Abstract:
An airplane having a wireless modem on board that allows passengers to charge the merchandise bought on airplanes to a credit card.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to airplanes and in particular to a system on board an airplane that allows passengers to charge the merchandise bought on an airplane to a credit card.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Passengers traveling on an airplane that involves long flight time like international flights usually buy merchandise sold on the airplane during the flight time. The passengers frequently carry a limited amount of cash and depend on the use of credit cards to pay for the merchandise. It is desired that a system be provided for credit card payment for the merchandise bought on the airplane.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The invention consists of a credit card reader and a wireless modem on board an airplane that allows passengers to charge the merchandise bought on an airplane to a credit card. The card reader is used for reading information stored on a card usually in magnetic strips or chips and also to enter the amount to be charged. The modem provides wireless communications using an antenna. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1. is a block diagram of the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2. is a block diagram in accordance with the present invention for handling a credit card transaction.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3. is a flowchart of the present invention for handling a credit card transaction.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0009]    In FIG. 1 Airplane  10  is provided with a modem  18  (shown in FIG. 2) that is connected to an antenna  20 .  
         [0010]    Modem  18  interfaces and exchanges signals with with a wireless network carrier  12 . The wireless network carrier  12  allows the airplane  10  to communicate with the credit card company  14  to facilitate credit card transaction.  
         [0011]    As shown in FIG. 2 Airplane  10  is provided with a credit card reader  16 . The credit card reader  16  is electrically connected to a modem  18 . Modem  18  having a Cellular Digital Packet data (CDPD) be used to transfer the total amount to be charged for credit card company authorization. Modem  18  is connected to an antenna  20 . A printer  22  is also electrically connected to the card reader  16 .  
         [0012]    In FIG. 3 the card member authorizes his card to be charged by swiping the card through the card reader, step  24 . After swiping the card through the card reader, the amount to be charged is entered on the credit card reader, step  26 . Verification process  28  sends necessary information to the credit card company. For verification process a modem  18  with Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) be used to transfer the amount to be charged for credit card company authorization. If verification is failed, the card member is advised to pay by cash, step  30 . After verification has been successful, the credit card is charged and a receipt is printed, step  32 , showing the authorization number. The card member may then sign the receipt and the transaction is completed.