Method and apparatus for recording usage data of card operated devices
First Claim
1. A method of recording payment data of a card-operated device, the device being capable of exchanging data with a card, said card being capable of registering payment data therein and the payment data relating to a transaction performed by a user with the device, the method comprising the steps of:
- within the card, forming a first message and communicating the first message to said device, the first message containing an initial value of a balance then stored within a memory situated on the card, the initial value of the balance representing an unused pre-paid monetary amount then available for payment by the user for a transaction to be effectuated with the card and through the device;
forming, within the device and in response to usage of the device during the transaction, at least one decrease command and routing the decrease command from the device to the card, wherein said decrease command instructs the card to decrease the balance stored in the memory by a pre-defined amount;
in the card, updating, in response to said decrease command, the balance then stored in the memory on the card so as to form a current value of the balance stored therein;
within the device and at a proximate conclusion of said transaction, generating a data request and communicating said data request from the device to the card;
forming, in the card, in response to said data request, a second message and communicating the second message to the device, said second message containing a value representing the current balance then existing in the memory on the card; and
within the device, determining a total amount spent by the user for the transaction in response to a difference between the initial and current values of the balance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for recording usage data of a card-operated device, such as a public telephone set or a vending machine. In particular, usage data, such as totalized charges, is stored in a storage unit associated with the device. At the onset of a transaction, e.g., a telephone call, an initial balance, representing a existing pre-paid credit, is read from memory in the card and transferred to the device. Based upon usage of the device, during the course of the transaction and/or at its completion, the device instructs the card, at least once, to reduce its balance by, e.g., a fixed amount to yield a current balance, which is, in turn, then stored back into the card. The card then sends the current balance back to the device. Device usage for this transaction is subsequently determined, within the device, as a difference between the initial and current balances, and is added to (totalized) usage data stored therein. The security of the data transfers may be cryptographically enhanced. Preferably, the current balance is transmitted from the card to the device unit during a verification procedure through which the authenticity of the card is checked.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of recording payment data of a card-operated device, the device being capable of exchanging data with a card, said card being capable of registering payment data therein and the payment data relating to a transaction performed by a user with the device, the method comprising the steps of:
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within the card, forming a first message and communicating the first message to said device, the first message containing an initial value of a balance then stored within a memory situated on the card, the initial value of the balance representing an unused pre-paid monetary amount then available for payment by the user for a transaction to be effectuated with the card and through the device; forming, within the device and in response to usage of the device during the transaction, at least one decrease command and routing the decrease command from the device to the card, wherein said decrease command instructs the card to decrease the balance stored in the memory by a pre-defined amount; in the card, updating, in response to said decrease command, the balance then stored in the memory on the card so as to form a current value of the balance stored therein; within the device and at a proximate conclusion of said transaction, generating a data request and communicating said data request from the device to the card; forming, in the card, in response to said data request, a second message and communicating the second message to the device, said second message containing a value representing the current balance then existing in the memory on the card; and within the device, determining a total amount spent by the user for the transaction in response to a difference between the initial and current values of the balance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for recording payment data of a card-operated device, the device being capable of exchanging data with a card, said card being capable of registering payment data therein and the payment data relating to a transaction performed by a user with the device, the apparatus comprising:
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a card having; a memory; means for forming a first message and communicating the first message to a card-operated device, the first message containing an initial value of a balance then stored within the memory situated on the card, the initial value of the balance representing an unused pre-paid monetary amount then available for payment by the user for a transaction to be effectuated with the card and through the device; means for updating, in response to a decrease command, the balance then stored in the memory so as to form a current value of the balance stored therein; means for forming in response to a data request, a second message and communicating the second response to the device, said second message containing a value representing the current value of the balance then existing in the memory; and the card-operated device having; means for forming, in response to usage of the device during the transaction, at least one decrease command and routing the decrease command from the device to the card, wherein said decrease command instructs the card to decrease the balance stored in the memory by a pre-defined amount; means, operative at a proximate conclusion of said transaction, for generating a data request and communicating said data request to the card; and means for determining a total amount spent by the user for the transaction in response to a difference between the initial and current values of the balance. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A card-operated device for use in apparatus for recording payment data of a card-operated device, the device being capable of exchanging data with a card, said card being capable of registering payment data therein and the payment data relating to a transaction performed by a user with the device, the device comprising:
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means for receiving, a first message from the card, said first message having an initial value of a balance stored in the card; means for forming, in response to usage of the device during the transaction, at least one decrease command and routing the decrease command from the device to the card, wherein the decrease command instructs the card to decrease the balance stored therein by a pre-defined amount; means, operative at a proximate conclusion of the transaction, for generating a data request to the card so as to obtain a current value of the balance then stored in the card and for receiving a second message having the current value of the balance then stored in the card; and means for determining a total amount spent by the user for the transaction in response to a difference between the initial and current values of the balance. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification