WO2012020163A1

WO2012020163A1 - Method and apparatus for maintaining and verifying a transaction record

Info

Publication number: WO2012020163A1
Application number: PCT/FI2011/050600
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dhaval Jitendra Joshi; Divya Viswanathan; Jan Otto Blom
Original assignee: Nokia Corporation
Priority date: 2010-08-13
Filing date: 2011-06-22
Publication date: 2012-02-16
Also published as: CN103069848A; BR112013003052A2

Abstract

An approach is provided for maintaining and verifying a transaction record. The transaction manager (107) determines to make a recording of all or a portion of the communication session for conducting a transaction among at least two devices (101 ). Then, the transaction manager determines to split the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of the two parts is a receipt of the transaction. The parts of the recording may be distributed to other devices (101 ) involved in the communication session and/or to a third party validator (1 15). The verification of the transaction is based on the continuity of the parts when they are joined back together.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR

MAINTAINING AND VERIFYING A TRANSACTION RECORD

BACKGROUND

Service providers and device manufacturers (e.g., wireless, cellular, etc.) are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to consumers by, for example, providing compelling network services. One area of interest has been the development of services to facilitate commercial or transactional activities (e.g., electronic commerce or transactions, in-person commerce, and the like). Traditionally, transactions such as exchange of goods, purchases, banking, etc., have been performed in person or via mail. The transactions may often involve written agreements, contracts, receipts, and/or authorizations to maintain a record of the transactions. However, there is also a significant portion of transactional and/or commercial activities that take place without such written records. For example, the parties may reach a verbal agreement regarding a particular transaction, but they may not believe it to be necessary to create a written version of the agreement. As such, no tangible record of the agreement may exist. Accordingly, service providers and device manufacturers face significant technical challenges to providing an easy and efficient way to maintain an accessible record of such transactions.

SOME EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Therefore, there is a need for an approach for maintaining and verifying a transaction record.

According to one embodiment, a method comprises determining to make a recording of all or a portion of the communication session for conducting a transaction among at least two devices. The method also comprises determining to split the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of the two parts is a receipt of the transaction.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus comprises at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause, at least in part, the apparatus to determine to make a recording of all or a portion of the communication session for conducting a transaction among at least two devices. The apparatus is also caused to determine to split the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of the two parts is a receipt of the transaction.

According to another embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium carries one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause, at least in part, an apparatus to determine to make a recording of all or a portion of the communication session for conducting a transaction among at least two devices. The apparatus is also caused to determine to split the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of the two parts is a receipt of the transaction.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus comprises means for determining to make a recording of all or a portion of the communication session for conducting a transaction among at least two devices. The apparatus also comprises means for determining to split the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of the two parts is a receipt of the transaction.

Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of particular embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. The invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

For various example embodiments of the invention, the following is applicable: A method comprising: facilitating a processing of and/or processing: (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal; the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based at least in part on (or derived at least in part from) any one or any combination of methods (or processes) disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention. For various example embodiments of the invention, the following is also applicable: A method comprising facilitating access to at least one interface configured to allow access to at least one service, the at least one service configured to perform any one or any combination of network or service provider methods (or processes) disclosed in this application. For various example embodiments of the invention, the following is also applicable: A method comprising facilitating creating and/or facilitating modifying: (1) at least one device user interface element and/or (2) at least one device user interface functionality; the (1) at least one device user interface element and/or (2) at least one device user interface functionality based at least in part on the following: data and/or information resulting from one or any combination of methods or processes disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention and/or at least one signal resulting from one or any combination of methods (or processes) disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention.

For various example embodiments of the invention, the following is also applicable: A method comprising creating and/or modifying: (1) at least one device user interface element and/or (2) at least one device user interface functionality; the (1) at least one device user interface element and/or (2) at least one device user interface functionality based at least in part on the following: data and/or information resulting from one or any combination of methods (or processes) disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention and/or at least one signal resulting from one or any combination of methods (or processes) disclosed in this application as relevant to any embodiment of the invention.

In various example embodiments, the methods (or processes) can be accomplished on the service provider side or on the mobile device side or in any shared way between service provider and mobile device with actions being performed on both sides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system capable of maintaining and verifying a transaction record, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the components of the transaction manager, according to one embodiment; FIGs. 3A-3B is a flowchart of a process for maintaining and verifying a transaction record, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process for presenting a user interface to facilitate transaction, according to one embodiment;

FIGs. 5A-5C are diagrams of user interfaces utilized in the processes of FIG. 3, according to various embodiments;

FIGs. 6A-6C are diagrams of user interfaces utilized in the processes of FIG. 3, according to various embodiments;

FIGs. 7A-7D are diagrams of user interfaces utilized in the processes of FIG. 4, according to various embodiments;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of hardware that can be used to implement an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 9 is a diagram of a chip set that can be used to implement an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a mobile terminal (e.g., handset) that can be used to implement an embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

Examples of a method, apparatus, and computer program for maintaining and verifying a transaction record are disclosed. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention. It is apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system capable of maintaining and verifying a transaction record, according to one embodiment. As discussed previously, parties may carry out various types of transactions with each other, including the exchange of money, goods, ideas, and/or services. However, these transactions are often conducted without recording the details or even the basic terms of the transaction. In some instances, the effort in maintaining a record of the transactions may sometime seem to outweigh the benefit of the record, especially where both parties are inexperienced in business and/or the transactions only involve a small amount of money or goods. Further, because parties may often rely on mutual trust between the parties when handling transactions, the parties may be hesitant to request a written record of the transaction. For example, where mutual trust has consistently been sufficient to ensure proper transactions in the past, a party may worry that the act of requesting a written record of a transaction may demonstrate a lack of trust.

The lack of record problem may be resolved by maintaining a record of the transactions in a digital form. It may be easier to maintain a record of the transactions in a digital form because there is no physical paper to maintain and the digital record may be recorded and maintained automatically. The digital record, however, is susceptible to forgery or tampering. Therefore, if the parties rely on a digital transaction record, they will need to ensure that the digital transaction record contains reliable information about the transaction. In particular, when there is a dispute as to the terms of the contract or transactions (e.g., amount of money owed), it is necessary to be able to ensure that the transaction record is accurate. Accordingly, a method of maintaining an accurate transaction record is desired.

To address this problem, a system 100 of FIG. 1 introduces the capability to maintain and verify a transaction record. For instance, the system 100 enables making a recording of a communication session for conducting a transaction among two or more devices (e.g., user equipments (UEs) lOla-lOln; also collectively referred to as UEs 101). The system 100 may then split the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of the two parts is a receipt of the transaction. As shown in FIG. 1 , the system 100 may comprise multiple UEs lOla-lOln having connectivity to a communication service 103, via a communication network 105, and to other components such as a transaction manager 107, a data storage 109, a sensor 1 11, a service storage 113, a validator 115, and/or a validation storage 1 17. The communication conducted for the transaction may be performed among the UEs lOla-lOln when each communicating party uses its respective user equipment. The UE 101 may include the transaction manager 107 to manage communication between the UEs lOla-lOln, including transactions between the UEs lOla-lOln, and to oversee authentication of the communication session recording. The UE 101 also may be connected to the data storage 109 to store any information related to the communication session and the transaction as well as other data. Further, the UE 101 may be connected to the sensor 1 1 1 to acquire context information. The context information may include background sound, artificial sound, background noise, artificial noise, time, location, or a combination thereof.

