LT5232B - Method for electronically prepaid account replenishment and reusable prepaid card - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to telecommunication systems and methods in particular to prepaid services. A pre-payment telephone card for continuous usage in topping up prepaid accounts in telecommunications is described. The card is a special type of regular pre-payment card, it contains all the information of a regular prepayment card: a secret code (covered with scratch able paint), associated with some amount of money, a serial number which is associated with a secret code, plastic or paper envelope for protection of the scratch able code, EAN product bar-code which encodes the product and is used in the process of sale. The usage of the card invokes additional processes in the telecommunication system - a particular card (or the serial number of the card) is associated with a particular terminal or telephone number, which was used to top-up the prepayment account.

Description

The invention relates to long distance communication systems and modes, more particularly to prepaid services.

Prepaid telecommunications systems (WO 98/34393) and electronic sales using prepaid technology (WO 98/47112) are known in the art.

Mobile prepaid telecommunications systems are also widely known. Consumers purchase a special prepaid card made by a telecommunications operator in retail chains. This card has a special secret code hidden beneath a layer of abrasive paint, which is given a certain monetary value, which the buyer pays the seller when purchasing this card. When a user calls a special telecommunication operator number from his mobile phone and enters a secret code into his mobile phone account, the amount added is the value of the consolidated secret code.

There is also a well-known "operative" replenishment of the prepaid service bill: the point of sale is provided with special equipment (POS terminals), which has a direct connection with the telecommunications operator's information systems. When the user pays a certain amount of money, the user enters the account number of the account to be filled in on a special device and, after the transaction has been approved by the seller, this information goes to the operator's information systems where money is assigned to the specified account user.

The disadvantage of this scheme is that the user wastes time entering the account number of the account being filled in. The timing of the transaction at the point of sale is an important factor, and there is a high probability of errors when entering data manually, users do not always remember the account numbers of the accounts being filled in, and older users find it difficult to hit the right keys.

The proposed telecommunication system, its method of use and the reusable prepaid card solves the above disadvantages and improves the sales process.

The essence of the invention is that in the method of replenishing electronic prepaid service accounts, which includes entering a user sum of money into a data communication terminal having a direct connection with a telecommunications operator terminal, assigning money to a specified user, the user is entering new user identification data. , using an activated prepaid card, and using the serial number of the activated prepaid card associated with the prepaid service's subscriber number in the consumer database as a user identification when activating the prepaid card. In addition, the telecommunications operator shall inform the consumer by SMS of the amount of money assigned to him.

The prepaid card serial number is entered into the data terminal by scanning the card serial number when printed on the card in bar code and Arabic numerals or by scanning the card serial number in an electronic reader when the card serial number is written on the card's magnetic medium or integrated chip.

The proposed new prepaid service reusable recharge card is no different from the regular rechargeable card and is distributed in the same way as regular recharge cards. However, card usage initiates additional processes in the telecommunications operator's information systems - the card serial number is linked to the account of the prepaid subscriber using the card. As a result, the new card has a serial number printed or embossed in bar code and Arabic numerals adjacent to the secret number box, or reproduced on a magnetic medium or integrated chip, and the card's secret peg is associated with the card serial number. In addition, the card serial number is constructed as: X ... XC, where X is a decimal number, C is a check digit constructed from the logarithm of all the digits preceding it.

The proposed new card may additionally have tags for recharging a special account, electronic ticketing for events and giving discounts to special account users. Typically, a prepaid service reusable recharge card is encased in a protective casing to protect the card from mechanical damage.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 - Prepaid Card Acquisition and Registration Scheme;

FIG. 2 - using the prepaid service re-use recharge card in the prepaid service process;

FIG. 3 - Obverse and Reverse of the Prepaid Reusable Refill Card.

For a better understanding of the subject matter of the invention and its advantages, the proposed method of billing and the prepaid card used therein are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. Figure 1 shows a scheme for purchasing and registering a prepaid card. A relatively new card may be called an EXTRA-account EXTRA-ID card. The card acquisition and registration scheme is no different from the usual recharge cards sale and use. The diagram shows:

1. The consumer at the point of sale declares his wish to purchase the card and pays the seller money.

2. The card shall be returned by the seller to the consumer.

3. The user calls the telecommunication operator 7, enters a secret number of 16 digits, and the card's account value is added to the account immediately.

4. Card utilization information (card serial number and subscriber number) is transferred to a user database 8 and stored.

5. The card serial number is assigned to the user in the user database 8 by means of the recording equipment 9.

6. Within about 1 hour after using the card, the user receives an SMS about successful registration: the card is successfully registered and can be used for further account filling.

In this case, the card was activated (first use). The User shall use the Refill Card in the same way as he would use a regular Refill Card to top up his chat account. The usual application procedure is: peel off a coat of paint covering a secret number, call a short number, enter a secret code. The user account is an immediate additional amount of card value. After this recovery operation, the operator's information systems automatically associate the user account number with the serial number of the recharge card used.

