Patent ID: 6157824
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: G06Q,G07C,G07F

Abstract:
In a wireless communication system for a vehicle, a method for transferring, storing and updating, user credit card data, and customer preference data from a hand-held key chain unit including a transceiver to a communications device for purposes of validation and access to the communications device for its intended use, the vehicle having a transceiver therein, a remote system administration location being employed to archive credit card user data comprising the following steps:a) power up of the vehicle transceiver when the vehicle is first started, which sends an interrogation signal to the hand-held key chain unit to read and verify the customer data and personality data contained therein;b) if the hand-held key chain transceiver is within proximity range of the vehicle transceiver, the user data is then transferred;c) the transmitted data is compared to the last transmission to determine if this is the same as the last user data, or if this data constitutes a new user and personality group;d) if the data is consistent with a known user from a previous transmission, the communications device being accessed is authorized to commence operation;e) if the data transmitted is not consistent with known data from a previous transmission of data, then the data is stored as a new record, transmitted over the airwaves via the communications device, and a new user record and file is created at the remote system administration location;f) in the case of a new user, the credit card data is verified and a validation occurs which then allows the new user to gain access to the communications device being accessed and normal operations then occur.