Optical payment transceiver and system using the same

Abstract

An optical payment transceiver and an optical settlement system using the same uses a personal portable terminal incorporated with an optical transceiver as a card substitute payment unit for settlement. Here, card information is incorporated in a personal portable terminal incorporated with an optical transceiver such as a portable phone or a PDA and the optical transceiver is connected to a card inquiry machine to thereby optically transmit and receive card information. The card inquiry machine recognizes the received card information in the same manner as that of the card reader reading a magnetic card, and transmits the card information to a VAN company server or a card company server, to then request for an approval and settle transactions. The present invention is applied to most fields where financial transactions are performed as in a general commerce, a toll gate fee or tunnel passage fee collection system, a subway or bus fare levying system, a gas station, a department store, a drive-thru ordering system, a vending machine, and a fee payment system of kiosks. Also, the present invention can be applied to an entrance/exit security system requiring personal identification. Thus, the present invention can use a portable terminal as a payment unit without carrying a cash or cards, to thereby provide an effect of performing a safer and more reliable credit transaction.

1 . A method of programming a personal trusted device comprising: 
 providing a microadapter device having a wireless transceiver and configured to communicate with a merchant;    communicating an identity signal from a user's personal trusted device to the microadapter device;    communicating the identity signal from the microadapter device to a remote location;    communicating data from the remote location to the microadapter upon authenticating the identity signal; and    communicating the data from the microadapter to the wireless transceiver of the personal trusted device.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the remote location comprises a server hosting a financial management application, and communication of the data comprises communicating at least one of a user preference and an updated user financial account status.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the remote location comprises a server in communication with a purchase incentive program, and communication of the data comprises communicating a purchase incentive.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the remote location comprises an account validity monitor, and communication of the data causes inactivation of at least one of a financial account number stored on the PTD, and a software code of a software application stored on the PTD.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the remote location comprises a token issuer, and communication of the data comprises communicating a token to the PTD.  
     
     
         6 . A method for enhancing security in a payment settlement system using a portable terminal, the security enhancement method comprising the steps of: 
 inputting charge number information into the portable terminal and encrypting the charge number information using secret number;    wirelessly transmitting both the charge number information and the secret number from the portable terminal;    receiving the charge number information and the secret number and decrypting the charge number information using the received secret number; and    performing a settlement operation with the decrypted charge number information.    
     
     
         7 . An automatic vending system comprising: 
 a payment unit for wirelessly transmitting charge card information;    an automatic vendor including a wireless transceiver for receiving the charge card information and recording particulars of products which are sold;    a storage device for storing the details of sales of the automatic vendor; and    a transmission terminal for transmitting the details of sales stored in the storage device.    
     
     
         8 . The automatic vending system of  claim 7 , wherein said automatic vendor comprises: 
 a vendor controller for controlling sales of products; and    an optical payment receiver for monitoring the vendor controller, recording the sales of products, performing wireless communications with the storage device, and transmitting the recorded details of sales.    
     
     
         9 . The automatic vending system of  claim 8 , wherein said storage device is a PDA.  
     
     
         10 . The automatic vending system of  claim 9 , wherein said PDA comprises: 
 an Ir transceiver for performing wireless communications;    a memory for recording particular of sales;    a controller for controlling the particular of sales received from the Ir transceiver;    a display for displaying a storage status; and    a serial port for transmitting the stored details of sales.    
     
     
         11 . The automatic vending system of  claim 8 , wherein said storage device is a memory pack.  
     
     
         12 . The automatic vending system of  claim 11 , wherein said memory pack is a non-volatile memory.  
     
     
         13 . The automatic vending system of  claim 7 , wherein said transmission terminal is a power line modem connection device.  
     
     
         14 . The automatic vending system of  claim 13 , wherein said automatic vendor comprises: 
 a converter for modulating the recorded details of sales; and    a power line mixer for loading and the modulated details of sales on a power line and sending the loaded result.    
     
     
         15 . The automatic vending system of  claim 14 , wherein said power line modem connection device is connected to a power source terminal.  
     
     
         16 . The automatic vending system of  claim 7 , wherein said transmission terminal comprises: 
 a keypad for setting a settlement mode;    an Ir interfacer for performing infrared communications with the storage device and receiving the stored details of sales;    a serial interfacer connected to the storage device by ports;    a memory storing the details of sales;    a transmission/reception portion for transmitting the details of sales wirelessly;    a display displaying the transmission result; and    a microprocessor for controlling each component and requesting for an approval of the stored details of sales in package at a settlement mode.    
     
     
         17 . The automatic vending system of  claim 7 , wherein said transmission terminal is a portable phone connection device.  
     
     
         18 . The automatic vending system of  claim 17 , wherein said portable phone connection device comprises: 
 an I/F portion for monitoring the automatic vendor and detecting generation of details of sales;    a memory for receiving and storing the details of sales;    a cable connector for connecting a portable phone external connection port by cable;    a UART portion for detecting whether a portable phone is connected and notifying the controller that the portable phone is connected; and    said controller for controlling the details of sales stored in the memory to be transmitted.    
     
     
         19 . The automatic vending system of  claim 7 , wherein said transmission terminal is an internet connection device.  
     
     
         20 . The automatic vending system of  claim 19 , wherein said internet connection device comprises: 
 a memory connector for receiving details of sales stored in the storage device;    an infrared I/F portion for performing infrared communications with the storage device and receiving the stored details of sales;    a serial port; and    a controller for controlling the details of sales to be transmitted via the serial port.    
     
     
         21 . The automatic vending system of  claim 7 , wherein said transmission terminal is a dial-up VAN connection device.  
     
     
         22 . The automatic vending system of  claim 21 , wherein said dial-up VAN connection device comprises a modem for loading the collected details of sales in a phone line and sending the loaded result.  
     
     
         23 . A settlement system comprising: 
 a portable terminal for wirelessly transmitting charge number information;    an RF terminal including an optical transceiver receiving the charge number information from the portable terminal, levying fares and recording levied details; and    a transmission terminal connected to the RF terminal, for transmitting and settling the recorded levied details in package.    
     
     
         24 . The settlement system of  claim 23 , wherein said RF terminal comprises: 
 an optical transceiver for receiving the charge number information from the portable terminal;    a recorder for recording the levied details;    a controller for ascertaining whether the received charge number information is valid and levying the fare if the charge number information is valid and recording the levied details in the recorder; and    a display for displaying a levying fare and a cumulative amount of money.    
     
     
         25 . The settlement system of  claim 24 , wherein said recorder is a separable pack-type memory.