Chip card with integrated time-determining system

• US 20020082992A1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ritter, R.
• Application Number:
  US09/962,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082992A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0719 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for application selection, e.g. an acceleration sensor or a set of radio buttons application selection on smart cards using pure software control, see G07F7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/18 according to duration of the call , or the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/08 between user and terminal device

Abstract

Billing method for billing a call to a user identified with an identification card (2) in a telecommunication network. The duration of the calls is determined by a GPS receiver. The identification card further preferably comprises downloaded scales of charges, the billed amount depending on the determined duration of the call and on the stored scales of charges.

Advantage: the determined time can not be falsified by the user.

Claims

1. Billing method for billing a call to a user identified with an identification card in a telecommunication network, including:

determining a time indication that is available in said identification card,

computing the amount to be billed depending on said determined time indication,

wherein said time indication is determined with a GPS receiver.

2. The billing method of claim 1, wherein said time indication is computed in said identification card.

3. The billing method of claim 1, wherein the amounts to be billed depend on the time of day determined with said GPS receiver.

4. The billing method of claim 1, wherein the amounts to be billed depend on the user location determined with said GPS receiver.

5. The billing method claim 1, wherein the amounts to be billed depend on the duration of the calls determined with said GPS receiver.

6. The billing method of claim 5, wherein said GPS receiver uses an oscillator integrated in the identification card.

7. The billing method of claim 6, wherein said GPS receiver uses an oscillator integrated in a mobile device connected to said identification card.

8. The billing method of claim 1, wherein said GPS is integrated in an external device that is connected over a contactless interface with said identification card.

9. The billing method of claim 8, wherein said external device is connected over an electro-magnetic interface with said identification card.

10. The billing method of claim 9, wherein said external device transmits electronically signed time receipts to said identification card,

and wherein said identification card checks whether the received time receipts have been signed by an authorized external device.

11. Chip card with at least one processor allowing the storage of data containing at least user identification data, wherein said processor is able to decode digital signals sent by a location-determining satellite system to determine a time indication.

12. The chip card of claim 11, wherein said processor comprises a digital processor circuit with which said signals can be decoded, as well as a processor in which said user identification data is stored.

13. The chip card of claim 12, wherein said digital processor circuit (23) is integrated in a chip.

14. The chip card of claim 12, wherein it further comprises an integrated circuit, with which the satellite location-determination signals received by an antenna can be transformed into a form that can be processed by said digital processor circuit.

15. The chip card of claim 11, wherein it further comprises an integrated antenna.

16. The chip card of claim 11, wherein it further comprises an integrated battery to power said digital processor circuit.

17. The chip card of claim 11, wherein it further comprises a contactless interface.

18. The chip card of claim 17, wherein said contactless interface is an electro-magnetic interface.

19. The chip card of claim 18, wherein said contactless interface is a Bluetooth interface.

20. The chip card of claim 11, wherein said identification data are identification data of a user in a digital communication network.

21. The chip card of claim 20, wherein the duration of calls in said communication network is determined with said time information.

22. The chip card of claim 20, wherein the duration of usage of resources not required for traffic handling is determined in the identification card with said time information.

23. The chip card of claim 20, wherein it further contains at least one scale of charges, in which the fees for using the communication network are indicated.

24. The chip card of claim 23, wherein said scale of charges can be downloaded from and/or modified by a tariff server in said communication network.

25. The chip card of claim 24, wherein it further comprises electronic signature means for checking the electronic signature of received scales of charges.

26. The chip card of claim 21, wherein it further comprises a pre-paid account, from which the computed amounts are debited.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein at least certain components of said receiver are integrated in the chip card.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said time information is calculated in the chip card.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the chip card comprises a digital processor circuit, with which said time information is calculated.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said digital processor circuit is integrated in a chip.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the chip card further comprises an integrated circuit, with which satellite location-determining signals received with an antenna can be transformed into a form that can be processed by said digital processor circuit.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the chip card further comprises an integrated antenna.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the chip card further comprises an integrated battery to power said digital processor circuit.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein said time information is determined outside the chip card and transmitted into this chip card.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said time information is transmitted over a contactless interface.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said time information is transmitted over an electro magnetic interface.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said time information is transmitted over a Bluetooth interface.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein a location indication is further determined from said signals and wherein this location information is available in said chip card.

27. System for determining the duration of processes in a chip card, comprising:

a chip card that can be used in a digital telecommunication network to identify a user in this telecommunication network,

a receiver to receive signals of a location-determining satellite and to determine a time indication from these signals,

wherein said time information is available in said chip card for measuring the duration of processes in this chip card.