FI107648B - Payment system - Google Patents

Description

107648

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a payment system comprising a billing terminal for use by a vendor or service provider, the billing terminal communicating over a mobile communication system for transmitting a text message invoice via a mobile communication system to a mobile station, a mobile system for receiving for editing and forwarding in the form of a text message invoice 10 to the payment service center via a mobile system after the mobile user has accepted the invoice, at least one account register maintaining information on users' accounts, and at least one information on said mobile system, said billing terminal and a service center comprising means for transmitting a billing request to an account register maintaining a mobile user account in response to information contained in an invoice received from the mobile station, and means for transmitting a payment message to the billing terminal in response to a receipt message from the through.

The payment system of the invention is particularly suited to commerce such as mail order, where the customer orders products from the seller ··· for delivery in a separately agreed manner, such as by mail. However, it should be noted that the payment system of the invention is suitable. 25 for use in other contexts, such as those used by the customer or • · .III. payment for the services ordered. Thus, the present invention is not limited to mail order, although the invention will be illustrated by way of example, primarily with respect to mail order.

In the case of mail order, cash advance is very commonly used as a payment method 30. In this case, the customer pays for the ordered product when he / she retrieves it from the mail. However, there are several drawbacks to using cash on delivery, such as the fact that the seller does not get paid until the customer has picked up the product sent to him by mail. If, for any reason, the customer does not collect the ordered product, the seller will not • • "* receive payment, even though shipping may have resulted in a cost to the seller. · The use of cash on delivery also incurs an additional cost because« ♦ «* · ♦ · · • Mail charges more for shipping a prepayment parcel than for a standard parcel.

In addition, it is already known to utilize a credit card to pay for products ordered through mail order. In this case, the consumer, when placing an order, 5 informs the seller of his credit card number, for example by telephone. The seller will then have access to a billing terminal through which the seller can charge the credit card whose number the customer has provided. The seller will therefore immediately receive a payment from the credit card company on their account. Credit card mail order sales also have the advantage that other carriers can be used to deliver the product in addition to 10 mail items. However, trading with a credit card number carries the risk that, if an outsider becomes aware of a person's credit card number, that third party may cause damage to the credit card holder by making purchases or orders using that credit card number. As a result, certain credit card companies 15 have set usage restrictions, which in some cases even prohibit the use of a credit card in mail order sales. In particular, credit card companies have imposed restrictions on the use of mail-order sales over the Internet.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a more flexible and reliable payment system which is more user-friendly for both the seller and the customer. This object is achieved by a payment system according to the invention, characterized in that: the system further includes data transmission means for communication to the billing terminal for the user of said mobile station. To print the barcode associated with the 25 products to be shipped, including the barcode ···. the list indicates the number of the mobile station to which the billing terminal has sent a · · · said SMS-based invoice and a barcode scanner used by the carrier * '*, communicating with said mobile communication system to send an SMS notification of the arrival-30 · To the media when the goods have been delivered to a pre-agreed location by the carrier.

. * ··. The invention is based on the idea that utilizing a mobile communication system to send bills to a customer and to pay bills accepted by a customer provides significant advantages for both the seller and the customer compared to current payment systems. In this case, the seller can immediately send 3,107,648 to the customer's mobile station upon receipt of the order. The customer sees immediately and exactly what he / she is buying / ordering, after which the customer can accept the invoice via his / her mobile device. Acceptance is done by adding the customer's customer number and password to the 5 invoices sent to him / her, after which he / she forwards the invoice via SMS to the customer's account register after verifying the customer number and password. An account register is then meant, for example, the account register of a bank or credit company (such as a credit card company) where the customer has an account. The customer number added by customer 10 to the SMS indicates the correct account register and customer account number. Alternatively, the telephone number to which the customer sends the invoice in the form of a text message may be tied to a specific account register, whereby the selected number indicates the correct account register. In this case, for example, each bank and credit company in the system may have its own number to which the 15 invoices to be sent are to be sent.

Once the account register has verified that the customer's bank account has sufficient cash or, correspondingly, that the customer is eligible to pay the invoice through the credit account, the account registry will debit the customer's account with the amount indicated on the invoice. This amount will later be credited to the seller's account by the account register. 20 At the same time, the account register indicates that the payment was successful by sending an acknowledgment message. Information on the success of the payment will be passed on to the seller, who will then be informed of the transaction immediately upon ordering, followed by ··. the seller can choose the most suitable and inexpensive shipping company product for transport to the customer.

• ·. ···. The major advantages of the payment system of the invention are that the seller is immediately assured that his product or service is actually being paid to receive a text invoice, indicating exactly what he is ordering and what it will cost the country, and that paying for and shipping the ordered product are independent events, allowing for greater flexibility in the choice of transportation method.

:] ·. The invention facilitates the handling of a mailed product in that the mail does not have to · · · - * ·· / need to send written notice of the arrival of the package to the customer.

