A method for using applications in a mobile station, a mobile station, and a system for effecting payments

IS 2 340 343 T3

DESCRIPTION

Procedure for using applications in a mobile station, mobile station and system to make payments.

The invention relates to a method of using applications in a mobile station, a mobile station (also called a mobile radio communication unit) and a system for making payments.

There are mobile phones of the prior technology in which the control card includes a subscriber identification unit, such as the SIM (Subscriber Identification Module), used in systems based on the GSM standard (Global System for Mobile Communications); see, for example, WO-A-94 11849. The SIM comprises a control unit CPU (Central Processing Unit), program ROM (Read Only Memory), data memory suitable for long term storage EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and operations memory suitable for storing data while using RAM (Random Access Memory). To use the mobile phone, a PIN (Personal Identification Number) stored in the SIM must be given, usually when the mobile phone is turned on. Other user-specific information, such as phone numbers, messages, etc., can also be stored in the SIM data memory.

There are also now mobile phones that have a data connector for connecting an external data processing unit, such as a laptop. In this way, the mobile phone can be used as a means for data transfer between the laptop and some other data processing equipment, via a radio communication network. In this way, it is possible to establish a connection, e.g. For example, with the user's bank, to check the balance and make payments. However, such an arrangement is not very practical, because an additional cable is needed between the computer and the mobile phone. Also, the computer must be available to set, e.g. eg, a connection to the bank.

Wireless systems, called smart cards or payment cards, are also known, said cards being used mostly in payment applications, such as making payments on buses and public telephones. Smart cards like these generally include a central processing unit, a program memory, and a data memory. The internal operation of the card in use is controlled by the CPU according to the program code stored in the program memory. Data memory is used to store information regarding the intended use of the smart card, such as its money value. To carry out the payment transaction, the card also contains means for data transfer, such as a transmitter / receiver based on electromagnetic induction. A disadvantage of smart cards of this type is eg. For example, the fact that several different cards may be needed for different types of payment, and therefore the user must carry a large number of cards. In addition, when the amount of money loaded on the card has been used up, it is necessary to buy a new card or load a new amount of money on the card at a point of sale that offers a loading service.

Japanese patent application JP 4 083 447 presents a mobile phone to which it is possible to add more properties by means of an additional memory card. An application like this is preferably arranged for a certain use, such as to increase the storage capacity or the memory of telephone numbers. Applications like this are based on a procedure in which the central processing unit of the mobile phone reads the data stored in the applications (memory cards) and works in a predetermined way, required by the data. A disadvantage of this procedure is the fact that the functions necessary to carry out different operations of the applications must be programmed in advance in the central processing unit CPU, therefore the development of new applications also requires changes in the programs of the application. central processing unit.

International patent application WO 91/12698 presents a mobile phone to which it is possible to add properties by means of an additional attachable card, such as a smart card. In this way, it is possible to restrict the use of the telephone by preventing international calls, long distance calls or calls to service numbers, for example. The information about call restrictions is stored in an attachable card that the user has to install in the mobile phone when it is being used. Thus, the main use of this procedure is to prevent the use of some properties of the mobile phone.

In order to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages and to raise the standard of technology in this field, a new method has been invented for using applications in a mobile radio communication unit (mobile station), as well as a new mobile station and a new system for making payments. The application is preferably arranged for a certain use, such as a credit card, a purse card or a payment card. The application can also offer special services, such as schedules for public transport or exchange rates. The application is preferably implemented in an application module, the technical solutions of which may be close to those of the aforementioned SIM. The same application module can contain more than one application. The application module is attached to a modular card of a certain size, generally formed of plastic or a corresponding material, such that the application module has an application connector to connect the required conductors from the mobile station to the application module. The same modular card can contain multiple application modules, so each application module has its own application module connector. The application module connectors are functionally connected with the application module connectors

ES 2 340 343 T3 of the corresponding modular cards. Each modular card is connected to a modular card connector provided in the mobile station, an arrangement in which said modular card connector also includes an application modules connector.

The invention is based on the idea that the mobile station can be complemented with applications having a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. An application in the first mode of operation does nothing actively, but remains in the background, passive. In the second mode of operation, the application is active and can eg. eg, controlling the central processing unit of the mobile station. When in the second operating mode, the application can also use peripheral equipment, which are generally known components of a mobile phone, such as a display device, key panel, status indicators and data ports, that the application has requested when switching to the second operating mode.

The applications used in the method of the invention can preferably be of three different types, depending on the situation in which the application can switch to the second operating mode: 1) the so-called start-up type, whereby the application switches to the second operating mode as soon as possible after the mobile station is turned on and / or the modular card is inserted, 2) the menu type, in which the user can select the application that he wants to be active, p. eg, from a menu displayed on the mobile station display device and 3) the automatic type, in which the application switches to a second operating mode when a certain condition, defined for the application, has been satisfied. For example, an application of the third mode of operation can be activated in the GSM system when the mobile station receives a specific SMS (Short Message Services) message. SMS messages are commonly used to transfer short text messages between mobile stations. The automatic type can also be selected from a menu. A menu option can also be employed in a situation where several start-up type applications have been connected with the mobile station, and one of said applications can switch to the second mode of operation.

The method of the invention is characterized in that the application has a first operating mode and a second operating mode, whereby the application is passive in the first operating mode, and in the second operating mode the application controls the central unit. of the mobile station, the master control unit of the mobile station has a normal mode, in which the master control unit performs control operations, and an application mode in which the master control unit can be controlled by an application, and the master control unit controls its own switching to the application mode.

The invention is also characterized by claims 21, 26 and 45.

Remarkable advantages are achieved by this invention, compared to prior art solutions. By means of this invention, the range of possible uses for a mobile phone can be increased substantially. In addition to normal telephone and data services, mobile stations related to the invention can also be used, e.g. Eg, as a credit card and / or as a purse card, instead of traditional plastic cards. By means of a mobile station equipped with a suitable application module, the user can make payments in a store using his credit account (credit card application) or pay directly from his bank account (wallet card application), and this way no real cash is needed.

It is typical for the type of applications, both credit card and purse card, that the money, in electronic form, is stored in a central computer (also called money server), with which the mobile station contacts the make a payment. The money server is usually located on the premises of a bank. If desired, the application may check the credit limit or bank account balance before the payment is accepted.

It is also possible to store money in an "electronic wallet" in the mobile station or in the application module itself. In that case, preferably it is not necessary to check the credit limit or the balance of the bank account on the money server before the payment can be accepted, that is, it is not necessary to contact the money server to make a payment. The information of how much money is stored in the "electronic wallet" can be read in the memory of the mobile station or the application module, from which the electronic money is subtracted when a payment is made. This class of applications, where the money is stored in the mobile station or in the application module itself, are also called payment applications.

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a mobile station according to the invention,

Figure 2 shows the electrical construction of an application module bus between the application module connection unit and the CPU of a mobile station according to the invention,

Figure 3a shows a control card of a mobile phone,

IS 2 340 343 T3

Figure 3b shows the internal structure of the control card of the mobile phone shown in Figure 3a as a block diagram,

Figure 3c shows a modular card with which two application modules are connected,

Figures 4a and 4b show the switching of the application from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation, as a flow chart,

Figure 5 shows the path of a telephone call between the application and a mobile services switching center (MSC) in a mobile radio communication network, as a simplified diagram,

Figure 6 shows the use of a method according to the invention, in relation to a purse card or payment card application,

Figure 7 shows the communication between two mobile stations according to the invention.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, shown in Figure 1, a card controlled mobile station 1 comprises a master control MCU unit, a user interface UI, a high frequency RF part, a low frequency AUDIO part, a power unit 2, a first means for IR data transfer and an application module connection unit 6. The operation of the mobile station 1 is controlled by the MCU, which has a program code stored in advance to perform various operations.

The user interface UI comprises components that are known from prior art mobile phones, namely a display device 7, a key panel 8 and status indicators 23. The MCU produces various situation-specific messages, operating instructions, menus, etc., on the display device 7. Using the key panel 8, the user can enter various kinds of information into the mobile station 1, such as the identification number and the telephone number, and select operations from the menus. The status indicators 23 can preferably be used to indicate the internal modes of operation of the mobile station 1.

The radio frequency RF component is a known component of mobile phones, which is used to transmit and receive calls and messages, using radio frequencies in a radio communication network, such as a GSM network, eg. eg via a mobile services switching center MSC.

The low frequency AUDIO part preferably comprises a microphone 9, an earphone 10 and a buzzer 11, or the like.

