WO2002037363A1

WO2002037363A1 - Electronic commerce system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2002037363A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/001018
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sang-Hyun Han; Cheol-Kyun Jung; Tae-Kyoung Koo
Original assignee: Woori Technology Inc.
Priority date: 2000-10-31
Filing date: 2001-06-13
Publication date: 2002-05-10
Also published as: AU2001264377A1; JP2004513438A; KR20020033588A

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic commerce system and method. A terminal with an attachable settlement card module, a settlement and authentication demand system, a bank system and a settlement system are connected via a network. When a product buying request is input by the wireless communication terminal with a settlement card module, the settlement system provides the terminal with information on the settlement and authentication demand system. Generationof access to the settlement and authentication demand system connects the terminal to the settlement and authentication demand system to make a purchase, and when an encoded number for requestingsettlement for the product purchased is transmitted by the terminal, the settlement system decodes the encoded number and authenticates a corresponding buyer. After the authentication, a settlement request on the product is provided to the bank system so that the settlement and authentication demand system settles for the product purchase.

Description

Electronic Commerce System and Method

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic commerce (EC)

system and method through a wireless network. More specifically, the

present invention relates to a settlement or authentication system and

method on a wireless network using a settlement card module that is

attachable to a terminal.

(b) Description of the Related Art

Recently, as the Internet has been greatly popularized, EC that

covers people all around the world through a same medium such as the

Internet has been activated, and EC includes commercial transactions

that require money flow using electronic media; techniques and tools

under integrated and automated information system environments

between corporations, between corporations and peers, between peers,

or between governments and corporations; and it further includes

behaviors for executing marketing, advertisements, supply, services,

production, transport, purchases, and contents provision.

Therefore, the Internet users can easily obtain desired

information, and selectively buy necessary commodities on the basis of

countless categories of information provided on the Internet without directly shopping around.

As the EC technologies through the network have developed, the

Internet services using portable wireless terminals such as cell phones

and personal digital assistants (PDAs) have begun, and accordingly, the

users have come to receive electronic mail, search information, or make

purchases using a wireless communication terminal.

However, when a user uses a wireless communication terminal,

receives product information, decides to make a purchase, and settles for

the corresponding product, it is not easy for the user to input delivery

information including the user's name, settlement method information

(e.g., a credit card number), and a delivery destination address because

of limits (e.g., size) of an input device of the wireless communication

terminal.

Accordingly, EC such as buying products using a wireless

communication terminal is rarely executed because of the above-noted

reasons, and in addition, when a user attempts to perform a credit card

settlement using the wireless communication terminal, the user tends to

hesitate to make a purchase via mobile commerce (m-commerce)

because of security problems.

On the other hand, when a buyer desires to use a credit card at

the time of off-line settling, off-line shops are required to provide an

expensive card reader, thereby incurring further expenses. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to enable a user to use a

wireless communication terminal anywhere to conveniently and easily

perform settlement and authentication processes in using a wireless

network.

It is another object of the present invention to settle for off-line

purchases using a communication terminal and without using an

additional expensive reader.

In one aspect of the present invention, an electronic commerce

(EC) method of a system connected through a network to a

settlement/authentication system, a bank system, and a plurality of

terminals each having an attachable settlement card module comprises:

the settlement card module accessing through the network and providing

an installed terminal with information on a plurality of

settlement/authentication systems; connecting the terminal to a

settlement/authentication system when the terminal requests access to

the settlement/authentication system; decoding an encoded number

when an encoded number for requesting to settle for/authenticate a

product purchase is transmitted from the terminal, and authenticating that

a buyer can settle/authenticate on the basis of the decoded information;

and the buyer requesting settlement from the bank system for the product purchased by the buyer so that the product bought by the buyer may be

settled for/authenticated.

In another aspect of the present invention, an electronic

commerce (EC) method of a system connected through a network to a

settlement/authentication system, a bank system, and a plurality of

terminals each having an attachable settlement card module comprises:

requesting one terminal to transmit information for

settlement/authentication when a request for settlement/authentication of

a product purchase executed through the terminal is input from the

settlement/authentication system; decoding an encoded number when an

encoded number for settling for/authenticating the product purchase is

transmitted from the terminal in which the settlement card module is

installed, and authenticating that a buyer can settle/authenticate on the

basis of the decoded information; and requesting that the bank system

settle for the product purchased by the buyer to settle for/authenticate the

product purchase.

In still another aspect of the present invention, an electronic

commerce (EC) method of a system connected through a network to a

buyer's settlement card module, a seller terminal at which the settlement

card module can be attached, and a bank system, comprises: the seller

terminal transmitting an encoded number for requesting to settle for and

authenticate a product purchase when the settlement card module of the buyer who makes a purchase attempts to authenticate; decoding the

encoded number when the encoded number is transmitted from the seller

terminal, and authenticating that the settlement card module can be used

for settlement based on the decoded information; and requesting that the

bank system settle for the product purchased by the buyer when the

settlement card module is authenticated so as to settle for the product

purchase.

