Electronic currency transfer settling system

• US 20040068467A1
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toda, Toshiyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/250,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068467A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4033 Local solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02

Abstract

In an electronic currency transmitting/receiving settling system, a purchased amount-of-money limiting means (7) for limiting an amount of the electronic currency, which is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing means (6), under an upper limit amount being set previously, an electronic currency storing means (8) for storing the electronic currency purchased by the electronic currency purchasing means (6), and a settling system communicating means (10) for executing a paying process of the electronic currency by a necessary amount out of the electronic currency, which is stored in the electronic currency storing means (8), via a communication with a price settling system (9) that pays the electronic currency are provided to a main body of an electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system (1). According to this configuration, the user authenticating step generated in every price paying process using the electronic currency can be omitted, and also pecuniary damage of the user can be reduced when the person except the user executes the price paying process illegally.

Claims

1. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system, comprising:

a public network communicating means for executing a communication with an electronic currency server that issues an electronic currency;

an electronic currency purchase authenticating means for executing an authenticating process of an electronic currency purchaser to the electronic currency server via the public network communicating means;

an electronic currency purchasing means for purchasing the electronic currency of the purchaser, who is authenticated by the electronic currency purchase authenticating means, from the electronic currency server via the public network communicating means;

a purchased amount-of-money limiting means for limiting an amount of the electronic currency, which is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing means, under a previously-set upper limit amount;

an electronic currency storing means for storing the electronic currency purchased by the electronic currency purchasing means; and

a settling system communicating means for executing a paying process by using the electronic currency, which is stored in the electronic currency storing means, via the communication with a system that pays the electronic currency.

9. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a terminal name assigning/holding means for permitting a user to set the identification information, which is transmitted to a system that pays the electronic currency, of the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system.

17. The electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system, according to claim 1, 9 or 13, further comprising:

an admission information storing means for receiving admission information from a system, which transmits the admission information such as a time, a location, etc. required for calculation of the price, via the settling system communicating means to store, and then transmitting the admission information via the settling system communicating means in response to a request instructions issued from the system that pays the electronic currency.

25. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving settling system, comprising:

the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system set forth in claim 1, 9, 13 or 17; and

the price settling system set forth in claim 5 or

2. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving method, comprising the steps of:

public network communicating for executing a communication with an electronic currency server that issues an electronic currency;

electronic currency purchase authenticating for executing an authenticating process of an electronic currency purchaser to the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

electronic currency purchasing for purchasing the electronic currency of the purchaser, who is authenticated by the electronic currency purchase authenticating step, from the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

purchased amount-of-money limiting for limiting an amount of the electronic currency;

which is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step, under a previously-set upper limit amount;

electronic currency storing for storing the electronic currency purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step; and

settling system communicating for executing a paying process by using the electronic currency, which is stored in the electronic currency storing step, via the communication with a system that pays the electronic currency.

10. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving method, according to claim 2, further comprising:

a terminal name assigning/holding step of permitting a user to set the identification information, which is transmitted to a system that pays the electronic currency, of the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system.

18. The electronic currency transmitting/receiving method, according to claim 2, 10 or 14, further comprising:

an admission information storing step of receiving admission information from a system, which transmits the admission information such as a time, a location, etc. required for calculation of the price, via the settling system communicating step to store, and then transmitting the admission information via the settling system communicating step in response to a request instructions issued from the system that pays the electronic currency.

3. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving program for causing a computer to execute, a public network communicating step of executing a communication with an electronic currency server that issues an electronic currency;

an electronic currency purchase authenticating step of executing an authenticating process of an electronic currency purchaser to the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

an electronic currency purchasing step of purchasing the electronic currency of the purchaser, who is authenticated by the electronic currency purchase authenticating step, from the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

a purchased amount-of-money limiting step of limiting an amount of the electronic currency, which is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step, under a previously-set upper limit amount;

an electronic currency storing step of storing the electronic currency purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step; and

a settling system communicating step of executing a paying process by using the electronic currency, which is stored in the electronic currency storing step, via the communication with a system that pays the electronic currency.

11. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving program, according to claim 3, for causing the computer to further execute,

a terminal name assigning/holding step of permitting a user to set the identification information, which is transmitted to a system that pays the electronic currency, of the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system.

19. The electronic currency transmitting/receiving program, according to claim 3, 11 or 15, for causing the computer to further execute,

an admission information storing step of receiving admission information from a system, which transmits the admission information such as a time, a location, etc. required for calculation of the price, via the settling system communicating step to store, and then transmitting the admission information via the settling system communicating step in response to a request instructions issued from the system that pays the electronic currency.

4. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving program recording medium for recording a program that causes a computer to execute,

a public network communicating step of executing a communication with an electronic currency server that issues an electronic currency;

an electronic currency purchase authenticating step of executing an authenticating process of an electronic currency purchaser to the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

an electronic currency purchasing step of purchasing the electronic currency of the purchaser, who is authenticated by the electronic currency purchase authenticating step, from the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

a purchased amount-of-money limiting step of limiting an amount of the electronic currency, which is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step, under a previously-set upper limit amount;

an electronic currency storing step of storing the electronic currency purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step; and

a settling system communicating step of executing a paying process by using the electronic currency, which is stored in the electronic currency storing step, via the communication with a system that pays the electronic currency.

12. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving program recording medium, according to claim 4, for recording the program that causes the computer to further execute,

a terminal name assigning/holding step of permitting a user to set the identification information, which is transmitted to a system that pays the electronic currency, of the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system.

20. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving program recording medium, according to claim 4, 12 or 16, for recording the program that causes the computer to further execute,

an admission information storing step of receiving admission information from a system, which transmits the admission information such as a time, a location, etc. required for calculation of the price, via the settling system communicating step to store, and then transmitting the admission information via the settling system communicating step in response to a request instructions issued from the system that pays the electronic currency.

5. A price settling system, comprising:

a terminal communicating means for executing a communication with a settling system communicating means;

a terminal identification information displaying means for receiving identification information, which is held in the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system and transmitted from the settling system communicating means, and displaying at least a part of the identification information;

a payment requesting means for causing the terminal communicating means to transmit an amount-of-money information of the electronic currency required for settlement to the settling system communicating means; and

an electronic currency accepting means for accepting the electronic currency transmitted from the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system via the terminal communicating means.

21. A price settling system, according to claim 5, further comprising:

an admission information receiving means for requesting and receiving admission information via the terminal communicating means; and

a price calculating means for calculating a price based on the admission information obtained by the admission information receiving means, and then outputting the price to the payment requesting means.

6. A price settling method, comprising:

a terminal communicating step of executing a communication with a settling system communicating step;

a terminal identification information displaying step of receiving identification information, which is held in the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system and transmitted by the settling system communicating step, and displaying at least a part of the identification information;

a payment requesting step of causing the terminal communicating step to transmit an amount-of-money information of the electronic currency required for settlement to the settling system communicating step; and

an electronic currency accepting step of accepting the electronic currency transmitted from the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system via the terminal communicating step.

22. The price settling method, according to claim 6, further comprising:

an admission information receiving step of requesting and receiving admission information via the terminal communicating step; and

a price calculating step of calculating a price based on the admission information obtained by the admission information receiving step, and then outputting the price to the payment requesting step

7. A price settling program for causing a computer to execute,

a terminal communicating step of executing a communication with a settling system communicating step;

a terminal identification information displaying step of receiving identification information, which is held in the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system and transmitted by the settling system communicating step, and displaying at least a part of the identification information;

a payment requesting step of causing the terminal communicating step to transmit an amount-of-money information of the electronic currency required for settlement to the settling system communicating step; and

an electronic currency accepting step of accepting the electronic currency transmitted from the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system via the terminal communicating step.

23. The price settling program, according to claim 7, for causing the computer to further execute, an admission information receiving step of requesting and receiving admission information via the terminal communicating step;

and

a price calculating step of calculating a price based on the admission information obtained by the admission information receiving step, and then outputting the price to the payment requesting step.

8. A price settling program recording medium for recording a program that causes a computer to execute,

a terminal communicating step of executing a communication with a settling system communicating step;

a terminal identification information displaying step of receiving identification information, which is held in the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system and transmitted by the settling system communicating step, and displaying at least a part of the identification information;

a payment requesting step of causing the terminal communicating step to transmit an amount-of-money information of the electronic currency required for settlement to the settling system communicating step; and

an electronic currency accepting step of accepting the electronic currency transmitted from the electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system via the terminal communicating step.

24. The price settling program recording medium, according to claim 8, for recording the program that causes the computer to further execute, an admission information receiving step of requesting and receiving admission information via the terminal communicating step;

and

a price calculating step of calculating a price based on the admission information obtained by the admission information receiving step, and then outputting the price to the payment requesting step.

13. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving terminal system, comprising:

a public network communicating means for executing a communication with an electronic currency server that issues an electronic currency;

an electronic currency purchase authenticating means for executing an authenticating process of an electronic currency purchaser to the electronic currency server via the public network communicating means;

an electronic currency purchasing means for purchasing the electronic currency of the purchaser, who is authenticated by the electronic currency purchase authenticating means, from the electronic currency server via the public network communicating means;

a settled amount-of-money accumulating means for accumulating/storing an amount of the electronic currency that is paid by a settling process;

an electronic currency storing means for storing the electronic currency that is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing means;

a settling system communicating means for executing a paying process by using the electronic currency stored in the electronic currency storing means via the communication with a system that pays the electronic currency;

a settlement authenticating means for executing an authenticating process of the user and then causing the settling system communicating means to execute an electronic currency paying process when an authentication succeeded; and

a payment-authentication requirement deciding means for comparing an upper limit amount of a previously-set payable amount with an amount of money stored in the settled amount-of-money accumulating means, and then executing the authenticating process by the settlement authenticating means and then executing a paying process of the electronic currency by the settling system communicating means when an accumulated amount of the paid amount of money exceeds the upper limit amount, while executing the paying process of the electronic currency by the settling system communicating means without the authenticating process by the settlement authenticating means when the accumulated amount of the paid amount of money does not exceed the upper limit amount.

14. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving method, comprising:

a public network communicating step of executing a communication with an electronic currency server that issues an electronic currency;

an electronic currency purchase authenticating step of executing an authenticating process of an electronic currency purchaser to the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

an electronic currency purchasing step of purchasing the electronic currency of the purchaser, who is authenticated by the electronic currency purchase authenticating step, from the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

a settled amount-of-money accumulating step of accumulating/storing an amount of the electronic currency that is paid by a settling process;

an electronic currency storing step of storing the electronic currency that is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step;

a settling system communicating step of executing a paying process by using the electronic currency stored by the electronic currency storing step via the communication with a system that pays the electronic currency;

a settlement authenticating step of executing an authenticating process of the user and then causing the settling system communicating step to execute an electronic currency paying process when an authentication succeeded; and

a payment-authentication requirement deciding step of comparing an upper limit amount of a previously-set payable amount with an amount of money stored by the settled amount-of-money accumulating step, and then executing the authenticating process by the settlement authenticating step and then executing a paying process of the electronic currency by the settling system communicating step when an accumulated amount of the paid amount of money exceeds the upper limit amount, while executing the paying process of the electronic currency by the settling system communicating step without the authenticating process by the settlement authenticating step when the accumulated amount of the paid amount of money does not exceed the upper limit amount.

15. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving program for causing a computer to execute,

a public network communicating step of executing a communication with an electronic currency server that issues an electronic currency;

an electronic currency purchase authenticating step of executing an authenticating process of an electronic currency purchaser to the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

an electronic currency purchasing step of purchasing the electronic currency of the purchaser, who is authenticated by the electronic currency purchase authenticating step, from the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

a settled amount-of-money accumulating step of accumulating/storing an amount of the electronic currency that is paid by a settling process;

an electronic currency storing step of storing the electronic currency that is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step;

a settling system communicating step of executing a paying process by using the electronic currency stored in the electronic currency storing step via the communication with a system that pays the electronic currency;

a settlement authenticating step of executing an authenticating process of the user and then causing the settling system communicating step to execute an electronic currency paying process when an authentication succeeded; and

a payment-authentication requirement deciding step of comparing an upper limit amount of a previously-set payable amount with an amount of money stored in the settled amount-of-money accumulating means, and then executing the authenticating process by the settlement authenticating step and then executing a paying process of the electronic currency by the settling system communicating step when an accumulated amount of the paid amount of money exceeds the upper limit amount, while executing the paying process of the electronic currency by the settling system communicating step without the authenticating process by the settlement authenticating step when the accumulated amount of the paid amount of money does not exceed the upper limit amount.

16. An electronic currency transmitting/receiving program recording medium for recording a program that causes a computer to execute, a public network communicating step of executing a communication with an electronic currency server that issues an electronic currency;

an electronic currency purchase authenticating step of executing an authenticating process of an electronic currency purchaser to the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

an electronic currency purchasing step of purchasing the electronic currency of the purchaser, who is authenticated by the electronic currency purchase authenticating step, from the electronic currency server via the public network communicating step;

a settled amount-of-money accumulating step of accumulating/storing an amount of the electronic currency that is paid by a settling process;

an electronic currency storing step of storing the electronic currency that is purchased by the electronic currency purchasing step;

a settling system communicating step of executing a paying process by using the electronic currency stored in the electronic currency storing step via the communication with a system that pays the electronic currency;

a settlement authenticating step of executing an authenticating process of the user and then causing the settling system communicating step to execute an electronic currency paying process when an authentication succeeded; and

a payment-authentication requirement deciding step of comparing an upper limit amount of a previously-set payable amount with an amount of money stored in the settled amount-of-money accumulating means, and then executing the authenticating process by the settlement authenticating step and then executing a paying process of the electronic currency by the settling system communicating step when an accumulated amount of the paid amount of money exceeds the upper limit amount, while executing the paying process of the electronic currency by the settling system communicating step without the authenticating process by the settlement authenticating step when the accumulated amount of the paid amount of money does not exceed the upper limit amount.