The operating power for the mobile station 1 is supplied by a battery 12, which is charged when required. The power unit 2 monitors the state of charge and the charging procedure of the battery 12, among other things. The power unit 2 sends the information to the MCU of the central unit when the state of charge of the battery 12 falls below a predetermined value, whereby the MCU announces this, preferably by sounding the buzzer 11 and / or displaying a message on the display device 7.

A modular card 13, as shown in Figure 3a, is connected to the modular card connector (not shown) located in mobile station 1. Modular card 13 may contain, among other things, a subscriber identity module ( SIM) for user identification.

The application module connectors have been arranged in the application modules 19 on the modular card 13.

Figure 3b shows the internal structure of the SIM as a simplified flow diagram. The central processing unit CPU controls the operation of the SIM based on the program code stored in the program memory. Various user-specific information can be saved in the data EEPROM memory, and this information remains in the memory even if the control SIM card is removed from the application module connection unit 6. The application module connection unit 6 is located in the mobile station 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. During the operation of the control card, the operating RAM (Figure 3b) can be used as a store temporary data. The DATA-I / O bus adapter adapts the SIM card to bus 14 of the application module and to the I / O of the data and control line (Figure 2).

Other modular cards 13 may also be connected with the application module connection unit 6 of the exemplary embodiment in Figure 1, whereby they are preferably connected with their own modular card connectors. The application module 19 (Figure 3c) on the modular card 13 may have a mechanical and electrical construction similar to that of the SIM card shown in Figures 3a and 3b. From the application module connection unit 6 to the mobile station 1 central processing unit (MCU), there is an application module bus 14, by means of which the application modules 19, connected with the application unit 6 connection of application modules, communicate with the MCU. Known AT commands, p. For example, from modems, they can be used to transfer data and commands. The AT commands have been described in more detail, p. eg, in the Master's Thesis

ES 2 340 343 T3 in Science by Petri Heinonen, “Proposal for Standard AT Commands used with GSM Mobile Equipment”, 1994, Tampere University of Technology.

In addition to the application module bus 14, there is a separate line of control and data, I / O, I / O ', I / O ”' (Figure 2) from each application module connector 15, 16, 17 of the application module connection unit 6. Thus it is possible to use a structure based on the ISO 7816 standard series in the control and data line. The ISO 7816 standard series includes the voltage levels and timing diagrams, according to which the application modules 19 (Figure 3c) are connected with the control line I / O, I / O ', I / O ”' and data.

For each application module 19, the application module connection unit 6 has a connector through which the application module bus 14 connects to the application module 19.

More than one application module 19 can be connected with the same modular card 13, as shown in Figure 3c. The second application module 19 'on the modular card 13 can be a SIM module, for example.

The mobile station 1 also comprises a first data transfer means, such as an infrared IR transmitter / receiver. The first data transfer means IR can be used to transfer data, over relatively short distances, between the mobile station 1 and the cash register (payment terminal) 21 or, eg. eg, between two different mobile stations 1 (Figure 7).

The first IR data transfer means can also include a data connector 20, which can be used to connect a computer to mobile station 1 (Figure 1).

Figures 4a and 4b show how application 18 is activated and deactivated, and how application 18 is switched from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation, and vice versa. In this patent application, the first mode of operation means a mode in which the application does nothing actively, but gets instructions through an application in the second mode of operation, or through the mCu. The second mode of operation means a control mode, whereby an application in the second mode of operation can control the operation of various units of the mobile station 1, including the central unit MCU, and send messages to other applications.

The MCU can also have two different modes of operation: 1) normal mode and 2) application mode. In the normal mode, the central unit MCU operates as in a known mobile phone, controlling the operation of the mobile station. In the application mode, the MCU can be controlled by an application 18 (Figure 3c), which is in the second mode of operation. Even in the application mode, the central unit MCU can read the key panel 8 and send information of the key panel input to the application 18 in the second operating mode, if requested by said application 18.

In the example shown in Figure 4a, the procedure starts from the start-up (100) of mobile station 1, after which the MCU of mobile station 1 sets the I / O of the control and data line of the first connector 15 of application modules (Figures 1 and 2) in the reset state (block 101). If an application module 19 (Figure 3c) has been connected to the first application module connector 15, and that module 19 sends an acceptable ISO 7816 response (block 102) to the MCU, the MCU sets the I / O of the control and data line of the first application module connector 15 in the enabled state (block 103). At block 104, the MCU determines whether all application module connectors 15, 16, 17 have been examined.

