SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE AND FUNCTION FOR FACILITATING
PURCHASING SERVICES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cellular communications systems, and applications using such systems. Especially a purchasing transaction service is provided, based on a system provided in accordance with the invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of purchase cards or credit card is widespread and in many places it has become the major mediator of purchasing transactions by the public. In shops, the items to be purchased are usually collected by the buyer from shelves and brought to the cashier for producing a bill and handling the purchase cards. Bank processing of the transaction is done without further intervention of the buyer.
Thus, although the actual transfer of funds is done without further care of the user, the actual selection of items on the shelf, and bringing it for processing by the cashier are performed manually.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be understood upon reading of the following detailed description of non-limiting exemplary embodiments thereof, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram describing in general terms the system layout in which the invention is implemented; Fig. 2 is a block diagram describing the flow of information from the product to the global network; Fig. 3 is a block diagram describing the dual relations, in one embodiment, of the handset with the shop and product; Fig. 4 is a block diagram describing the relations in one embodiment, in which the handset interacts with shop only; Fig. 5 is a block diagram describing the relations in one embodiment, between the handset and the shop through the global network.
Fig. 6 is a flow chart describing the flow of events taking place in a purchasing procedure in accordance with the invention; Fig. 7 is a flow chart describing the flow of events taking place when the approval of a transaction by the user is require.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a cellular handset is used by the user to collect information regarding a product which he/she would like to purchase. Going through a sequence of steps, thereby implementing an aspect of the invention, the product is purchased. Additionally, in some embodiments, information is gathered in the same process regarding the properties of the product. In Fig. 1 a schematic layout of the system in which an embodiment of the invention is implemented is shown. Handset 22 communicates with a global network 24, the nature of which will be described further below. Application server 26 is connected to the network, and clearance facility 28 is also connected to the global network. To start receiving service a user is to formally join the list of customers, subscribe to, the service provider (SP).
Authentication The identity of a user who has subscribed to the purchasing service (PS) service in accordance with the invention, is to be authenticated in order to have a transaction proceed to end, or even begin. It may be sufficient for the system to rely on the cellular handset identification number, (typically associated with the SIM card of the subscriber to the cellular network) but in order to increase security more information will be required for authenticating the purchaser. The use of PIN code (personal identification number) provides further assurance of the user's identity, requiring the purchaser to fill in a specific number to allow the purchasing process to proceed.
More complex authentication means can be required by the application server in order to facilitate the transaction, for example biometric technique that may provide additional security. Voice recognition can be applied by the server to sample the user's voice and process it. Other biometric information can be provided to the application server, utilizing the microphone and or camera of the handset.
Product and handset identifiers A typical product identifier is a barcode inscribed on the bag or envelope in which the desired product is packed. There are several types of barcodes available on the market, typically one -dimensional (striped), two -dimensional (forming a matrix of black spots), or three dimensional, (dots projecting from a surface) , that can be read by barcode reader or alternatively be photographed by the handset camera and processed by an appropriate software. Another type of identifier is a RFID, (radio frequency identification), that is attached to the product package. There are quite a number of RFID tags available on the market, some passive and some active, but generaI1y the tag responds to the signa1 of a reader, or the reader remotely energizes the RFID. In yet another product identification methodology, the product includes an alphanumeric inscription, clearly marked and visible to the viewer. The camera on the handset acquires the image, and a dedicated software performs OCR, and the relevance of the symbols are extracted. Alternatively, if the product identifier is alphanumeric, the user may be able to dictate the signs through the microphone of the handset, and a suitable program translates the utterances into electronic symbols representing alphanumeric symbols.
The handset can be made to interact with the shop, for sending/receiving information, this can be done by RFID tag, passive or active, born on the handset, and a compatible reader of the shop. Another possibility is for the handset to interact with the shop through near field communications (NFC) device of the shop, requiring also that the handset has the appropriate hardware to match that of the shop.
Flow of information: The flow of data taking place in the process of purchasing in accordance with the present invention can be described for clear understanding with reference to the following figures. Information about the product to be bought is obtained either by a subsystem of the handset (for example camera, microphone).
In Fig. 2, product identifier 34 provides information to handset 22, and the handset after processing the information, sends processed data through network 24 to the application server. The application server may authenticate the user and further facilitate the transaction, and send information regarding the same to clearance facility.
