RU2172014C2 - Monetary payment technique - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: payment by means of circulating cards. SUBSTANCE: proposed technique includes issue of material code media by payment center. Each material code medium bears its particular identification code and payment operation codes. Accounts corresponding to identification codes are opened. Before transferring money owner sends his identification code, recipient's cash execution code, and sum transferred to payment center. The latter checks up data sent and executes transfer. Each cash execution code indicated on material code medium is used for single cash transfer. EFFECT: provision for using communications services without pre-payment. 7 cl, 1 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to methods for making cash payments using cards issued in circulation.

 There are various ways of conducting cash payments using credit cards. The essence of using such methods is to open a bank account, in accordance with which a credit card is issued, which has a certain identification code. When using a card, the code is read by special equipment, reported to the bank and checked by it. If there is money in the account, the bank makes a payment. In parallel, these cards can also be used in settlements, when the cardholder reports the code directly to the seller, for example, by e-mail. In this case, it is more difficult to provide protection against unscrupulous persons and additional measures have to be applied to increase the reliability of the system.

 When operating a credit card system, it is required to hide the identification code of the card from unauthorized persons, therefore, various magnetic, optical and electronic systems for recording and encrypting the code are used, which requires complex and expensive equipment for checking credit cards, reading information from them and transferring them to the bank.

 In addition, a cash transaction with such a card is possible only if there is a special device for reading information from a credit card. Therefore, such systems are cost-effective in cases where the costs of their deployment and maintenance are justified by the funds deposited in bank accounts.

 As examples of systems, analogues of the invention, the following can be cited.

 The invention according to US patent N 5754653, H 04 L 004/00, priority from July 26, 1995 "Code formula for checking checks and credit cards." The method is intended to verify that the user of the check, the owner of the credit card or the user of the current account has the right to make a transaction (money transfer). The issuer of the check or credit card or the checking institution assigns each user a secret code formula consisting of two variables: a basic numerical code divided into two parts, and one or more arithmetic modes. The user who has the right to conduct a money transaction calculates a verification numerical code in two steps using two parts of the base code and the check number or transaction amount, then he puts the result on the check or transaction receipt. Verification is carried out by the issuer.

 The invention according to US patent N 5924084, IPC G 07 F 019/00; G 06 F 015/30; G 06 F 015/20; H 04 L 009/00, priority July 5, 1996 "Method for tracking a payment transaction in an anonymous payment system." When performing the method, electronic means of payment, the so-called "smart cards", are used. The user assigns a value (w), which can later be used for tracking by the payment institution. Preferably, the value of (w) is recorded using the so-called one-way function (F) and electronic signature (δ), so that the payment institution does not have the value itself, but can verify it based on the derived function.

 Known application of the Russian Federation N 93028373/09, IPC G 07 F 7/08; G 06 K 19/067, priority May 24, 1993 "System for making payments and services using an electronic card."

 The system for making payments and services using an electronic card contains an electronic card having memory zones for recording financial transaction information, card identification number, secret code number, user identification information, codes and passwords, an information reader, and various recording devices on the card, analysis and processing of information, as well as related communications. The system for making payments and services using an electronic card has wider functionality, as it provides recording on an electronic card payment information received at various banks and from various sources of financing, as well as calculating balances of payment amounts and writing them to the card upon completion Erase payment information. The system also allows for the identification of the user's identity with an electronic card in the provision of services and has increased protection against illegal use by comparing individual data and indicators recorded on the card and entered by the user.

 There are also known methods of payment for special services, such as travel cards (payment for transport services) or telephone cards, to pay for communication services. Such systems have almost the same drawback, that is, the need for sufficiently sophisticated equipment for the production of cards and the operation of the system.

 As an example of such a system, one can cite the patent of the Russian Federation N 2119265, IPC H 04 M 17/02, priority September 9, 1997 "Method for deferred payment of telephone communications and a chip card for implementing the method."

 The technical result of the invention is the provision by a subscriber of communication services without advance payment. The chip card does not contain financial information and includes only information about the personal identification number, the phone number code of the subscriber, which includes the city and country code, as well as information about the payment and time limit. When using a payphone, the number code is transmitted for processing to the database of the telephone exchange and to the subscriber at their home or legal address, an invoice is issued for the negotiations. This allows you to refuse to pre-pay calls and use a chip card to pay for various services by deferred payment.

 The closest analogue to the method is the invention according to US patent N 5485510, IPC H 04 M 017/00; H 04 M 011/00, priority January 16, 1996 "Secure authorization of credit / debit cards." A method of making a purchase using credit / debit cards involves the purchase of a card number without providing the seller of goods and services. The cardholder connects to the database and provides her with the card number along with information identifying the holder. The database checks the ability of the cardholder to make the costs associated with the purchase, and if so, provides the seller with a designation and authorization code. The card number cannot be obtained from this information, thus keeping the card number secret.

