Vehicle Head-Unit Payment Through Exterior Short-Range Circuitry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle occupants face the inconvenience of having to carry cash and financial cards and manually interact with employees for payments while inside their vehicles, which is time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle payment application stored in the infotainment system allows users to select a financial card for payment, transmitting data via short-range communication to a POS terminal, with electronic circuitry on the vehicle exterior acting as an intermediary for secure data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vehicle occupants manually interact with employees for payments using cash or financial cards, then payment transactions can be completed, but the process becomes time-consuming and requires constant carrying of cash/cards
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service payment by allowing the vehicle itself to autonomously complete transactions. The vehicle head unit stores financial card data and automatically transmits payment information to the POS terminal via short-range communication, eliminating the need for manual card insertion or cash handling by occupants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of physically handling cash and cards with an electronic communication system. Data representing financial cards is transmitted wirelessly through short-range communication links between the vehicle head unit and POS terminal, substituting manual mechanical actions with automated electronic data transfer.
2Ease of operation
If vehicle occupants get out of their vehicles to make payments, then physical card exchange can occur, but the process becomes more time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle head unit serves multiple functions: it acts as both the user interface for selecting financial cards and as the payment transmission device itself. The same device that controls vehicle functions also handles payment transactions, eliminating the need for separate payment devices or manual card handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary electronic communication layer between the vehicle and POS terminal. Rather than direct physical interaction, short-range wireless communication mediates the transaction, allowing data transfer without physical contact or occupant exit from the vehicle.
3Ease of operation
If financial card data is transmitted directly from the head unit to the POS terminal, then payment processing is simplified, but security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The payment system is segmented into three separate components: the vehicle head unit that stores financial data, the external electronic circuitry that handles communication, and the POS terminal that processes payments. This segmentation isolates sensitive data storage from communication functions, improving security through separation of duties.
Solution Approach 2:
Electronic circuitry proximately attached to the vehicle exterior serves as a security intermediary. This separate communication interface acts as a buffer between the head unit's stored financial data and the POS terminal, adding a security layer that prevents direct access to sensitive information while enabling automated transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable media are described for using a vehicle as a payment device. Various aspects may include receiving a selection of a stored financial card or financial account at a vehicle head unit. The selected financial card or financial account may be transmitted to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal for making a payment by transmitting a tokenized card number to the POS terminal. The tokenized card number may be transmitted over a very short-range communication link to ensure that the transmission is secure. For example, electronic circuitry may be attached to the exterior of the vehicle, where the electronic circuitry may be within a threshold distance (e.g. one inch, three inches, six inches, one foot, three feet, etc.) of the POS terminal. The tokenized card number may be transmitted from the vehicle head unit to the electronic circuitry and then to the POS terminal.