1. A method of using a telecommunications network cashless transaction service, comprising the steps of:
a) accessing the service by a user using a telecommunications network access instrument which produces a signal,
b) forwarding the access instrument signal to an interface device of the telecommunications network,
c) extracting service identity and user identity data from the access instrument signal by operation of the interface device,
d) passing the data to a processing unit for the service of the telecommunications network by operation of the interface device,
e) processing the data by operation of the service processing unit,
f) instructing the interface device to forward the access instrument signal to an input output device of the telecommunications network by operation of the service processing unit,
g) instructing the input output device to request details of a cashless transaction from the user by operation of the service processing unit,
h) sending transaction details to the input output device using the telecommunications network access instrument, the transaction details comprising vendor identification data, including the vendor or a code associated with the vendor, and vendor location data including a code associated with a branch of the vendor andor a point of sale (POS) device in the branch at which the transaction is to be carried out, at least some of the transaction details being held by the POS device, said at least some of the transaction details being sent to the input output device,
i) passing the transaction details to the service processing unit by operation of the input output device,
j) processing the transaction details and deciding whether or not the transaction can proceed by operation of the service processing unit,
k) causing output of a signal conveying acceptance or rejection of the transaction to the user by operation of the service processing unit, and
l) if the transaction can proceed, arranging for the transaction to be carried out by operation of the service processing unit.
2. The method according to claim 1, in which the telecommunications network comprises at least one of a fixed and a mobile network.
3. The method according to claim 1, and forwarding the telecommunications network access instrument signal to the interface device via a voice bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
4. The method according to claim 1, and forwarding the telecommunications network access instrument signal to the interface device via at least one data bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
5. The method according to claim 1, in which the telecommunications network access instrument comprises a telephone.
6. The method according to claim 1, in which the interface device comprises a service switching point (SSP).
7. The method according to claim 1, in which the user identity data extracted by the interface device comprises a user identifier assigned to the telecommunications network access instrument.
8. The method according to claim 1, in which the service processing unit comprises a service control point (SCP).
9. The method according to claim 1, in which processing of the service identity and user identity data by the service processing unit comprises using the data to identify the cashless transaction service to be used and running service software which causes this service to be carried out.
10. The method according to claim 1, in which the input output device comprises an interactiveintelligent voice response (IVR) unit.
11. The method according to claim 1, in which the input output device requests transaction details from the user by sending a signal to the telecommunications network access instrument requesting the transaction details.
12. The method according to claim 11, in which the input output device sends the signal to the access instrument via a voice bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
13. The method according to claim 11, in which the input output device sends the signal to the access instrument via at least one data bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
14. The method according to claim 1, in which the transaction details are sent to the input output device via a voice bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
15. The method according to claim 1, in which the transaction details are sent to the input output device via at least one data bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
16. The method according to claim 1, in which the transaction details comprise transaction data including an amount of the transaction.
17. The method according to claim 1, in which at least some of the transaction details are held by the telecommunications network access instrument, and this is used to send the transaction details to the input output device.
18. The method according to claim 17, in which a data input device is used to input the transaction details into the access instrument.
19. The method according to claim 18, in which the data input device comprises an audio coupler which uses an audio signal to input the transaction details into the access instrument.
20. The method according to claim 19, in which the audio coupler comprises a memory and at least some of the transaction details are stored therein.
21. The method according to claim 20, in which the at least some transaction details are entered into the audio coupler, which comprises using input means.
22. The method according to claim 21, in which the audio coupler comprises a keypad, which is used to enter the at least some transaction details into the audio coupler.
23. The method according to claim 21, in which the audio coupler comprises a point of sale device, which is used to enter the at least some transaction details into the audio coupler.
24. The method according to claim 1, in which the causing of an acceptance signal or rejection signal to be output to the user comprises the service processing unit instructing the input output device to output an acceptance signal or rejection signal.
25. The method according to claim 24, in which the input output device outputs the acceptance signal or rejection signal via a voice bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
26. The method according to claim 24, in which the input output device outputs the acceptance signal or rejection signal via at least one data bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
27. The method according to claim 24, in which the input output device sends the acceptance signal or rejection signal to the telecommunications network access instrument, for output to the user.