In further another aspect of the present invention, an electronic

commerce (EC) method of a system connected through a network to a

plurality of buyer terminals from each of which a settlement card module

can be attached, and a bank system, comprises: decoding an encoded

number when the encoded number for requesting network banking is

transmitted from the buyer terminal in which the settlement card module

is installed, and authenticating that the buyer can perform network

banking on the basis of the decoded information; and connecting the

buyer terminal to the bank system when the buyer is authenticated, and

thereby performing network banking.

The encoded number comprises an encoded ID (identification)

of the settlement card module and an encoded user number

corresponding to an order to be presently used from among a plurality of

user numbers stored in the settlement card module.

The encoded number is transmitted together with the whole or a portion of a phone number of the terminal or a unique number of the

terminal for settlement and authentication.

The authentication step comprises: performing the

authentication when the ID of the settlement card module, included in the

decoded information, is a registered number, and when the user number

is a number that corresponds to the order to be presently used;

requesting that the buyer terminal input a password for checking that the

buyer is an EC-available user; and finally authenticating the buyer as an

EC-available buyer when the password is a registered one.

The terminal is a wireless communication terminal, and the

seller terminal is a wireless communication terminal.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a system

connected through a network to a plurality of terminals from each of

which a settlement card module can be attached, a

settlement/authentication system, and a bank system, comprises: a

database for storing information on the settlement card module, the

terminals, and the settlement/authentication process; and an

authenticator for decoding an encoded number when an encoded number

for requesting to settle for/authenticate a product purchase is transmitted

through the network from the terminal in which the settlement card

module is installed, searching the database on the basis of the decoded

information to authenticate that a buyer can settle/authenticate, and after the authentication, requesting that the bank system settle for the product

purchased by the buyer so that the product may be settled

for/authenticated.

In further another aspect of the present invention, a system

connected through a network to a plurality of seller terminals from each of

which a settlement card module of a buyer can be attached, a

settlement/authentication system, and a bank system, comprises: a

database for storing information on the settlement card module, the seller

terminals, and the settlement/authentication process; and an

authenticator for decoding an encoded number when an encoded number

for requesting to settle for/authenticate the product purchase is

transmitted through the network from the seller terminal in which the

settlement card module is installed, searching the database on the basis

of the decoded information to authenticate that the buyer who has the

settlement card module can settle/authenticate, and after the

authentication, requesting that the bank system settle for the product

purchased by the buyer so that the product purchase may be settled

for/authenticated.

The database comprises: a member database for storing

information including ID'S respectively assigned to the settlement card

modules, and phone numbers when the buyer terminal is a wireless

communication terminal; and an authentication database for storing a plurality of card user numbers for the respective ID'S assigned to the

settlement card module, the card user numbers being matched with the

ID'S, and the card user numbers being sequentially used in a

predetermined use order for each settlement/authentication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and

constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the

invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the

principles of the invention:

FIG. 1 shows an EC system according to a first preferred

embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a buyer terminal and a settlement card module and

their connection state according to the first preferred embodiment of the

present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart for registering a settlement card module

and opening an account according to the first preferred embodiment of

the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a mobile banking process using a

settlement card module according to the first preferred embodiment of the

present invention;

FIG. 5 shows exemplified screens displayed on a terminal's display according to the mobile banking process according to the first

preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGs. 6(a) and 6(b) show a flowchart of a transaction and its

settlement process using a settlement card reader according to the first

preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows exemplified screens displayed on a terminal's

display according to the transaction and its settlement process according

to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGs. 8(a) and 8(b) show a flowchart of a transaction and its

settlement process according to a second preferred embodiment of the

present invention; and

FIG. 9 shows exemplified screens displayed on a terminal's

display according to the transaction and its settlement process according

to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, only the preferred

embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, simply by

way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by the inventor(s) of

carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of

modification in various obvious respects, all without departing from the

invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not restrictive.

FIG. 1 shows an EC system according to a first preferred

embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the EC system

comprises a buyer terminal 20 connected through a (wire or wireless)

network 10; a seller terminal 30; a settlement system 40; and a bank

system 50, and a settlement card module 60 may be optionally installed

in the buyer terminal 20.

The settlement system 40 for intermediating execution of EC

using a settlement card module according to a first preferred embodiment

of the present invention comprises an interface server 41 for performing

access and information exchanges through the network 10; a database

server 42 for storing various categories of information for providing a

settlement service using the settlement card module 60; a processing

server 43 for providing the settlement service to buyers registered as

members in connection with the bank system 50 on the basis of

information stored in the database server 42; and a mail server 44.