If not all application module connectors 15, 16, 17 have been examined yet, the procedure returns to block 101, in which the next application module connector 16, 17 is examined. If the MCU does not get any response in block 102, or if the response is not acceptable, the procedure continues in block 105, in which the MCU determines that an application module 19 based on the ISO 7816 standard has not been attached. to connector 15, 16, 17 of application modules.

When all the application module connectors 15, 16, 17 have been examined, the procedure continues at block 106, in which user identification is carried out, which is a known operation, e.g. eg for a GSM network. If user identification fails, the mobile station 1 startup procedure is stopped (block 107). The user generally has three opportunities to give his own personal identification number. If the identification number is not given correctly on the third chance, the user must give a longer identification code, after which the user again has three chances to correctly give his own personal identification number. If the user also does not give the correct identification number in any of these three extra opportunities, the user must give the longest and shortest identification code again. If the identification number is not given correctly after the allowed number of attempts, the control card destroys the information contained in it, whereby the control card SIM is permanently disabled.

When the personal identification number has been successfully given, the MCU advances to block 108, in which the MCU queries the information of the applications 18 contained in the application module 19 connected to the first connector 15 of application modules. If the application module 19 contains applications 18, the MCU reads the information from the applications 18 (block 109) and stores it in its memory (block 110). If the examined application module 19 has no applications 18, or if there is no application module in the connector, the MCU

ES 2 340 343 T3 stores this information in its memory (block 111). At block 112 the MCU determines whether all application modules 19 have been examined. If there are still application modules 19 that have not been examined, the procedure returns to block 108, which consults the information of the applications 18 contained in the next application module 19.

When the MCU has examined all the application modules 19, the procedure continues after block 112, in block 113, in which the MCU displays a menu on the display device 7 of the mobile station 1, and the user can select from the menu the application 18, to be switched to the second mode of operation, to control the MCU. If the user selects an application 18, the MCU asks which parts of the user interface UI are required by the application 18, such as the display 7, the key panel 8, and / or the status indicators 23. If the MCU does not get an acceptable response from the selected application 18, the procedure returns to block 113. Whereas, if the MCU obtains an acceptable response from the selected application 18, the MCU switches to the application mode, that is, to be controlled by the selected application 18 (block 115).

If the user does not select an application 18 (block 113), the MCU switches to normal mode (block 116), in which no application 18 controls the MCU, but all applications 18 are in the first mode of operation.

In the normal mode, block 117, the MCU may display a menu on the display device 7 of the mobile station 1, a menu containing the applications 18 available in the application modules 19. From the menu, the user can select the application to be switched to the second mode of operation (block 118). If the modular card 13 is detached from the modular card connector, all applications 18 on the separate modular card 13 will be removed from the menu of mobile station 1 (block 128).

In block 118, the situation where the MCU queries the applications 18 contained in the selected application module 19 is described. If the MCU gets an acceptable response from the application module 19, the MCU ignores the boot-type applications 18, but saves information from other applications (block 119). If the MCU does not get an acceptable response from application 18, no new application 18 will be added (block 120).

If the MCU is in the normal mode of operation at block 116, and the user selects an application 18 from a menu, or an automatic type application 18 informs the MCU that it is switching to the second mode of operation, the MCU it will ask which units of the user interface UI of the mobile station 1 the application 18 will need, when switching to the second mode of operation (block 121). If the MCU does not get an acceptable response from application 18, MCU operation will advance to block 117. If application 18 gives an acceptable response to MCU, the MCU will switch to application mode (block 115).

When the MCU is in the application mode (block 115), and the precondition for an application 18 of the automatic type to switch to the second mode of operation is satisfied, at that time the application 18 in the second mode of operation is queried at as to whether the application of an automatic type can switch to the second mode of operation (block 122). If switching is not allowed, the procedure returns to block 115. If switching is possible, the MCU asks the application of an automatic type 18 which units of the user interface UI of the mobile station 1 it needs (block 123). If the answer is not acceptable, the MCU operation returns to block 115 again. When the response is acceptable, the application 18 of an automatic type switches to the second mode of operation to control the operation of the MCU, and at the same time the application 18, which was in the second mode of operation, switches to the first mode of operation. functioning.