Fig. 3 shows a different aspect of the invention. Shop 38, in this aspect, is an agent of the service provider authenticating the purchaser (user) on the service provider behalf, or alternatively sending the service provider authentication data.
Shop 38 has a reader that reads RFID information from handset 22, which is equipped with an RFID tag. The shop, equipped with a RFID reader, can use the information on the RFID tag for authentication of the user or for sending the authentication data away. Once the user is authenticated, the shop can provide information regarding the identified object, after product identifier 34 has been supplied to the shop.
In a somewhat different embodiment of the invention as can be seen in Fig. 4, user handset 22 interacts with the shop, inquiring about a product without forming any contact with product. The shop retrieves information about the product through a querying a database, or by actually interacting with a product, such as by reading information from products equipped with information containing RFID tags.
In another embodiment, as described schematically in Fig. 5, Shop 38 acquires information about a product by either querying a database or interacting with product identifier 34, but the information is sent to network 24, from which handset 22 draws information.
Operation and purchasing scenarios When shopping, the user can communicate with the shop in which he/she is staying by using SMS or other forms of messaging as a medium for conveying information, or IP communications such as by GPRS or 3' generation Internet communications to interact with the shop or with the application server.
Alternatively, the user can communicate with the shop through an RFID reader. Technically, the RFID communications permit at most a few meters of slack between the reader and the RFID tag. Another possibility is communicating by a wireless LAN (such as Wi-Fi) for effectively performing Internet surfing, or to other wireless internet connections such as WIMAX for effecting Internet connection.
Another scenario is the "I-lot Spot" scenario, or publicly available wireless LAN in which a user is communicating with a publically available LAN, such as in a shopping center, encompassing a plurality of businesses. The WIMAX technology permits mobility freedom in a much larger area than Wi-Fi connection.
In a different purchasing scenario, the user is not bound to any shop, shopping center or LANs, but rather is a free roaming user, when contracting a vendor of any type, the purchaser and vendor can interact through the network services provided by the cellular network, its regular services or 3' generation messaging system, or any other communication. An interface between the cellular system and the application server must be made available in order to facilitate the transactions.
The following two examples can explain how a purchasing procedure in accordance with the present invention is implemented. In Fig. 6 the process of purchasing reads as follows. un step 90 the product is selected and in step 92 the barcode is acquired by the camera of the handset. In step 94 the barcode is processed to extract details and cost of the product. In step 96 the shop is accessed at step 96 such as by notifying through the Internet, If verified, in step 98, the transaction details are sent, through the cellular network such as 3 generation, in step 100, and arrives at application server process 102, thereafter to the clearance facility in step 104. In Fig. 7, an additional aspect of the invention is indicated. In this aspect, the clearance facility interacts with the purchaser directly. In Fig. 7, the clearance facility receives a request for effecting a transaction in step 110. The clearance facility does not approve the transaction merely on the basis of the fiscal issue, but also requires an explicit permission by notifying the customer in step 112, such as by sending SMS message, and receiving the authorization, in step 114, also by way of SMS messaging for
example.
Purchasing of services and other payments In another aspect of the invention, services can be purchased using the system of the invention. For example a debit note is handed over to the user by a service provider, including a barcode inscribed on the debit note. The handset, subsequent to reading the barcode, invokes a series of steps that culminates in the actual payment to the service provider, in a similar manner as the purchasing of goods performed. Similarly, payments to authorities can be executed, for example taxes or fines. Payment for toll highways can be mediated by the system of the invention. As the vehicle is recognized by the highway's imaging system, or the highways RFID reading system, the application server is notified and sends to the driver an SMS message which includes a link for paying.
Another use of a service in accordance with the present invention is payment service for travel in trains or buses. Once the user intends to enter the coach, in the railway or bus station, he/she may sweep the handset equipped with a RFID tag near an RFID reader. The passenger is logged on from this moment and the collection system of the travel service recognizes the passenger as being engaged in travelling starting at the coordinate the passenger started journeying.
During travel, the passenger is assigned a travelling status, and a conductor or supervisor of the bus/train company may read the RFID using a portable RFID reader and query the collecting system for the status of the traveler. Once the traveler alights at a station, he/she sweeps the handset in the vicinity of a dedicated RFID reader, and the status of the traveler is changed to non traveler, the station recoded, fee calculated according to distance travelled and the application server notified regarding the completion of the travel.