Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for carrying out financial transactions via a facsimile machine

US4926325A · kind A · utility

192Cited by
9References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 23, 1988
Grant dateMay 15, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 23, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07F7/1008
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Financial transactions between buyers and sellers are carried out using at least one facsimile machine improved in accordance with the invention both to transfer electronic funds data among the buyer, seller and an authorizing institution and to print transaction records. Each buyer and seller is provided with an identification module, which may be in the form of a card of a mechanical key containing an integrated circuit "chip" that is inserted into a receptacle provided in the facsimile machine. Each module stores data corresponding to an account number, transaction summaries, an account balance, signature and other information. The machine in turn contains circuitry to communicate bidirectionally with the identification module and, via telephone lines, with modules provided at other facsimile machines. In a "local" mode of operation, buyer and seller modules are placed into communication with each other at a single facsimile machine which authorizes and carries out a requested transaction between the modules, and prints out a transaction record. In a "remote" mode of operation, modules at remote facsimile machines communicate with each other via telephone lines, with a transacti…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.