The transaction manager 107 may communicate with the communication service 103 to perform authentication and other services. The communication service 103 may be connected to the service storage 113, which is capable of storing information related to authentication or any other data. The transaction manager 107 may also communicate with the validator 1 15 to perform authentication and other services. The validator 115 may communicate with the transaction manager 107 of each of the UEs lOla-lOln, receive a portion of a transaction that takes place between communicating UEs 101a- 101η, and store the portion in a validation storage 1 17. The portion of the transaction stored in the validation storage 1 17 may be used later as an authentication measure for the transaction. The transaction may also be included as part of a communication session recording. Thus, a similar approach may be conducted to maintain and verify a communication session recording regarding a transaction. For example, the recording of the communication session between two UEs lOla-lOln may be split such that one portion of the recording is stored with one of the UEs lOla-lOln, another portion is stored in another one of the UEs lOla-lOln, and a third potion is stored in the validation storage 117 as a receipt. It is contemplated that the recording may be split and distributed to any number of UEs 101a- 101 n.

In one embodiment, one or more UEs lOla-lOln communicating with another device (e.g., another UE 101) for a transaction may record all or some of the communication session for conducting a transaction via the transaction manager 107. The communication session may be conducted as an interactive text session, such as short message service (SMS) text, media message service (MMS) communication, a voice session, a video session, a multimedia session, or a combination thereof. By way of example, the communication session may involve two or more UEs lOla-lOln. Hence, more than two parties and/or devices may be involved with a transaction. The UE 101 may split the communication session recording into parts. When a user wants to access this record, the parts of the recording may be retrieved from the participating UEs 101a- 11 On and joined. The joined record may then be verified to authenticate the recording. In one embodiment, the verification may be performed by examining the continuity of the joined portions of the parts. For example, if there is discontinuity (e.g., an audio discontinuity in speech, background or foreground noises, etc.) in the joined portion, this may indicate that one of the parts involved with such joined portion may not be reliable (e.g., not original, possibly tampered).

In another embodiment, the verification may also be performed by examining the borderline regions between the parts. In this process of borderline examination, the UE 101 may join these parts together to form a complete recording of the communication session before or after the verification. In this example, the UE 101 may generate tokens corresponding to the recording and distribute them to the UEs lOla-lOln involved with the communication. In one example, the parts may involve only a small portion of the communication session (e.g., a small portion before the borderline region and another small portion after the borderline region). These small portions before and after the borderline region may be formed as tokens. These tokens may be distributed to the devices involved in the communication, and may be used later for verification purposes. Further, the UE 101 determines where the borderline regions between the parts are, and then examines the continuity of the borderline regions for verification.

The communication session recording may include context information such as background sound, artificial sound, background noise, artificial noise, time, location, or a combination thereof. The background sound may be any sound that is present in the background during the communication session. Further, the background noise may include any type of noise or interference caused by faulty network or inconsistent connection, for example. These sounds and noises may be created artificially and included in the recording of the communication session as artificial sound and artificial noise, respectively. Further, as mentioned previously, the context information may be acquired by the sensor 11 1. The context information may be used for verification purposes, for instance, in examining continuity between the parts and/or the borderline examination. For example, if the context information shows discontinuity between the parts or incongruity at the borderlines during the verification process, then the authenticity of the recording may not be reliable, and thus, may fail the verification process.

In another embodiment, when the recording is split into parts, the UE 101 sends at least one part to the validator 115 for later verification purposes. For example, if there are two parties involved, the UE 101 , via the transaction manager 107, may split the recording into three parts, such that each of the two of the three parts may be stored within the data storage 109 of the respective one of the UEs lOla-lOln corresponding to each party, and the third part may be sent to the validator 115 to be stored in the validation storage 1 17 as a receipt. As such, when the user accesses the recording later, the user may use the receipt stored in the validation storage 1 17 to verify the recording. As mentioned previously, the verification process may be performed by either the validator 115 and/or the communication service 103. In a further embodiment, the whole recording may be transmitted to another location such as the validator 1 15 and/or the communication service 103, as a reference recording. Thus, the verification may be performed by comparing the joined parts and the reference recording. For example, the verification may be considered successful only if the joined parts are similar or identical to the reference recording.

In another embodiment, each of the UEs lOla-lOln involved with the transaction may determine its respective role with respect to the transaction. Moreover, each of the UEs 101 a- 10 In may present a user interface for the transaction based on the respective role. The transaction may include parameters such as an amount of money or goods. In addition, the user interface may be presented such that the parameters associated with the transaction may be selected or entered by the user using the user interface. Furthermore, the UE 101 may be used to initiate payment, exchange, fulfilment, confirmation of payment, confirmation of exchange, confirmation of fulfilment, or a combination thereof of the transaction. For example, the transaction may involve one party giving the other party a set amount of money for a set amount of goods. The UE 101 may include user interfaces to specify the amount of money and the amount of goods as parameters of the transaction via the user interface. Therefore, the advantage of this approach is that the UE 101 enables the user to maintain a record of a transaction with ease and to verify the record for its authenticity. This approach provides a way to avoid a formal process of maintaining a record in writing, which may be cumbersome and inconvenient. Further, because this approach is based on a recording of a communication session used to conduct the transaction, this feature is less prone to human errors or manipulation than a written document. Accordingly, an effective and convenient way of maintaining a record, such as in the approach described herein, would be attractive to parties who carry out transactions.

By way of example, the communication network 105 of system 100 includes one or more networks such as a data network (not shown), a wireless network (not shown), a telephony network (not shown), or any combination thereof. It is contemplated that the data network may be any local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), a public data network (e.g., the Internet), short range wireless network, or any other suitable packet-switched network, such as a commercially owned, proprietary packet-switched network, e.g., a proprietary cable or fiber-optic network, and the like, or any combination thereof. In addition, the wireless network may be, for example, a cellular network and may employ various technologies including enhanced data rates for global evolution (EDGE), general packet radio service (GPRS), global system for mobile communications (GSM), Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), etc., as well as any other suitable wireless medium, e.g., worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), wireless fidelity (WiFi), wireless LAN (WLAN), Bluetooth®, Internet Protocol (IP) data casting, satellite, mobile ad-hoc network (MANET), and the like, or any combination thereof. The UE 101 is any type of mobile terminal, fixed terminal, or portable terminal including a mobile handset, station, unit, device, multimedia computer, multimedia tablet, Internet node, communicator, desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, netbook computer, tablet computer, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) , audio/video player, digital camera/camcorder, positioning device, television receiver, radio broadcast receiver, electronic book device, game device, or any combination thereof, including the accessories and peripherals of these devices, or any combination thereof. It is also contemplated that the UE 101 can support any type of interface to the user (such as "wearable" circuitry, etc.).

By way of example, the UE 101 , the communication service 103, and the validator 115 communicate with each other and other components of the communication network 105 using well known, new or still developing protocols. In this context, a protocol includes a set of rules defining how the network nodes within the communication network 105 interact with each other based on information sent over the communication links. The protocols are effective at different layers of operation within each node, from generating and receiving physical signals of various types, to selecting a link for transferring those signals, to the format of information indicated by those signals, to identifying which software application executing on a computer system sends or receives the information. The conceptually different layers of protocols for exchanging information over a network are described in the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model.

