Patent ID: 6126069
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
A chip card for a user to use and pay for fee-based services of different service providers (A, B, C), the chip card comprising:first means (EP) for decoding information sent by the selected fee-based service of the different service providers (A, B, C),a first memory (I) for storing an aggregate amount for paying for the fee-based services of any of the different service providers (A, B, C),a second memory (KM) for storing usage data of the fee-based services of the different service providers (A, B, C) so as to eliminate a need for a backward channel to the different service providers (A, B, C) in order to use the chip card for fee-based services, wherein the second memory (KM) stores:a service provider identity,the fee-based service,start time and duration of the usage of the fee-based service, anda fee charged to the user for using a fee-based service,the chip card further storing cost associated with the fee-based services incurred to a card company (Z) and comprising means (ST) for evaluating stored data and for determining cost of an actual fee-based service therefrom, and for reducing the aggregate amount which is stored in the first memory by an amount equal to the cost,wherein the aggregate amount is loaded at a loading station which has no backward channel to the fee-based service providers (A, B, C) and wherein the loading station has a backward channel linking to the card company (Z) so as to allow the card company (Z) to determine payable amounts to be credited to the different service providers based on a respective usage and the cost stored on the chip card.