ClearQ – Smart Billing System

Dr. S. Sheela 1. V.S Jeyanandh 2. Aarthika R 3. T S Krishna Shree

Department of Electronics Department of Electronics Department of Electronics Department of Electronics
Engineering (VLSI Design Engineering (VLSI Design Engineering (VLSI Design Engineering (VLSI Design
& Technology), & Technology), & Technology), & Technology),
Rajalakshmi Institute of Rajalakshmi Institute of Rajalakshmi Institute of Rajalakshmi Institute of
Technology, Technology, Technology, Technology,
Chennai, TN 600124, Chennai, TN 600124, Chennai, TN 600124, Chennai, TN 600124,
India India India India
[email protected]

Abstract: Conventional billing and food service

Recent research in IoT-enabled food service automation
operations are commonly affected by lengthy queues and
has demonstrated significant improvements in operational
manual interventions, undermining efficiency for both
efficiency through digital ordering platforms and automated
staff and customers. ClearQ addresses these challenges by
billing systems. However, existing solutions typically focus
integrating a customized mobile and web application, built
on either mobile applications or hardware automation
with Flutter, and a robust hardware platform comprising an
independently, lacking integrated real-time synchronization
ESP32 control module and ESP32-CAM imaging system.
between customer interfaces and physical billing
Users digitally place orders, complete secure payments,
infrastructure. Studies show that fragmented
and receive a distinct QR code for identification. At the
implementations often result in system inconsistencies,
billing station, the QR code is authenticated via the camera
delayed order processing, and inadequate user feedback
interface, which communicates with an ESP32 that fetches
mechanisms.
comprehensive order data from a real-time Firebase
database. Order receipts are then automatically printed Current market solutions predominantly rely on basic
using a networked thermal printer, all synchronized with QR code systems for order identification or simple mobile
instantaneous status animations and user notification applications without real-time status tracking. The
systems. The solution minimizes physical interaction, integration gap between cloud-based order management,
streamlines transaction reliability, and significantly physical hardware automation, and user interface
reduces procedural bottlenecks. synchronization remains largely unaddressed in academic
literature, particularly for small to medium-scale food service
Keywords: Smart billing, QR code, IoT, ESP32, operations.
Firebase, automation, cloud-enabled food service,
queue management, contact-free transactions. ClearQ addresses these limitations by introducing a
comprehensive smart billing ecosystem that seamlessly
INTRODUCTION integrates Flutter-based mobile/web applications with
Modern food service venues, ranging from cafeterias to ESP32-powered hardware units. Our system provides end-to-
multi-department food courts, frequently experience end automation from digital order placement to thermal
operational bottlenecks due to conventional billing receipt printing, featuring real-time status synchronization
methodologies. Manual order entry, cash-based transactions, and security-enhanced QR code validation. Unlike existing
and physical queue management systems not only prolong fragmented approaches, ClearQ ensures complete workflow
service times but also introduce human errors and create automation while maintaining scalability and cost-
customer dissatisfaction during peak hours. The COVID-19 effectiveness for diverse food service environments.
pandemic has further emphasized the critical need for
This paper presents the system architecture,
contactless service delivery, making traditional face-to-face
implementation methodology, performance evaluation, and
billing practices increasingly obsolete.
scalability analysis of ClearQ, demonstrating significant
improvements in service efficiency and customer satisfaction
metrics.
 RELATED WORK PROPOSED SYSTEM

Prior studies document several IoT- enabled food The proposed ClearQ system integrates IoT-enabled
ordering systems that leverage microcontrollers for database hardware with a mobile/web application for seamless billing.
connectivity, QR-based authentication, and receipt The architecture consists of an ESP32 (control unit), ESP32-
automation. ESP32 and similar controllers have been widely CAM (QR scanning), Firebase (backend and cloud database),
adopted for their wireless communication and cross-platform and an RP203 thermal printer (bill printing). The workflow
potential, while Firebase stands out as a reliable backend for is as follows:
dynamic inventory and transaction management. However,
comparatively few solutions provide tightly coupled real- 1. Order Placement – Customers place orders via the
time interface feedback and secure, time-limited QR code mobile or web app developed using Flutter. After
order validation suitable for high-throughput environments. successful payment, a unique QR code is generated.
The unique aspect of ClearQ is its streamlined hardware-
software synergy and adaptive status notifications, which 2. QR Code Scanning – At the billing counter,
together offer resilient performance in fluctuating network customers present their QR code, which is scanned
conditions. by ESP32-CAM.