Communications between the network nodes are typically effected by exchanging discrete packets of data. Each packet typically comprises (1) header information associated with a particular protocol, and (2) payload information that follows the header information and contains information that may be processed independently of that particular protocol. In some protocols, the packet includes (3) trailer information following the payload and indicating the end of the payload information. The header includes information such as the source of the packet, its destination, the length of the payload, and other properties used by the protocol. Often, the data in the payload for the particular protocol includes a header and payload for a different protocol associated with a different, higher layer of the OSI Reference Model. The header for a particular protocol typically indicates a type for the next protocol contained in its payload. The higher layer protocol is said to be encapsulated in the lower layer protocol. The headers included in a packet traversing multiple heterogeneous networks, such as the Internet, typically include a physical (layer 1) header, a data- link (layer 2) header, an internetwork (layer 3) header and a transport (layer 4) header, and various application headers (layer 5, layer 6 and layer 7) as defined by the OSI Reference Model.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the components of the transaction manager 107, according to one embodiment. By way of example, the transaction manager 107 includes one or more components for maintaining and verifying a transaction record. It is contemplated that the functions of these components may be combined in one or more components or performed by other components of equivalent functionality. In this embodiment, the transaction manager 107 includes a controller 201, an input module 203, a verification module 205, a presentation module 207, and a communication module 209. The controller 201 oversees tasks, including tasks performed by the input module 203, the verification module 205, the presentation module 207, and the communication module 209. The input module 203 manages input or data acquired by the UE 101. The verification module 205 manages the validation of recordings. The presentation module 207 controls display of a user interface such as a graphical user interface to convey information and to allow the user to interact with the UE 101 via the interface. Further, the presentation module 207 interacts with the controller 201, the input module 203, the verification module 205, and the communication module 209 to display any information generated during their operations. The communication module 209 manages and controls any incoming and outgoing communication such as data sharing, receiving various requests from other UEs lOla-lOln, the communication service 103, or the validator 1 15 as well as telephone calls, text messaging, instant messaging and Internet communications. In another embodiment, as the communication session between at least two of the UEs lOla-lOln is conducted for the transaction, the input module 203 may receive the communication and record all or a portion of the communication session in the data storage 109. Then, the verification module 205 splits the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of them is a receipt of the transaction. These parts may be stored in various available storage locations, such as the data storage 109, the service storage 113, and/or the validation storage 117. In a preferred embodiment, each of the UEs lOla-lOln involved with the communication may store at least one part. In one example, when the user attempts to access the recording of the communication, the verification module 205 may retrieve the parts from storage, via the communication module 209, and then join the parts together. In this example, the verification module 205 verifies the authentication of the transaction by examining the continuity of the joined parts. If there is discontinuity between the joined parts, then the authentication of the transaction may not be verified. In addition, the verification module 205 may determine the borderline regions between the parts and verify the authentication of the transaction by examining the continuity of the borderline regions. In another embodiment, the verification module 205 may generate tokens corresponding to the recording of the communication sessions, and distribute them to the UEs lOla-lOln involved with the communication session. The tokens may include information near the borderline region of the parts. For example, one token may be a small portion of the first part around the border region, and another token may be a small portion of the second part around the border region. Then, because the tokens are close together at the border region or the regions near the region where the parts were split, the tokens would have similar characteristics. Therefore, the tokens may be later used for verification purposes. For example, if the tokens are acquired later and do not have similar characteristics, then the authentication of the transaction may not be verified. In another embodiment, the verification module 205 may record the communication session with context information or other information that can be used as a digital signature. The context information may include background sound, artificial sound, background noise, artificial noise, time, location, or a combination thereof, and may be acquired via the sensor 11 1 while recording the communication session. The background sound may include any sound that exists in the background during the communication session. For example, a background sound of cars passing while the user communicates during the communication session may be included as the context information. Further, the background noise may also be noise or interference, possibly caused by poor connection or faulty network. The sound and the noise may also be artificially produced as artificial sound and artificial noise, respectively, to be included in the recording of the communication session.

The context information may also be analyzed to examine the continuity between the joined parts or the continuity of the borderline regions between parts. Characteristics such as the frequency spectrum, volume, pitch, timbre, etc., of the context information as well as the location information may be used to examine if the continuity exists. For example, if the parts are from the communication session, and are not modified or tampered, then the frequency spectrums for the borderline regions of the parts or the joined region of the parts will show a continuous frequency spectrum. As such, if one of the parts is not from the original communication session and/or is modified, then there will be a drastic change in the frequency spectrum in the borderline regions or the joined region of the parts, which may be considered as discontinuity, and the verification module 205 will not verify the authentication. In an example of using background sound or noise, the discontinuity in the background sound or noise for the borderline regions may indicate that the parts may have been modified or tampered, thus failing to authenticate. In another embodiment, the verification module 205 may send at least one of the parts to a third party device, such as the validator 1 15 or the communication service 103. Then, the verification module 205 may send some of the parts to the UEs lOla-lOln involved with the communication session, and send one of the parts to the validator 1 15 or the communication service 103. When the user accesses the communication session recording at a later time, the verification module 205 may retrieve the part sent to the validator 1 15 or the communication service 103 and the parts stored in the respective UEs 101 a- 101 n involved with the communication session. Then, the verification module 205 examines these retrieved parts for verification. For example, the verification module 205 may examine the portions near the region where the parts were split, and/or the borderline regions of the parts, to examine the continuity. Storing a portion of the communication session recording at a secure third party device, such as the validator 1 15 or the communication service 103, may be an effective and reliable way of verifying the recording. This method may substantially decrease any likelihood that the portion may be tampered with. For example, the access of the portion of the recording may be configured such that, after initially storing the portion of the recording at the secure third party device, the parties may only have access to retrieve a copy of the portion for verification purposes.

In another embodiment, the verification module 205 may distribute a complete copy of the communication session recording to a third party device, such as the validator 1 15 or the communication service 103. As such, the third party device may be used as a reference device. The verification module 205 may then compare the parts stored in the respective UEs lOla-lOln with the recording stored in the third party device, to verify the authentication of the parts. In this case, the recording stored in the third party device is not likely to be subject to modification or tampering, and thus can be relied on as a reference to verify the parts. For example, the validator 115 may retrieve the parts and join them to compare the joined parts with the recording stored in the third party device.

In another embodiment, the transaction manager 107 may determine respective roles of the UE lOla-lOln involved with the communication, with respect to the transaction. The presentation module 207 may then present a user interface for the transaction based on the respective roles. For example, if the transaction manager 107 determines that the role of the UE 101 is a buyer, then the presentation module 207 may display a user interface configured for a buyer. However, if the transaction manager 107 determines that the role of the UE 101 is a seller, then the presentation module 207 may display a user interface configured for a seller. Further, the presentation module 207 may also display, in the user interface, a selection of parameters associated with the transaction. For example, the parameters associated with the transaction may include the price of goods, an amount of money, an amount of goods, etc., that are involved with the transaction. The input module 203 may receive input for initiating payment, exchange, fulfilment, confirmation of payment, confirmation of exchange, confirmation of fulfilment, or a combination thereof for the transaction.

FIGs. 3A-3B are flowcharts of a process for maintaining and verifying a transaction record, according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, the transaction manager 107 performs the process 300 and is implemented in, for instance, a chip set including a processor and a memory as shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 3A is a flowchart of a process for creating and distributing information for verification. In step 301 , the transaction manager 107 establishes a communication session between the UEs lOla-lOln involved with the transaction. For example, a conference call using the UE 101 may establish a communication session between the UEs lOla-lOln involved with the transaction, such that the parties involved may use the UEs lOla-lOln to discuss the transaction in the communication session. The transaction may involve two or more UEs 101 a- 10 In, thus involving two or more parties. The communication may be conducted via any type of communication means, such as an interactive text session, a voice session, a video session, a multimedia session, or a combination thereof. The voice session may include dual-tone multi- frequency (DTMF) signaling for communication as well as other means for voice communication. In step 303, the transaction manager 107 makes a recording of all or a portion of the communication session for conducting a transaction among at least two devices. In one example, the transaction manager 107 may automatically start recording the communication session as soon as the communication session is established. In another example, the transaction manager 107 may request a corresponding user of the UE 101 to speak to the UE 101 to record the user's speech. In an example of transaction of lending money, the transaction manager 107 may request the borrower to vocally state that he has borrowed money or goods, and/or to specify the amount, as well as other details such as terms of borrowing, date of return and/or other special conditions. The transaction may include exchanges of goods, sales of goods, borrowing and lending, etc. The transaction may also include a transaction where the participating parties need to be present to verify the transaction to a third party.