FIG. Figure 2 illustrates the use of a prepaid service reusable recharge card in a prepaid service process. The process consists of the following steps:

1. At special points of sale (marked with a special sign, electronic service terminals located at these points) the consumer shall submit to the seller a reusable recharge card and the amount of money to be credited.

2. The seller enters the amount of money received at the terminal and scans the card barcode with the serial number of the card.

3. The request for replenishment shall be forwarded to the telecommunications operator.

4. The system tracks the subscriber number of the account being filled and the amount paid to the creditor by the serial number of the card.

5. The user receives an SMS message about the amount credited.

This can be used to replenish your account.

FIG. Figure 3 shows the reverse and reverse of a prepaid service re-use recharge card. The following example card may be created on the EXTRA Recharge card base of $ 10, but must have a new item code. The proposed new EXTRA-ED card is plastic and reusable. The cellophane pack may also include a leaflet covering the front of the ID card.

EXTRA ID card contents:

Obverse fields:

EXTRA-ID - Card brand - 10;

EXTRA EXPRESS - service mark for EXTRA augmentation tasks - 11;

E-ticket service badge for tickets and loyalty tasks - 12;

E-discount service badge for loyalty program -13;

The EAN system barcode describing the product is used in the product sales process -14.

Fields reverse:

A secret number hidden beneath a layer of abrasive paint and assigned a certain amount of money, -15;

Serial number of the card, which uniquely identifies the secret number: bar code and Arabic numerals - 16;

Frosted field, 17 for user comments (eg name entry).

The serial number of the card meets the following additional requirements:

1. This number shall be printed on the card in the form of a bar code and in Arabic numerals. In general, it can be replicated on magnetic media or on an integrated RFID chip.

2. This number is constructed in a special way: XXXXXXXXXXC, where X is a decimal digit, these digits can be any number, C is a check digit constructed by a special algorithm from all the digits in front of it.

These requirements allow the use of cards with special equipment at electronic service points, which speeds up card serial number scanning and reduces the likelihood of errors in the sales process.

In this way of using the recharge card, the user remains an anonymous user for the operator, and the point of sale does not know the user's subscriber number as this number is not involved in the sales process. The user acquires the reload card simply by using a special recharge card in the usual way.

There is no other way than to associate a recharge card with a specific phone number (other than the standard card activation scheme), so the card registration subsystem is as secure as the regular one time recharge card activation scheme. In case the user loses or damages the card, he / she only needs to buy a new one and activate it - the new card will be linked to the user's account. Third parties cannot gain any material benefit from the use of the card because the card itself has no value.

In addition, after normal use, i.e. activation, this card becomes personalized, i.e. the serial number of the recharge card is linked to the subscriber number. From that point on, the card can be used for three different tasks:

- Replenishment of a special account (eg EXTRA account),

- Electronic ticketing for events,

- Discounts for special account (eg EXTRA) users.

The proposed method of replenishing electronic prepaid service accounts and the prepaid service reusable recharge card further provides the advantage that the present invention does not require additional investment in the production of special cards and their introduction on the market. The use of simple recharge cards (design only) saves money on printing, protecting, and distributing individual cards. Everything is done through the usual trade channels, the usual ways and processes. The use of multiple cards (EXTRA-ID) does not replace conventional recharge cards but reduces the need to use them.

Claims (7)

DEFINITION OF INVENTION 1. A method of replenishing an electronic prepaid service account, comprising entering, upon payment of a sum of money by a user, a user identifier into a data communication terminal having a direct connection to the telecommunications operator's system, assigning money to a specified user, payment card, and uses the serial number of the activated prepaid card associated with the prepaid service subscriber number in the consumer database as the user identification data when activating the prepaid card. 2. The method of replenishing prepaid billing services according to claim 1, wherein the prepaid card serial number is input to the data terminal by scanning the card serial number when the card is printed in bar code and Arabic numerals or by scanning the card serial number in an electronic scanner. when the serial number of the card is recorded on the card's magnetic medium or on an integrated chip. 3. A method of recharging an electronic prepaid service account according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the telecommunications operator informs the user by SMS of the amount of money assigned to him. 4. A prepaid service reusable recharge card, in the usual form of a recharge card, with a secret number field, characterized in that it has a serial number printed or embossed in bar code and Arabic numerals or reproduced on a magnetic medium or an integrated chip, card serial number. 5. The recharge card according to claim 4, wherein the card serial number is constructed in the form X ... XXC, where X is a decimal digit, C is a control digit constructed by a special algorithm of all the digits preceding it. 6. A recharge card according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising tags for recharging the special account, electronic ticketing for events and granting discounts to users of the special account. 7. A recharge card according to claims 4-6, characterized in that it is enclosed in a sheath protecting the card from mechanical damage.