If the modular card 13, containing the application modules 19, whose applications 18 are in the first operating mode, is removed from the modular card connector, those applications 18 will be removed from the menu.

If a new modular card 13 is added to mobile station 1, the identification parameters of the applications 18 of the application modules 19 on the modular card 13 are queried at block 125. If the application module 19 sends the identifiers to the MCU, the MCU rejects the boot type applications 18 and saves the other applications 18 contained in the application module 19 at block 126. If no acceptable response is received from the application module 19, the application module information will not be added (block 127).

If a modular card 13 is removed from the modular card connector, said card 13 containing a starter or automatic type of application 18, which is in the second mode of operation, the mobile station 1 is switched off. Otherwise, the MCU returns to normal mode (block 116). An application 18, of the menu or automatic type, in the second mode of operation, may also automatically return, or be manually returned by the user, to the first mode of operation (129).

In the following, the operation of a cash card or other payment card application in a mobile station 1, which represents an embodiment of this invention, will be described in principle (Figure 6).

IS 2 340 343 T3

Mobile station 1 has both the control SIM card and an application module 19 connected to it, and said module 19 contains an application 18 (not shown in Figure 6), which in this example is a cash card application. Application 18 has at least one account corresponding to the user's bank account, whereby the user can make payments from the account in application 18. Preferably, when application 18 has been put into use, the balance information has been read from the bank account, e.g. eg, using the normal data channel of the GSM network, or as an SMS message, and stored in the data EEPROM memory, which is part of the application module 19 and which is used by the application 18.

With regard to payment, application 18 accordingly reduces the account balance in application 18. Updating of payment transactions, etc., in application 18, for the user's bank account may preferably take place in automatically, controlled by the application 18, p. eg, at a certain time, and / or as selected by the user from a menu of the mobile station 1, and / or in relation to payment. When the bank account is updated, the application 18 guides the MCU to establish a connection for data transfer through an MSC Mobile Services Switching Center and, in most cases, through some private wired network , to computer 22 in the bank. The establishment of the connection can take place either by asking the user for the telephone number first, or by using a number stored in the application's memory, which makes the procedure easier. Preferably, if SMS messages are used to update balance information, the normal voice / data channel is free for other activities.

In the mobile station 1, the user can have many different accounts at the same time, such as a bank account, a credit account and / or a payment account, and they can be in different applications 18, even in different application modules 19 . An advantage of this procedure is, among other things, the fact that the user can transfer money between the accounts, e.g. eg, from a credit account to a bank account or payment account.

Application 18 can be put to use, e.g. eg, after mobile station 1 has been powered on, as shown in the flow chart of Figures 4a and 4b. The MCU displays a message on the display device 7 to enter the identification number. The user enters his own identification number, which is read by the MCU and transmitted to the SIM card. The central processing unit CPU in the SIM examines the entered identification number against the previously stored identification number, and informs the MCU whether the identification number has been given correctly. If the identification number is not correct, the MCU can ask the user to give it again.

If the identification number has been given correctly, the MCU works according to the phases described above. Because there is no other application module 19 on the other connectors 16, 17, in this embodiment, the MCU displays a menu on the display device 7, from which the user can select an application 18 from the application module 19, application which is a coin card application, after which application 18 switches to the second mode of operation, and the MCU switches to the application mode.

Ordinary telephone calls can be made with mobile station 1. All other functions of mobile station 1 are also available. The essential difference is that when the user enters a phone number from the keypad 8, the MCU transmits the information of keystrokes to an application in the second mode of operation, which guides the MCU to establish a connection.

If a user wants to check his bank account balance, he will first select the menu function using the key panel 8, whereby the MCU transmits the information of the keys pressed to the application 18. The application 18 guides the MCU to display a menu on the display device 7, from which the user can select a balance inquiry. After the user has selected a balance inquiry from the menu, the MCU transmits the keystrokes to the application 18, which examines them and sends a message to the MCU, which then displays a text on the display device 7, saying to the user that mobile station 1 is performing a balance inquiry. Then the application extracts the balance saved in the EEPROM data memory of the application module and forms a message by which the MCU displays the balance on the display device 7.

