Wireless adaptor and wireless financial transaction system

• US 5,991,410 A
• Filed: 05/09/1996
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Albert, Herb, Renton, Paul, Rowe, Lorin, Schramke, Stephen R., Zorn, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sayadian, Hrayr A.
• Application Number:
  US08/647,299
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 380/24, 380/49, 705/39, 705/42, 705/43, 705/44
• US Class Current: 705/78
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC

Abstract

The present invention is a method of a wireless adaptor receiving financial information, indicative of financial transactions, in PSTN compatible format, encrypting and converting the information into PSTN non-compatible format, transmitting the encrypted and converted information to a host computer, decrypting the information by the host computer, transmitting the decrypted information to an authorization processor, which transmits back to the host computer signals indicating authorization or denial of the transaction, the host computer transforming the signal received from the authorization processor to PSTN non-compatible format, and transmitting to the to the financial device the authorization or denial signal.

Claims

1. A method of providing additional data security between a host computer which communicates with an authorization processor and which also communicates with a financial transaction device compatible with the public switched telephone network, said financial transaction device capable of transmitting signals indicative of a financial transaction and further capable of receiving signals indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving the signals from the financial transaction device indicative of a financial transaction using a phone line interface and communications processor in a first signal format compatible with the public switched telephone;

encrypting and converting the signals received by said phone line interface to a second signal format different from the first signal format and incompatible with the public switched telephone system, thereby producing encrypted data in the second signal format indicative of a financial transaction;

transmitting said encrypted data in the second signal format from said communications processor to a host computer;

decrypting said encrypted data in the second signal format at said host computer to recover digital data representative of the signals indicative of a financial transaction as transmitted by the financial transaction device;

transmitting from said host computer to an authorization processor said recovered digital data and receiving from said authorization processor said recovered digital data and receiving from said authorization processor at said host computer signals indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction;

converting the host computer signals to the second signal format; and

transmitting from said host computer to the financial transaction device the signals indicative of the authorization or denial of the financial transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial transaction device is a point-of-sale credit card terminal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial transaction device is a point-of-sale debit card terminal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial transaction device is an automated teller machine.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the financial transaction device is a computerized cash register.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting from said host computer to the financial transaction device the signals indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction further comprises the following steps:

encrypting the signals indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction in the second signal format to produce encrypted data indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction in the second signal format;

transmitting from said host computer to said communications processor said encrypted data indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction in the second signal format;

decrypting said encrypted data indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction and converting said data to recover digital data representative of the signals indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction in the first signal format; and

transmitting to the financial transaction device from the communications processor said recovered digital data indicative of the authorization or denial of a financial transaction.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the financial transaction device is a point-of-sale credit card terminal.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the financial transaction device is a point-of-sale debit card terminal.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the financial transaction device is an automated teller machine.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the financial transaction device is a computerized cash register.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted signal in the second signal format is transmitted by wireless modem to the host computer.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the encrypted signal in the second signal format is transmitted by wireless modem to the financial transaction device.