Method, apparatus and computer program product for processing cashless payments

• US 6,829,597 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schaeck, Thomas, Weber, Roland, Henn, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worjloh, Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US09/638,745
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 380/30, 705/64-79, 705/39, 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/67
• 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• 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: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/082 Features insuring the integrity of the data on or in the card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A computer program product and programmed method for performing cashless payments between a customer and a dealer via a bank. The invention is embodied in an on-line computerized process between customer and dealer to define the payment method, check the availability frame, issue a voucher to describe the transaction, issue a payment instruction, signature of the issued voucher by the dealer and signature of the payment instruction by the dealer and the customer. In another embodiment, the information is gathered and the voucher and payment instructions are generated off-line. A subsequent on-line process between the dealer and bank transfer the signed payment instruction and signed voucher to the bank where computer coded checks the dealer and customer signature, checks the allocation between payment instruction and voucher, replaces the dealer and customer identity data with information for performance of the payment instruction, and performs the payment instruction and stores the voucher. An advantage of the process is that no sensitive customer data such as account number, credit card number etc. is stored on the customer card and hence misuse by unauthorized persons is minimized. In addition the process serves to define the payment methods required by the customer for mechanical processing and to minimize the risk to the customer upon loss of the customer card. The process also allows customers who do not have a bank account, such as children for example, to have access to an electronic payment means with limited availability frame. The customer card can be either a card with contacts or a contactless card.

Claims

1. Method for performing a cashless payment in a transaction using portable media comprising the steps of;

reading customer identification data, available amount and a plurality of payment methods permitted by a bank for a customer, from a customer portable media;

reading dealer identification data and payment methods acceptable to a dealer from a dealer portable media;

receiving a payment method choice input entered by the customer;

selecting the payment method chosen by the customer when the selected payment method is permitted by the customer portable media and accepted by the dealer portable media;

selecting on a priority basis, a payment method that is permitted and accepted, when the customer does not enter a choice and when the customer choice is not both permitted and accepted;

comparing a payment amount for a value less than the available amount;

going to the generating a voucher step of this method when the compare step returns a positive comparison;

automatically connecting in the same transaction, the customer portable media to the bank when the compare step did not return a positive comparison;

verifying at the bank, the available amount that the customer has available, when the compare step did not return a positive comparison;

raising the available amount recorded on the customer portable media to an amount not exceeding the amount that the customer has available, when the compare step did not return a positive comparison;

repeating the compare step and providing a message to the dealer when the compare step continues to not return a positive comparison;

generating a voucher having information of the transaction when the compare step returns a positive comparison;

generating a hash of the voucher;

generating a signature of the hash of the voucher;

generating a payment instruction comprising the steps of;

adding the dealer identification information to the payment instruction,

adding the customer identification information to the payment instruction,

adding the payment method selected to the payment instruction, and adding the

signature of the hash of the voucher to the payment instruction;

generating a dealer signature of the payment instruction;

reducing the available amount recorded on then customer portable media, by the payment amount;

generating a customer signature of the payment instruction;

performing the cashless payment by executing the payment instruction at the bank.

2. Computer program product for performing a cashless payment in a transaction using portable media comprising:

computer readable program code for reading customer identification data, available amount and a plurality of payment methods permitted by a bank for a customer, from a customer portable media;

computer readable program code for reading dealer identification data and payment methods acceptable to a dealer from a dealer portable media;

computer readable program code for receiving a payment method choice input entered by the customer;

computer readable program code for selecting the payment method chosen by the customer when the selected payment method is permitted by the customer portable media and accepted by the dealer portable media;

computer readable program code for selecting on a priority basis, a payment method that is permitted and accepted, when the customer does not enter a choice and when the customer choice is not both permitted and accepted;

computer readable program code for comparing a payment amount for a value less than the available amount;

computer readable program code for going to the generating a voucher step of this computer method when the compare step returns a positive comparison;

computer readable program code for automatically connecting in the same transaction, the customer portable media to the bank when the compare step did not return a positive comparison;

computer readable program code for verifying at the bank, the available amount that the customer has available, when the compare step did not return a positive comparison;

computer readable program code for raising the available amount recorded on the customer portable media to an amount not exceeding the amount that the customer has available, when the compare step did not return a positive comparison;

computer readable program code for repeating the compare step and providing a message to the dealer when the compare step continues to not return a positive comparison;

computer readable program code for program code for generating a voucher having information of the transaction when the compare step returns a positive comparison;

computer readable program code for generating a hash of the voucher;

computer readable program code for generating a signature of the hash of the voucher;

computer readable program code for generating a payment instruction comprising the steps of;

adding the dealer identification information to the payment instruction,

adding the customer identification information to the payment instruction,

adding the payment method selected to the payment instruction, and adding the

signature of the hash of the voucher to the payment instruction;

computer readable program code for generating a dealer signature of the payment instruction;

computer readable program code for reducing the available amount recorded on the customer portable media, by the payment amount;

computer readable program code for generating a customer signature of the payment instruction;

computer readable program code for performing the cashless payment by executing the payment instruction at the bank.