• · "* Instead of a written notice, the post office, or another · · · 35 alternative shipping company, has a barcode scanner capable of reading a customer's mobile number from the 4107648 code associated with the product. The barcode may be printed on a label attached to the product Once the bar code reader has read the number of the mobile station, it sends a text message to the mobile station in question, whereby the mobile station user receives information about the arrival of the packet, which adds flexibility for the customer to receive the arrival of the packet.

Preferred embodiments of the payment system of the invention are disclosed in the appended dependent claims 2 to 5.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates the use of the payment system of the invention in mail order, and Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the payment system

In step 1 of Figure 1, the customer calls the seller's customer service on his mobile device and, for example, tells what he wants to order based on the product codes of the sales list. The customer can also contact the seller via a computer over the Internet and place the order through the seller's Internet home page, whereby the customer enters his mobile number over the Internet. When ordering, the customer will also inform the seller of the payment method. The alternatives in the case of Fig. 1 are a payment through a bank, hereafter referred to as • ·.:. GSM debit card, or payment by credit card through a credit company, hereinafter referred to as GSM credit card.

• · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·· Facebook · Post Advertiser -> 25 The seller checks the availability of this item and prepares an "I" order for delivery to the dispatch center and an invoice with product and price information.

The seller then sends an electronic invoice to 2 customers via SMS, for example a GSM short message, based on the number received by the seller on the customer's mobile station.

30 The customer receives the invoice via SMS, usually within minutes, allowing the customer to check its product and price information. If the invoice is status: * ·. customer accepts payment by adding SMS • · · • ·· ...

... tun: • · • · *! * - the customer number given by the contract bank and a fixed (or pay-as-you-go) card (GSM debit card), or • ♦ • ♦ • ♦ * • · 5 107648 - Customer number provided by a credit company (such as a credit card company) and a fixed (or credit card-based) PIN (GSM credit card).

The customer then sends a text message with the aforementioned identification numbers added to the service number of the GSM debit card (3) or GSM credit card (4).

The sent SMS message is routed (5) over the mobile network to the server of the payment system service center. The server maintains a list of bank and / or credit cards targeted to the customer's mobile number, fixed and / or case-specific PINs associated with the cards, customer customer numbers, and vendor customer numbers.

In the case of a GSM debit card, the server checks the customer's debit card payment and account balance (6) at the customer's contract bank and sends a billing request to debit the balance of the 15 customers' accounts. If the GSM debit card is payable and the account has sufficient balance to send (7) a server delivery license, to the seller. The delivery note tells the seller that the goods can be delivered. The contract bank deducts the total amount of the invoice from the customer's account (9). The bank holds the funds for 7 days (the customer has a 7 day return policy by law). If the bank does not receive 20 returns of goods during the above period, it will transfer the funds to the seller's account (10).

. * · *: In the case of a GSM credit card, the server performs a credit check (8) with the credit company. If the creditworthiness is good, send the [[**: credit company for confirmation to the server of the service center, whereupon • · ... t 25 will send (7) a delivery license to the seller. The credit company will credit the funds indicated in the invoice amount to the seller (11) and charge (12) the invoiced amount to the customer's account in the following invoice.

• · ·: · * * Upon receipt (7) of a delivery permit from the server, the order delivery order is activated and the item is shipped (13) to the customer. To the packet card in the packet 30 is added the customer's mobile station number as a barcode. Instead of the package, the product to be delivered may be sent by ordinary letter,. \ # if it is suitable for its size and stack. This will reduce delivery time and reduce costs.

When a shipped product arrives at the customer's post office at delivery address 35, a pickup code sticker is affixed to it. The client's mobile number 6 is then read from the bar code associated with the packet with a bar code reader 107648. Thereafter, an entry notification in the form of a text message is sent (14) via the mobile communication system to the number read from the bar code. The code on the pick-up sticker will be added to the arrival notification by SMS.

5 The customer thus receives a text message to his mobile station stating that the packet is retrievable and the retrieval code of the retrieved packet. In this case, the customer can pick up the package from the post office, from where it is handed over (15) if he / she knows the collection code.

If you wish to return your purchased product within the 7 day return period described above, (16) you will return the product to the post office. The Post will return (17) the product to the seller. The Seller sends (18) a return authorization to the server of the Service Center upon return of the package. The server forwards (19) the information to the contract bank, which returns (20) the money to the client's account. If the refunded purchase is made on credit, the seller returns (21) the money to the credit company, which then 15 (22) refunds the customer.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a first preferred embodiment of a payment system according to the invention. In Figure 2, customer A orders the product from vendor B. For example, customer A can place an order by calling his mobile phone MS to vendor B or, for example, via the Internet 20 by placing an order on vendor B's Internet home page. In either of the above alternatives, client A reports the mobile station MS number /.·. to the seller B. If the order is made by the mobile station MS, the seller B sees the mobile station MS number, i.e. the A-subscriber identifier, on the display of his own telephone.

