Retail unit and a payment unit for serving a customer on a purchase and method for executing the same

• US 6,076,075 A
• Filed: 03/30/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardis Enterprise International NV
• Original Assignee: Cardis Enterprise International NV
• Inventors: Teicher, Mordechai
• Primary Examiner(s): Tkacs, Stephen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hayes, John W.
• Application Number:
  US09/050,387
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 705/41, 705/13, 705/35, 705/39, 705/1, 235/379, 235/380, 235/375
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

A payment unit is provided for serving a customer making a purchase. The customer has an electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment unit being part of a retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price. The payment unit includes a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet and a transaction manager. The transaction manger is operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse or receiving from the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between the paid sum and the purchase price.

Claims

1. A payment unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment unit being part of a retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the payment unit comprising:

a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse;

or

receiving from the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price.

5. A payment unit according to any of claim 1, wherein said transaction manager is further operative to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, receiving the purchase price from the electronic checkbook.

6. A payment unit according to any of claim 1, further comprising an electronic cash drawer, and said transaction manager being further operative to:

upon receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse, adding the purchase price to said electronic cash drawer; and

upon adding said difference to the electronic purse, subtracting said difference from said electronic cash drawer.

2. A payment unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment unit being part of a retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the retail unit being part of a retail system other than an automatic retail system, the payment unit comprising:

a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse;

or

receiving via the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price.

3. A payment unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment unit being part of a retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the retail unit being part of a controlled-supply automatic retail system, the payment unit comprising:

a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communication with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse;

or

receiving via the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price.

4. A payment unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment unit being part of a retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the retail unit being part of a retail system other than a free-access automatic retail system, the payment unit comprising:

a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse;

or

receiving via the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price.

7. A payment unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment unit being part of a retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the payment unit comprising:

wallet interface to communicate with the electronic wallet;

an electronic cash drawer; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse and adding it to said electronic drawer;

or

receiving from the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, subtracting the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price from said electronic drawer, and adding said difference to the electronic purse.

8. A retail unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the retail unit being part of a retail system other than an automatic retail system, the retail unit comprising:

a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse;

or

receiving via the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price.

11. A retail unit according to any of claim 8, wherein said transaction manager is further operative to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, receiving the purchase price from the electronic checkbook.

12. A retail unit according to any of claim 8, further comprising an electronic cash drawer, and said transaction manager being further operative to:

upon receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse, adding the purchase price to said electronic cash drawer; and

upon adding said difference to the electronic purse, subtracting said difference from said electronic cash drawer.

9. A retail unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the retail unit being part of a controlled-supply automatic retail system, the retail unit comprising:

a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse;

or

receiving via the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price.

10. A retail unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the retail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the retail unit being part of a retail system other than a free-access automatic retail system, the retail unit comprising:

a wallet interface for communication with the electronic wallet; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse;

or

receiving via the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price.

13. A retail unit for serving a customer on a purchase, the customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the detail unit containing a point of sale for determining a purchase price, the retail unit comprising:

wallet interface to communicate with the electronic wallet;

an electronic cash drawer; and

a transaction manager operative, upon receiving the purchase price and communicating with the electronic wallet, to selectively execute, upon the purchase price being less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, either;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse and adding it to said electronic drawer;

or

receiving from the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, subtracting the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price from said electronic drawer, and adding said difference to the electronic purse.

14. A method for executing a payment transaction on a purchase having a purchase price to be paid by a customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with the electronic wallet;

comparing the purchase price to the minimal checkbook payment sum; and

selecting one payment option from the group consisting of;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse; and

receiving from the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price.

16. The method as in claim 14, the payment transaction further involving an electronic cash drawer, the method further comprising the steps of:

adding the purchase price to the electronic cash drawer upon said receiving of the purchase price; and

subtracting said difference from the electronic cash drawer upon said adding to the electronic purse.

15. A method for executing a payment transaction on a purchase having a purchase price to be paid by a customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchase of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with the electronic wallet;

comparing the purchase price to the minimal checkbook payment sum; and

selecting one payment option from the group consisting of;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse;

receiving from the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, and adding to the electronic purse the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price; and

receiving the purchase price from the electronic checkbook.

17. A method for executing a payment transaction on a purchase having a purchase price to be paid by a customer having an electronic wallet, the electronic wallet containing an electronic checkbook for making payments for purchases of not less than a minimal checkbook payment sum, the electronic wallet furthermore containing an electronic purse for making payments for purchases of not greater than the value stored therein, the payment transaction involving an electronic cash drawer, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing communication with the electronic wallet and the electronic cash drawer;

comparing the purchase price to the minimal checkbook payment sum; and

selecting one payment option from the group consisting of;

receiving the purchase price from the electronic purse and adding it to the electronic cash drawer; and

receiving from the electronic checkbook a paid sum not less than the minimal checkbook payment sum, subtracting the difference between said paid sum and the purchase price from said electronic drawer, and adding said difference to the electronic purse.