Communication system and method for performing an electronic-card settlement through an internet network

• US 20010018679A1
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Published: 08/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Soo Sung Lee
• Original Assignee: Soo Sung Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Soo Sung
• Application Number:
  US09/781,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20010018679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0873 Details of the card reader

Abstract

A communication system for performing an electronic-card settlement, includes: a communication network; an electronic-card terminal system, coupled to the communication network, for reading an electronic card to send an electronic-card settlement request; a bank account management system, coupled to the communication network, for managing a plurality of accounts including a card-member store account and an agent account; and an electronic-card settlement agent system, coupled to the communication network, for transferring an amount of money from the agent account to the card-member store account in response to the electronic-card settlement request, thereby performing the electronic-card settlement.

Claims

1. A communication system for performing an electronic-card settlement, comprising:

a communication network;

an electronic-card terminal means, coupled to said communication network, for reading an electronic card to send an electronic-card settlement request;

a bank account management means, coupled to said communication network, for managing a plurality of accounts including a card-member store account and an agent account; and

an electronic-card settlement agent means, coupled to said communication network, for transferring an amount of money from the agent account to the card-member store account in response to the electronic-card settlement request, thereby performing the electronic-card settlement.

2. The communication system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein the electronic card includes a charged electronic card, which has functions of a credit card, a debit card, a department store card and a transportation card.

3. The communication system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said electronic-card settlement agent means processes an electronic-card authentication, an electronic-card settlement service, an electronic-card charging service, a reservation service and a small business transaction service through an Internet network as said communication network.

4. The communication system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said electronic-card settlement agent means includes a database for storing a service transaction history.

5. The communication system as recited in

claim 1

, further comprising:

a service provider system for providing an electronic commerce service, a tax payment service and a Web site related to an electronic home shopping.

6. The communication system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said electronic-card terminal means includes:

a key input device for providing numeral keys and function keys so that a subscriber can input a subscriber-input data;

an electronic-card interface for reading and updating electronic-card information written to the electronic card;

a display for displaying read and write information of the electronic card;

a communication interface for providing a communication interface with said electronic-card settlement agent means and said bank account management means; and

a processing means for processing the user-input data and the electronic-card information to be written to the electronic card; and

controlling said electronic-card interface, said display and said communication interface.

7. The communication system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said electronic-card settlement agent means includes:

a means for authenticating the validity of the electronic card; and

a means for deducting a settlement amount of money from the electronic card; and

updating a balance of the electronic card.

8. The communication system as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said bank account management means includes:

a first account manager at a subscriber transaction bank for managing a subscriber account and the agent account; and

a second account manager at a card-member store transaction bank for managing the agent account and the card-member store transaction bank.

9. A communication method for performing an electronic-card settlement, comprising the steps of:

(a) reading an electronic card to send an electronic-card settlement request to an electronic-card settlement agent system through a communication network;

(b) authenticating the validity of the electronic card;

(c) deducting an amount of money from the electronic card; and

(d) transferring the amount of money from an agent account to a card-member store account in response to the electronic-card settlement request, thereby performing the electronic-card settlement.

10. The communication method as recited in

claim 9

, wherein said step (d) further includes the steps of:

deducting a predetermined commission from the amount of money to be transferred; and

updating a balance of the electronic card.

11. The communication method as recited in

claim 9

, wherein said step (d) further includes the steps of:

after the electronic-card settlement agent system has transferred the amount of money, transferring a refund amount of money from the card-member store account to the agent account if there is a refund request from the electronic-card terminal system; and

transferring the refund amount of money from the agent account to a subscriber account.

12. The communication method as recited in

claim 9

, wherein said step (c) further includes the steps of:

determining whether a settlement amount of money is less than or the same as the amount of money written to the electronic card; and

if a settlement amount of money is less than or the same as the amount of money written to the electronic card, permitting the electronic-card settlement.

13. The communication method as recited in

claim 9

, wherein said step (a) further includes the steps of:

providing a service menu so that a subscriber at an electronic-card terminal system can designate a desired service.

14. The communication method as recited in

claim 13

, wherein the service menu includes an electronic-card settlement service, a money transfer/remittance service, a reservation service, a tax payment service and an electronic-card charging service.

15. The communication method as recited in

claim 14

, wherein the reservation service includes the steps of:

(s1) authenticating the validity of the electronic card if the electronic card is inserted into the electronic-card terminal system;

(s2) providing a reservation service menu so that the subscriber designates a specific reservation service;

(s3) if the subscriber designates the specific reservation service, determining whether the specific reservation service is accepted;

(s4) deducting a reservation service fee from the amount of money written to the electronic card and updating a balance of the electronic card;

(s5) generating reservation confirmation information to write the reservation confirmation information to the electronic card;

(s6) decrypting the reservation confirmation information to issue an admission ticket to the subscriber; and

(s7) transferring the reservation service fee from the agent account to the card-member store account after a predetermined time period.

16. The communication method as recited in

claim 15

, wherein said step (s4) further includes the step of:

deducting a predetermined commission from the reservation service fee when the reservation service fee is transferred.

17. The communication method as recited in

claim 14

, wherein the electronic-card charging service includes the steps of:

(p1) authenticating the validity of the electronic card in response to an electronic-card charge request if the electronic card is inserted into the electronic-card terminal system;

(p2) determining whether the electronic-card charging service is accepted;

(p3) charging the electronic card with a charge amount of money; and

(p4) transferring the charge amount of money from a subscriber account to the agent account.