combination of user identifier, SIM number, and device identifier, then user identification accuracy is improved, but the data processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser identification accuracyVSAvoididentity generation process

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the user identification approach by changing from using a single identifier to combining multiple parameters (user identifier, SIM number, and device identifier) into a composite user identity. This parameter combination approach enhances identification accuracy and enables reliable association with payment card details while maintaining manageable processing complexity through automated identity generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250252424A1User identity generation and account processing systems and methods

Publication Date: 2025.08.07 MASTERCARD ASIAPACIFIC PTE LTD

AI summary

Systems and methods which generate and use user identities are described. A user account processing method comprises: receiving a connection request from a user device, the connection request comprising a user identifier of a user, a subscriber identity module number associated with the user, and a device identifier of a device associated with the user; sending a user identity generation request to a user identity management server; receiving a user identity for the user from the user identity management server; requesting payment card details associated with the user identity from a payment card management system; receiving payment card details associated with the user identity from the payment card management system; generating a payment request comprising the payment card details associated with the user identity; and receiving payment confirmation in response to the payment request.