Apparatus for settling accounts and method of settling accounts

• US 6,829,467 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ochiai, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US10/247,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20030061066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/410, 455/411, 455/426.1, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/517, 455/561, 705/1, 705/16, 705/34, 705/39, 705/40, 705/41, 705/44, 235/379, 235/380
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An account-settling apparatus changes the range of communication between it and a portable device having a radio communication address, from a first range to a second range and vice versa. The first range lies near the antenna of the apparatus. The second range is broader than first range. The apparatus acquires the radio communication address from the portable device existing in the first range, while the range of communication maintained at the first range, then expands the range of communication to the second range, receives the data necessary for settling accounts for a transaction, from the portable device that has the radio communication address acquired, and settles account for the transaction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for settling accounts, comprising:

short-range communications means for communicating with portable device by a short-range radio;

antenna for radiating and catching short-range radio waves;

first range-set means for setting area of a short-range radio communication to a first communication range lying near the antenna;

second range-set means for setting the area of the short-range radio communication to a second communication range broader than the first communication range;

address-acquirement means for acquiring a radio communication address from said portable device within the area of the short-range radio communication by the short-range radio;

area-change means for changing area of the short-range radio communication to the second communication range, when said address-acquirement means has acquired the radio communication address from said portable device within said first communication range;

data-receive means for receiving data necessary for settling accounts from said portable device within the second communication range by virtue of the short-range radio communication; and

account-settlement means for settling accounts of transaction on the basis of the data received by said data-receive means.

2. An apparatus for settling accounts, comprising:

short-range communications means for storing data necessary for settling accounts for a transaction and designed to perform short-range radio communication with at least one portable device which is assigned with a radio communication address for the short-range radio communication;

an antenna which radiates and catch radio waves to help the short-range communications means to perform the short-range radio communication;

range-controlling means for setting a range of the short-range radio communication to a first communication range lying near the antenna or a second communication range broader than the first communication range;

address-acquiring means for acquiring a radio communication address from said at least one portable device approaching the antenna, after the range-controlling means has set the range of the short-range radio communication to the first communication range;

range-expanding means for causing the range-controlling means to expand the range of the short-range radio communication to the second communication range when the address-acquiring means acquires the radio communication address from said at least one portable device;

data-receiving means for receiving data necessary for settling accounts, from said at least one portable device by virtue of the short-range radio communication after the range-expanding means has caused the range-controlling means to expand the range of the short-range radio communication; and

account-settling means for settling accounts for the transaction on the basis of the data that the data-receiving means has received.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the range-controlling means controls the range of the short-range radio communication, such that the first communication range gradually expands from the vicinity of the antenna in order to render it easy for the address-acquiring means to acquire the radio communication address from said at least one portable device.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one portable device has a display section, and the apparatus further comprising:

code-transmitting means for transmitting a specific code by virtue of the short-range radio communication, when the address-acquiring means acquires the radio communication address from said at least one portable device, said specific code causing the display section to display the radio communication address.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one portable device has a display section and an operation section;

the display section displays data when said at least one portable device receives a specific code associated with the data transmitted by virtue of the short-range radio communication;

said at least one portable device transmits the specific code back to the apparatus by virtue of the short-range radio communication when the operation section input specific data; and

the apparatus further comprising;

code-transmitting means for transmitting the specific code to said at least one portable device by virtue of the short-range radio communication when the address-acquiring means acquires the radio communication address from said at least one portable device; and

data-demanding means for demanding the data necessary for settling accounts, from said at least one portable device, upon receipt of a code from said at least one portable device, said code being identical to the specific code transmitted by the code-transmitting means,

the account-settling means settles account for the transaction on the basis of the data which the data-demanding means has demanded and which the data-receiving means has received.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one portable device has a display section and an operation section;

the display section displays data when said at least one portable device receives a specific code associated with the data and transmitted by virtue of the short-range radio communication;

said at least one portable device transmits the specific code back to the apparatus by virtue of the short-range radio communication when the operation section inputs specific data; and

the apparatus further comprising;

code-transmitting means for transmitting the specific code to said at least one portable device by virtue of the short-range radio communication when the address-acquiring means acquires the radio communication address from said at least one portable device; and

address-reacquiring means for acquiring an address different from the radio communication address acquired by the address-acquiring means, when said at least one portable device transmits a code identical to the specific code, back to the apparatus.

7. An apparatus according t claim 2, wherein said at least one portable device has a display section and an operation section;

the display section displays data when said at least one portable device receives a specific code associated with the data and transmitted by virtue of the short-range radio communication;

said at least one portable device transmits the specific code back to the apparatus by virtue the short-range radio communication when the operation section inputs specific data; and

the apparatus further comprising;

an operator-side display section for display information to an operator;

code-transmitting means for transmitting the specific code to said at least one portable device by virtue of the short-range radio communication when the address-acquiring means acquires the radio communication address from said at least one portable device; and

clock means for measuring time, starting when the code-transmitting means transmits the specific code; and

display control means for causing the operator-side display section to display an error message when said at least one portable device transmits no code identical to the specific code, back to the apparatus even after the time measured by the clock means exceeds a preset time.

8. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one portable device has a display section and an operation section;

the display section displays data when said at least one portable device receives a specific code associated with the data and transmitted by virtue of the short-range radio communication;

said at least one portable device transmits the specific code back to the apparatus by virtue the short-range radio communication when the operation section inputs specific data; and

the apparatus further comprising;

code-transmitting means for transmitting the specific code to said at least one portable device by virtue of the short-range radio communication when the address-acquiring means acquires the radio communication address from said at least one portable device; and

clock means for measuring time, starting when the code-transmitting means transmits the specific code; and

means for instructing an operator to cause the apparatus to wait for a code identical to the specific code or to cause the address-acquiring means to acquire a different radio communication address, when said at least one portable device transmits no code identical to the specific code, back to the apparatus even after the time measured by the clock means exceeds a preset time.

9. A method of settling accounts, in which a radio communication address for short-range radio communication is specified, which address is assigned to at least one portable device that stores data necessary for settling accounts for a transaction, and the data necessary for settling accounts is acquired from said at least one portable device assigned with the radio communication address specified, and the accounts are settled in accordance with the data acquired, said method comprising the steps of:

acquiring the radio communication address from said at least one portable device existing in a first communication range set in the vicinity of an antenna designed for short-range radio communication;

expanding a range of the short-range radio communication to a second communication range broader than the first communication range, when the radio communication address is acquired in the step of acquiring the radio communication address;

transmitting a specific code to said at least one portable device to which the radio communication address acquired in the step of acquiring the radio communication address is assigned, by virtue of the short-range radio communication the range of which has been expanded in the step of expanding the range of the short-range radio communication; and

demanding the data necessary for settling accounts, from said at least one portable device, when a code identical to the specific code transmitted in the step of transmitting a specific code is sent back from said at least one portable device; and

settling accounts for the transaction on the basis of the data necessary for settling accounts, when the data is received from said at least one portable device which has demanded the data necessary for setting accounts in the step of demanding the data.