Electronic payment system, payment apparatus and terminal thereof

• US 20060000890A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Softbank BB Corporation (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,296,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/06 Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

An electronic payment system for making electronic money payments for transactions. A payment terminal stores a balance of electronic money for payment on a dealing by electronic money. A demanding terminal communicates with the payment terminal to demand the payment and a payment apparatus communicates with the demanding terminal and stores a balance of electronic money to correspond to an identification number of the payment terminal for allowing settlement on the dealing. The demanding terminal receives from the payment terminal the balance stored in the payment terminal and transmits the balance to the payment apparatus. The payment apparatus detects an improper use by checking the balance stored in the payment terminal, which was received from the demanding terminal, with the balance stored in the payment apparatus. The system of the present invention provides secure and convenient electronic money payment for a user'"'"'s transaction.

Claims

1. A communication adapter, to which a payment terminal for making electronic money payment on a dealing is attached, whereby the payment terminal communicates with a charging system for a toll road, the communication adapter comprising:

a detection unit operable to detect an electric wave signal transmitted from said charging system; and

a control unit operable to make said payment terminal, attached to said communication adapter, communicate with said charging system by wireless communication to send said charging system a check reference number of electronic money stored in said payment terminal for validation of said electronic money, in a case where said electric signal from said charging system was detected.

2. The communication adapter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sound notification unit operable to generate a first sound for notifying a result of said validation of said electronic money, in a case where said result of said validation of said electronic money was received from said charging system.

3. The communication adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein said payment terminal sends a balance of said electronic money to said charging system, and said sound notification unit generates a second sound for notifying a shortage of said balance of said electronic money, in a case where the shortage of said balance was notified from said charging system.

4. A payment terminal for communicating with a charging system of a toll road to pay toll by electronic money, comprising:

a memory unit operable to store a check reference number of said electronic money;

a detection unit operable to detect an electric wave signal transmitted from said charging system; and

a communication unit operable to communicate with said charging system to send said check reference number, stored in said memory unit, to said charging system, in a case where said detection unit detected said electric wave signal.