Wireless telephone debit card system and method

A wireless telephone debit card system comprising:

• a plurality of radio telephones, with each radio telephone including:
• means for reading a credit amount and a telephone number of a debit card;
• processing means for generating a credit signal from the credit amount and from the telephone number;
• means for communicating, using radio waves, the credit signal;
• and
• changing means for changing the telephone number and the credit amount of the debit card;
• a base station, responsive to receiving each of the credit signals from said plurality of radio telephones, for relaying each of the credit signals over a communications channel;
• an end station having a telephone switch, responsive receiving a plurality of credit signals, for generating a first control signal to allocate the credit amount of the debit card to one of said plurality of radio telephones, and to set a telephone number of one of said plurality of radio telephones to the telephone number of the debit card with a communication path through said base station.

A method, using a wireless telephone debit card system including a plurality of radio telephones, a base station, and an end station, comprising the steps of:

• accessing a radio telephone with a debit card;
• reading a credit amount and a telephone number of the debit card;
• storing the credit amount and the telephone number in a memory of the debit card;
• generating a credit signal from the credit amount and the telephone number;
• transmitting, using radio waves, the credit signal over a broadcast channel;
• receiving the credit signal at the base station;
• relaying the credit signal from the base station to the end station over a communications channel;
• switching the credit signal at the end station;
• generating a first control signal at the end station;
• allocating the credit amount of the debit card to the radio telephone with a communication path through the base station using the first control signal;
• setting a telephone number of the radio telephone to the telephone number of the debit card with a communication path through the base station using the first control signal;
• generating a second control signal at the end station;
• and
• changing the credit amount and the telephone number of the debit card with the second control signal.

A method, using a wireless telephone debit card system including a plurality of radio telephones, a base station, and an end station, comprising the steps of:

• storing a credit amount and a telephone number on a debit card;
• accessing one of said plurality of radio telephones with a debit card;
• reading the credit amount and the telephone number of the debit card;
• generating a credit signal from the credit amount and the telephone number;
• transmitting the credit signal over a broadcast channel;
• receiving the credit signal at the base station;
• relaying the credit signal from the base station to the end station over a communications channel;
• switching the credit signal at the end station;
• generating a first control signal at the end station;
• allocating the credit amount of the debit card to the radio telephone with a communication path through the base station using the first control signal;
• setting a telephone number of one of said plurality of radio telephones to the telephone number of the debit card with a communication path through the base station using the first control signal;
• generating a second control signal at the end station;
• changing the credit amount of the debit card using the second control signal;
• and
• changing the telephone number of the debit card using the second control signal.

A radio telephone for use in a wireless telephone debit card system having a debit card, the radio telephone comprising:

• means for reading a credit amount and a telephone number of a debit card;
• processing means for generating a credit signal from the credit amount and the telephone number;
• means for communicating, using radio waves, the credit signal and for receiving a first control signal and a second control signal;
• and
• means for changing the telephone number and the credit amount of the debit card;
• wherein the radio telephone, responsive to the first control signal, allocates the credit amount of the debit card to the radio telephone, and assigns a telephone number of the radio telephone to the telephone number of the debit card;
• and
• wherein the radio telephone, responsive to the second control signal, changes the telephone number and the credit amount of the debit card.