Transaction method

• US 6,415,156 B1
• Filed: 09/09/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Stadelmann, Anton Niklaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US09/392,785
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/403, 455/406, 455/414, 455/422, 455/575, 395/224, 379/58, 379/60, 340/825.34
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus

Abstract

Transaction method for ordering goods or services by mobile telephone, an order for delivery being transmitted to the services provider via a mobile radio network.

At least certain order data, in which at least a monetary amount is indicated, are packed in one or more SMS or USSD or e-mail short messages, and are transmitted to a validation platform connected to a short message service center. The indicated monetary amount is deducted from a monetary account of the customer and is transferred to a monetary account of the services provider.

Claims

1. A transaction method for ordering goods or services using a mobile telephone by transmitting a delivery order from a customer to a services provider via a mobile telephone network, comprising:

transmitting the delivery order directly to the services provider without the delivery order being processed for content by a validation platform connected to a short message service center;

transmitting at least certain order data entered by said services provider, which data entered comprise at least an indication of a monetary amount, with short messages to the mobile radio telephone of the customer and displaying said short messages on said mobile radio telephone;

packing at least certain order data, which are copied from said delivery order or from a confirmation thereof, and which comprise at least said monetary amount, in one or more short messages and sending said short messages to the validation platform; and

deducting said monetary amount in the validation platform from a monetary account to be customer and transferring said monetary amount to a monetary account of said service provider, wherein the customer is unambiguously identified on the basis of a call number assigned to a subscriber identification module of the mobile radio telephone.

2. The transaction method according to claim 1, wherein the short messages are SMS messages.

3. The transaction method according to claim 1, wherein the said short messages are USSD messages.

4. The transaction method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile radio telephone is WAP capable, and the said short messages are e-mails.

5. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising electronically signing the said short messages by the customer.

6. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising said validation platform sending a confirmation to the customer and/or to the services provider.

7. The transaction method according to claim 1, wherein the order data comprise a services provider identification.

8. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising the customer entering at least certain transaction data using input means of the mobile radio telephone.

9. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining at least certain transaction data entered by the customer from a memory area of a SIM card of the mobile radio telephone.

10. The transaction method according to claim 9, wherein the order data obtained from said memory area comprise at least the customer identification.

11. The transaction method according to claim 10, wherein the said customer identification is the IMSI.

12. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising storing a balance of the monetary account of the customer in the validation platform in a memory area of the SIM card of the customer.

13. The transaction method according to claim 12, further comprising updating the balance of the account stored in the SIM card by the validation platform at the end of the transaction method.

14. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information in response to the delivery order that is an information inquiry via the mobile radio network to the mobile radio telephone of the customer.

15. The transaction method according to claim 14, further comprising synthesizing said information with a speech server and transmitting said information to the customer via the user information channel.

16. The transaction method according to claim 14, wherein said information is transmitted by means of short messages.

17. The transaction method according to claim 14, wherein said information is transmitted by means of e-mail.

18. The transaction method according to one of the claim 16 or 17, wherein the said information comprises a computer program.

19. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising encrypting at least certain order data over the entire route between the customer and the validation platform.

20. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising sending the order data to a plurality of validation platforms.

21. The transaction method according to claim 1, further comprising sending the order data to validation platforms in other countries.