When the transaction manager 107 makes a recording of the communication session, the transaction manager 107 may also include context information present at the time of the communication session. The context information may be collected by the sensor 1 1 1 , and may include background noise, artificial noise, time, location, or a combination thereof. Combining the context information with the communication session provides additional means to authenticate the communication session recording. For example, the transaction manager 107 may consider the context information at the time of the communication session as well as the communication to verify the recording. If a part of the recording has different context information than the context information at the time the part of the communication session was recorded, then the authentication of the part may not be verified.

In step 305, the transaction manager 107 splits the recording into multiple parts, wherein at least one of the parts is a receipt of the transaction. Then, in step 307, the transaction manager 107 distributes the multiple parts to devices, such as the UEs 101, the validator 115, and/or the communication service 103. The recording may be split into multiple parts such that the number of parts equal to the number of the parties involved in the communication session used to conduct and/or discuss the transaction. For example, if there are three parties involved in the communication, the recording may be split into three parts, with each part being distributed to each of the three UEs 101 corresponding to the three parties. The number of parts may be greater than the number of the parties involved in the communication. In this case, each of the UEs 101 involved in the communication may be distributed one part of the recording, while a third party device, such as the validator 115 or the communication service, may be distributed the remaining parts. For example, if there are three parties involved, the recording may be split into four parts, wherein the first three parts may be distributed to the three UEs 101 involved with the communication session, and the remaining fourth part may be distributed to a third party device. It is contemplated that the recording may split equally among the devices or into parts of differing lengths.

FIG. 3B is a flowchart of a process for verifying the authentication of the communication session recording for the transaction, according to one embodiment. In step 331, the transaction manager 107 initiates verification of the authentication of the recording. The verification may be initiated automatically or upon a user request. In step 333, the transaction manager 107 retrieves the parts that are distributed to the devices, and then in step 335 verifies the recording for the transaction based on the retrieved parts. In one embodiment, the parts are retrieved and joined together. When the parts are joined together, the joined parts may be equal or equivalent to the communication session recording. The joined parts are then verified based on the continuity of the joined parts. If any of the parts were modified or tampered with after the recording, then there would be discontinuity between the parts, and thus the transaction manager 107 would detect this discontinuity. Further, if the recording had been distributed to a third party device, such as the validator 1 15 or the communication service 103, for validation purposes, the joined parts may be compared with the communication session recording at the third party device. If the joined parts match the recording at the third party device, then the authenticity of the joined parts may be verified. In this case, the recording stored at the third party device is treated as a reference recording. In another embodiment, the transaction manager 107 determines the borderline regions between the parts. The borderline regions may be determined by examining the characteristics of the parts, such as the frequency spectrum, volume, pitch, timbre, etc. The borderline regions may be determined when the recording is split into multiple parts, as in step 305 of FIG. 3 A, or the regions may be determined after the split through a similar method. The transaction manager 107 may then examine the continuity of the borderline regions to verify the authenticity of the parts.

In another embodiment, tokens, based on the parts, may be created for verification purposes. Tokens may be created based on small excerpts (e.g., the last few milliseconds of the first part, and the first few milliseconds of the second part) from the parts. These tokens may be distributed to the corresponding UEs lOla-lOln involved with the communication session. These tokens are similar to each other because each token is a small excerpt, wherein the excerpts are very close in time (e.g., milliseconds, nanoseconds, etc.). Therefore, verification may also be made by comparing the tokens distributed to the devices. The continuity of the joined parts or the continuity of the borderline regions may be determined by examining the characteristics of the parts. By way of example, the characteristics may include the frequency spectrum, volume, pitch, timbre, etc. Moreover, the characteristics examined may be included in the recording of the communication as well as the context information. Because the parts represent continuous flow of information in the recording before being split, the continuity is present in all parts, even at the borderlines or the joined parts. However, if the parts are different from the parts from the original recording (e.g., parts being modified or tampered with), then discontinuity would exist between the parts.

In one example, a borrower and a lender may call each other to start a communication session with regard to a transaction to borrow/lend money. The transaction manager 107 may request that the borrowing party vocally state the amount of money borrowed, along with the terms of borrowing, date of return, or any other special conditions. While the borrower provides this information, the borrower's voice and the context information (e.g., background noise) are recorded. In some embodiments, the transaction manager may artificially added background noise specific to the transaction to provide the context information for the recording or for when there is no recordable background noise. As discussed previously, the presence of background noise or other context information enables a user who is validating the corresponding joined recording to more easily discern any discontinuity in the joined sections of the recording. The recording may then be split into three parts, wherein one part is distributed to the borrower's UE 101 , a second part is distributed to the lender's UE 101, and a third part is sent to a validator 115. The validator 115 may be owned and/or operated by a person or an institution. When the borrower pays back the money, the borrower and the lender may rely on the communication session recording, which includes the borrowing terms, to determine whether the terms of the agreement or contract has been met. To retrieve the complete recording, the transaction manager 107 may retrieve the three parts and reconstruct them into one integrated audio recording. To verify the recording, the transaction manager 107 may examine the joined or reconstructed recording to ensure that there is continuity between the parts (e.g., at the borderlines where the parts join), by examining characteristics of the borrower's voice and the background noise in the recording. For further verification, the transaction manager 107 may also compare the reconstructed audio recording with a copy of the original audio recording that may be retrieved from a reference device such as the validator 115 or the communication service 103. It is contemplated that the verification may be performed by a user perceiving (e.g., listening or seeing) any discontinuity in the joined recording. In addition or alternatively, the verification may be performed automatically by the transaction manager 107 by, for instance, examining the digital information of the joined files for discontinuity.

In another example, two parties (e.g., a citizen and a government agent) may both be required to be present to verify a transaction to a third party (e.g., a government). For instance, a government agent may visit a citizen to gather information. As such, the transaction manager 107 records the communication session between the citizen and the government agent, wherein the communication involves a transaction of exchange of information. In this example, a complete copy of the recording may be saved in the communication service 103. The recording may also be split into two parts, one part being distributed to the citizen's UE 101 and the other part being distributed to the government agent's UE 101. When the government agent returns to the government office, the agent uploads the part of the recording located on the agent's UE 101 , and then waits for the citizen to upload the citizen's part of the recording. If the two parts are uploaded, the two parts are then checked for their continuity. If the continuity is found in the two parts, and the reconstruction of the two parts is the same as the recording stored in the communication service 103, then the transaction is verified.

This process is advantageous in that it provides a user of the UE 101 a simple approach to maintain a record of the transaction by recording the communication session associated with the transaction, and also provides a way to verify the authenticity of the record of the transaction when the record is accessed later. Thus, this process enhances the user experience in the UE 101 with easy maintenance of a transaction record, which may be used to resolve any later disputes, and ensure the authenticity of the record to avoid an unreliable or forged record. Accordingly, the transaction manager 107 is a means for achieving this advantage. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process for presenting a user interface to facilitate transaction, according to one embodiment. In step 401 , the transaction manager 107 determines respective roles of the UEs lOla-lOln with respect to the transaction. The roles may be defined by the transaction itself. For example, the roles in a transaction for sale of goods may be a seller and a buyer. As another example, the roles in a transaction for loans may be a lender and a borrower. In step 403, the transaction manager 107 presents a user interface for facilitating the transaction based on the respective roles. Thus, for example, if the user is defined as a seller, then a user interface configured for a seller is presented. In step 405, the transaction manager 107 presents in the user interface a selection of parameters associated with the transaction. For example, the parameters associated with the transaction for sale of goods may include an amount of goods and an amount of money for the goods. In another example, the parameters for a loan may include the amount of money to be paid to the lender. In step 407, the transaction manager 107 initiates payment, exchange, fulfillment, confirmation of payment, confirmation of exchange, confirmation of fulfillment, etc. The payment may involve payment of goods as well as loans. The exchange may involve exchange of goods as well as currency or services. The fulfillment may be fulfillment of promises or tasks. When completing the transaction using the process in FIG. 4, the transaction manager 107 may rely on the communication session recording as a reference.