The interface server 41 connects a plurality of terminals 20 and

30 with the bank system 50 through the network 10, converts various

kinds of information provided through the processing server 43 according

to a communication rule (e.g., an HTTP), and provides it to the terminals

20 and 30; or receives information from the terminals 20 and 30 through

the network 10, and provides it to the processing server 43. It comprises a common gateway interface (CGI) for transmitting and receiving

information to/from a web server or another system. The interface server

41 may comprise an Internet information server (IIS) by Microsoft.

The database server 42 comprises a member information

database 421 , an authentication information database 422, and a

settlement information database 423.

The member information database 421 stores information on the

buyers who can receive the settlement service using the settlement card

module 60, such as names, settlement passwords, bank account

numbers, terminal phone numbers, settlement card module serial

numbers, card numbers (e.g., credits cards or department store cards),

residence registration numbers, contact points (e.g., electronic mail

addresses, post addresses, and wire phone numbers), and residence

areas for respective settlement ID's provided to the buyers who buy the

settlement card modules.

The authentication information database 422 stores a plurality of

card user numbers for representing usage allowances for each serial

number assigned to the settlement card module, and the card user

numbers are sequentially used in a predetermined order. However, in the

case of generating card numbers through a rule, it can be implemented

such that at least one card user number is stored in the authentication

database 422. The settlement information database 423 stores settlement

histories for respective buyers who request the settlements, such as

settled prices, settlement dates, and seller information (e.g., a bank

account number) corresponding to the buyer's settlement ID's.

The processing server 43 for providing the settlement service on

the basis of information stored in the respective databases 421 to 423

comprises a member manager 431 , a number issuer 432, an

authenticator 433, and an information transmitter 434.

The member manager 431 registers members who can receive

the settlement service through the network, manages information on the

registered buyers, stores information on the buyers who buy the

settlement card modules in the member information database 421 and

manages it, and processes a member log-in process for receiving the

settlement service.

The number issuer 432 assigns a user number, for representing a

usage allowance, to each settlement card module of each buyer

registered as a member.

The authenticator 433 authenticates the settlement process on

the basis of a buyer's registration information stored in the member

information database 421 and a user number (to be currently used

according to a predetermined order) stored in the authentication

information database 422 according to a settlement request from the buyer terminal 20.

The information transmitter 434 communicates information with a

buyer terminal having a settlement card module or a seller terminal, and

in particular, provides information such as initial menu screens for

settlement.

The buyer terminal 20 for executing EC through the above-

configured settlement system may include communication devices for

executing EC through a personal computer (PC), a wireless

communication terminal, or an Internet TV, and in the preferred

embodiment the buyer terminal 20 comprises a wireless communication

terminal.

FIG. 2 shows a rough block diagram of a settlement card module

according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and a

rough connection state between the settlement card module and the

buyer terminal.

As shown, the settlement card module 60 comprises a CPU

(central processing unit) 61 , an EEPROM 62, a clock signal unit 63, and

an interface 64. In addition, the settlement card module 60 further

comprises a URL (uniform resource locator) output button 65 for

accessing the settlement system through a single click operation and

without a further accessing process, and an authentication button 66 for

requesting the settlement. The above-structured settlement card module 60 can be implemented in a one-chip MCU (micro control unit) that

integrates the CPU, EEPROM, and clock signal unit.

The settlement card module 60 is attachably connected to the

wireless communication terminal 20. The wireless communication

terminal 20 comprises a data port 21 for inputting and outputting data of

the wireless communication terminal 20; a keypad 22 including a plurality

of keys for inputting data such as passwords; a display 23 for displaying

input and output data or data provided from the settlement card module

60; a wireless transmitter 24; a wireless receiver 25; and a processor 26

for transmitting received data to the settlement card module 60, and

processing the data transmitted by the settlement card module 60 to be

displayed on the display 23 or to be transmitted through the transmitter

24.

The interface 64 of the settlement card module 60 communicates

data through the data port 21 in the RS-232C method, and the data

communication method is not restricted to this. The CPU 61 of the

settlement card module 60 serially communicates with the display 23 and

the keypad 22 installed in the wireless communication terminal, through

the RS-232 interface. For this, it is desirable for the wireless

communication terminal and the CPU of the settlement card module to

have an identical data protocol, and when the internal voltage of the

wireless communication terminal is different from the voltage required by the CPU, a DC-DC converter or a regulator for adjusting the voltage

difference is obviously needed.

For example, the CPU 61 of the settlement card module 60 uses

a protocol adopted by many wireless communication terminal makers,

such as the ESMS protocol (a data format by SK-Telecom Corp.) or the

EIF protocol (similar to ESMS protocol, and Internet-based), so as to

perform data communication.

The EEPROM 62 of the settlement card module 60 stores

pseudo user numbers and CPU procedure basic information. In particular,

the EEPROM 62 stores a plurality of pseudo user numbers, and

sequentially uses them one by one in an established order (referred to as

'use order' hereinafter).

