Method and system for paying for goods or services

• US 7,231,372 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Prange, Stefan, Lahr, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer; Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINTER, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US09/787,961
• Time in Patent Office: 2,827 Days
• Field of Search: 705/67, 705/49, 705/1, 705/35, 705/36, 705/61, 705/64, 455/558
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system for paying for goods or services which includes a mobile radio device and a base telecommunication station which communicates with the mobile radio device via electromagnetic waves. The base telecommunication station transmits the data required for payment to the mobile radio device. The latter asks the user for confirmation for the payment. After the confirmation, the mobile radio device performs a payment operation by transmitting payment instruction data. In addition, either the mobile radio device or a telecommunication device of a financial institution transmits acknowledgment data for the payment operation to the base telecommunication station.

Claims

1. A system for securely paying for goods and services, comprising:

a base telecommunication station having a radio device for transmitting data required for payment to a mobile radio device and for receiving data from the mobile radio device; and

the mobile radio device which includes;

a reception device for receiving the data transmitted by the base telecommunication station;

an interrogation device connected to the reception device for requesting confirmation for the payment;

a transmission device connected to the interrogation device for transmitting data for at least one of initiating a payment operation and transmitting acknowledgement data for the payment operation to the base telecommunication station;

a conversion device, connected to the reception device, for converting the data received into a format which is suitable for a payment operation; and

a conversion unit which converts data which has been transmitted by the base telecommunication station and is required for payment into a readable short message such that a sender telephone number entered is the telephone number of a telecommunication device of one of a financial institution and a bill issuer which has been transmitted with the data required for payment.

2. A system for securely paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 1, the system further comprising:

an electronic cash register connected to the base telecommunication station, the electronic cash register designed to transmit the data required for payment to the base telecommunication station.

3. A system for securely paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a computing device, associated with the base telecommunication station, for at least one of producing and verifying a key.

4. A system for securely paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data required for payment includes at least one of a sum of money which is to be paid, a name for the goods which are to be paid for, a name for the services which are to be paid for, a recipients account number, a bank sort code, a purpose of use, a customer number, and a telephone number of a telecommunication device of one of a financial institution and a bill issuer.

5. A method for securely paying for goods and services, comprising:

communicating data required for payment between a mobile radio device and a base telecommunication station comprising a radio device;

receiving the data transmitted by the base telecommunication station in a reception device of the mobile radio device;

requesting confirmation for the payment via an interrogation device connected to the reception device;

transmitting data for at least one of initiating a payment operation and transmitting acknowledgement data for the payment operation to the base telecommunication station via a transmission device in the mobile radio device connected to the interrogation device;

converting the data received into a format which is suitable for a payment operation via a conversion device, connected to the reception device; and

converting data which has been transmitted by the base telecommunication station and is required for payment into a readable short message via a conversion unit, such that a sender telephone number entered is the telephone number of a telecommunication device of one of a financial institution and a bill issuer which has been transmitted with the data required for payment.

6. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of initiating a payment of operation includes the mobile radio device communicating directly with a telecommunication device of a financial institution.

7. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of initiating a payment operation includes the mobile radio device transmitting the payment instruction data to the base telecommunication station, and the base telecommunication station transmitting the payment instruction data to a telecommunication device of a financial institution via a landline network connection.

8. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, the method further comprising the step of:

converting, via the mobile radio device, the data received from the base telecommunication station into a format which is suitable for a payment operation before transmission.

9. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, the method further comprising the step of:

authenticating the user of the mobile radio device before the step of initiating the payment operation.

10. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 9, wherein the user is authenticated via at least one of a personal identification number entry and biometric features.

11. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, wherein an electronic cash register transmits the data required for payment to the base telecommunication station.

12. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting, via the base telecommunication station, a key generated in one of the base telecommunication station and an associated unit to the mobile radio device;

transmitting the key, via the mobile radio device, to the telecommunication device of one of a financial institution and a bill issuer; and

transmitting the key to the base telecommunication station by the telecommunication device of one of the financial institution and the bill issuer.

13. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 12, wherein the key is used at least on particular transmission paths to encrypt data which is to be transmitted.

14. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, the method further comprising the step of:

automatically transmitting a short message containing data required for payment to the telecommunication device of one of the financial institution and the bill issuer after the short message has been read and after appropriate confirmation by the user.

15. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mobile radio device and the telecommunication device of one of a financial institution and a bill issuer communicate on the basis of a mobile radio standard.

16. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 12, the method further comprising the steps of:

comparing the transmitted key with a key stored in one of the base telecommunication station and an associated unit; and

providing at least one of goods and services upon a successful comparison between the transmitted key and the key stored.

17. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 12, wherein the key is transmitted together with at least one of data required for the payment operation and acknowledgement data for the payment operation.

18. A method for paying for goods and services as claimed in claim 5, wherein the data required for payment includes at least one of a sum of money which is to be paid, a name for the goods to be paid for, a name for the service to be paid for, a recipients account number, a bank sort code, a purpose of use, a customer.