This process is advantageous in that it provides a user of the UE 101 an easy way to complete the transaction via a user interface specific to the role of the party. Thus, this process enhances the user experience in the UE 101 in convenient transaction. The transaction manager 107 is a means for achieving this advantage.

FIGs. 5A-5C are diagrams of user interfaces utilized in the processes of FIG. 3, according to various embodiments. FIG. 5A shows a user interface 500 to enter user information. The title section 501 shows that the user interface is for entering user information. The command 503 on the interface is to enter a user ID and a password. The user ID slot 505 and the password slot 507 can be used to enter the user ID and the password. The proceed command 509 shows that the user can press 1 on the UE 101 to proceed with the user ID John Smith and the entered password. The options button 51 1 may be selected to display various options that can be selected, and the cancel button 513 may be selected to cancel the current operation. If the user presses 1 to proceed, then the user interface changes to the party selection screen 530 shown in FIG. 5B. The title section 531 shows that the user interface is for the party selection, such as selecting parties to be involved with a communication session for a particular transaction. The user interface displays a list of names 533 on the left side and a list of corresponding phone numbers 535 on the right side. The selection bar 537 may be scrolled up and down to highlight select a name. Once the name is selected, a black bar 539 is placed on the name. As shown in FIG. 5B, Jeff Corsino is already selected. The start button 541 may be selected to start the communication session with the selected party, and the cancel button 543 may be selected to cancel the current operation. If the user selects the start button 531 , then a communication session, such as the teleconference shown in FIG. 5C, begins. The user interface 550 in FIG. 5C is used to conduct a teleconference. The title section 551 shows that the user interface is for conducting a teleconference. The party section 553 shows that the teleconference is a communication session between the user, Elizabeth Li, and Jeff Corsino. The transaction with record button 555 may be selected at any time of the communication session, to make a recording of the communication session for the transaction. The transaction without record 557 may also be selected at any time of the communication session to stop the recording of the transaction, for instance, if the communication session is being recorded. The options button 559 may provide various options, such as options to choose the context information to be added an d/or any background noise that may be added to the communication session recording. The cancel button 561 may be selected to stop the communication. Although not shown in this user interface, the recording may be split into multiple parts, wherein at least one of the parts is a receipt of the transaction. Further, an entire recording may be sent (without being split) to a third party device, such that the copy of the recording in the third party device may be used as a reference for authentication.

FIGs. 6A-6C are diagrams of user interfaces utilized in the processes of FIG. 3, according to various embodiments. Thus, FIGs. 6A-6C show the features that may be used when there is a communication session recording for the transaction. In FIG. 6A, the user interface 600 is for selecting a recording to verify the authentication of the recording. The title section 601 shows that the user interface lists the recordings of transactions. The recording list 603 shows the party names and the time of the recording. In this example, a bar 605 selects a recording of a transaction with the user, Elizabeth Li, and Jeff Corsino recorded at 6:00PM on 10/24/2010. The authentication button 607 may then be selected to authenticate the selected recording. The options button 609 may be selected to display various options that can be selected, and the cancel button 61 1 may be selected to cancel the current operation. If the user selects the authentication button 607, the user interface may change to the user interface in FIG. 6B and/or the user interface in FIG. 6C. FIG. 6B shows a user interface 630 showing a result of the authentication when the borderlines or joined parts of the recording are examined for authenticity. The title screen 631 shows that the user interface 630 is for authentication. The recording parts section 633 shows that the recording was previously split into four parts. In the recording parts section 633, block 1 represents a part that was distributed to Elizabeth Li, block 2 represents a part that was distributed to Jeff Corsino, block ME represents a part that was distributed to the user, and block V represents a part that was distributed to another third party device, such as the validator 115 or the communication service 103. As authentication is performed, these parts are joined together, and the transaction manager 107 examines the continuity at the joined region between the parts or the borderline regions of the parts. In this case, the authentication sign 635 indicates that the authentication is not verified, and the authentication result 637 shows the discontinuity of 60%. In the recording parts section 633, block 2 was highlighted to show that the discontinuity involves block 2, and thus block 2 may be the unreliable part that causes the authentication to fail. The play button 639 may still be provided such that the parts that are joined together may be played. The options button 641 may be selected to display various options that can be selected, and the cancel button 641 may be selected to cancel the current operation. FIG. 6C shows a user interface 650 for another type of authentication. The title screen 651 shows that the user interface 650 is for authentication. Similar to the recording parts section 633 of FIG. 6B, the recording parts section 653 has blocks 1 , 2, ME and V, corresponding to parts of the recording distributed to Elizabeth Li, Jeff Corsino, the user, and a third party device, respectively. As shown in FIG. 6C, these parts are joined together and compared with the reference recording shown in the reference recording section 657. The reference recording may be a recording that has not been split and may be retrieved from a third party device, such as the validator 1 15 the communication service 103. In this case, the parts that are joined match the reference cording, and thus, the authentication sign 655 shows an equal sign demonstrating that the authentication is verified. The user interface 650 also has a play button 659 to play the parts that are joined together. Further, the options button 661 may be selected to display various options that can be selected, and the cancel button 661 may be selected to cancel the current operation.

FIGs. 7A-7D are diagrams of user interfaces utilized in the processes of FIG. 4, according to various embodiments. FIG. 7A shows a user interface 700 to enter user information. The title section 701 shows that the user interface is for entering user information. The command 703 on the interface is to enter a user ID and a password. The user ID slot 705 and the password slot 707 can be used to enter the user ID and the password. The proceed command 709 shows that the user can press 1 on the UE 101 to proceed if the user is a payer and the user can press 0 if the user is a receiver. Therefore, the proceed command 709 defines the role of the user as either a payer or a receiver. The options button 711 may be selected to display various options that can be selected, and the cancel button 713 may be selected to cancel the current operation. Further, although not shown, a party to communicate may be selected. The party selection may be performed via a user interface that is similar to the user interface 530 shown in FIG. 5B. FIG. 7B shows a user interface 730 for a payer to send a payment to a receiver. The title section 730 shows that the user interface 730 is for sending a payment. The command section 733 shows a text to enter the amount to pay to the receiver, Jeff Corsino. The entry slot 735 may be used to enter the amount to pay the receiver. The propose payment button 737 may be selected to propose this amount entered in the entry slot 735 to the receiver before sending the actual payment. The send payment button 739 may be selected to send the payment. The options button 741 may be selected to display various options that can be selected, and the cancel button 743 may be selected to cancel the current operation. FIG. 7C shows a user interface 750 for a receiver to receive a payment. If the role of the user is a receiver, the user interface 750 may be used. The title section shows that the user interface 750 is for receiving a payment. The amount section 753 shows the amount entered by a payer. In this case, the payer proposes to pay $250. The user as a receiver may select the accept button 755 to accept this proposed payment of $250. If the receiver selects the accept button 755, the payer will receive acknowledgement of the acceptance, and the payer may then send the payment to the receiver. However, if the user does not agree with the amount or wants to discuss the payment, the user may start negotiating with the payer by selecting the negotiate by voice button 757 or the negotiate by text button 759. For example, if the user select the negotiate by voice button 757, then the user interface 770 is used to negotiate by voice. The options button 761 may be selected to display various options that can be selected, and the cancel button 763 may be selected to cancel the current operation. Fig. 7D shows a user interface 770 for negotiation. The title section 771 hows that the user interface 770 is for negotiation. The amount section 773 shows the amount entered by a payer that is in dispute. The status section 773 shows that the negotiation is in progress in voice. The negotiation done button 777 may be selected if the negotiation is done. Further, if the user chooses to negotiate more by text messaging, the user may select the negotiate by text button 779. After reaching the negotiation, the user interface shown in 730 may be used to send the payment according to the negotiated amount. The options button 781 may be selected to display various options that can be selected, and the cancel button 783 may be selected to cancel the current operation. The negotiation by voice or by text may be recorded and stored such that it can be used as a reference later. Although not shown, during the negotiation, the recording of the communication session related to the transaction for this amount of money may be played. The negotiating parties may then refer to the recording to reach a negotiation. Further, the authentication of the recording may be verified to ensure that the recording is reliable.

