Patent EA-001712-B1 (EA)
Title: Method for crediting or recrediting a data card with a given amount
Inventor: AEBI PAUL
IPC: G06Q20/36
Filed: 1997-08-21
Abstract: 1. Method for loading or reloading the value of the monetary sum (28) on a data medium card (7), especially a SIM card (7) for a communication device (6, 8) associated with a communication network (9, 10), with a value of a sum of money (28), which data medium card (7) is provided with a storage means (11) in which the value of the monetary sum (28) is stored, characterized by the following steps: - the owner of the value card (13) comprising a concealed code field (14) which comprises the needed code (15), a service number is called from a communication apparatus, whereby the caller is connected to a data base (17) in which all codes (15) assigned to value cards and the amount of money (12) associated with each respective code are stored, - the caller is prompted to enter the code (15) in the calling communication apparatus (6, 8), - the entered code (15) is compared with the codes stored in the data base (17), - if the entered code (15) is found in the data base (17), a short message (20) with the value of the sum of money (28) to be loaded or reloaded is prepared in a short message service center (18, 19), and is temporarily stored,  - the value of the monetary sum (28) and the code (15) are marked as used in the data base (17) or cancelled, and  - the data medium card (7) to be loaded or reloaded is loaded or reloaded with the temporarily stored value of the monetary sum (28) by means of the prepared short message (20) the next time the data medium card (7) is inserted in any of the communication apparatus (6, 8) and a connection is established with the communication network (9, 10). 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that after the entering of the service number, the telephone set (8) or the communication apparatus (6, 8) is connected to a voice output system (21), and in that the further steps of the method are carried out voice-controlled (21). 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the value card (13) can also be used for telephoning, a calling amount being calculated from the length of the call to a called subscriber, said calling amount being recorded in the data base (17) or deducted from the value of the monetary sum (12) upon termination of the call, and in that only the difference between the value of th e monetary sum (12) and the sum of all calling amounts is then used for loading or reloading the data medium card (7). 4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the entering of the service number can take place from any desired wire-connected telephone set (8) or from any desired wireless communication apparatus (6) which works according to the GSM standard. 5. Method for loading or reloading the value of the monetary sum (28) on a data medium card (7), especially a SIM card (7) for a communication device (6, 8) associated with a communication network (9, 10), with a monetary sum value (28), which data medium card (7) is provided with a storage means (11) in which the value of the monetary sum (28) is stored, comprising the following steps: - a short message according to the GSM standard is then used to connect the owner of the value card (13) comprising a concealed code field (14) which comprises the needed code (15) to a data base (17) in which all codes (15) assigned to value cards and the amount of money (12) associated with each respective code are stored, - the caller is prompted to enter the code (15) in the calling communication apparatus (6, 8), - the entered code (15) is compared with the codes stored in the data base (17), - if the entered code (15) is found in the data base (17), a short message (20) with the value of the monetary sum (28) to be loaded or reloaded is prepared in a short message service center (18, 19), and is temporarily stored, - the value of the monetary sum (28) and the code (15) are marked in the data base (17) as used or cancelled, and - the data medium card (7) to be loaded or reloaded is loaded or reloaded with the temporarily stored value of the monetary sum (28) by means of the prepared short message (20) the next time the data medium card (7) is inserted in any of the communication apparatus (6, 8) and a connection is established with the communication network (9, 10). 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that after using the short message, the telephone set (8) or the communication apparatus (6, 8) is connected to a voice output system (21), and in that the further steps of the method are carried out voice-controlled. 7. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the value card (13) can also be used for telephoning, a calling amount being calculated from the length of the call to a called subscriber, said calling amount being recorded in the data base (17) or deducted from the value of the monetary sum (12) upon termination of the call, and in that only the difference between the value of th e monetary sum (12) and the sum of all calling amounts is then used for loading or reloading the data medium card (7). 8. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the entering of the service number can take place from any desired wire-connected telephone set (8) or from any desired wireless communication apparatus (6) which works according to the GSM standard. 9. Installation for carrying out a method for loading or reloading a data medium card (7), characterized by: - a data base (17) in which a list is stored of the codes assigned to value cards and the monetary sum associated with each code, - a rating platform (16), which can search in said data base (17) whether an entered code is stored, and, in this case, can transmit a message block (32) and can mark as used or delete the code (15) in the data base (17). 10. Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a speech server (21) which can be called with the appropriate service number from any desired telephone set (8) or communication apparatus (6) via a wire-connected communication network (9) or via a mobile network (10). 11. Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that there is a billing module (24) connected to the data base (17) and to the short message service center (18, 19).