Patent ID: 6467685
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
A countable electronic value system for the transfer of electronic value in integer multiples of an elementary value unit, the transfer being between two selected ones from a plurality of consumers, a plurality of merchants and a number of value issuers, the countable electronic value system comprising:a) a plurality of electronic coin types of different denominations, each denomination being an integer multiple of the denomination of said elementary value unit; b) for each of said electronic coin types, a plurality of electronic coins each having a serial number; c) a plurality of sorted value devices for storing said electronic coins, said plurality of stored-value devices including: (i) electronic coin purses for consumers, (ii) electronic coin drawers form merchants, and (iii) electronic coin pools for value issuers; and d) transaction means for transferring a selectable amount of value from a selected source stored value device to a selected target stored value device, said transaction means being responsive to at least the selectable amount of value to automatically select, for each of said electronic coin types: (i) a first group of a first non-negative number of electronic coins to be transferred from the source stored value device to the target stored value device, and (ii) a second group of a second non-negative number of electronic coins to be transferred from the target stored value device to the source stored value device.