Wireless Payment Reader Data Transmission Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional payment terminals are not suitable for mobile businesses such as taxis and food trucks, as they require a fixed location and wired connections, limiting their ability to process transactions efficiently at various locations.
Innovation Solution
A payment system that includes a merchant device and a payment reader communicating over a wireless connection, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), allowing for reliable and unreliable data transmission, and enabling transactions to be processed locally or through a payment server, with the payment reader interacting with various payment devices like EMV cards and NFC-enabled smartphones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional payment terminal with wired connections is used, then transaction reliability is improved, but adaptability to mobile businesses deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The payment terminal is transformed into a mobile device that can dynamically move between locations. The system uses wireless connections (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi) instead of fixed wired connections, allowing the terminal to adapt to different business locations while maintaining transaction processing capability. The mobile device can function both as a payment terminal and a general computing device, providing dynamic versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device serves multiple functions: it acts as a payment terminal for processing transactions, a communication device for connecting to payment networks, and a general computing device for business management tasks. This multi-functionality allows a single device to replace both traditional fixed terminals and general mobile computers, adapting to various business needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wireless communication is used for mobile payment processing, then adaptability is improved, but data transmission reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary between the payment reader and the payment server. It receives payment data from the reader via wireless connection, processes the transaction locally, and then communicates with the payment server. This intermediary role allows the system to maintain reliability by implementing error checking, data validation, and retry mechanisms at the mobile device level, compensating for the inherent unreliability of wireless connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements prior cushioning by buffering payment data and transaction information locally in the mobile device's memory before transmitting to the server. This local buffering capacity protects against data loss in case of wireless transmission failures, allowing the device to retry transmissions or complete transactions offline when needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate payment reader and mobile device are used, then functionality is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the payment reader functionality and mobile device into a single integrated unit. The mobile device includes both the processing unit for transaction management and the wireless communication interface for connecting to payment networks and receiving payment data. This merging eliminates the need for separate devices and their associated connection interfaces, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full payment processing functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A payment reader and a merchant device may communicate over a wireless connection. Reliable and unreliable packets may be transmitted over a single messaging path. Each of a plurality of unreliable packet may include a data payload and a packet identifier. The unreliable packets and a reliable packet may be transmitted over the single messaging path during a first connection event. A response to the reliable packet may be received during the second event and may include a received packet listing. If the received packet listing indicates that any of the unreliable packets were not received, any unreliable packet that was not received may be retransmitted.