The processes described herein for maintaining and verifying a transaction record may be advantageously implemented via software, hardware, firmware or a combination of software and/or firmware and/or hardware. For example, the processes described herein , may be advantageously implemented via processor(s), Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), etc. Such exemplary hardware for performing the described functions is detailed below.

FIG. 8 illustrates a computer system 800 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Although computer system 800 is depicted with respect to a particular device or equipment, it is contemplated that other devices or equipment (e.g., network elements, servers, etc.) within FIG. 8 can deploy the illustrated hardware and components of system 800. Computer system 800 is programmed (e.g., via computer program code or instructions) to maintain and verify a transaction record as described herein and includes a communication mechanism such as a bus 810 for passing information between other internal and external components of the computer system 800. Information (also called data) is represented as a physical expression of a measurable phenomenon, typically electric voltages, but including, in other embodiments, such phenomena as magnetic, electromagnetic, pressure, chemical, biological, molecular, atomic, sub-atomic and quantum interactions. For example, north and south magnetic fields, or a zero and non-zero electric voltage, represent two states (0, 1) of a binary digit (bit). Other phenomena can represent digits of a higher base. A superposition of multiple simultaneous quantum states before measurement represents a quantum bit (qubit). A sequence of one or more digits constitutes digital data that is used to represent a number or code for a character. In some embodiments, information called analog data is represented by a near continuum of measurable values within a particular range. Computer system 800, or a portion thereof, constitutes a means for performing one or more steps of maintaining and verifying a transaction record.

A bus 810 includes one or more parallel conductors of information so that information is transferred quickly among devices coupled to the bus 810. One or more processors 802 for processing information are coupled with the bus 810.

A processor (or multiple processors) 802 performs a set of operations on information as specified by computer program code related to maintaining and verifying a transaction record. The computer program code is a set of instructions or statements providing instructions for the operation of the processor and/or the computer system to perform specified functions. The code, for example, may be written in a computer programming language that is compiled into a native instruction set of the processor. The code may also be written directly using the native instruction set (e.g., machine language). The set of operations include bringing information in from the bus 810 and placing information on the bus 810. The set of operations also typically include comparing two or more units of information, shifting positions of units of information, and combining two or more units of information, such as by addition or multiplication or logical operations like OR, exclusive OR (XOR), and AND. Each operation of the set of operations that can be performed by the processor is represented to the processor by information called instructions, such as an operation code of one or more digits. A sequence of operations to be executed by the processor 802, such as a sequence of operation codes, constitute processor instructions, also called computer system instructions or, simply, computer instructions. Processors may be implemented as mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical, chemical or quantum components, among others, alone or in combination.

Computer system 800 also includes a memory 804 coupled to bus 810. The memory 804, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, stores information including processor instructions for maintaining and verifying a transaction record. Dynamic memory allows information stored therein to be changed by the computer system 800. RAM allows a unit of information stored at a location called a memory address to be stored and retrieved independently of information at neighboring addresses. The memory 804 is also used by the processor 802 to store temporary values during execution of processor instructions. The computer system 800 also includes a read only memory (ROM) 806 or other static storage device coupled to the bus 810 for storing static information, including instructions, that is not changed by the computer system 800. Some memory is composed of volatile storage that loses the information stored thereon when power is lost. Also coupled to bus 810 is a no n- volatile (persistent) storage device 808, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk or flash card, for storing information, including instructions, that persists even when the computer system 800 is turned off or otherwise loses power.

Information, including instructions for maintaining and verifying a transaction record, is provided to the bus 810 for use by the processor from an external input device 812, such as a keyboard containing alphanumeric keys operated by a human user, or a sensor. A sensor detects conditions in its vicinity and transforms those detections into physical expression compatible with the measurable phenomenon used to represent information in computer system 800. Other external devices coupled to bus 810, used primarily for interacting with humans, include a display device 814, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a liquid crystal display (LCD), or plasma screen or printer for presenting text or images, and a pointing device 816, such as a mouse or a trackball or cursor direction keys, or motion sensor, for controlling a position of a small cursor image presented on the display 814 and issuing commands associated with graphical elements presented on the display 814. In some embodiments, for example, in embodiments in which the computer system 800 performs all functions automatically without human input, one or more of external input device 812, display device 814 and pointing device 816 is omitted.

In the illustrated embodiment, special purpose hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 820, is coupled to bus 810. The special purpose hardware is configured to perform operations not performed by processor 802 quickly enough for special purposes. Examples of application specific ICs include graphics accelerator cards for generating images for display 814, cryptographic boards for encrypting and decrypting messages sent over a network, speech recognition, and interfaces to special external devices, such as robotic arms and medical scanning equipment that repeatedly perform some complex sequence of operations that are more efficiently implemented in hardware.

Computer system 800 also includes one or more instances of a communications interface 870 coupled to bus 810. Communication interface 870 provides a one-way or two-way communication coupling to a variety of external devices that operate with their own processors, such as printers, scanners and external disks. In general the coupling is with a network link 878 that is connected to a local network 880 to which a variety of external devices with their own processors are connected. For example, communication interface 870 may be a parallel port or a serial port or a universal serial bus (USB) port on a personal computer. In some embodiments, communications interface 870 is an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a digital subscriber line (DSL) card or a telephone modem that provides an information communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. In some embodiments, a communication interface 870 is a cable modem that converts signals on bus 810 into signals for a communication connection over a coaxial cable or into optical signals for a communication connection over a fiber optic cable. As another example, communications interface 870 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN, such as Ethernet. Wireless links may also be implemented. For wireless links, the communications interface 870 sends or receives or both sends and receives electrical, acoustic or electromagnetic signals, including infrared and optical signals, that carry information streams, such as digital data. For example, in wireless handheld devices, such as mobile telephones like cell phones, the communications interface 870 includes a radio band electromagnetic transmitter and receiver called a radio transceiver. In certain embodiments, the communications interface 870 enables connection to the communication network 105 for maintaining and verifying a transaction record.

The term "computer-readable medium" as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing information to processor 802, including instructions for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to computer-readable storage medium (e.g., nonvolatile media, volatile media), and transmission media. Non-transitory media, such as nonvolatile media, include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 808. Volatile media include, for example, dynamic memory 804. Transmission media include, for example, coaxial cables, copper wire, fiber optic cables, and carrier waves that travel through space without wires or cables, such as acoustic waves and electromagnetic waves, including radio, optical and infrared waves. Signals include man-made transient variations in amplitude, frequency, phase, polarization or other physical properties transmitted through the transmission media. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, CDRW, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, optical mark sheets, any other physical medium with patterns of holes or other optically recognizable indicia, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read. The term computer-readable storage medium is used herein to refer to any computer- readable medium except transmission media.

Logic encoded in one or more tangible media includes one or both of processor instructions on a computer-readable storage media and special purpose hardware, such as ASIC 820. Network link 878 typically provides information communication using transmission media through one or more networks to other devices that use or process the information. For example, network link 878 may provide a connection through local network 880 to a host computer 882 or to equipment 884 operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISP equipment 884 in turn provides data communication services through the public, world-wide packet-switching communication network of networks now commonly referred to as the Internet 890. A computer called a server host 892 connected to the Internet hosts a process that provides a service in response to information received over the Internet. For example, server host 892 hosts a process that provides information representing video data for presentation at display 814. It is contemplated that the components of system 800 can be deployed in various configurations within other computer systems, e.g., host 882 and server 892.