The CPU 61 decodes the pseudo card user numbers stored in

the EEPROM 62 according to an established rule each time a password

is input through the keypad 22 of the wireless communication terminal 20

according to the clock signals generated by the clock signal unit 63, and

• in particular, when the authentication button 66 is operated, the CPU 61

sequentially reads and decodes the pseudo user numbers in the

EEPROM 62 one by one according to the user order to generate

available user numbers. The CPU 61 encodes the generated card user

numbers and the serial number of the settlement card module, and

transmits encoded information and a portion of the terminal's phone number provided by the wireless communication terminal 20 to the

settlement system 40 through the wireless communication terminal 20 to

request a settlement authentication.

The EEPROM 62 stores the card user's unique information

(including a previous card user number, encoded ID information, or step

information) used for generating card user numbers according to a

predetermined rule.

The bank system 50 connected to the settlement system 40, for

settling the transactions, opens an account to a buyer who possesses a

settlement card module according to the request by the settlement

system 40, and performs a settlement through an account transfer

according to the settlement request.

Next, an EC method on the basis of the above-described EC

system will be described.

First, a process for registering a plurality of buyers as members

who can receive settlement service using a settlement card module and

for opening an. electronic bank account for settlement according to the

preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart for a registration and account-opening

process according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Users who desire to receive a transaction and settlement service

using a settlement card module buy settlement card modules at an off- line shop in step S100. When buying them, the users respectively receive

settlement card modules, manuals, and membership entrance sheets for

registering as members who can receive services using the settlement

card module.

The user inputs a name, an address, a sex, a terminal phone

number, a serial number provided to the bought settlement card module,

a settlement password, a current bank's account number, an occupation,

an electronic mail address, and an opinion of whether to open an account

of an electronic bank system, according to the present invention to the

membership entrance sheet in step S110.

A manager of a shop provides registration sheet information to

the settlement system 40 through the seller terminal 30 on the basis of

the registration sheet on which the various kinds of user information is

recorded. This process of recording member information by the user can

be implemented through papers or by displaying the sheet on the seller

terminal 30 and enabling the user to directly input necessary information

on the sheet. The user information recorded on the paper can be input to

the seller terminal 30 by the manager, through a scanning process, etc.

The seller terminal 30 provides information on the user who buys

the settlement card module and requests a member registration, to the

settlement system 40 through the network (e.g., the Internet or an

exclusive line) in step S120, and the authenticator 1 of the settlement system 40 extracts a settlement card module serial number from the input

user information, converts it into a card ID, adds a password set by the

user, and a portion of the terminal number (e.g., four right numbers of a

total wireless terminal phone number) to the card ID, and finally

generates a settlement ID of the settlement system in steps S130 and

S140.

The member manager 431 of the settlement system 40 matches

the user information provided by the seller terminal 30 with the settlement

ID's generated by the authenticator 433, and stores the user information

in the member information database 421 to perform membership

registration in step S150.

Next, in order to open an electronic bank account for settlement

for a new registered user, the member manager 431 provides the user's

settlement ID to the electronic bank system 50 to request opening of an

account, and accordingly, the electronic bank system 50 opens a new

electronic bank account corresponding to the settlement ID in step S160.

In this instance, the member manager 431 further provides the electronic

bank system 50 with minimum user information (e.g., an address, a name,

a residence registration number, and a terminal phone number) required

for opening an account, together with the settlement ID.

When the member registration and account opening by the

settlement system 40 is finished, the electronic bank system 50 notifies the user terminal 20 of completion of opening of an account by electronic

mail or by post in step S170.

As described, when the user is notified that the electronic bank

account is opened, the user starts a transaction using a settlement card

module.

Next, a mobile banking method using a settlement card module

will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for a mobile banking process, and FIG.

5 shows information displayed on a user terminal according to the mobile

banking.

As shown in FIG. 4, a user registered as a member of the

settlement system and having an electronic bank account installs a

settlement card module in a registered wireless communication terminal

in step S200. When the user inserts the interface 61 of the settlement

card module 60 into the data port 21 of the wireless communication

terminal 20, an instruction (e.g., SETLCD=1) for obtaining control over the

display 23 of the wireless communication terminal 20 and an instruction

(e.g., SETKEY=1 ) for obtaining control over the keypad 22 of the wireless

communication terminal 20 are automatically transmitted to the wireless

communication terminal 20, and a processor (not illustrated) of the

wireless communication terminal 20 gives the control to the CPU 61 of

the settlement card module 60. When the user presses the URL output button 65 installed in the

settlement card module so as to execute an electronic transaction using

the wireless communication terminal 20, the CPU 61 of the settlement

card module 60 accesses the settlement system 40 in step S210. In this

instance, the CPU 61 reads a terminal manufacturing number from a

memory (not illustrated) of the connected wireless communication

terminal 20 to detect a terminal type, and outputs it together with a URL

of the settlement system 40 to the wireless network 10 through a URL

output method corresponding to the terminal type.