28. The method according to claim 24, in which the input output device sends the acceptance signal or rejection signal to a point of sale device, for output to the user.
29. The method according to claim 1, in which the causing of an acceptance signal or rejection signal to be output to the user comprises the service processing unit instructing the interface device to output the acceptance signal or rejection signal.
30. The method according to claim 29, in which the interface device outputs the acceptance signal or rejection signal via a voice bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
31. The method according to claim 29, in which the interface device outputs the acceptance signal or rejection signal via at least one data bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
32. The method according to claim 29, in which the interface device sends the acceptance signal or rejection signal to a point of sale (POS) device using the telecommunications network access instrument signal, which is disconnected from the input output device and connected to the POS device.
33. The method according to claim 32, in which the acceptance signal comprises a CLI presentation number which comprises an amount of the transaction, and the POS device outputs the CLI presentation number as a visual signal using a display unit.
34. The method according to claim 32, in which, upon receiving the acceptance signal, the POS device sends a signal to the service processing unit confirming that the transaction may proceed.
35. The method according to claim 1, in which the causing of an acceptance signal or rejection signal to be output to the user comprises the service processing unit sending the acceptance signal or rejection signal to a point of sale (POS) device using a telecommunications network link or data link.
36. The method according to claim 35, in which the causing of an acceptance or rejection signal to be output to the user comprises the service processing unit deriving data identifying the link from the transaction details.
37. The method according to claim 1, in which, for the transaction to be carried out, the service processing unit sends the transaction details and the service identity and user identity data to a billing service.
38. The method according to claim 1, in which, to use the cashless transaction service, the user is provided with an account, which is debited or credited on carrying out the transaction using the service.
39. The method according to claim 1, in which the transaction is carried out by debiting an existing account for the user which uses the telecommunications network.
40. The method according to claim 1, in which the user is required to use a security code for authorization of the transaction, without which the transaction cannot proceed.
41. The method according to claim 40, in which the security code is sent to the input output device.
42. The method according to claim 41, in which the security code is sent to the input output device via a voice bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
43. The method according to claim 41, in which the security code is sent to the input output device via at least one data bearer channel of the telecommunications network.
44. A telecommunications network providing a cashless transaction service comprising: an interface device; a service processing unit; and an input output device; in which the interface device accepts signals from a telecommunications network access instrument, extracts service identity and user identity data from an access instrument signal, and passes the data to the service processing unit; in which the service processing unit processes the data, instructs the interface device to forward the access instrument signal to the input output device, and instructs the input output device to request details of the cashless transaction; in which the input output device receives the transaction details from the telecommunications network access instrument, the transaction details comprising vendor identification data, including the vendor or a code associated with the vendor, and vendor location data including a code associated with a branch of the vendor andor a point of sale (POS) device in a branch of the vendor andor a point of sale (POS) device in the branch at which the transaction is to be carried out, at least some of the transaction details being held by the POS device, said at least some of the transaction details being sent to the input output device,
and passes them to the service processing unit; and in which the service processing unit decides whether or not the transaction can proceed, causes output of a signal conveying acceptance or rejection of the transaction, and, if the transaction can proceed, arranges for the transaction to be carried out.
45. The telecommunications network according to claim 44, in which the service processing unit causes the signal conveying acceptance or rejection of the transaction to be sent to the point of sales (POS) device using a telecommunications network link or data link, and in which the service processing unit derives data identifying the link from the transaction details.
46. A cashless transaction service adapted to be provided on a telecommunications network comprising: means for extracting service identity and user identity data from a signal from a telecommunications network access instrument, means for processing the data, means for instructing an interface device of the telecommunications network to forward the access instrument signal to an input output device of the telecommunications network, means for instructing the input output device to request details of the cashless transaction, means for receiving the transaction details from the telecommunications network access instrument, the transaction details comprising vendor identification data, including the vendor or a code associated with the vendor, and vendor location data including a code associated with a branch of the vendor andor a point of sale (POS) device in the branch at which the transaction is to be carried out, at least some of the transaction details being held by the POS device, said at least some of the transaction details being sent to the input output device, means for processing the transaction details and deciding whether or not the transaction can proceed, means for causing output of a signal conveying acceptance or rejection of the transaction, and means for, if the transaction can proceed, arranging for the transaction to be carried out.
