Electronic settlement system, settlement apparatus, and terminal

• US 7,523,067 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Softbank BB Corporation (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi; Hani
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kesack; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/630,557
• Time in Patent Office: 3,184 Days
• Field of Search: 705 64- 67, 705/76, 705/53, 705/75, 705/35, 705 38- 44
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• 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 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A simple, easy, and safe electronic settlement system is provided. A user terminal such as a cellular phone is wirelessly connected to a synchronizing server at a counter of a retailer. A cashier terminal of the retailer connects to the synchronizing server via a private line and so on. The cashier terminal receives a transaction identifying number in order to identify the transaction from the synchronizing server, and notifies to a user. A user inputs the transaction identifying number to the user terminal and transmits the transaction identifying number to the synchronizing server. The synchronizing server completes a transaction between the virtual cashier terminal and the user terminal, both of which are corresponded to each other by the transaction identification number. The cashier terminal authenticates the user intermediated by the synchronizing server. The user can complete a settlement without telling his or her personal information such as a credit card number or a password to a retailer. A security of the system is improved.

Claims

1. An electronic settlement system for effecting an authentication through a communication network, comprising:

a first terminal for purchasing an item by a user thereof, which is at least one of a cellular phone and a PDA, the first terminal including an input unit for inputting authentication information of the user and connecting to the communication network;

a second terminal for charging the user of the first terminal a purchase amount, the second terminal being connected to the communication network;

a database for storing authentication information of the user and a plurality of authentication methods; and

a mediating server which performs the settlement of the authentication by mediating a communication between the first terminal and the second terminal one-to-one when receiving an ID information from one of the first terminal and the second terminal so as to determine that the first terminal and the second terminal are participating in a same purchase, the mediating server setting at least one of the authentication methods selected by either one of the users of the first terminal and the second terminal, the selected authentication method being processed between the first terminal and the second terminal that have been determined to be participating in the same purchase, wherein one of the mediating server and the second terminal authenticates the user by using the authentication information stored in the database,

wherein when receiving a request signal from one of the first terminal and the second terminal, the mediating server sets up and transmits the ID information to the one of the first terminal and the second terminal which sent the request signal to the mediating server, and when receiving the same ID information from the other one of the second terminal and the first terminal, the mediating server mediates the communication with the first terminal and the second terminal, the settlement of the purchase is executed by an instruction from said first terminal during mediating the communication with the first terminal and the second terminal,

wherein the request signal includes a unique ID of at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal, and

wherein said database includes,

a first terminal database for storing the authentication information of the user and the authentication methods demanded by the user of said first terminal, and

a second terminal database for storing an authentication method demanded by the user of the second terminal, wherein the mediating server sets an agreeable authentication method in accordance with the authentication method stored in the first terminal database and the authentication method stored in the second terminal database.

2. An electronic settlement system according to claim 1, wherein said second terminal connects to said mediating server via at least one of a commercial telephone line and a private line, and said first terminal connects to said mediating server via at least one of a radio telephone communication and a video telephone communication.

3. An electronic settlement system according to claim 1, wherein the mediating server stores respective agreeable authentication methods in relation to a combination of the authentication method demanded by the user and the authentication method demanded by the user of the second terminal, and the mediating server sets the agreeable authentication method by verifying the authentication methods stored in the first terminal database and the second terminal database.

4. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein the mediating server includes the second terminal database and the first terminal database.

5. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein each of the second terminal database and the first terminal database stores at least one of:

a visual authentication method, a password authentication method a voice authentication method, an iris image authentication method, a retina image authentication method, and a fingerprint authentication method.

6. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein the first terminal database stores at least one of the authentication methods in relation to a type of the authentication, the first terminal database sends the mediating server a type-signal which indicates the type of the authentication from the first terminal, and the mediating server retrieves at least one of the authentication methods in accordance with the type-signal received from the first terminal.

7. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein the first terminal database stores different authentication methods in accordance with a purchase amount limit predetermined by the user, the second terminal sends the mediating server the purchase amount, and the mediating server retrieves one of the authentication methods from the first terminal database, based on the purchase amount received from the second terminal.

8. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein the second terminal database stores different authentication methods in accordance with a purchase amount limit predetermined by the second terminal, the second terminal sends the mediating server the purchase amount, and the mediating server retrieves one of the authentication methods from the second terminal database, based on the purchase amount received from the second terminal.

9. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein the mediating server sets the authentication demanded by the first terminal as the agreeable authentication method if the second terminal appoints no authentication method, and the mediating server sets the authentication method demanded by the second terminal as the agreeable authentication method if the first terminal does not set the authentication method.

10. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein the first terminal is a cellular phone and the input unit of the cellular phone inputs at least one of a facial portrait, a voice, an iris image, a retina image, and a fingerprint image of the user of the first terminal, and the second terminal is a cashier terminal including an input unit and the input unit of the cashier terminal inputs the at least one of the facial portrait, the voice, the iris image, the retina image, the fingerprint image of the user.