The URL information of the settlement system 40 transmitted by

the wireless communication terminal 20 is converted into a wireless

markup language (WML) through a wireless application protocol (WAP)

gateway, and is transmitted to a mobile communication service system

(not illustrated) through a wireless network, and the mobile

communication service system connects the user's wireless

communication terminal 20 to the settlement system 40 according to the

URL information.

The information transmitter 434 of the settlement system 40

provides a default access screen to the user so that the user may select

desired services (e.g., shopping or banking) through the wireless

communication terminal 20 in step S220, and when the user selects a

menu, for example, "baking" displayed on the wireless communication terminal 20, the interface server 41 of the settlement system 40 transmits

a message requiring the user to press the authentication button for a

predetermined period of time to check the user's selection in steps S230

and S240.

When the message is displayed on the wireless communication

terminal 20, the user selectively presses the authentication button, and

the CPU 61 of the wireless communication terminal 20 executes mobile

banking in such a case when the authentication button is operated over a

predetermined established time period in step S250.

First, the CPU 61 of the settlement card module 60 receives a

terminal phone number from the terminal 20 through the interface 64,

reads a pseudo user number to be presently used corresponding to the

use order from the EEPROM 62, encodes the serial number of the

settlement card module 60, that is, a card ID and a pseudo user number

in step S260, and transmits the encoded number and a portion of the

terminal phone number (e.g., "2345," which is the central portion of a

terminal phone number when the terminal phone number is defined to be

01 1 -2345-5674) to the settlement system 40 through the transmitter 24 of

the wireless communication terminal 20 in step S270.

When receiving the encoded information from the wireless

communication terminal 20 through the wireless network, the

authenticator 433 decodes the encoded information to restore the pseudo user number and the card ID in step S280, determines whether a

corresponding settlement card reader is registered according to the state

of whether the restored card ID is stored in the authentication information

database 422, performs an authentication process when the restored

card ID is stored in the authentication information database 422, and

requests the wireless communication terminal 20 to input a password for

providing the service in steps S290 and S300.

As shown in FIG. 5, when a message for requesting input of a

password is displayed on the wireless communication terminal 20, the

user inputs a password that was set at the time of registration using the

keypad 22, and the input password is transmitted to the settlement

system 40 in step S310.

The authenticator 433 of the settlement system 40 checks

whether the user information is stored in the authentication information

database 422 on the basis of the transmitted password, the restored card

ID, and the pseudo user number, and finally authenticates the user who

requests mobile banking in step S320.

When the settlement ID including the transmitted password and

the restored card ID is stored in the authentication information database

422 and the final authentication is performed, the authenticator 433

provides the user's settlement ID and the terminal phone number to the

electronic bank system 50 to request a start of mobile banking in step S330, and the electronic bank system 50 provides mobile banking

screens to the corresponding wireless communication terminal 20 in step

S340.

As described, when the mobile banking user is finally

authenticated, menus including "balances", "remittance", "transfer from

another bank", and "various settings" for mobile banking are displayed

on the wireless terminal's display 23, and the user selects a desired

menu to execute mobile banking in step S350.

In addition, the user who buys the settlement card module can be

authenticated to be an available buyer to make a purchase, as follows.

FIGs. 6(a) and 6(b) show a flowchart for making a purchase

according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.

7 shows information displayed on the user terminal according to the

purchase.

Transaction processes identical with those of mobile banking will

not be described in the below.

As shown in FIG. 6(a), identical with the mobile banking, when a

user installs the settlement card module in a registered wireless

communication terminal and presses the URL output button 65, the

wireless communication terminal 20 is connected _. to the settlement

system 40, and service menus provided by the settlement system are

displayed on the terminal display 23 in steps S400 to S420. When the user selects a shopping menu, the interface server 41

of the settlement system 40 provides the user with a screen that displays

a plurality of shopping mall sites in steps S430 and S440, and when the

user selects one of the sites displayed on the display of the wireless

communication terminal, the settlement system 40 connects the wireless

communication terminal 20 to the selected shopping mall system 70 in

step S450.

Accordingly, the shopping mall system 70 provides information on

the products for sale by site of the shopping mall system 70 to the

wireless communication terminal 20 in step S460, and when the user

selects a desired product to reveal a buying intention, the shopping mall

system 70 provides a settlement menu on the corresponding product to

the wireless communication terminal 20 in steps S470 and S480.

When the user selects a settlement card module using-method

on the shopping mall system's settlement page displayed on the wireless

communication terminal 20 so as to settle for the desired product

purchase in step S490, the shopping mall system 70 transmits detailed

information of the corresponding product purchase to the wireless

communication terminal 20, and the information transmitter 434 of the

settlement system 40 provides product information and checks whether

the settlement card module is inserted in steps S500 and S510.