 This method differs from the commonly used method of calculation, when the card number is provided to the seller of goods or services by telephone or by electronic means of communication. In this case, the card number does not become known to the seller. However, the card is a traditional bank card. The remaining money transfer operations are carried out in the usual way.

 The closest analogue for the card is a card containing a field for displaying the card identification code described in US Pat. No. 5,485,510.

 The method according to the invention and the associated card for performing cash settlements solve the following technical problem: creating a new settlement system that allows you to transfer funds using open communication channels, does not require an identification of the owner of the funds, involves low costs functioning, simple and user friendly, protected from abuse.

 The method of making cash settlements is that the settlement center issues material carriers of codes for free circulation, each of which contains its own identification code and its own set of codes for conducting payment transactions and opens accounts corresponding to identification codes. Each material carrier of codes, in the simplest case, can be made in the form of a card on which codes are printed, for example, in a printing way.

 When transferring funds, including when paying for goods or services, the owner of the identification code informs the settlement center of the identification code, code for the payment transaction, the recipient and the amount of the money transfer. The owner of the identification code can communicate this information by telephone or by electronic means of communication. The Settlement Center checks the correctness of the reported codes, the amount of cash balance in the account corresponding to the identification code and carries out the transfer.

 The protection of funds in accounts from unscrupulous persons consists in the fact that each code for a payment transaction indicated on a tangible medium is used to transfer funds only once and for the next transfer of funds it will be necessary to indicate the following code for making a payment transaction.

 Funds on accounts corresponding to identification codes are generated when the card is sold (face value). Cards, for the convenience of payers, can be issued in various denominations. Funds may be credited to the account in another way, for example, by direct transfer.

 At the owner’s request, funds from his account corresponding to the identification code can be transferred to another account, the identification code of which he will indicate.

 The owner of the identification code can receive cash from the account in cash.

 A bank, or another, for example, a specially created legal entity, can be used as a settlement center.

 A material carrier of codes for circulation can be issued in the form of a card, card, book with tear-off sheets, an electronic device that stores codes and so on.

 The card for cash settlements contains a field for displaying the identification code of a card with at least three symbolic positions, and contains at least ten fields for placing codes for carrying out payment transactions. Each code for a payment transaction contains at least two symbolic positions. At least one position of the card identification code is configured to be deleted by the card holder during operation. This is to make it impossible to read the complete identification code of the card by an outsider.

 The choice of the number of card identification code fields depends, first of all, on the number of cards issued by the system. The number of transaction codes depends on the estimated number of payment transactions for a given face value of a card for cash settlements with a predetermined redundancy. The number of positions for operation codes is determined by the probability of random guessing the code.

 A card for making cash settlements can be made in the form of a card or a book with tear-off sheets, each of which contains a field for placing the transaction code.

 A card for making cash settlements can be put up for sale in a sealed form, or the card’s identification code and transaction code fields in the initial state can be hidden by another easily removable coating.

 Payment card identification code and codes for payment transactions can be placed on one side of the card, and information necessary for using the card is placed on the other side of the card.

 The proposed method has new, previously unknown and non-obvious properties.

 Firstly, the described method of conducting cash settlements allows you to quickly make operations to transfer funds from your account using open communication channels such as telephone, Internet, etc., while ensuring a sufficient degree of system security from unscrupulous persons.

 Secondly, the opening of an account corresponding to the identification code and access to cash on the account is opened at the time of purchase of the card for cash settlements in free sale, bypassing the standard procedures for opening bank accounts. In this case, the funds in the account are stored in anonymous form, i.e. to open an account corresponding to the identification code and to conduct payment transactions with it, it is not necessary to indicate the identity of the owner.

Thirdly, this payment system has a number of unique consumer advantages:
- low costs for the implementation and operation of the system make it accessible to a wide segment of the population, allowing you to store in your accounts and operate with small amounts of money;
- simplicity of operating an account and the ability to make a payment transaction by a regular telephone;
- providing the cardholder with the advantages of a bank form of storing money - reliability, security, the ability to index money.

 Thus, the proposed method of cash settlements combines the advantages of existing payment systems: cashless payments - reliability, remote control; cash payments - depersonalization, simplicity, accessibility; credit cards - security.

 The method implemented using the card described in the invention also has the properties indicated above.

 Because inventions meet the criteria of "novelty" and "inventive step".

 The invention is illustrated by the scheme.