47. The service according to claim 46, which is provided as software held on a service processing unit of the telecommunications network.
48. The cashless transaction service according to claim 46, in which the means for causing output of a signal conveying acceptance or rejection of the transaction include means for sending the signal to a point of sale (POS) device using a telecommunications network link or data link and means for deriving data identifying the link from the transaction details.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A multifunction machine including an authentication control apparatus, the authentication control apparatus comprising:
plural authentication hardware to authenticate an operator with different authentication methods; a corresponding information management hardware to manage corresponding information between a mode of an authentication request and an authentication hardware to be used, to manage the corresponding information between the operator and the authentication hardware to be used and to manage the corresponding information between operator identification numbers and the authentication hardware to be used; and an authentication control hardware to determine an authentication hardware corresponding to the mode of the authentication request based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request, to determine the authentication hardware corresponding to the operator based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request from the operator, to determine the authentication hardware corresponding to the operator identification number based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request and to cause the determined authentication hardware to execute the authentication for the operator; and wherein the corresponding information management hardware manages the corresponding information between a time zone and the authentication hardware to be used, and the authentication control hardware determines the authentication hardware corresponding to the time zone at which the authentication request is made based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request from the operator.
2. The authentication control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a status management hardware to manage status information capable of identifying whether installation is completed for each of the authentication hardware; and an installation hardware to install a program related to the authentication hardware determined based on the corresponding information when the program is determined not to be installed based on the status information.
3. The authentication control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the authentication control hardware causes the authentication hardware related to the program installed by the installation hardware to execute the authentication in accordance with the authentication request.
4. An authentication control method executed by a computer having plural authentication units that perform authentication for an operator with different authentication methods, the authentication control method comprising: determining, by the computer, the authentication unit corresponding to a mode of an authentication request based on corresponding information between the mode of the authentication request and the authentication unit to be used, which is managed by a corresponding information management unit, in response to the authentication request from the operator; determining, by the computer, the authentication unit corresponding to the operator based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request from the operator; managing, by the computer, the corresponding information between the operator and the authentication unit to be used; managing, by the computer, the corresponding information between operator identification numbers and the authentication unit to be used; determining, by the computer, the authentication unit corresponding to the operator identification number based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request; and causing, by the computer, the determined authentication unit to execute the authentication for the operator; and wherein the corresponding information management unit manages the corresponding information between a time zone and the authentication unit to be used, and in the determination step, the authentication unit corresponding to the time zone at which the authentication request is made is determined based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request from the operator.
5. The authentication control method according to claim 4, further comprising:
an installation step of installing a program related to the authentication unit determined in the determination step when the program is determined not to be installed based on a status management unit that manages status information capable of identifying whether installation is completed for each of the authentication units.
6. The authentication control method according to claim 5, wherein,
in the execution step, the authentication unit related to the program installed by the installation unit is caused to execute the authentication in accordance with the authentication request.
7. A non-transitory recording medium having a program that causes a computer to execute an authentication control method executed by a computer having plural authentication units that perform authentication for an operator with different authentication methods, the authentication control method comprising:
a determination step of determining the authentication unit corresponding to a mode of an authentication request based on corresponding information between the mode of the authentication request and the authentication unit to be used, managed by a corresponding information management unit, in response to the authentication request from the operator; determining, by the computer, the authentication unit corresponding to the operator based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request from the operator; managing, by the computer, the corresponding information between the operator and the authentication unit to be used; managing, by the computer, the corresponding information between operator identification numbers and the authentication unit to be used; determining, by the computer, the authentication unit corresponding to the operator identification number based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request; and causing, by the computer, the determined authentication unit to execute the authentication for the operator; and wherein the corresponding information management unit manages the corresponding information between a time zone and the authentication unit to be used, and in the determination step, the authentication unit corresponding to the time zone at which the authentication request is made is determined based on the corresponding information in response to the authentication request from the operator.