When the product's detailed information and a message indicating that the settlement card module is inserted are displayed on the

terminal display 23, the user presses the authentication button 66 for

settlement, and accordingly, identical with the authentication process in

the case of mobile banking, the encoded card ID, the pseudo user

number, and a portion of the terminal phone number are transmitted to

the settlement system 40 from the wireless communication terminal 20 in

steps S520 to S540.

The authenticator 433 of the settlement system 40 decodes the

encoded information to restore the pseudo user number and the card ID

in step S550, and authenticates the card ID in the like manner of the

above-described mobile banking and as shown in FIG. 6(b), and the

authenticator 433 requests input of a password to the terminal 20 in step

S560, and when the password is received, it finally authenticates the user

who requests to settle for the product purchase on the basis of the

password in steps S570 and S580.

When the user is finally authenticated as being authorized to

settle, the authenticator 433 provides the user's settlement ID, and

requests the user's account information from the electronic bank system

50 in step S590, and the electronic bank system 50 provides the

electronic bank account's balance information corresponding to the

user's settlement ID to the settlement system 40 to transmit it to the

wireless communication terminal 20 in step S600. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, information including the balance in the user's electronic bank

account together with the desired product's settlement price and^' a

depositing agency, and a button for confirming the user's buying intention

are displayed on the display 23 of the wireless communication terminal

20.

When the user selects a purchase button, the authenticator 433

of the settlement system 40 transmits a settlement ID and settlement

information (e.g., product price and account number of the shopping mall

site) to request a settlement in steps S610 and S620, and accordingly,

the electronic bank system 50 transfers the value of the product purchase

to the account number of the shopping mall site to execute settlement in

step S630.

Next, the electronic bank system 50 notifies the settlement

system 40 of settlement completion in step S640, and the information

transmitter 434 of the settlement system 40 stores a settlement history

(e.g., information of the product bought by the buyer, shopping mall site

information, settlement price, and settlement due date etc. corresponding

to the buyer's settlement ID) in the settlement information database 423,

and notifies the user's wireless communication terminal 20 and the

shopping mall system 70 of completion of settlement for the product

purchase in step S650.

After this, the shopping mall site pays a predetermined commission based on the settlement price to the settlement system, and

the settlement system pays a portion of the commission to the electronic

bank system as a settlement fee.

Therefore, since the user can make a purchase and settle the for

product purchase using repeatedly varying pseudo user numbers in the

case of using a wireless communication terminal, the user can perform

transactions more safely.

As described, the user can safely settle for the desired product

purchases when shopping around through a wireless communication

terminal, and in the same way the user can also settle for paid contents.

When attempting to receive paid contents from contents providing

sites through a wireless communication terminal and settle for the

corresponding contents, the user uses the settlement card module in the

same manner as the process for making a purchase and settling for it.

Since skilled persons can easily perform the process for settling

for the price of paid contents on the basis of the above description, no

further description will be provided.

In the above preferred embodiment, the user installs a settlement

card module in a wireless communication terminal, accesses the

settlement system, and selects one of the sites provided by the

settlement system to perform corresponding transactions, and differing

from this, without accessing the settlement system, the user can directly access a specific site, make a purchase, receive contents, and at the time

of settling, install a settlement card module in the wireless communication

terminal and receive a settlement service through the settlement system.

In detail, when the user accesses a specific site through the

wireless communication terminal, makes a purchase, receives desired

contents, and selects a settlement method using a settlement card

module, the corresponding site, for example a shopping mall system,

provides information on the product bought by the user or the received

contents to the settlement system to request a settlement, and

accordingly, the settlement system checks whether the settlement card

module is inserted and performs settlement using the settlement card

module. In this instance, if the settlement card module is not installed in

the user's wireless communication terminal, the settlement system

transmits a message for requesting installation of a settlement card

module to the wireless communication terminal so as to check it.

Hence, the user can access a plurality of sites, execute desired

transactions, and receive settlement services through the settlement

system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,

and when the user individually accesses a desired site and executes the

transaction, the user can also receive the settlement service using a

settlement card module through the settlement system.

Therefore, the user can access a desired wireless network system to perform transactions according to the user's intention at

anytime, and easily and conveniently settle for products purchased

without inputting further information.

As described, the user can settle for the mobile transaction by

installing the user's settlement card module in the wireless

communication terminal, and in addition, the user can settle for products

that the user buys off line, through another person's wireless

communication terminal that can read the settlement card module bought

by the user.

In the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the

user installs the settlement card module, not in the user's wireless

communication terminal but in a shop's wireless communication terminal

(i.e., another person's wireless communication terminal).

The configuration of the EC system according to the second

preferred embodiment of the present invention is identical with that of the

first preferred embodiment of the present invention, except that the

member database 421 of the settlement system 40 additionally stores

information on off-line shops that provide the settlement service using the

settlement card module, such as wireless communication terminal

numbers, shop names, and settlement account numbers for the shops

corresponding to the respective shop ID's.

FIGs. 8(a) and 8(b) show a flowchart of a transaction and a settlement process according to the second preferred embodiment, and

FIG. 9 shows exemplified information displayed on the shop's wireless

communication terminal at the time of settlement.

When a buyer makes a purchase at an off-line shop and presents

a settlement card module to settle for the product purchase, the shop's

seller inserts the settlement card module 60 into the shop's wireless

communication terminal. The configuration of the shop's wireless

communication terminal is matched with that of the general wireless

communication terminal, except that it is previously registered to a server

that the wireless communication terminal is used for the shop, and the

user can check it.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), when the settlement card module is

inserted into the reader of the shop's wireless communication terminal, a

standby screen is displayed on the display of the shop's wireless

communication terminal, and when the user presses the URL output

button, the shop's wireless communication terminal is connected to the

settlement system 40 as described above in steps S700 and S710, and

accordingly, the information transmitter 434 of the settlement system 40

provides a default screen for the shop to the shop's wireless

communication terminal in step S720.

When the shop's wireless communication terminal is connected

to the settlement system 40 and the authentication button is operated in step S730, the processor 26 of the shop's wireless communication

terminal encodes the settlement card module's serial number read by the

settlement card module 60, that is, the card ID and the pseudo user

number in step S740, and transmits a portion of the phone number of the

shop's wireless communication terminal together with the serial number

to the settlement system 40 in step S750. Here, the phone number might

not be used, but rather a password input from a cell phone or a phone's

unique number might be used.

The phone number transmitted before authentication is checked

to see whether the information is output from the shop's wireless

communication terminal. When receiving the encoded information, the

authenticator 433 of the settlement system 40 authenticates the card ID

as described above in step S760, and the information transmitter 434

provides the corresponding shop's settlement screen to the shop's

wireless communication terminal according to the authentication in step

S770, and when the settlement price is input, the information transmitter

434 transmits the settlement price to the shop's wireless communication

terminal so that the seller or the buyer may check it in steps S780 to

S800.

When the settlement price is checked, the information transmitter

434 of the settlement system 40 provides the shop's wireless

communication terminal with the settlement price and a screen for requesting input of a password so that the buyer may check the

settlement price and input the password through the shop's wireless

communication terminal in steps S810 and S820.

The authenticator 433 of the settlement system 40 finally

authenticates the user who requests to settle for the product purchase on

the basis of the password transmitted by the shop's wireless

communication terminal in steps S830 and S840.

As shown in FIG. 8(b), when the user who can settle for the

product purchase is finally authenticated, the authenticator 433 provides

the user's settlement ID and settlement information (e.g., the shop's

account number, and the settlement price), and requests a settlement

price transfer from the electronic bank system 50 in step S850, and the

electronic bank system 50 transfers the settlement price to the shop's

account number from a general bank account or the electronic bank

account corresponding to the user's settlement ID in step S860.

When the settlement is completed, the electronic bank system 50

notifies of settlement completion in step S870, and the information

transmitter 434 of the settlement system 40 stores the settlement history

(including information on the products bought by the buyer, information

on the shopping mall site at which the buyer buys the corresponding

products, the settlement price, and the settlement date, corresponding to

the buyer's settlement ID) in the settlement information database 423, and notifies the shop's wireless communication terminal and the buyer's

wireless communication terminal 20 of completion of settling for the

product price in steps S880 to S900.

According to the second preferred embodiment, the user can

settle for the product purchases that the user buys through the shop's

wireless communication terminal installed at the off-line shop when the

user only carries the settlement card module without the wireless

communication terminal.

As described above, the settlement card module is a module type

and a card type to be inserted into the data port of the wireless

communication terminal, and further is a SIM card type or a UIM (user

identity module) type to be inserted into the side or bottom of the wireless

communication terminal.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the buyer

who buys the settlement card module can receive a settlement or

authentication service using the buyer's own wireless communication

terminal or other ones (another person's wireless communication terminal

or a shop's wireless communication terminal).

According to the present invention, the user can install the

settlement card module in the wireless communication terminal anytime

and can easily and conveniently execute settlement for mobile

transactions or mobile banking without inputting additional settlement information.

Also, the present invention enables the user to use a different

card user number at the next authentication or transaction, thereby

protecting the card user if the card user number is stolen.

Further, without an additional expensive reader, the buyer can

settle for an off-line purchase using the wireless communication terminal,

and accordingly, no further cost for off-line settling is generated.

In addition, the user can be immediately notified of authentication

and settlement status, and can receive information on the user's line of

credit, thereby enabling freer card use, and when just a single illegal

attempt is detected the corresponding transaction is stopped, and this

fact is immediately reported to the original card holder, thereby preventing

further loss.