 The drawing shows a diagram of a card for cash settlements.

 The method is as follows.

 The Settlement Center issues material carriers of codes, each of which contains its own identification code. Codes for carrying out payment transactions are also recorded on the media. As a material medium, a card made, for example, by a printing method can be used. Cards of various denominations can be issued. In addition, the material carrier of codes can be in the form of a card, a book with tear-off coupons, an electronic device from which the owner can read the codes.

 The drawing shows a diagram of such a card. On the front side is the information necessary to use the card. On the reverse side is the identification code of the card, which has at least three positions. With mass use of the system, this will be, for example, six - nine-digit number. On the reverse side of the card there are at least ten fields on which codes for payment transactions are placed. One code allows you to make only one money transfer. The number of codes for carrying out payment operations depends on the estimated number of payment operations for a given face value of a card with a predetermined redundancy. The number of positions for codes for carrying out payment transactions depends on the possible number of operations and is selected in such a way as to minimize the probability of random guessing the code.

 The card can be issued in any other form, for example, in the form of a book with tear-off coupons where codes are printed.

 An additional convenience of using the system is that the owner of the identification code is anonymous. The card can be transferred to any person.

 The following measures are taken to protect against the dishonesty of third parties.

 Firstly, the card is issued in the form when the codes are hidden from prying eyes by an easily removable coating. It can be a wrapper or a special card cover. Coverage removes the person who bought the card. Secondly, the person who bought the card can delete one or several positions of the identification code, having previously memorized them so that third parties could not use it. Thirdly, codes for payment transactions during the operation of the card can also be covered by the cover and not accessible to the public eye.

 In order for no stranger to use the knowledge of codes, each code is used only once for the payment transaction.

 The settlement center may be a bank, or another organization that has the right to such operations, or cooperates with the bank.

 The Settlement Center opens accounts corresponding to identification codes. After buying a card of the corresponding face value or transferring money to the appropriate identification code, since cards of zero face value can be issued, an amount appears on the account that the holder of the identification code can use for any money transfer. In particular, this may be: payment for goods or services, payments for an apartment and utility bills, payment for telephone services, receiving announcements, payment for Internet access, and so on. In addition, the owner of the identification code can transfer funds to another identification code, that is, the holder of another card and receive cash in cash from an account corresponding to the identification code of which he is the owner.

 When transferring funds, the owner of the identification code informs the settlement center by telephone, electronically or by any means currently and in the future available, the identification code, code for the payment transaction, the recipient and the amount of the money transfer. In this case, as mentioned earlier, each time a new code is used to carry out a payment transaction. The Settlement Center checks the correctness of the reported codes, the amount of cash balance in the account corresponding to this identification code, and transfers. If the code for the payment transaction that has already been used is reported, the account is blocked, and the owner of the identification code is called to the billing center. The account may be blocked in other cases at the request of the owner or in case of any suspicion of fraud.

 Thus, the main advantage of the proposed method is the ability to quickly conduct cash payments using open communication channels, while ensuring sufficient security of the system at low costs for its deployment and operation.

Claims (7)

 1. A method of making cash settlements, including the issue of tangible media with codes, characterized in that the settlement center issues tangible media of codes, each of which contains its own identification code and codes for conducting payment transactions and opens accounts corresponding to identification codes, after acquisition of the tangible carrier of codes to the account corresponding to the identification code, money is received from the sale of the tangible carrier of codes when transferring funds , including when paying for goods or services, the owner of the identification code informs the settlement center through the communication channels the identification code, the code for the payment transaction, the recipient of the transfer and the amount of the money transfer, and the settlement center verifies the correctness of the indicated codes related to this tangible medium, the amount of cash balance in the account corresponding to this identification code and carries out the transfer, with each code for the payment transaction indicated on the mat ble carrier codes used for the transfer of funds once.  2. The method of making cash settlements according to claim 1, characterized in that as a tangible carrier of codes, a card is used with an identification code and codes for performing payment transactions.  3. The method of making cash settlements according to claim 1, characterized in that a bank is used as a settlement center.  4. The method of making cash settlements according to claim 1, characterized in that, at the request of the owner of the identification code, funds from the account corresponding to this identification code are transferred to another account corresponding to another identification code.  5. The method of making cash settlements according to claim 1, characterized in that money is additionally credited to the account corresponding to the identification code, at the request of the owner of the identification code.  6. The method of making cash settlements according to claim 1, characterized in that the owner of the identification code reports the identification code and the code for the payment transaction to the settlement center by telephone or using electronic means of communication.  7. The method of making cash settlements according to claim 1, characterized in that the owner of the identification code receives cash from the account corresponding to the identification code in cash.