EXISTING SYSTEM 3. Data Retrieval & Printing – The ESP32 retrieves

order details from Firebase and forwards them to the
Conventional billing systems rely on manual verification thermal printer to generate the bill.
of payments, handwritten bills, or basic point-of-sale
software. While some systems allow online ordering, 4. Status Update – Firebase is updated with the order
customers are still required to present proof of payment, status (Scanned → Printing → Completed), and the
which is verified manually. These approaches introduce app displays animations accordingly.
delays, errors, and difficulties in handling peak-hour traffic.
5. Completion – Once the bill is printed, the QR code
In existing setups: is invalidated to prevent reuse.

 Queues build up due to manual data entry.

 Duplicate or reused payment proofs cause security
risks.
 Customers lack real-time updates on their order
status.
 Staff face increased workload during busy hours.

Thus, there is a strong need for a smart, automated, and

scalable solution.

FIGURE 2: Overall Block Diagram of the Proposed Model

In this work, the following components are used:

A. ESP32 Microcontroller

Selected for its dual-core processing, integrated Wi-Fi,

and rich GPIO support. While Raspberry Pi Pico W also
provides Wi-Fi, the ESP32 ecosystem is more mature for IoT
projects, with extensive libraries and community support for
FIGURE 1: Existing System Firebase integration, QR processing, and peripheral control.
STM32 microcontrollers, though powerful, require more
complex toolchains and longer development time. ESP32
thus offers the best balance of performance, connectivity, E. Flutter Framework (for Mobile/Web App)
ease of development, and cost for the ClearQ system.
Flutter was chosen for developing both the mobile and
B. ESP32-CAM Module web applications because it allows a single codebase to be
deployed across Android, iOS, and web platforms. This
Selected for QR code scanning because it is low-cost,
reduces development time, maintenance effort, and ensures a
compact, and easily programmable within the Arduino
consistent user experience across devices.
framework. While dedicated QR scanner modules such as the
Waveshare QR Code Scanner provide faster and more Unlike native app development, where separate code
accurate scanning under varying lighting conditions, their must be written for each platform, Flutter’s cross-platform
higher cost made them less suitable for the prototype phase. approach speeds up prototyping and simplifies updates. Its
ESP32-CAM offered a cost-effective alternative that allowed extensive widget library and strong community support make
seamless integration with the ESP32 and Firebase, enabling it well-suited for creating responsive UIs and real-time
us to demonstrate the complete workflow at lower expense. features such as animated order status updates.

C. Firebase (Backend & Cloud Database) In addition, Flutter integrates smoothly with Firebase
for authentication, cloud storage, and real-time database
Firebase was selected for the prototype because it
operations, which was critical for ClearQ’s live order
provides a ready-to-use backend with real-time
tracking. This combination of cross-platform efficiency and
synchronization.
cloud integration makes Flutter an ideal framework for the
 For Flutter App: It integrates seamlessly with ClearQ system.
Flutter, offering authentication, cloud storage, and F. Arduino Framework (for ESP32 Development)
real-time database updates with minimal setup. This
allowed rapid development of the mobile and web The Arduino framework was selected for ESP32
applications with features like live order tracking programming due to its simplicity, extensive library support,
and status animations. and rapid prototyping capabilities. While the native ESP-IDF
(Espressif IoT Development Framework) offers more low-
 For ESP32: Firebase REST APIs enable level control, it has a steeper learning curve and requires
lightweight communication between the additional development time.
microcontroller and the cloud. ESP32 can directly
fetch order details and update statuses without The Arduino ecosystem provides ready-made libraries
requiring an external server, reducing complexity for peripherals such as Wi-Fi, HTTP requests, Firebase
and speeding up prototyping. communication, and printer control, which significantly
reduced development complexity. Its compatibility with the
Although Firebase suits early-stage development, in the PlatformIO and Arduino IDE environments further
future, it can be replaced with Serverpod, which offers more streamlined coding, debugging, and integration with third-
backend customization, database control, and better party modules.
scalability.
By using the Arduino framework, the system achieves
D. RP203 Thermal Printer a balance between fast development, reliability, and
The RP203 thermal printer was selected for bill flexibility, making it suitable for both academic prototyping
generation due to its speed, reliability, and low operational and real-world IoT applications.
cost. Unlike inkjet or dot matrix printers, thermal printers do G. VS Code with PlatformIO and Flutter Extensions
not require ink cartridges or ribbons, which reduces
maintenance and recurring expenses. They can operate Visual Studio Code was chosen as the unified
continuously in high-demand environments such as canteens development environment for both the ESP32 firmware and
and retail outlets, where hundreds of bills must be generated the Flutter application. With the PlatformIO extension, it
within short time frames. provided advanced features such as project management,
debugging, and dependency handling for ESP32
The RP203 specifically supports fast printing speeds
development, enabling a cleaner and modular
and compact size, making it easy to integrate with the ESP32.
implementation of the layered architecture. For Flutter, VS
Its wide adoption in commercial point-of-sale systems
Code offered integrated tools and extensions for rapid UI
ensures proven durability and compatibility with common
design, state management, and real-time testing. Using a
billing workflows. By choosing a thermal printer, the system
single editor for both hardware and software development
ensures not only cost efficiency but also professional-grade
reduced context switching, streamlined workflow, and
output suited for real-world deployment.
allowed efficient parallel development of the embedded
system and mobile/web app.