At least some embodiments of the invention are related to the use of computer system 800 for implementing some or all of the techniques described herein. According to one embodiment of the invention, those techniques are performed by computer system 800 in response to processor 802 executing one or more sequences of one or more processor instructions contained in memory 804. Such instructions, also called computer instructions, software and program code, may be read into memory 804 from another computer-readable medium such as storage device 808 or network link 878. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in memory 804 causes processor 802 to perform one or more of the method steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hardware, such as ASIC 820, may be used in place of or in combination with software to implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software, unless otherwise explicitly stated herein. The signals transmitted over network link 878 and other networks through communications interface 870, carry information to and from computer system 800. Computer system 800 can send and receive information, including program code, through the networks 880, 890 among others, through network link 878 and communications interface 870. In an example using the Internet 890, a server host 892 transmits program code for a particular application, requested by a message sent from computer 800, through Internet 890, ISP equipment 884, local network 880 and communications interface 870. The received code may be executed by processor 802 as it is received, or may be stored in memory 804 or in storage device 808 or other non-volatile storage for later execution, or both. In this manner, computer system 800 may obtain application program code in the form of signals on a carrier wave.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequence of instructions or data or both to processor 802 for execution. For example, instructions and data may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer such as host 882. The remote computer loads the instructions and data into its dynamic memory and sends the instructions and data over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to the computer system 800 receives the instructions and data on a telephone line and uses an infra-red transmitter to convert the instructions and data to a signal on an infra-red carrier wave serving as the network link 878. An infrared detector serving as communications interface 870 receives the instructions and data carried in the infrared signal and places information representing the instructions and data onto bus 810. Bus 810 carries the information to memory 804 from which processor 802 retrieves and executes the instructions using some of the data sent with the instructions. The instructions and data received in memory 804 may optionally be stored on storage device 808, either before or after execution by the processor 802. FIG. 9 illustrates a chip set or chip 900 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Chip set 900 is programmed to maintain and verify a transaction record as described herein and includes, for instance, the processor and memory components described with respect to FIG. 8 incorporated in one or more physical packages (e.g., chips). By way of example, a physical package includes an arrangement of one or more materials, components, and/or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a baseboard) to provide one or more characteristics such as physical strength, conservation of size, and/or limitation of electrical interaction. It is contemplated that in certain embodiments the chip set 900 can be implemented in a single chip. It is further contemplated that in certain embodiments the chip set or chip 900 can be implemented as a single "system on a chip." It is further contemplated that in certain embodiments a separate ASIC would not be used, for example, and that all relevant functions as disclosed herein would be performed by a processor or processors. Chip set or chip 900, or a portion thereof, constitutes a means for performing one or more steps of providing user interface navigation information associated with the availability of functions. Chip set or chip 900, or a portion thereof, constitutes a means for performing one or more steps of maintaining and verifying a transaction record.

In one embodiment, the chip set or chip 900 includes a communication mechanism such as a bus 901 for passing information among the components of the chip set 900. A processor 903 has connectivity to the bus 901 to execute instructions and process information stored in, for example, a memory 905. The processor 903 may include one or more processing cores with each core configured to perform independently. A multi-core processor enables multiprocessing within a single physical package. Examples of a multi-core processor include two, four, eight, or greater numbers of processing cores. Alternatively or in addition, the processor 903 may include one or more microprocessors configured in tandem via the bus 901 to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and multithreading. The processor 903 may also be accompanied with one or more specialized components to perform certain processing functions and tasks such as one or more digital signal processors (DSP) 907, or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) 909. A DSP 907 typically is configured to process real-world signals (e.g., sound) in real time independently of the processor 903. Similarly, an ASIC 909 can be configured to performed specialized functions not easily performed by a more general purpose processor. Other specialized components to aid in performing the inventive functions described herein may include one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) (not shown), one or more controllers (not shown), or one or more other special-purpose computer chips.

In one embodiment, the chip set or chip 900 includes merely one or more processors and some software and/or firmware supporting and/or relating to and/or for the one or more processors. The processor 903 and accompanying components have connectivity to the memory 905 via the bus 901. The memory 905 includes both dynamic memory (e.g., RAM, magnetic disk, writable optical disk, etc.) and static memory (e.g., ROM, CD-ROM, etc.) for storing executable instructions that when executed perform the inventive steps described herein to maintain and verify a transaction record. The memory 905 also stores the data associated with or generated by the execution of the inventive steps.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of exemplary components of a mobile terminal (e.g., handset) for communications, which is capable of operating in the system of FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, mobile terminal 1001 , or a portion thereof, constitutes a means for performing one or more steps of maintaining and verifying a transaction record. Generally, a radio receiver is often defined in terms of front-end and back-end characteristics. The front-end of the receiver encompasses all of the Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry whereas the back-end encompasses all of the base-band processing circuitry. As used in this application, the term "circuitry" refers to both: (1) hardware-only implementations (such as implementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry), and (2) to combinations of circuitry and software (and/or firmware) (such as, if applicable to the particular context, to a combination of processor(s), including digital signal processor(s), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a mobile phone or server, to perform various functions). This definition of "circuitry" applies to all uses of this term in this application, including in any claims. As a further example, as used in this application and if applicable to the particular context, the term "circuitry" would also cover an implementation of merely a processor (or multiple processors) and its (or their) accompanying software/or firmware. The term "circuitry" would also cover if applicable to the particular context, for example, a baseband integrated circuit or applications processor integrated circuit in a mobile phone or a similar integrated circuit in a cellular network device or other network devices.

Pertinent internal components of the telephone include a Main Control Unit (MCU) 1003, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) 1005, and a receiver/transmitter unit including a microphone gain control unit and a speaker gain control unit. A main display unit 1007 provides a display to the user in support of various applications and mobile terminal functions that perform or support the steps of maintaining and verifying a transaction record. The display 1007 includes display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile terminal (e.g., mobile telephone). Additionally, the display 1007 and display circuitry are configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile terminal. An audio function circuitry 1009 includes a microphone 101 1 and microphone amplifier that amplifies the speech signal output from the microphone 101 1. The amplified speech signal output from the microphone 101 1 is fed to a coder/decoder (CODEC) 1013. A radio section 1015 amplifies power and converts frequency in order to communicate with a base station, which is included in a mobile communication system, via antenna 1017. The power amplifier (PA) 1019 and the transmitter/modulation circuitry are operationally responsive to the MCU 1003, with an output from the PA 1019 coupled to the duplexer 1021 or circulator or antenna switch, as known in the art. The PA 1019 also couples to a battery interface and power control unit 1020.

In use, a user of mobile terminal 1001 speaks into the microphone 1011 and his or her voice along with any detected background noise is converted into an analog voltage. The analog voltage is then converted into a digital signal through the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) 1023. The control unit 1003 routes the digital signal into the DSP 1005 for processing therein, such as speech encoding, channel encoding, encrypting, and interleaving. In one embodiment, the processed voice signals are encoded, by units not separately shown, using a cellular transmission protocol such as global evolution (EDGE), general packet radio service (GPRS), global system for mobile communications (GSM), Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), etc., as well as any other suitable wireless medium, e.g., microwave access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), wireless fidelity (WiFi), satellite, and the like.

