Portable terminal with an IC card mounted thereon

• US 7,356,645 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fukushima, Shinichiro, Aikawa, Makoto, Nanami, Hidenori, Hashimoto, Kazunori, Takami, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Jasmine
• Application Number:
  US10/811,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20040256455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2017/26 with real-time recharging of account/card, e.g. if limit is reached during connection user is asked if he wants to recharge or not
• 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: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

In a portable terminal having an IC card, the outstanding SF value, the commuter pass information and the conditions for the corresponding operation to charge the SF value or renew the validity period of the commuter pass are stored in the IC card. The outstanding SF value and the validity period of the commuter pass are checked at a predetermined timing. In the case where the outstanding SF value and the validity period satisfy the conditions for the corresponding operation (in the case where the outstanding SF value is reduced to less than a predetermined amount, for example), the set corresponding operation is performed. Thus, a predetermined amount is charged against the outstanding SF value, or the oncoming expiry of the validity period of the commuter pass is notified. The conditions for the corresponding operation can be set and changed appropriately at the portable terminal.

Claims

1. A management apparatus comprising:

a portable terminal identifying module to receive card information from a non-contact IC card processing unit having a module to communicate with an IC card without contact and to acquire the card information including IC card identification information and outstanding value information, thereby to identify a portable terminal having the IC card based on said IC card identification information;

a memory module to store conditions for a corresponding operation;

a module to communicate with said portable terminal;

an information transmission determining module to determine whether predetermined information for charging against an outstanding stored fare value is to be transmitted to the portable terminal identified by said portable terminal identifying module in the case where contents of said card information satisfy said conditions for the corresponding operation; and

a module to transmit said information determined by said information transmission determining module,

wherein said information transmission determining module is capable of performing selected one of an operation of using, as conditions for determining the transmission of predetermined information, selected one of a change item and a change amount of the change item of the card information set by a user of at least said portable terminal, and the operation of permitting the user to set the contents of the information transmitted to said user.

2. A management apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

an information receiving module to receive said predetermined information transmitted by the management apparatus; and

a corresponding operation module to perform a predetermined corresponding operation in accordance with said predetermined information received by said information receiving module.

3. A management apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said information transmission determining module transmits selected one of information for starting a program to charge the value at said portable terminal, information for renewal of a validity period of a commuter pass at the portable terminal and information for starting a program to renew the validity period of the commuter pass at the portable terminal.

4. A management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said corresponding operation module performs selected one of an operation of charging an SF value and an operation of renewing a validity period of a commuter pass.

5. A management apparatus according to claim 2, comprising an access corresponding operation module which identifies a user.

6. A management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an information receiving module to receive said predetermined information transmitted by the management apparatus.

7. A management apparatus comprising:

a portable terminal identifying module to receive card information from a non-contact IC card processing unit having a module to communicate with an IC card without contact and to acquire the card information including IC card identification information and outstanding value information, thereby to identify a portable terminal having the IC card based on said IC card identification information;

a memory module to store conditions for a corresponding operation;

a module to communicate with said portable terminal;

an information transmission determining module to determine whether predetermined information for charging against an outstanding stored fare value is to be transmitted to the portable terminal identified by said portable terminal identifying module after said card information regarding said conditions for the corresponding operation is acquired from the IC card; and

a module to transmit said information determined by said information transmission determining module,

wherein said information transmission determining module is capable of performing selected one of an operation of using, as conditions for determining the transmission of predetermined information, selected one of a change item and a change amount of the change item of the card information set by a user of at least said portable terminal, and the operation of permitting the user to set the contents of the information transmitted to said user.

8. A management apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

an information receiving module to receive said predetermined information transmitted by the management apparatus.

9. A management apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein said information transmission determining module transmits selected one of information for starting a program to charge the value at said portable terminal, information for renewal of a validity period of a commuter pass at the portable terminal and information for starting a program to renew the validity period of the commuter pass at the portable terminal.

10. A management apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said corresponding operation module performs selected one of an operation of charging an SF value and an operation of renewing a validity period of a commuter pass.

11. A management apparatus according to claim 8, comprising an access corresponding operation module which identifies a user.

12. A management apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

an information receiving module to receive said predetermined information transmitted by the management apparatus.