IS 2 340 343 T3

The following is an example of the implementation of the aforementioned balance query using AT commands:

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CKEV: 91,1 (choose menu)</td>

<td>AT command:</td><td>AT + CDIS = ”NOKSET”, View ^TO”,” Menu v ”,”, ””, Exit ” (update device from</td>

<td>visualization) AT command:</td><td>AT + CIND = „„ 11.11 (update indicators)</td>

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CKEV: 91.0</td>

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CKEV: 49.1 (choose menu number 1 ...)</td>

<td>AT command:</td><td>AT + CIND = „„ 11,1</td>

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CKEV: 49.0</td>

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CKEV: 53,1 (... number 15)</td>

<td>AT command:</td><td>AT + CIND = „„ 1,5</td>

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CKEV: 53.0</td>

<td>AT command:</td><td>AT + CDIS = ”NOKSET”, Amount of ”, balance”, ”“, Accept ”,” Exit ”(display menu 15)</td>

<td>AT command:</td><td>AT + CIND = „„ 0.0</td>

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CKEV: 91.1 (choose "Accept")</td>

<td>AT command:</td><td>AT + CDIS = ”NOKSET”, Requesting..Exit ”</td>

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CKEV: 91.0</td>

<td>AT command:</td><td>AT + CMGS = ”12345678” Request balance amount message^TOZ (send short message)</td>

<td>Event code:</td><td>+ CMT TEXT: “12345678”, 12 (receive result) 125 232.69 mk 0,0,0, 94102610100058.8,</td>

<td>AT command:</td><td>AT + CDIS = ”NOKSET”, ”You. has "," 125232,69 mk ", Exit" (display result)</td>

In the above example, the balance inquiry was made from the memory of the application module in the mobile station. Typical for these account-based applications is the need for data transfer between the mobile station and the bank. If that data transfer fails, for some reason, it may be necessary to do the balance inquiry or update "manually" from the bank. If the user selects the direct balance inquiry, using, p. For example, a menu, the mobile station transmits a balance inquiry to the bank using, e.g. eg SMS short message service, if available. The message includes the current balance of the account in the application, in the memory of the application module. Therefore, when the bank returns the updated balance, preferably both the changes in the application module accounts and those in the bank accounts can be taken into consideration.

Payments from the account can also be easily made by entering the appropriate information on the keypad 8 of mobile station 1.

The following is a description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which application 18 is a wallet application, by which payments can be made, e.g. eg, in shops or buses.

Application 18 is identified as shown in the previous example. When application 18 has switched to the second mode of operation, the user can establish a connection with mobile station 1 to computer 22 at the bank, and transfer money from his account to the wallet application. In practice, the transfer takes place electronically, whereby the balance of the wallet card increases and the balance of the bank account decreases. The user makes internal bank transfers with mobile station 1, from the application's bank account

ES 2 340 343 T3 of payment to the wallet application, or vice versa. Internal bank transfers require that information about transfers must be updated on computer 22 at the bank.

To make the payment, the user enters a certain code, by which he informs the application 18 that he wants to pay for the purchases. After this, the application establishes a connection through the MCU with the first IR data transfer medium, such as an IR transmitter / receiver or the like. Second data transfer means are available in the cash register 21, or similar, in the store, means through which the application 18 and the EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) terminal application of the cash register can have a mutual connection for data transfer.

When the connection has been established, the user enters the identification number of the wallet card, and the wallet card application compares it with the previously saved identification number. If the identification number has been given correctly, and the application 18 has a sufficient balance, the payment transaction is recorded both in the cash register 21 and in the application 18 of the mobile station 1, whereby the balance of the card purse is correspondingly reduced. The update of the payment transaction in the computer 22 can take place either from an EPOS application or from the application 18 of the mobile station 1.

In IR data transfer, it is preferable to use an open standard, such as the protocol stack defined by IrDA (Infrared Data Association), which is based on the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model of ISO (International Standards Organization). ). The protocol stack uses the layers of the OSI model: 1) physical layer, 2) data link layer, 3) network layer, and 7) application layer.

In the physical layer, data transfer can be based on infrared rays, but other known data transfer methods, such as ultrasound, electromagnetic induction or radio waves, can also be used.

