US 6,047,888 A · Method system and portable data medium for paying for purchases

Abstract

A data medium in the form of a check card is known. Such check cards include a memory in which at least one amount of money is stored. If the user wishes to purchase or use a product or service, the amount of money is debited by the vendor. If the vendor intents to defraud the user, or simply makes an unintentional error, too much money may be debited from the data medium by a vendor terminal without the user noticing immediately that this has occurred. This type of fraud or error may also occur when using other data mediums, including credit cards, debit cards, special purpose cards such as telephone cards and transportation cards, and the like. In order to avoid such fraud or error, further memories are provided in the data medium according to the present invention, wherein one internal memory serves solely for the purpose of accepting amounts of money from outside. The amount needed for a purchase is input by a vendor terminal into a special input memory on the medium. With the aid of a small terminal which the user carries with him, the amount is read and if acceptable, the user uses one key stroke to authorize loading that amount into an externally accessible memory. Since from outside, amounts can only be deducted from this externally accessible memory, it is impossible for erroneous or fraudulent amounts to be deducted from the data medium. Several externally accessible memories can be provided.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for paying for purchases including goods and services of vendors, by means of a portable pocket terminal comprising a first terminal, and a portable data medium having a memory with a plurality of memory sections, the method comprising:

providing at least one first memory section and a second memory section for receiving data representing selected amounts of money;
operatively connecting the data medium to the first terminal;
using the first terminal to deduct, as a function of a first operation of the first terminal, a first selected amount of money from the second memory section and to write the first selected amount of money into the at least one first memory section;
and
for receiving a purchase, operatively connecting the data medium to a second terminal and deducting only from the at least one first memory section, a selected amount of money required for a purchase;
the method including providing an input memory in the data medium, in which data specifying said selected amount of money required for the purchase is entered without being keyed in by a holder of the first terminal and the data medium, and wherein after establishing an operational connection between the data medium and the first terminal, the amount of money specified in the input memory is displayed and after a confirmation signal is supplied from the first terminal, the displayed amount of money is transferred from the second memory section into the at least one first memory section.

3 more elements

A system for secure payments to vendors, comprising:

a portable data medium;
a first terminal;
at least one second terminal of a vender;
said data medium including:
a control unit,
a memory with an input memory for receiving data specifying an amount of money, a plurality of memory sections connected to the control unit, the memory sections including at least one first memory section and a second memory section, an interface for exchanging information between said data medium and one of the terminals;
said first terminal being adapted to trigger, after connection with said data medium, the control unit of said data medium to change mutually dependent data representing amounts of money, corresponding to the contents of the input memory, in the second memory section and in one of the first memory sections;
the second terminal being adapted to trigger, after connection with said data medium, to change the data of only the at least one first memory sections and the input memory, without being capable of changing data of the second memory section.

5 more elements

A portable data medium for a system and method of securing payment to vendors, comprising:

a control unit;
a memory with an input memory at least one first memory section and only one second memory section connected to the control unit;
and
an interface to the outside which is coupled with the memory and with the control unit in order to supply data representing selected amounts of money and to supply control commands to the control unit;
the input memory being adapted for receiving data specifying an amount of money;
the control unit being equipped, upon receiving a first control command, to change data representing amounts of money only in a first memory section, and upon receiving a second command, to deduct data representing selected amounts of money corresponding to the contents of the input memory from the second memory section and to write them into a first memory section, the control unit being further equipped so that upon receiving a third control command from the interface, the control unit writes data representing selected amounts of money and supplied via the interface, into the second memory section.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method system and portable data medium for paying for purchases

Life of this patent

Method system and portable data medium for paying for purchases

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17