11. An electronic settlement system according to claim 10, wherein the cashier terminal is provided at a retailer.

12. An electronic settlement system according to claim 10, wherein the cashier terminal is provided on at least one of a shopping server and an Internet.

13. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein if an authentication accuracy of the authentication method demanded by the second terminal differs from an authentication accuracy of the authentication method demanded by the user, the authentication method having higher authentication accuracy is selected for the agreeable authentication method.

14. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein if the authentication method demanded by the second terminal does not match the authentication method demanded by the user, the synchronizing server refuses to authenticate the user and transmits to the first terminal information indicating that the authentication is refused.

15. An electronic settlement system according to claim 3, wherein the authentication method is invoked by the user.

16. An apparatus for effecting an authentication through a communication network with a first terminal including an input unit for inputting authentication information of a user, which is at least one of a cellular phone and a PDA, and a second terminal, for charging the user a purchase amount, the apparatus comprising:

a first communication unit connected to the second terminal via a first communication network;

a second communication unit connected to the first terminal via a second communication network;

a database for storing the authentication information of the user and a plurality of authentication methods; and

a processing unit for performing the settlement of the authentication by mediating a communication between the first terminal and the second terminal one-to-one when one of the first communication unit and the second communication unit receives an ID information from one of the second terminal and the first terminal so as to determine that the second terminal and the first terminal are participating in a same purchase, wherein the processing unit processes at least one of the authentication of the user or mediates the authentication of the user selected by either one of the users of the first terminal and the second terminal, the selected authentication method being processed by the first terminal and the second terminal, by using the authentication information stored in the database,

wherein, when one of the first communication unit and the second communication unit receives a request signal from one of the second terminal and the first terminal, the processing unit sets up the ID information and one of the first and second communication units transmits the ID information to the one of the second terminal and the first terminal which sent the request signal, and when one of the first and second communication units receives the same ID information from the other one of the first terminal and the second terminal, the processing unit mediates the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal, the settlement of the purchase is executed by an instruction from said first terminal during mediating the communication with the first terminal and the second terminal,

wherein the request signal includes a unique ID of at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal, and

wherein said database includes,

a first terminal database for storing the authentication information of the user and the authentication methods demanded by the user of said first terminal, and

a second terminal database for storing an authentication method demanded by the user of the second terminal, wherein the processing unit sets up an agreeable authentication method in accordance with the authentication methods stored in the first terminal database and the second terminal database.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16,

wherein said second communication unit detects a calling telephone number of the first terminal, and

said processing unit retrieves information about a user of the first terminal from said first terminal database based on the calling telephone number, and said processing unit checks at least one of a registration status of the user, a payment history of the user, and an available amount of the user.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said processing unit retrieves at least a part of an attribute information of the user of the first terminal from said first terminal database, and said first communication unit transmits to the second terminal at least a part of said attribute information of the user of the first terminal.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein when said second communication unit receives a message which demands a purchase history of the user of the first terminal, said processing unit retrieves said purchase history of the user from said first terminal database, and said second communication unit transmits said purchase history to the first terminal.

20. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each of the second terminal database and the first terminal database stores at least one of:

a visual authentication method, a password authentication method a voice authentication method, an iris image authentication method, a retina image authentication method, and a fingerprint authentication method.

21. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first terminal database stores different authentication methods in accordance with a purchase amount limit predetermined by the user, the first communication unit receives the purchase amount from the second terminal, and the processing unit retrieves one of the authentication methods from the first terminal database, based on the purchase amount received by the second communication unit.

22. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first terminal database stores at least one of the authentication methods in relation to a type of the authentication, the second communication unit receives a type-signal which indicates the type of the authentication from the first terminal, and the processing unit retrieves at least one of the authentication methods in accordance with the type-signal from the first terminal.

23. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second terminal database stores different authentication methods in accordance with a purchase amount limit predetermined by the second terminal, the first communication unit receives the purchase amount from the second terminal, and the processing unit retrieves one of the authentication methods from the second terminal database, based on the purchase amount received by the first communication unit.

24. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the processing unit sets the authentication method demanded by the first terminal as the agreeable authentication method if the second terminal does not set the authentication method, and the processing unit sets the authentication method demanded by the second terminal as the agreeable authentication method if the first terminal does not set the authentication method.

25. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first terminal is a cellular phone and the input unit of the cellular phone inputs at least one of a facial portrait, a voice, an iris image, a retina image, and a fingerprint image of the user, and the second terminal is a cashier terminal including an input unit and the input unit of the cashier terminal inputs the at least one of the facial portrait, the voice, the iris image, the retina image, and the fingerprint image of the user.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the cashier terminal is provided at a retailer.

27. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the cashier terminal is provided on at least one of a shopping server and an Internet.

28. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the authentication method is invoked by the user.