Data transfer is ensured at the data link layer, e.g. eg, by error correction algorithms. In addition, data link layer functions are used to identify the means for data transfer in situations where many data transfer media may be operating simultaneously, e.g. Eg in stores where there are many EPOS applications.

At the network layer, messages traversing the data transfer medium can be distributed to the receivers regardless of the number of data transfer facilities in operation. Furthermore, the information to be transmitted can be encrypted at the network layer, which is especially important in payment applications.

The application 18 is capable of transferring data through the application layer, in which the application 18 sends and receives information necessary for the transfer of data through the MCU, preferably, to the first medium for data transfer, IR, or to the radio communication network.

Correspondingly, the other piece of equipment that participates in the data transfer, such as the cash register 21 (Figure 6), has an EPOS terminal application, which manages the messages it has received through other data transfer means IR2. , according to the layer structure described above.

Figure 5 shows a simplified diagram of a telephone call between the APPLICATION and the Mobile Services Switching Center MSC, which is part of a mobile services network. In step 200, the application sends the telephone number to be dialed to the MCU of mobile station 1, which sends the identification data and other data necessary to establish a connection to the Mobile Switching Center MSC (steps 201, 202 and 203 ). The switching center MSC transmits information on the progress of the call (step 204) and the connection status (step 205) to the mobile station 1, after which the mobile station 1 sends acknowledgment of connection to the MSC (step 206) and to application 18 (step 207). To close the connection, the application 18 sends a connection closure command to the mCu of the mobile station 1 (step 208), which sends a connection closure request to the Mobile Services Switching Center (step 209). The MSC sends a connection closed acknowledgment to the MCU of mobile station 1 (step 210). Finally, the MCU of the mobile station 1 sends the application 18 information on the closure of the connection (step 211).

In the previous exemplary embodiment of the invention, the money was stored in an account, finally located on a money server in a bank. Therefore, it was necessary to update the balance at the mobile station and at the bank. In another embodiment of this invention, the electronic money is stored in the same mobile station. When using that kind of electronic money (also called “Digital Cash”), p. For example, to pay parking fees or telephone bills, the corresponding amount of money is deducted from the mobile station's electronic wallet. The “Digital Cash” can be stored, eg. eg, as a code word in the memory of mobile stations. No link is required between the payment terminal 21 (Figure 6) and the money server 22 at the time the payment is made.

When the “Digital Cash” has run out or more is needed, the mobile station's e-wallet requires a recharge. There are several procedures to do this. A procedure, close to the approach with real money and ATM machines (Automatic Teller Machines), would be to walk to the closest “Digital Cash ATM” to download more

ES 2 340 343 T3 account money. This is not very comfortable, because it will take some time before this class of “Digital Cash ATM” machines are widely available. The present invention offers a much more convenient way to top up "Digital Cash".

Using the SMS service, it is possible to download more "Digital Cash" from the bank account to the mobile station, using a procedure close to that described in the previous embodiment of the invention with respect to the balance inquiry. The mobile station sends a request to send more "Digital Cash", eg. Eg, as an SMS message, to the money server responsible for the user's account. In response, assuming the account has a balance, the money server sends "Digital Cash" to the mobile station, where it is stored in memory.

The network where the mobile station according to the invention is used is not limited only to GSM. GSM is a good example of a system that offers the required data transfer capabilities. In particular, the SMS messages available on the GSM network are convenient, because the normal telephony / data channel is not affected when transferring SMS messages.

In addition to payment applications, the method of the invention can also be used for other kinds of applications. For example, to collect and present other information, such as hours, stock prices, exchange rates, etc. Each of the above examples can be implemented in a single application module, or the desired functions and applications can be combined in a multifunctional application module for the mobile station.

Figure 7 shows an application in which two mobile stations 1 communicate with each other via the first IR data transfer means. It is possible to transfer, p. eg, data and / or voice. Preferably, the first IR data transfer means makes it possible to connect the mobile station 1 also, eg, with a laptop PC having the corresponding means for IR data transfer, or with a LAN (Local Area Network) wireless.

The method of the invention provides a flexible means of increasing the usefulness of mobile station 1. A mobile station 1 according to the invention can make use of various provider services that produce and sell applications 18. For credit card companies, a Procedure like this is one way to reduce the misuse of credit cards.

The invention is not limited only to the exemplary embodiments described above, but its details may be modified without departing from the scope defined by the appended claims.