Remote rechargeable prepaid cellular service peripheral device

• US 7,454,232 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maher Abuhamdeh
• Original Assignee: Maher Abuhamdeh
• Inventors: Abuhamdeh, Maher
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; David Q
• Application Number:
  US10/859,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20040235524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/406, 455/407, 455/585.1, 455/414.1, 455/556.1, 455/552
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• 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 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/92 Autonomous calculations of charges in terminal, i.e. meter not controlled from exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An integrated prepaid cellular service and telephone unit including a cellular transceiver, a storage unit, a processor; and a credit/debit card interface. In a further aspect, the invention includes code for contacting a cellular provider, transmitting user debit/credit information, receiving a quantity of pre-paid cellular service units, storing the units, and allowing use of the cellular transceiver as long as said units does not equal zero.

Claims

1. A system for transfer of electronic money, comprising:

a back-end server, the back-end server including a transaction engine; and

a cell phone adapted to communicate with the back-end server, the cell phone including;

a transceiver adapted to transmit and receive information;

a processor adapted to process information received and transmitted through the transceiver; and

an internal data storage unit including memory which stores electronic money, the data storage unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor enable the cell phone to;

receive and store user financial information including credit or debit card account information in said storage unit;

receive a request for electronic money;

begin communication with the back-end server for the purpose of transmitting the user financial information and the request after receiving the user financial information and the request;

automatically transmit the user financial information and the request to the back-end server using the transceiver; and

receive and store in said memory the requested electronic money from the back-end server;

wherein the transaction engine is adapted to receive the user financial information and the request in order to authorize the request; and

wherein the electronic money is transmitted directly from said memory in said cell phone with said cell phone functioning as a point of sale device to complete purchases.

2. A method for a user for conducting mobile commerce comprising:

a) entering credit or debit card account information into a cell phone to request electronic money to be received by and stored in internal memory of the cell phone;

b) sending and receiving the credit or debit card account information and financial transmission messages to and from the cell phone; and

c) at a payment processing server, processing the financial transactions sent from or received by the cell phone including recalling the electronic money from the internal memory of the cell phone to conduct mobile commerce; and

d) wherein the cell phone functions as a point of sale device.