H. GitHub (Version Control & Collaboration):

GitHub was used for source code management, version

control, and collaborative development across both the
ESP32 firmware and the Flutter application. It provided a
secure, centralized repository that ensured proper tracking of
code changes, rollback capabilities, and efficient
collaboration among team members. Branching and pull
requests allowed safe experimentation with new features
while maintaining a stable main codebase.

Additionally, GitHub’s integration with issue tracking

and project boards helped organize development tasks,
improving team productivity. Its compatibility with
continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines FIGURE 5: App Home Screen
provides a pathway for future scalability, where automated
builds and testing can be introduced as the system evolves
toward real-world deployment.

OUTPUT

FIGURE 6: App Cart Screen

FIGURE 3: Hardware System

FIGURE 4: Hardware System Connection

FIGURE 7: App Orders Screen
 FIGURE 11: Product Printing Bill

FIGURE 8: App QR Code Scanned SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

The ClearQ system was implemented using a layered
architecture approach for both the embedded firmware and
the mobile/web application.

ESP32 Firmware (Arduino Framework):

The firmware was organized into three layers:

 Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL): Interfaces

with ESP32-CAM, and the thermal printer.
 Communication Layer: Manages data exchange
with Firebase over Wi-Fi.
 Application Layer: Handles logic for QR
validation, order retrieval, and status updates.

Flutter Application:

The app follows a modular layered architecture:

FIGURE 9: App Bill Printing  Presentation Layer: User interface for ordering,
payments, and animations.
 Business Logic Layer: Manages order flow, state
management, and QR generation.
 Data Layer: Handles Firebase authentication,
cloud storage, and real-time database operations.

FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS

 Direct integration with payment gateways.

 Use of dedicated QR code scanner modules for
faster and more reliable scanning.
 Support for multiple counters with load balancing.
 Real-time stock updates and analytics dashboards.
 In-app wallet system and multi-store QR support.
 Replacement of Firebase with Serverpod: While
Firebase offers simplicity and real-time
synchronization, it has limitations in terms of
FIGURE 10: App Bill Printing Completed customization and backend control. In the future,
 the system can migrate to Serverpod, an open- support, and dedicated QR scanners will make the
source server framework written in Dart. Serverpod system more robust. In addition, the ESP32-CAM
would provide tighter integration with Flutter used for QR scanning in the prototype can be
applications, better scalability, and more flexibility replaced with a dedicated Waveshare QR Code
in database management. For ESP32, REST APIs or Scanner module to achieve faster, more reliable
gRPC endpoints hosted on Serverpod can replace performance under diverse operating conditions.
Firebase calls, ensuring secure and efficient With these extensions, ClearQ has the potential to
communication between IoT hardware and the evolve from a prototype into a deployable solution
backend. for large-scale canteens, food courts, and retail
 Replacement of ESP32-CAM with Waveshare environments.
QR Code Scanner Module: In the current
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The proposed approach demonstrates several key benefits:

 Reduction in queues and manual workload.

 Improved transaction accuracy and security through
QR validation.
 Real-time communication between hardware,
backend, and mobile/web interfaces.
 A modular software architecture that allows easy
feature expansion.
 Future work will focus on enhancing scalability and
industry adoption. Specifically, replacing Firebase
with Serverpod can provide better backend control
and integration with Flutter, while advanced
features such as analytics dashboards, multi-counter