Patent ID: 7835942
Filing Date: 2010-11-16
Classification: G06Q,H04M

Abstract:
1. A payment terminal device for use with a mobile phone and an authorization center to approve a transaction at a point of sale (POS) device, comprising: an interface for releasably coupling the payment terminal device to the mobile phone to exchange voice data between the payment terminal device and the authorization center via the mobile phone, wherein the payment terminal device comprises a data processor, coupled to the interface, for processing data received from the interface and for generating data for transmission to the interface, coupling means for coupling to the mobile phone and a modem coupled to the coupling means and to the data processor for converting the voice data received from the authorization center via the mobile phone and via the coupling means into voice data for transmission to the data processor and for converting data received from the data processor into voice data for transmission to the authorization center via the coupling means and via the mobile phone, wherein the coupling means includes an acoustic coupler for bidirectionally acoustically transmitting the voice data between the payment terminal and the mobile phone when the mobile phone is placed onto the acoustic coupler and wherein the payment terminal device outputs a signal to the POS device when the authorization center approves the transaction.