29. A recording medium which stores a program for a computer, communicating with a second terminal performing billing of an authentication and with a first terminal, which is at least one of a cellular phone and a PDA, performing paying of the authentication, and performs a settlement of the authentication, the program comprising:

a first communication module which prompts to communicate to the second terminal via a first communication network;

a second communication module connected to the first terminal via a second communication network;

a storage module for storing authentication information of a user and a plurality of authentication methods; and

a processing module which performs the settlement of the authentication by mediating a communication between the first terminal and the second terminal one-to-one when one of the first communication unit and the second communication unit receives an ID information from one of the second terminal and the first terminal so as to determine that the second terminal and the first terminal are participating in a same purchase, wherein the processing module processes an authentication of the user or mediates the authentication of the user processed by the first terminal and the second terminal, by using the authentication information stored in the storage module in a manner selected by either one of the users of the first terminal and the second terminal,

wherein, when one of the first communication module and the second communication module receives a request signal from one of the second terminal and the first terminal, the processing module sets up the ID information and one of the first and second communication modules transmits the ID information to the one of the second terminal and the first terminal which sent the request signal, and when one of the first and second communication modules receives the same ID information from the other one of the first terminal and the second terminal, the processing module mediates the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal, the settlement of the purchase is executed by an instruction from said first terminal during mediating the communication with the first terminal and the second terminal,

wherein the request signal includes a unique ID of at least one of the first communication module and the second communication module, and

wherein said storage module includes,

a first terminal database for storing the authentication information of the user and the authentication methods demanded by the user of said first terminal, and

a second terminal database for storing an authentication method demanded by the user of the second terminal, wherein the processing module sets an agreeable authentication method in accordance with the authentication method stored in the first terminal database and the authentication method stored in the second terminal database.

30. A recording medium according to claim 29, wherein the second communication module receives an authentication method invoked by the user and the processing module processes the authentication of the user or intermediates the authentication of the user, in accordance with the authenticating method invoked by the user.

31. A method of effecting an authentication through a communication network, comprising:

inputting authentication information of a user purchasing an item through a first terminal, which is at least one of a cellular phone and a PDA, to the communication network;

charging the user of the first terminal a purchase amount through a second terminal over the communication network;

storing authentication information of the user and a plurality of authentication methods in a database; and

performing settlement of the authentication by mediating a communication between the first terminal and the second terminal one-to-one when receiving an ID information from one of the first terminal and the second terminal so as to determine that the first terminal and the second terminal are participating in a same purchase, the mediating using at least one of the authentication methods that has been selected by either one of the users of the first terminal and the second terminal, the selected authentication method being processed between the first terminal and the second terminal that have been determined to be participating in the same purchase, wherein one of the mediating and the charging authenticates the user by using the authentication information stored in the database,

wherein, when receiving a request signal from one of the first terminal and the second terminal, the mediating involves set up and transmission of the ID information to the one of the first terminal and the second terminal which sent the request signal, and when receiving the same ID information from the other one of the second terminal and the first terminal, the mediating involves communication with the first terminal and the second terminal, the settlement of the purchase is executed by an instruction from said first terminal during mediating the communication with the first terminal and the second terminal,

wherein the request signal includes a unique ID of at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal, and

wherein said database includes,

a first terminal database for storing the authentication information of the user and the authentication methods demanded by the user of said first terminal, and

a second terminal database for storing an authentication method demanded by the user of the second terminal, wherein the performing step sets an agreeable authentication method in accordance with the authentication method stored in the first terminal database and the authentication method stored in the second terminal database.

32. An electronic settlement system for effecting an authentication through a communication network, comprising:

a first terminal for purchasing an item by a user thereof, which is at least one of a cellular phone and a PDA, the first terminal including an input unit for inputting authentication information of the user and connecting to the communication network;

a second terminal for charging the user of the first terminal a purchase amount, the second terminal being connected to the communication network;

a database for storing authentication information of the user and a plurality of authentication methods; and

a mediating server which performs the settlement of the authentication by mediating a communication between the first terminal and the second terminal one-to-one when receiving an ID information from one of the first terminal and the second terminal so as to determine that the first terminal and the second terminal are participating in a same purchase, the mediating server setting at least one of the authentication methods selected by either one of the users of the first terminal and the second terminal, the selected authentication method being processed between the first terminal and the second terminal that have been determined to be participating in the same purchase, wherein one of the mediating server and the second terminal authenticates the user by using the authentication information stored in the database,

wherein said database includes a first terminal database for storing the authentication information of the user and the authentication methods demanded by the user of said first terminal; and

a second terminal database for storing an authentication method demanded by the user of the second terminal, wherein the mediating server sets an agreeable authentication method in accordance with the authentication method stored in the first terminal database and the authentication method stored in the second terminal database, and

wherein the settlement of the purchase is executed by an instruction from said first terminal during mediating the communication with the first terminal and the second terminal.