Electronic money transaction system with a radio transmitter and receiver using a portable telephone

• US 6,902,106 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Kenji, Takami, Yutaka, Itoh, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US10/316,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 235/377, 235/382, 235/384, 235/385, 235/493, 235/379, 235/449, 235/492, 902/4, 902/10, 902/26, 705/39, 705/41, 705/42
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/04 comprising devices to free a barrier, turnstile, or the like turnstiles with registering means G07C9/10; coin-freed aspects G07F17/00

Abstract

A terminal 2 held by the user is provided with a radio transmitter and receiver 3. Electronic money information is transferred via the radio transmitter and receiver 3. By using a portable telephone, it is unnecessary to directly insert an IC card 1 into service supply equipment 17. In addition to the service supply equipment 17, a device 9 for storing electronic money information in a lump is provided. Since the electronic money information is transferred into the device 9 for storing the electronic money information in a lump, it is unnecessary to collect the electronic money information stored in terminals one by one.

Claims

1. An electronic money transaction system comprising:

an electronic money storing medium which stores electronic money information;

a contact reading and writing means which electrically contacts the electronic money storing medium to write to and read from the electronic money storing medium;

a processing unit which is connected to the contact reading and writing means and at least partially controls the electronic money storing medium; and

,

a non-contact communicating means which is connected to the processing unit, and which is able to communicate with a non-contact external electronic money storing medium through space without contact being necessary,

wherein the processing unit controls, by using the non-contact communicating means and via space, the electronic money storing medium and the non-contact electronic money storing medium, such that at least a portion of electronic money stored in at least one of the electronic money storing medium and the non-contact electronic money storing medium is transferred to the other of the electronic money storing medium and the non-contact electronic money storing medium.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic money storing medium is an IC card.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact electronic money storing medium is at least one of an IC card and a wireless telephone.

4. The system according to claim 1, comprising a second contact reading and writing means which electrically contacts a second electronic money storing medium to write to and read from the second electronic money storing medium.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic money storing medium stores ID information unique to the non-contact electronic money storing medium.

6. An electronic money transaction system comprising:

an electronic money storing medium which stores electronic money information;

a contact reading and writing means which electrically contacts the electronic money storing medium to write to and read from the electronic money storing medium;

a processing unit which is connected to the contact reading and writing means and at least partially controls the electronic money storing medium; and

,

a wireless communicating means which is connected to the processing unit and which communicates with outside entities by wireless communication,

wherein the processing unit controls, by using the wireless communicating means and via electromagnetic waves, the electronic money storing medium and a wireless electronic money storing medium such that at least a portion of electronic money stored in at least one of the electronic money storing medium and the wireless electronic money storing medium is transferred to the other of the electronic money storing medium and the wireless electronic money storing medium.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the electronic money storing medium is an IC card.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the wireless electronic money storing medium is at least one of an IC card and a wireless telephone.

9. The system according to claim 6, comprising a second contact reading and writing means which electrically contacts a second electronic money storing medium to write to and read from the second electronic money storing medium.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the electronic money storing medium stores ID information unique to the wireless electronic money storing medium.

11. The system according to claim 6, wherein the electronic money storing medium stores ID information unique to an external wireless telephone terminal.

12. A wireless telephone terminal comprising:

an electronic money storing medium which stores electronic money information;

a contact reading and writing means which electrically contacts the electronic money storing medium to write to and read from the electronic money storing medium;

a processing unit which is connected to the contact reading and writing means and at least partially controls the electronic money storing medium; and

,

a wireless communicating means which is connected to the processing unit and which communicates with outside entities by wireless communication,

wherein the processing unit controls, by using the wireless communicating means and via electromagnetic waves, the electronic money storing medium and a wireless electronic money storing medium at least a portion of electronic money stored in at least one of the electronic money storing medium and the wireless electronic money storing medium is transferred to the other of the electronic money storing medium and the wireless electronic money storing medium.

13. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the electronic money storing medium is an IC card.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the wireless electronic money storing medium is at least one of an IC card and a wireless telephone.

15. The system according to claim 12, comprising a second contact reading and writing means which electrically contacts a second electronic money storing medium to write to and read from the second electronic money storing medium.

16. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the electronic money storing medium stores ID information unique to the terminal or the wireless electronic money storing medium.