Method And Apparatus For Completing A Transaction Using A Wireless Mobile Communication Channel And Another Communication Channel

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for completing a transaction using a wireless mobile communication channel and another communication channel, particularly another communication channel that provides for near field radio channels (NFC), as well as other communication channels, such as Bluetooth or WIFI. The present invention also provides a method of completing a transaction in which a management server assists a transaction server and a point of sale terminal in forwarding transaction information to a hand-held mobile device, with the transaction having originated from the hand-held mobile device. There is also provided a hand-held mobile device that wirelessly communicates between a secure element and a radio element that are associated with the hand-held mobile device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an overview block diagram of the system according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2A, 2B1, 2B2A, 2B2B and 2C illustrate mores details regarding certain of the components illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A-3D provide a flowchart of a preferred embodiment for conducting a transaction according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a mobile device according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for at least one user to complete a transaction using a hand-held mobile device as part of a system that also includes a point-of-sale terminal, a transaction server, and a management server, at least one of the hand-held mobile devices having associated therewith a visual display, a processor, a secure memory, a first transceiver adapted to send transaction request signals and receive transaction response signals over a first communication channel, and a second radio transceiver adapted to send outgoing voice and data signals and receive incoming voice and data signals over a second communication channel that is different than the first communication channel, the method comprising the steps of: sending a first transaction request signal from the first transceiver to any one of a plurality of point-of-sale terminals using the first communication channel, the transaction request signal including an identifier stored in the secure memory and that is associated with the user of the hand-held mobile device, thereby causing the one point-of-sale terminal to transmit the transaction request signal to a transaction server that is remote from the point-of-sale device;receiving from the management server a first transaction response signal at the second transceiver over the second communication channel that is different than the first communication channel, wherein the management server obtains transaction data from the transaction server, associates the transaction data with the user, and provides at least some of the transaction data as the first transaction response signal to the second transceiver; anddisplaying at least some of the first transaction response signal on the visual display associated with the hand-held mobile device.

2. The method according to claim 1 further including a step of the transmitting, from the hand-held mobile device directly to another hand-held mobile device at least a portion of data associated with the first transaction response signal.

3. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of receiving a second transaction response signal at the first transceiver from the transaction server through the point-of-sale terminal using the first communication channel.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the processor is implemented as a radio processor coupled to the second transceiver and a secure processor coupled to the first transceiver, and wherein the step of sending the first transaction request signal further causes the step of the secure processor communicating transaction signals to the radio processor for usage with a transaction application executed by the radio processor.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the secure processor and the radio processor are both internally disposed within a body of the hand-held mobile device and wherein the step of communicating takes place using an internal wired communication channel.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein the radio processor is internally disposed within a body of the hand-held mobile device, wherein the secure processor is disposed within a slot that exists on the body of the hand-held mobile device, wherein the step of communicating takes place using a wired communication channel.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein the radio processor is internally disposed within a body of the hand-held mobile device, wherein the secure processor is external to the body of the hand-held mobile device, wherein the step of communicating takes place using a wireless communication channel.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the wireless communication channel used in the step of communicating is a near field communication channel.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the wireless communication channel used in the step of communicating is one of a Bluetooth and WIFI communication channel.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first transaction request signal is an order and the first transaction responses signal is a receipt from a credit card transaction.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first transaction request signal is an order and the first transaction responses signal is a receipt from one of a debit card and cash card transaction.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first transaction request signal is an order and the first transaction responses signal is a ticket.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first transaction request signal is an order and the first transaction responses signal is a coupon.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein another hand-held mobile device is used for a further transaction with another one of the plurality of point-of-sale terminals, wherein the another hand-held mobile device having associated therewith another visual display, another processor, a radio transceiver adapted to send outgoing voice and data signals and receive incoming voice and data signals over a communication channel, and a smartcard device disposed external to a body of the hand-held mobile device, and further comprising the steps of sending another transaction request signal from the another hand-held mobile device to another one of the plurality of conventional point-of-sale terminals, the transaction request signal including another identifier stored in the smartcard device and that is associated with another user of the another hand-held mobile device, thereby causing the another point-of-sale terminal to transmit the another transaction request signal to the transaction server that is remote from the another point-of-sale device;receiving from the management server another transaction response signal at the radio transceiver over the communication channel, wherein the management server obtains other transaction data from the transaction server, associates the other transaction data with the another user, and provides at least some of the other transaction data as another transaction response signal to the radio transceiver;displaying at least some of the another transaction response signal on the another visual display associated with the another hand-held mobile device; andwherein the management server further prepares a report for each of the user and the another user regarding each of the transactions.

15. A system for assisting a user to complete a transaction, the system comprising: a hand-held mobile device, the hand-held mobile device having: a processor;a secure memory coupled to the processor;a first transceiver coupled to the processor and adapted to send transaction request signals and receive transaction response signals over a first communication channel, the transaction request signals and the transaction response signals associated with the transaction;a visual display coupled to the processor; anda second radio transceiver coupled to the processor and adapted to send outgoing voice and data signals and receive incoming voice and data signals over a second communication channel that is different than the first communication channel, the incoming and outgoing data signals including transaction signals associated with the transaction;a point-of-sale terminal that receives one of the transaction request signals and transmits the one transaction request signal to the transaction server;a transaction server that receives the one transaction request signal from the point-of-sale terminal, verifies the transaction, and forwards a transaction verification signal to the management server; anda management server that receives the transaction verification signal, identifies the user corresponding thereto, and provides as one of the transaction signals a first transaction response signal to the second radio transceiver.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the processor is implemented as a radio processor coupled to the second transceiver and a secure processor coupled to the first transceiver.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the secure processor and the radio processor are both internally disposed within a body of the hand-held mobile device and wherein the secure processor and the radio processor communicate using an internal wired communication channel.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the radio processor is internally disposed within a body of the hand-held mobile device and wherein the secure processor and the radio processor communicate using an internal wired communication channel.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the secure processor is disposed within a slot that exists on the body of the hand-held mobile device and wherein the secure processor and the radio processor communicate using a wired communication channel.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the secure processor is disposed within a slot that exists on the body of the hand-held mobile device and wherein the secure processor and the radio processor communicate using a wireless communication channel.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the wireless communication channel is one of a Bluetooth and WIFI communication channel.

22. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the wireless communication channel is an NFC communication channel.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the radio processor is internally disposed within a body of the hand-held mobile device and the secure processor and the radio processor communicate using a wireless communication channel.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the wireless communication channel is one of a Bluetooth and WIFI communication channel.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the wireless communication channel is an NFC communication channel.