The encoded signals are then routed to an equalizer 1025 for compensation of any frequency- dependent impairments that occur during transmission though the air such as phase and amplitude distortion. After equalizing the bit stream, the modulator 1027 combines the signal with a RF signal generated in the RF interface 1029. The modulator 1027 generates a sine wave by way of frequency or phase modulation. In order to prepare the signal for transmission, an up-converter 1031 combines the sine wave output from the modulator 1027 with another sine wave generated by a synthesizer 1033 to achieve the desired frequency of transmission. The signal is then sent through a PA 1019 to increase the signal to an appropriate power level. In practical systems, the PA 1019 acts as a variable gain amplifier whose gain is controlled by the DSP 1005 from information received from a network base station. The signal is then filtered within the duplexer 1021 and optionally sent to an antenna coupler 1035 to match impedances to provide maximum power transfer. Finally, the signal is transmitted via antenna 1017 to a local base station. An automatic gain control (AGC) can be supplied to control the gain of the final stages of the receiver. The signals may be forwarded from there to a remote telephone which may be another cellular telephone, other mobile phone or a land-line connected to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or other telephony networks.

Voice signals transmitted to the mobile terminal 1001 are received via antenna 1017 and immediately amplified by a low noise amplifier (LNA) 1037. A down-converter 1039 lowers the carrier frequency while the demodulator 1041 strips away the RF leaving only a digital bit stream. The signal then goes through the equalizer 1025 and is processed by the DSP 1005. A Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) 1043 converts the signal and the resulting output is transmitted to the user through the speaker 1045, all under control of a Main Control Unit (MCU) 1003-which can be implemented as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) (not shown).

The MCU 1003 receives various signals including input signals from the keyboard 1047. The keyboard 1047 and/or the MCU 1003 in combination with other user input components (e.g., the microphone 101 1) comprise a user interface circuitry for managing user input. The MCU 1003 runs a user interface software to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile terminal 1001 to maintain and verify a transaction record. The MCU 1003 also delivers a display command and a switch command to the display 1007 and to the speech output switching controller, respectively. Further, the MCU 1003 exchanges information with the DSP 1005 and can access an optionally incorporated SIM card 1049 and a memory 1051. In addition, the MCU 1003 executes various control functions required of the terminal. The DSP 1005 may, depending upon the implementation, perform any of a variety of conventional digital processing functions on the voice signals. Additionally, DSP 1005 determines the background noise level of the local environment from the signals detected by microphone 101 1 and sets the gain of microphone 1011 to a level selected to compensate for the natural tendency of the user of the mobile terminal 1001. The CODEC 1013 includes the ADC 1023 and DAC 1043. The memory 1051 stores various data including call incoming tone data and is capable of storing other data including music data received via, e.g., the global Internet. The software module could reside in RAM memory, flash memory, registers, or any other form of writable storage medium known in the art. The memory device 1051 may be, but not limited to, a single memory, CD, DVD, ROM, RAM, EEPROM, optical storage, or any other non-volatile storage medium capable of storing digital data.

An optionally incorporated SIM card 1049 carries, for instance, important information, such as the cellular phone number, the carrier supplying service, subscription details, and security information. The SIM card 1049 serves primarily to identify the mobile terminal 1001 on a radio network. The card 1049 also contains a memory for storing a personal telephone number registry, text messages, and user specific mobile terminal settings.

While the invention has been described in connection with a number of embodiments and implementations, the invention is not so limited but covers various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the purview of the appended claims. Although features of the invention are expressed in certain combinations among the claims, it is contemplated that these features can be arranged in any combination and order.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method comprising:

determining to make a recording of all or a portion of a communication session for conducting a transaction among at least two devices; and

determining to split the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of the two parts is a receipt of the transaction.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a verification of at least a portion of the transaction based, at least in part, on the one or more of the at least two parts.

3. A method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining to join the one or more of the at least two parts,

wherein the verification of the at least a portion of the transaction is based, at least in part, on continuity of the joined one or more of the at least two parts.

4. A method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining one or more borderline regions between the at least two parts,

wherein the verification of the at least a portion of the transaction is based, at least in part, on continuity of the one or more borderline regions.

5. A method of any of claims 1-4, further comprising:

determining respective roles of the at least two devices with respect to the transaction; and determining to present a user interface for facilitating the transaction based, at least in part, on the respective roles.

6. A method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining to present in the user interface a selection of parameters associated with the

transaction.

7. A method of any of claims 1-6, further comprising:

initiating, at least in part, payment, fulfillment, exchange, confirmation of payment,

confirmation of fulfillment, confirmation of exchange or a combination thereof of the transaction.

8. A method of any of claims 1-7, further comprising:

determining to distribute one or more of the at least two parts to a validator, wherein verification of the transaction is based, at least in part, on the one or more of the at least two parts distributed to the validator, the at least two devices, or a combination thereof.

9. A method of any of claims 1-8, further comprising:

determining to distribute the recording to a reference device,

wherein verification of the transaction is based, at least in part, on the recording distributed to the reference device, the one or more of the at least two parts distributed to the at least two devices, or a combination thereof.

10. A method of any of claims 1-9, further comprising:

generating one or more tokens corresponding to the recording, the at least two parts, or a combination thereof; and

causing, at least in part, distributing the one or more tokens to the at least two devices.

11. A method of any of claims 1-10, wherein the recording includes context information including background sound, artificial sound, background noise, artificial noise, time, location, or a combination thereof.

12. A method of any of claims 1-1 1, wherein the communication session is conducted as an interactive text session, a voice session, a video session, a multimedia session, or a combination thereof.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine to make a recording of all or a portion of a communication session for conducting a transaction among at least two devices; and

determine to split the recording into at least two parts, wherein at least one of the two parts is a receipt of the transaction.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a verification of at least a portion of the transaction based, at least in part, on the one or more of the at least two parts.

15. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to join the one or more of the at least two parts, wherein the verification of the at least a portion of the transaction is based, at least in part, on continuity of the joined one or more of the at least two parts.

16. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more borderline regions between the at least two parts,

17. An apparatus of any of claims 13-16, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine respective roles of the at least two devices with respect to the transaction; and determine to present a user interface for facilitating the transaction based, at least in part, on the respective roles.

18. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to present in the user interface a selection of parameters associated with the

transaction.

19. An apparatus of any of claimsl3-18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

Initiate, at least in part, payment, fulfillment, exchange, confirmation of payment, confirmation of fulfillment, confirmation of exchange, or a combination thereof of the transaction.

20. An apparatus of any of claims 13-19, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to distribute one or more of the at least two parts to a validator,

wherein verification of the transaction is based, at least in part, on the one or more of the at least two parts distributed to the validator, the at least two devices, or a combination thereof.

21. An apparatus of any of claims 13-20, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to distribute the recording to a reference device,

22. An apparatus of any of claims 13-21, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

generate one or more tokens corresponding to the recording, the at least two parts, or a

combination thereof; and

cause, at least in part, distribution of the one or more tokens to the at least two devices.

23. An apparatus of any of claims 13-22, wherein the recording includes context information including background sound, artificial sound, background noise, artificial noise, time, location, or a combination thereof.

24. An apparatus of any of claims 13-23, wherein the communication session is conducted as an interactive text session, a voice session, a video session, a multimedia session, or a combination thereof.

25. A computer-readable storage medium including one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform at least the method of any of claims 1-12.

26. A computer program product including one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform at least the method of any of claims 1-12.

27. An apparatus comprising means for performing the method of any of claims 1-12.

28. A method comprising facilitating access to at least one interface configured to allow

access to at least one service, the at least one service configured to perform the method of any one of claims 1-12.

29. A method comprising facilitating creating and/or facilitating modifying: at least one

device user interface element and/or at least one device user interface functionality;

the at least one device user interface element and/or at least one device user interface

functionality based at least in part on the following:

data and/or information resulting from the method of any one of claims 1-12 and/or at least one signal resulting from the method of any one of claims 1-12.

30. A method comprising facilitating access to and/or facilitating displaying of at least one interface, the at least one interface configured to allow access to at least one service, the at least one service configured to perform the method of any of claims 1-12.

31. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising:

user interface circuitry and user interface software configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone.