Method and apparatus for recharging a contactless IC card

p0001The present invention relates to a charging method for a subscription card through a wireless device particularly applicable to telecommunications.

p0002It is known in the prior art the wide dissemination of the use of cards contactless chip. This technology is massively diffused among others in the transportation and leisure industries. Indeed, in the transportation industry, magnetic tickets and composting mechanical terminals are replaced with chip cards and contactless terminals adequate. Also in the leisure industry, ski resorts equip themselves of such technology to replace their packages. One of the major disadvantages of using such cards is that they require to be recharged quite regularly. This reloading requires the use of traditional means of payment such as credit card or cash payment.

p0003Telecommunications and more particularly that of the phone are great rechargeable cards to consumers. This is why phone companies offer their users numerous methods allowing them to recharge their cards.

p0004One method involves the purchase by the user of a ticket or voucher recharge. This coupon is in the form of a card or a paper ticket on which is inscribed the recharge number that must then enter their phone to charge his credit consumption.

p0005A second method is to recharge his card through an ATM. The operation takes place as a simple withdrawal of money except that the distributor has a function for recharging the phone card, the customer's account is debited the amount of the recharge.

p0006A third reloading process is to credit card by calling a special number to which communications are secure, the user provides the operator with his credit card number and chooses the amount to be credited.

p0007Another method consists of a monthly debit from the user's bank account to credit his card.

p0008Various methods of recharging representative of the prior art are mentioned in the documents <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="WO9847112A"><text>WO 98/47112</text></patcit>, <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="WO0175816A"><text>WO 01/75816</text></patcit>, <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="WO02071311A"><text>WO 02/071311</text></patcit>, <patcit id="pcit0004" dnum="WO0033264A"><text>WO 00/33264</text></patcit>.

p0009All these processes use conventional payment means and each have various disadvantages for the user of the map, although they are all flexible to use. Indeed, the recharging coupons require the user to enter a lot of numbers to activate charging, which causes a risk of error in the input and the requirement for the user to resume the input from the beginning. Reloads by credit card require the user to be an account holder eligible for the detention of a credit card which limits access to this service. In addition, some card users are not likely to provide the number of their phone credit card although the communication for this kind of transaction to be highly secure. Finally, reloading by monthly withdrawal limits the freedom of the user's choice to recharge or not the card.

p0010The present invention aims to overcome certain disadvantages of the prior art by providing a contactless card reloading process by a mobile terminal through a combination of new image acquisition capabilities that have mobile devices, through telecommunication networks, means of interaction with contactless smart cards for reloading through a terminal as well as means of interaction with a terminal with a payment infrastructure.

p0011This object is achieved by a charging process of a contactless smart card according to independent claim 1.

p0012According to another feature of the invention is as defined in claims 2 to 18.

p0013Other features and advantages of the present invention appear more clearly on reading the following description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: <ul><li>FIG 1 shows a device wherein the method according to the invention may be executed,</li><li>2 shows the main components of a mobile terminal and a contactless smart card that intervene in the execution of the charging process according to the invention,</li><li>3 shows a flow chart which includes the steps of the general method according to the invention,</li><li>4 shows a flow chart which includes the steps of the first variation of the method according to the invention,</li><li>5 shows a flow chart which includes the steps of the second variation of the method according to the invention,</li><li>6 shows a flow chart which includes the steps of the third variation of the method according to the invention,</li><li>7 shows a flow chart which includes the steps of the fourth variation of the process according to the invention,</li><li>8 shows a flow diagram of a generic charging case of a contactless smart card according to the invention,</li><li>9 shows a diagram of the progress of the charging process according to the invention when the credit is stored in the network and the terminal and the recharging server are not interconnected,</li><li>10 shows a diagram of the progress of the charging process according to the invention when the credit is stored in the network and the terminal and the recharging server are interconnected,</li><li>11 shows a diagram of the progress of the charging process according to the invention when the credit is stored in the card and the terminal and the recharging server are not interconnected, </li><li>12 shows a diagram of the progress of the charging process according to the invention when the credit is stored in the card and the terminal and the recharging server are interconnected,</li><li>Appendix 1 is a summary table of the various steps composing the charging process according to the invention.</li></ul>

p0014The device according to the invention comprises a contactless smart card (1), a recharging terminal (2), a mobile terminal (3) such as a GSM terminal and a recharging server (4).

p0015The contactless smart card (1) is a card with a chip (11) connected to an antenna (12) which allows the RF communication between the smart card (1) and a device capable of sending information to the chip or ask him to convey. The connection Smart Card are for example cards that use the RFId technology.

p0016recharging terminal (2) interface with the smart card contactless (1) through conventional means of communication between a contactless smart card and a terminal adapted to such a card. The recharging terminal (2) can also be interfaced with a recharging server (4) thanks to traditional means between an application and a terminal. The recharging terminal (2) can optionally be interactive, that is to say, it can communicate with the user in order to assist in its efforts. Each recharging terminal (2) can be characterized by an identifier of its own and which is made visible to the user of the terminal in the form for example of a bar code.

p0017The mobile terminal (3) has a reading means forms (31) various, particularly of barcodes. The form reading means (31) is a short reading means (of one meter to several tens of meters). This means (31) is the CCD camera with an integrated digital camera to the mobile terminal. This CCD camera reads the electromagnetic waves emitted by the recharging terminal (2) in a given range of wavelengths and converts them into a digital signal which is then processed by a shape or character recognition software. In a preferred embodiment, this software can be deported completely or partially in the network. The mobile terminal (3) is also provided with means of payment through a telecommunications network, these means are, for example, the type SMS. The mobile terminal (3) is finally provided with a recharge management program (33) for contactless cards that interacts with the recharging server (4) through any means of communication. The mobile terminal (3) therefore has two interfaces that are on the one hand, the traditional means of communication by radio (32) and, secondly, the capturing means of a form (31). In addition, the mobile terminal (3) must have an identity module, such as a SIM card, so that the user is clearly identifiable during reloading.

p0018The recharging server (4) interfaces with the mobile terminal (3) and its payment system through means of communication known to the field of telephony. It can also be interfaced with one or several charging stations (2) that may or may not identify. The recharging server (4) is able to identify the recharge management program (33) through the SIM card and to make the link between the SIM card and the information for the user which are required in Regulation reloading of the card.

p0019Recharge management program (33) of the mobile terminal (3) allows the user to identify the recharging terminal (2), to retrieve information related to the transaction through the means of reading bar codes (31) of the mobile terminal (3) and enter the amount of recharge his card contactless smart. Reloading management program (33) also enables communication with the recharging server (4) by transmitting information related to the transaction to perform and by obtaining the transaction. This information includes inter alia the user identification via the SIM card.

p0020The general procedure for recharging a contactless smart card (1) comprises eleven stages. During the first stage (60), the user passes his card contactless chip (1) on the recharging terminal (2), the terminal (2) authenticates the card and transmits it to the terminal (2 ) data for mutual authentication and possibly a transaction identifier. During the second stage (61), charging the terminal (2) displays some information about the card (1) and the current transaction, this information can be the balance of the card and the choice of the amount of recharge . During the third stage (62), the terminal (2) transmits the recharging server (4) the information required for the transaction, that is to say, the possible identification of the terminal, the authentication data of the card, the transaction amount and possibly a transaction identifier to the secure procedure. In a fourth step (63), the kiosk (2) prompts the user to start the recharge management program (33). These first four stages (60, 61, 62, 63) are optional steps.

p0021In a fifth step (64), the terminal (2) displays a bar code composed of the identifier of the terminal, possibly that of the transaction, the identification data of the terminal and / or the smart card as well as data enabling the user to contact the recharging server and finally the amount of the transaction. In the case where the third step (62) has occurred, the barcode contains only the identifier of the transaction since the terminal is already known to the recharging server (4). In the case where the three step (62) has not occurred, the identification data of the terminal (2) and / or the smart card (1) to be transmitted to the recharging server (4) .

p0022In the sixth step (65), the user makes a purchase, through barcode reading skills (31) embedded in the mobile terminal (3), the bar code displayed on the terminal (2).

p0023In the seventh step (66), reloading management program (33) contacts the recharging server (4), makes the payment transaction and notify the recharging server about the payment and the transaction. In this step, the load server can trigger the payment in lieu of charging management program.

p0024In an eighth step (67), the recharge server (4) checks the payment / transaction and authenticates the terminal (2) / Smart Card (1). If the credit system associated with the card (1) is a central system, the recharging server (4) directly credits the payment server (5), an acknowledgment of the transaction message being transmitted to possibly Management Program reloading (33) and / or to the terminal (2). If that is the case, the procedure directly entering its eleventh step (691).

p0025In a ninth step (68), the recharging server (4) transmits data such as authentication data, etc. to the recharging terminal (2) allowing recharging of the card (1). Step (68) does not take place if the next step occurs.

p0026During the nine step a (681), the recharging server (4) acknowledges recharging to the recharge management program (33) that can present the display of this acknowledgment to the user. The reload server also transmits data such as authentication data, etc. enabling the card (1) to be credited. This information is transmitted reloading management program (33) to the recharging terminal (2) with a possible intervention of the user. Step (681) does not occur if the previous step (68) takes place.

p0027In a tenth step (69), the user passes his card contactless chip (1) on the recharging terminal (2). reloading the data is thus transmitted to the terminal (2) to the card (1) and it is credited.

p0028The eleventh step (691) consists of acquittal reloading by the recharging terminal (2). This step (691) is an optional step.

p0029Various security mechanisms can be implemented in steps of recharging process of the invention. For example, the card contactless chip (1) can issue a challenge which is transmitted to recharging server (4), the torque that is the challenge and the amount of recharge is then signed by the recharging server (4). The amount of charging and signature of the recharging server (4) are transmitted to the smart card (1) which shall credit the amount transferred. security mechanisms can be, for example, TSL type trust mechanism with encryption and authentications mutualised exchanges between the smart card (1) and the recharging server (4). This device can be complemented by the establishment of a shared authentication mechanism and encryption usual in charging stations (2) contactless smart cards.

p0030The process whose steps are outlined above constitutes the general reloading case of a contactless smart card (1). However, we must distinguish different scenarios in the implementation of the charging process. These cases depend on the storage location of the credit and the interconnection between the recharging terminal (2) and the recharging server (4) or its absence. This gives four versions of the General reloading process.

p0031The first variation of the method relates to the case where the credit is stored in the network and when the recharging server (4) and the terminal (2) are not interconnected. In this variation, a first step (60) consists of the presentation of the card (1) to the terminal (2) with mutual authentication of the two entities.

p0032During the second stage (61), the terminal (2) displays the amount of the balance of the card (1) and prompts the user to select the amount of recharge.

p0033In a third step (63), the kiosk (2) prompts the user to start the recharge management program.

p0034All these steps (60, 61, 63) are optional steps.

p0035In a fourth step (64), the terminal (2) displays a bar code composed of the identifier of the terminal (2) and data relating to the transaction.

p0036In a fifth step (65), the user makes a purchase of the barcode displayed by the terminal (2) through means for acquiring data available to his mobile terminal (3).

p0037In a sixth step (66), reloading management program (33) transfers information relating to the transaction to recharge server (4).

p0038In a seventh step (67), the recharge server (4) checks the payment / transaction and authenticates the terminal (2) / Smart Card (1).

p0039In an eighth step (681), the recharging server (4) acknowledges recharging to the recharge management program (33) that can present the display to the user. Here no information is transmitted to the recharging terminal (2), whether by the recharging server (4) or by reloading the management program (33).

p0040The second declination of the reloading process relates to the case where the credit is stored in the network and when the recharging server (4) and the recharging terminal (2) are interconnected. In this variation, a first step (60) consists of the presentation of the card (1) to the terminal (2) with mutual authentication of the two entities.

p0041During the second stage (61), the terminal (2) displays the amount of the balance of the card (1) and prompts the user to select the amount of recharge.

p0042In a third step (62), the recharging terminal (2) transmits the recharging server (4) its identifier, authentication data terminal / card, the amount of the transaction and possibly security data.

p0043In a fourth step (63), the kiosk (2) prompts the user to start the recharge management program. All these steps (60, 61, 62, 63) are optional steps.

p0044In a fifth step (64), the terminal (2) displays a bar code composed of the identifier of the terminal (2) and data relating to the transaction.

p0045In a sixth step (65), the user makes a purchase of the barcode displayed by the terminal (2) through means for acquiring data available to his mobile terminal (3).

p0046In a seventh step (66), reloading management program (33) transfers information relating to the transaction to recharge server (4).

p0047In an eighth step (67), the recharge server (4) checks the payment / transaction and authenticates the terminal (2) / Smart Card (1).

p0048In a ninth step (681), the recharging server (4) acknowledges recharging to the recharge management program (33) that can present the display to the user.

p0049In both versions of the process described above, the card contactless chip (1) contains no information relating to reload after the procedure, it plays a role in early identification procedure reloading.

p0050The third declination of the reloading process relates to the case where the credit is stored in the card and when the recharging server (4) and the recharging terminal (2) are not interconnected. In this variation, a first step (60) consists of the presentation of the card (1) to the terminal (2) with mutual authentication of the two entities.

p0051During the second stage (61), the terminal (2) displays the amount of the balance of the card (1) and prompts the user to select the amount of recharge.

p0052In a third step (63), the kiosk (2) prompts the user to start the recharge management program.

p0053All these steps (60, 61, 62, 63) are optional steps.

p0054In a fourth step (64), the terminal (2) displays a bar code composed of the identifier of the terminal (2) and data relating to the transaction.

p0055In a fifth step (65), the user makes a purchase of the barcode displayed by the terminal (2) through means for acquiring data available to his mobile terminal (3).

p0056In a sixth step (66), reloading management program (33) transfers information relating to the transaction to recharge server (4).

p0057In a seventh step (67), the recharge server (4) checks the payment / transaction and authenticates the terminal (2) / Smart Card (1).

p0058In an eighth step (681), the recharging server (4) acknowledges recharging to the recharge management program (33) that can present the display to the user. Reloading management program (33) transmits the information to the recharging terminal (2) so that the smart card can be recharged.

p0059In a ninth step (69), the user places his smart card (1) on the recharging terminal (2) so that reloading the data is transmitted to the card (1). The card is thus credited.

p0060The fourth variation of the charging process for the case where the credit is stored in the card and when the recharging server (4) and the recharging terminal (2) are interconnected. In this variation, a first step (60) consists of the presentation of the card (1) to the terminal (2) with mutual authentication of the two entities.

p0061During the second stage (61), the terminal (2) displays the amount of the balance of the card (1) and prompts the user to select the amount of recharge.

p0062In a third step (62), the recharging terminal (2) transmits the recharging server (4) its identifier, authentication data terminal / card, the amount of the transaction and possibly security data.

p0063In a fourth step (63), the kiosk (2) prompts the user to start the recharge management program.

p0064All these steps (60, 61, 62, 63) are optional steps.

p0065In a fifth step (64), the terminal (2) displays a bar code composed of the identifier of the terminal (2) and data relating to the transaction.

p0066In a sixth step (65), the user makes a purchase of the barcode displayed by the terminal (2) through means for acquiring data available to his mobile terminal (3).

p0067In a seventh step (66), reloading management program (33) transfers information relating to the transaction to recharge server (4).

p0068In an eighth step (67), the recharge server (4) checks the payment / transaction and authenticates the terminal (2) / Smart Card (1).

p0069In a ninth step (68), the recharge server (4) transmits data on the procedure to the recharging terminal (2) allowing the smart card (1) to be credited.

p0070In a tenth step (69), the user places his smart card (1) on the recharging terminal (2) so that reloading the data is transmitted to the card (1). The card is thus credited.

p0071In an eleventh step (691), reloading is paid by the terminal.

p0072In both versions of the process described above, the card contactless chip (1) stores the result of the recharging procedure, so it is that which contains all the information from this procedure.

p0073When the user wishes to recharge his contactless card (1), he went to a recharging terminal (2) and starts recharging management program (33). The user places his smart card (1) to the recharging terminal (2) which then displays a barcode. Reloading management program (33) reads the bar code generated by the terminal (2) and passes through a premium SMS to the recharging server (4). The amount of the surcharge SMS serves amount to be credited on the smart card (1). A message indicating the amount to be credited to the card (1) is transmitted by the recharging server (4) to the recharging terminal (2) identified by its barcode. This message passes through the local network that interconnects the recharging terminal (2) to the recharging server (4). Upon receipt of this message, reload the terminal (2) transmits to the first card contactless chip (1) is passed. The smart card (1) shall credit the amount indicated in the message.

p0074It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention allows embodiments in many other specific forms without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. Therefore, the present embodiments must be considered illustrative, but can be modified within the field defined by the scope of the appended claims and the invention should not be limited to the details given above.<tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><table frame="all"><title><b><u>Annex 1</u></b></title><tgroup cols="3" colsep="0"><colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" colwidth="16mm" /><colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" colwidth="75mm" /><colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" colwidth="76mm" colsep="1" /><tbody><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">201</entry><entry>The user places his chip card without contact on the charging point. The card and the terminal may authenticate each other and / or the card transmits to the terminal the necessary data for a possible mutual authentication of the card and load server. The card provides a possible transaction ID.</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">optional step</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">202</entry><entry>The terminal displays the available credit and prompt the user to enter / select the recharge amount. The user inputs / selects the amount of recharge.</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">optional step</entry></row><row><entry morerows="4" rowsep="1" align="center" valign="middle">203</entry><entry>The terminal may transmit the load server:</entry><entry morerows="4" rowsep="1" align="center" valign="middle">optional step</entry></row><row><entry>➢ the identifier of the terminal,</entry></row><row><entry>➢ the authentication data of the terminal and / or card with the recharging server,</entry></row><row><entry>➢ the amount of any transaction,</entry></row><row><entry>➢ a possible transaction ID (or reloading server performs by providing a transaction ID).</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">204</entry><entry>The terminal prompts the user to start the recharge management program</entry><entry align="center" valign="middle">optional step</entry></row><row><entry morerows="5" rowsep="1" align="center" valign="middle">205</entry><entry>The terminal displays a bar code composed of:</entry><entry morerows="5" rowsep="1">Note that if step 23 has been performed, the barcode can only contain the identifier of the transaction. If step 23 does not take place, the identification data of the terminal and / or the card to be transmitted. Note that if the authentication data, address and amount are not included, the bar code can be static.</entry></row><row><entry>➢ the identifier of the terminal,</entry></row><row><entry>➢ the possible transaction ID,</entry></row><row><entry>➢ possible authentication data for the terminal and / or card with the recharging server,</entry></row><row><entry>➢ for any data enabling the customer to contact the proper recharging server (eg "bearer", connection settings, address ...)</entry></row><row><entry>➢ the amount of any transaction.</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">206</entry><entry>The user through the recharging management program incorporating bar code reading capabilities made an acquisition of the barcode displayed on the terminal.</entry><entry colsep="0" /></row><row><entry morerows="3" rowsep="1" align="center" valign="middle">207</entry><entry>Reloading management program:</entry><entry morerows="3" rowsep="1">Payment can be triggered by the recharging server instead of reloading the management program.</entry></row><row><entry>➢ contact the load server,</entry></row><row><entry>➢ makes a payment and transmits payment information to the charging server,</entry></row><row><entry>➢ transmit any transaction information to load server.</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">208</entry><entry>The reload server verifies the payment / transaction and possibly authenticates the terminal and / or card.</entry><entry>If the credit system associated with the card is a central system, the load server credits the mainframe A transaction acknowledgment message is transmitted possibly reloading management program and / or terminal and passes the step 211.</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">209</entry><entry>The reload server transmits data (eg authentication his data, the amount signed in credit, ...) to the recharging terminal enabling the card to be credited.</entry><entry>Step 209 does not occur if the step 209 bis occurs or if the note indicated in step 208.</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">209 bis</entry><entry>The reload server may perform the reload reloading management program that can present the display of this acknowledgment to the user. The reload server may transmit data (eg its authentication data, the amount signed in credit, ...) enabling the card to be credited, the recharging management program. This information is transmitted from the charging management program to the recharging terminal (with a possible intervention from the user).</entry><entry>Step 209 bis does not happen if step 209 takes place or in the case of the note indicated in step 208.</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">210</entry><entry>The user places his chip card without contact on the charging point. reloading the data is transmitted from the terminal to the card. The card is credited.</entry><entry>Optional step in the case of the note in step 208.</entry></row><row><entry align="center" valign="middle">211</entry><entry>Reloading is paid by the terminal.</entry><entry align="center">optional step</entry></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>