Method and apparatus for using a kiosk and a transaction device in an electronic commerce system

• US 20040098740A1
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harold Aaron Ludtke, Maritzen L. Michael
• Original Assignee: Harold Aaron Ludtke, Maritzen L. Michael
• Inventors: Maritzen, L. Michael, Ludtke, Harold Aaron
• Application Number:
  US10/703,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• 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: H04N 21/2223 being a public access point, e.g. for downloading to or uploading from clients arrangements specially adapted to plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4185 for payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed in which a secure link between a transaction device and a kiosk is automatically created. Access to functions of the kiosk is facilitated automatically for the transaction device. Furthermore, the kiosk can facilitate the exchange of information for the transaction device. By accessing functions of the kiosk for the transaction device, the extended functions of the kiosk such as its input mechanism (e.g., keyboard) and output mechanism (e.g., display) can be used for the transaction device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

automatically establishing a secure link between a transaction device and a kiosk; and

automatically accessing functions of the kiosk for the transaction device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the transaction device to locate the kiosk that has a desired function; and

providing a direction to a location of a best available kiosk.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing further comprising:

enabling the transaction device to access input and output devices of the kiosk.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the kiosk to perform an additional function.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the additional function includes enabling a user to pay a bill, enabling a user to send and receive an e-mail or a fax, enabling a user to view an image through a display device of the kiosk, or enabling a user to play a pay-per-use video game.

6. A method of claim 1, further comprising,

saving accessed information to the transaction device;

resetting the kiosk; and

disconnecting the secure link between the transaction device and the kiosk.

7. A method comprising:

enabling a transaction device to locate a kiosk that has a desired function; and

providing a direction to a location of the kiosk.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

establishing a secure link between the transaction device and the kiosk; and

accessing functions of the kiosk through the transaction device.

9. A system comprising:

a kiosk; and

a transaction device to establish automatically a secure link to the kiosk and to access automatically the functions of the kiosk.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transaction device is to locate a kiosk that has a desired function and to provide a direction to a location of the kiosk.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the transaction device is to access input and output devices of the kiosk.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the kiosk is to perform an additional function if the secure link to the transaction device is established.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the additional function includes enabling a user to pay a bill, enabling a user to send and receive an e-mail or a fax, enabling a user to view an image through a display device of the kiosk, or enabling a user to play a pay-per-use video game.

14. A system comprising:

a kiosk; and

a transaction device to locate the kiosk that has a desired function and to provide a direction to a location of the kiosk.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the transaction device is to establish a secure link to a kiosk and to access functions of the kiosk.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the transaction device is to access input and output devices of the kiosk.

17. A machine-readable medium having instructions, which if executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operation comprising:

establishing a secure link between a transaction device and a kiosk; and

accessing functions of the kiosk through the transaction device.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations comprising:

enabling the transaction device to locate the kiosk that has a desired function; and

providing a direction to a location of a best available kiosk.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations comprising:

enabling the transaction device to access input and output devices of the kiosk.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations comprising:

enabling the kiosk to perform an additional function.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations comprising:

selecting the additional function including enabling a user to pay a bill, enabling a user to send and receive an e-mail or a fax, enabling a user to view an image through a display device of the kiosk, or enabling a user to play a pay-per-use video game.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations comprising:

saving accessed information to the transaction device;

resetting the kiosk; and

disconnecting the secure link between the transaction device and the kiosk.

23. The machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which if executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations comprising:

enabling a transaction device to locate a kiosk that has a desired function; and

providing a direction to a location of the kiosk.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, further providing instructions, which if executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations comprising:

establishing a secure link between the transaction device and the kiosk; and

accessing functions of the kiosk through the transaction device.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a processor to establish a secure link to a kiosk and to access functions of the kiosk.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is to enable the apparatus to locate the kiosk that has a desired function and to provide a direction to a location of the best available kiosk.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is to enable the apparatus to access input and output devices of the kiosk.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is to enable the kiosk to perform an additional function.