Method and apparatus for performing a transaction without the use of spoken communication between the transaction parties

• US 20030082504A1
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andres Fehr, Jurg Rehbein, Leah Demchick, Maki Oshima-Fehr
• Original Assignee: Andres Fehr, Jurg Rehbein, Leah Demchick, Maki Oshima-Fehr
• Inventors: Demchick, Leah, Fehr, Andres, Oshima-Fehr, Maki, Rehbein, Jurg
• Granted Patent: US 6,685,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/18 Book-keeping or economics
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/22 Games, e.g. card games
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

A method for performing a transaction without the use of spoken communication is disclosed. The method consists of providing at least one transactional flash card having information about the transaction and the transaction goal displayed on the card in text understandable to the user and different text understandable to the party from whom the user wishes to purchase goods or services. The method may include displaying such a flash card in printed form, or on a personal electronic device. The method may further include providing flash cards having inquiries about price, payment methods, or shipping terms. Also disclosed are transactional flash cards used with the method.

Claims

1. A method of performing a transaction between first and second transaction parties, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at least one transactional flash card containing a display comprising a text understandable to the first party and text understandable to the second party but not understandable to the first party, and an image,

wherein both texts and the image describe a single transaction;

(b) selecting the at least one flash card so as to communicate the transaction; and

(c) presenting the at least one flash card to the other second party;

wherein the transaction is communicated to the second party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card further comprises providing the transactional flash card with a first phrase understandable to the first party and a second phrase understandable to the second party, wherein the first and second phrases describe an intent to perform the transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card further comprises providing the transactional flash card with information understandable to the first party in addition to the text describing the transaction, wherein the additional information is not displayed as text understandable to the second party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card further comprises providing the transactional flash card further with at least one icon containing condensed information regarding the transaction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card further comprises providing the transactional flash card with text containing an inquiry about the price of the transaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card further comprises providing the transactional flash card with text containing an inquiry as to whether the second party prefers a particular form of payment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card further comprises providing the transactional flash card with at least one icon containing an inquiry as to whether the second party prefers a particular form of payment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card further comprises providing the transactional flash card with an erasable surface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card comprises providing a set of at least 52 transactional flash cards, wherein each flash card in the set comprises a different playing card symbol such that the set comprises a deck of standard playing cards.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an electronic device having a computer memory and a display screen, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card comprises providing the transactional flash card in the computer memory so that the transactional flash card may be viewed on the display screen.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing an electronic device further comprises providing an electronic device capable of accepting removable memory media.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card further comprises providing a transactional flash card with at least one prompt allowing the first and second party to view on the display screen information stored in the removable memory media.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing an electronic device further comprises providing an electronic device capable of connecting to the internet, and wherein the step of providing at least one transactional flash card comprises providing a transactional flash card with at least one prompt providing at least one link to an internet site.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one link comprises a connection to a financial institution capable of performing payment transactions upon instruction from a user of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one link comprises a connection to an internet site capable of providing additional transactional flash cards to the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing an electronic device further comprises providing an electronic device comprising a calculator capable of performing and displaying results of at least basic mathematic functions.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of providing an electronic device further comprises providing an electronic device capable of calculating and displaying an exchange rate and currency conversion for currencies of at least two different countries.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of providing an electronic device further comprises providing an electronic device capable of connecting to the internet, and also capable of calculating and displaying exchange rates for currencies of at least two different countries,

wherein the electronic device communicates with at least one internet site to automatically obtain and display an exchange rate and a currency conversion when the names of two countries and one money amount are input to the device.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing an electronic device further comprises providing an electronic device comprising at least one surface on which information may be entered into the electronic device by using a stylus.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of providing an electronic device further comprises displaying the information entered into the electronic device by the stylus.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing an electronic device further comprises providing an electronic device comprising a microphone, wherein the electronic device is capable of recording sound entered using the microphone, and further wherein a representation of the sound is provided on the display screen.

22. A method of performing a transaction between first and second transaction parties, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electronic device having a computer memory and a display screen, and capability to convert text in a first language into an audible message in a second language;

(b) providing at least one transactional flash card in the computer memory so that the transactional flash card may be viewed on the display screen,

(c) selecting the at least one flash card to communicate the transaction to the second party; and

(d) presenting the at least one flash card to the second party;

wherein the transaction is communicated to the second party when the second party listens to the audible message.

23. A device for facilitating a transaction between at least first and second parties who don'"'"'t understand each other, comprising:

at least one transactional flash card having a front side and a back side, at least one side having a display comprising text understandable to the first party and different text understandable to the second party, and an image,

wherein both texts and the image describe a single transaction.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the transactional flash card front or back side further comprises a first phrase understandable to the first party and a second phrase understandable to the second party, wherein the first and second phrases describe an intent to achieve the transaction.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein at least one of the transactional flash card front or back side further comprises information understandable to the first party which is additional to the text describing the transaction and phrase, wherein the additional information is not understandable to the second party to the transaction.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein at least one of the transactional flash card front or back side further comprises an erasable surface.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the at least one transactional flash card comprises a set of at least 52 individual transactional flash cards, wherein each flash card comprises a different playing card symbol so that the set comprises a deck of standard playing cards.

28. The device of claim 23, further comprising an electronic device having a computer memory and a display screen, wherein the transactional flash card is displayed in electronic form on the display screen.

29. The device of claim 28, further comprising a calculator.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the electronic device further comprises a connection enabling communication with the internet.