The cellular telephone system 100 may be, for example, a GSM system ♦ · 25 (Global System for Mobile Communications) or any other mobile communication system capable of sending text messages, such as short messages, to the system's mobile stations. In the case of Fig. 2, it is assumed that this is a v: specifically GSM system, wherein the mobile station MS is a mobile station of the GSM system capable of receiving and transmitting short messages. Mobile:: **: The 30 system 100 includes, as is known in the art, a base station BTS, a base station controller BSC and a mobile switching center MSC through which system 100 can. forwards calls to the mobile station MS. The mobile communication system 100 includes *: i. In addition, as is known per se, the Short Message Service Center SMSC takes care of sending short messages to be transmitted in the system.

:: *: 35 According to the invention, seller B receives the order and the customer ··· · * * *

I get the MS number of the mobile phone from customer A. Then seller B

· 7107648 transmits, via its billing terminal 101 and the mobile communication system 100, a text message invoice to the mobile station MS of the client A. In the case of the GSM system, it is possible to send a text message specifically as a short message.

5 Customer A accepts the invoice by adding the customer number and PIN and forwarding it via SMS to the payment service center 102. A database 103 is connected to the payment service center which maintains information on customer customer numbers and related PINs. If the database check shows that the customer number + PIN-10 code combination is correct, the payment service center will forward the invoice to the customer's account register.

In the case of Fig. 2, it is exemplified that the payment service center 102 would be directly connected to the mobile switching center MSC of the mobile communication system 100 and the merchant billing terminal 101, respectively. 15 In practice, the communication between the mobile communication system 100, the billing terminal 101 and the connected to the mobile communication system and the billing terminal, for example, via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or a data network. The foregoing 20 also applies to the connection between the terminal 108 of the post office C and the mobile telephone system, i.e. this connection may also be implemented by the public telephone. via a data network or a data network.

• ♦

Figure 2 shows three account registers, namely banks 104 and 105 and a credit company 106. The account to which the invoice is to be sent may be based on, for example • a customer number or alternatively the payment service • center may have several numbers, the number to which the customer sent the invoice in the form of a text message indicates to which account register the invoice • · «: should be sent. In the case of Figure 2, it is assumed that the customer has an account at bank 105, whereby the computer of that bank forms the customer's account register, • ft 30 When the customer's account register 105 has acknowledged the payment to the service center by acknowledgment message, «·«. don here to the vendor billing terminal 101. The printer 107 attached to the billing terminal 105 then prints a barcode sticker that the seller affixes to the • • '*: ** postal package (delivering the ordered product to the customer).

: 35 The barcode to be printed will then indicate the mobile station MS of client A

• · · · number.

«· 8 107648

When the package containing the product has arrived at the agreed post office C, the clerk reads the customer's MS number from the label on the package with a barcode scanner 109. Thereafter, a text message is sent to the client via the terminal 108 to the mobile station MS. By this SMS, the asi-5 to Acquaintant A will be notified of the arrival of the packet.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are merely intended to illustrate the present invention. Various variations and modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the 10 inventions set forth in the appended claims.

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Claims (5)

9 107648 A payment system comprising: a billing terminal 5 (101) for use by a vendor (B) or a service provider, the billing terminal (101) communicating via a data link to the mobile communication system (100) for transmitting a text message billing to the mobile communication device (MS); 100) a mobile station (MS) comprising means for receiving and transmitting text messages and means for modifying and forwarding an invoice consisting of a billing terminal (101) in the form of a text message to a payment service center (102) via a mobile communication system (100); one account register (104-106) for maintaining information on user accounts, and at least one for said mobile communication system (100), said access terminal (101), and said account a payment service center (102) communicating with the register (104-106), comprising means for sending a billing request to an account register (104-106) maintaining a user account of the mobile station 20 (MS) in response to information included in the invoice received from the mobile station (MS); for sending a message to the billing terminal (101) in response to an account register (104-106); *. to the acknowledgment message indicating that the account register (104-106) has approved the payment of an invoice through the mobile station (MS) user account, characterized by the fact that the system further includes: • «· the printer terminals connected to the billing terminal (101) V: lines (107) for printing a barcode associated with the product: T to be sent to the user of said mobile station (MS), said bar code indicating the number of the mobile station (MS) to which the billing terminal (101) has sent invoice, and. * · '··. a barcode scanner (108-109) used by the carrier (C), communicating via said communication system to said mobile: V system (100) for transmitting a text message arrival notification to a mobile station (MS) designated by the bar code associated with the product; has delivered said product to a pre-arranged location. • · · • · 10 107648 A payment system according to claim 1, characterized in that said account register consists of a bank register (104-105) or a credit company (106). A payment system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the payment service center (102) verifies the customer number included in the invoice received from the mobile station (MS) and the user identifier added to the invoice by the mobile station user and sends a billing request to the account register -106) if the customer number and the user ID are matched based on the information stored in the payment service center (102). A payment system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the printing means (107) prints said product-related bar code on a label to be attached to the product. A payment system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said mobile communication system (100) is a GSM system and that said SMS messages are short messages. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 I I I9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 999 9 9 9 9 99999 9 99999999999999999999999 • · • 9 · f • · · 9 · • 1 99 9 · · · · · 9 ·• 9 · · 919 «99 • · • ♦ • 99 • · 9 9 9 11 107648