While this invention has been described in connection with what

is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred

embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the

disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various

modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and

scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An electronic commerce (EC) method of a system connected

through a network to a settlement/authentication system, a bank system,

and a plurality of terminals each having an attachable settlement card

module, comprising:

providing information on a plurality of settlement/authentication

systems to the terminal in which the settlement card module is installed,

the terminal accessing through the network;

connecting the terminal to a settlement/authentication system

when the terminal requests access to the settlement/authentication

system;

decoding an encoded number when an encoded number for

requesting to settle for/authenticate a product purchase is transmitted

from the terminal, and authenticating that a buyer can settle/authenticate

on the basis of the decoded information; and

requesting that the bank system settle for the product

purchased by the buyer to settle for/authenticate the product purchase.

2. An electronic commerce (EC) method of a system connected

through a network to a settlement/authentication system, a bank system,

and a plurality of terminals each having an attachable settlement card

module, comprising:

requesting one terminal to transmit information for settlement/authentication when a request for settlement/authentication of

a product purchase executed through the terminal is input from the

settlement/authentication system;

decoding an encoded number when an encoded number for

settling for/authenticating the product purchase is transmitted from the

terminal in which the settlement card module is installed, and

authenticating that a buyer can settle/authenticate on the basis of the

decoded information; and

requesting that the bank system settle for the product

purchased by the buyer to settle for/authenticate the product purchase.

3. An electronic commerce (EC) method of a system connected

through a network to a buyer's settlement card module, a seller terminal

at which the settlement card module can be attached, and a bank system,

comprising:

the seller terminal transmitting an encoded number for

requesting to settle for and authenticate a product purchase when the

settlement card module of the buyer who makes a purchase is installed;

decoding the encoded number when the encoded number is

transmitted from the seller terminal, and authenticating that the settlement

card module can be used for settlement based on the decoded

information; and

requesting that the bank system settle for the product purchased by the buyer when the settlement card module is

authenticated so as to settle for the product purchase.

4. An electronic commerce (EC) method of a system connected

through a network to a plurality of buyer terminals from each of which a

settlement card module can be attached, and a bank system, comprising:

decoding an encoded number when an encoded number for

requesting network banking is transmitted from the buyer terminal in

which the settlement card module is installed, and authenticating that the

buyer can perform network banking on the basis of the decoded

information; and

connecting the buyer terminal to the bank system when the

buyer is authenticated and thereby performing network banking.

5. The EC method of one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the encoded

number includes: an encoded ID of the settlement card module; and an

encoded user number corresponding to an order to be presently used

from among a plurality of user numbers stored in the settlement card

module.

6. The EC method of claim 5, wherein the encoded number is

transmitted together with the whole or a portion of a phone number of the

terminal or a unique number of the terminal for settlement and

authentication.

7. The EC method of claim 6, wherein the authentication step comprises:

performing the authentication when the ID of the settlement

card module, included in the decoded information, is a registered number,

and the user number is a number that corresponds to the order to be

presently used;

requesting that the buyer terminal input a password for

checking if the buyer is an EC-available user; and

finally authenticating the buyer as an EC-available buyer when

the password is a registered one.

9. The EC method of one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the terminal

is a wireless communication terminal.

10. The EC method of claim 3, wherein the seller terminal is a

wireless communication terminal.

11. A system connected through a network to a plurality of

terminals from each of which a settlement card module can be attached,

a settlement/authentication system, and a bank system, comprising:

a database for storing information on the settlement card

module, the terminals, and the settlement/authentication process; and

an authenticator for decoding an encoded number when the

encoded number for requesting to settle for/authenticate a product

purchase is transmitted through the network from the terminal in which

the settlement card module is installed, searching the database on the basis of the decoded information to authenticate that a buyer can

settle/authenticate, and after the authentication, requesting that the bank

system settle for the product purchased by the buyer so that the product

purchase may be settled for/authenticated.

12. A system connected through a network to a plurality of

seller terminals from each of which a settlement card module of a buyer

can be attached, a settlement/authentication system, and a bank system,

comprising:

a database for storing information on the settlement card

module, the seller terminals, and the settlement/authentication process;

and

an authenticator for decoding an encoded number when an

encoded number for requesting to settle for/authenticate a product

purchase is transmitted through the network from the seller terminal in

which the settlement card module is installed, searching the database on

the basis of the decoded information to authenticate that the buyer who

has the settlement card module can settle/authenticate, and after the

authentication, requesting that the bank system settle for the product

purchased by the buyer so that the product purchase may be settled

for/authenticated.

13. The system of claim 11 or 12, wherein the database

comprises: a member database for storing information including ID's

respectively assigned to the settlement card modules, and phone

numbers when the buyer terminal is a wireless communication terminal;

and an authentication database for storing a plurality of card user

numbers for the respective ID's assigned to the settlement card module,

the card user numbers being matched with the ID's, and the card user

numbers being sequentially used in a predetermined use order for each settlement/authentication.