Method and system for online payments using sensor with identifier

• US 7,222,098 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne, Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US10/291,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 705/53, 705/56, 705/58, 705/62, 705/75, 705/67, 705/70, 705/72, 705/73, 705/77, 705/79, 705/21, 705/23, 705/33, 705/34, 705/39, 382/232
• US Class Current: 705/40
• 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 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed which relate to online payments via interface surfaces printed with information and coded data. The coded data, encoded visibly or invisibly, may be queried by an appropriate sensing device. The sensing device communicates with a computer system. Together, the interface surfaces, sensing device and computer system are capable of effecting payment transactions over a network.

Claims

1. A method of enabling payment of a bill comprising the steps of:

providing a bill containing information relating to a requested payment, the bill including visible graphic data defining at least one input element and a plurality of tags, each tag containing coded data identifying its own location on the bill and an identity of the bill;

writing on or pointing at an input element using a pen having an optical sensor, the optical sensor sensing at least some of coded data contained in at least one tag as the pen writes on or points at the input element;

generating indicating data in the pen, the indicating data identifying the bill and at least one of a position and a movement of the pen relative to the bill;

sending the indicating data to a computer system,

thereby enabling the computer system to determine at least one parameter relating to a requested payment,

wherein the pen stores a pen identifier which distinguishes the pen from other pens of the same type.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one parameter relating to the requested payment is associated with at least one zone of the bill and in which the method includes identifying, in the computer system and from the zone relative to which the sensing device is located, said at least one parameter.

3. The method of claim 2 which includes

identifying, in the computer system and from at least one of said movement and said position being at least partially within said at least one zone, said at least one parameter of the requested payment.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is an option parameter of the requested payment, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that a hand-drawn mark has been entered by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the option parameter.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

cardholder name, payment method or credit card type.

6. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is a text parameter of the requested payment, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that handwritten text data has been entered by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the text parameter.

7. The method of claim 6 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten text data to computer text.

8. The method of claim 6 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten text data to computer text using an online handwriting recognition program.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a cardholder name, an amount paid or a card expiry date.

10. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is an authorization parameter of the requested payment, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that a handwritten signature has been entered by means of the pen and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the authorization parameter.

11. The method of claim 10 which includes verifying, in the computer system, that the signature is that of a particular person.

12. The method of claim 11 in which the authorization parameter is associated with payment authorization.

13. The method of claim 2 in which the parameter is an action parameter of the requested payment, the method including effecting, in the computer system, an operation in respect of the action parameter.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the action parameter of the requested payment is selected from the group comprising:

requesting that payment be made, specifying a payment amount or resetting the bill to an original state.

15. The method of claim 1, further including the step of sending, to the computer system, the pen identifier.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of sending, to the computer system, the pen identifier comprises sending the pen identifier as an encrypted pen identifier.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the encrypted pen identifier is encrypted using an encryption key.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of sending, to the computer system, the pen identifier comprises sending the pen identifier via a radio frequency signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of sending, to the computer system, the pen identifier comprises sending the pen identifier via a relay device adapted to receive the radio frequency signal.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the pen stores the pen identifier in a non-volatile memory in the pen.