Abstract:
Disclosed is a card payment apparatus. An aspect of the present invention is directed to provide a card payment apparatus, which is accessed to a portable communication apparatus or a computer without a card terminal, and then, performs a payment process by using a contactless card or a contact card.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0153622 filed on Dec. 26, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a card payment apparatus, and more particularly, to a card payment apparatus which is accessed to a portable communication apparatus or a computer without a card terminal, and then, processes payment by using a contactless card or a contact card. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Generally, a contactless card such as a transportation card or the like as well as a contact card such as a magnetic card or the like is widely used as a payment means such as a credit card or the like. 
         [0006]    A contactless card is a contactless-wireless identification card which has a size similar to a size of a credit card which accommodates RF electronic chips and a loop antenna. 
         [0007]    Most of consumers use a contactless card such as a credit card. 
         [0008]    A card payment instrument processes payment for a certain amount by using processes. The processes include extracting information of a payment instrument from a card medium, generating an electronic payment request including payment means information, payment information, and member store information, transferring them to a card company server through a POS terminal, and receiving an electronic payment request. 
         [0009]    After a user gives a credit card to a clerk in a store, the clerk inputs price of goods into a POS terminal, the user who confirms the price signs, and a payment is approved, the card payment instrument installed in the store issues a receipt 
         [0010]    Examples of a receipt which is issued after a credit card payment includes a receipt for a customer and a receipt for a collection. Therefore, in consideration of resource utilization of paper and ink which are used for manufacturing a receipt, because the entire quantity of them is imported, a tremendous loss to the nation occurs. 
         [0011]    In consideration that a lot of portable communication apparatus such as a smart phone or the like are supplied, an electronic payment using a method, in which personal card information is saved in a portable communication apparatus and the card information is transmitted for bank financial transactions or business transactions through wireless network in a type of a RF signal, is recently processed. 
         [0012]    However, for the electronic payment, personal information including card information is has to be saved in a portable communication apparatus, which is susceptible to security, and thus, the electronic payment has security problems. 
         [0013]    Moreover, in order for an electronic payment to be processed in a portable communication apparatus, program has to be installed, complicated processes linked to financial institution or the like has to be performed, and a plurality of processes for approval and input have to be performed, and thus, a user, who is old or has a problem in use of information technology IT instrument, does not use the electronic payment. 
         [0014]    Moreover, an electronic payment using a portable communication apparatus is limited to a credit card payment, and in the electronic payment, a use of various types of cards such as a debit card, a cash card, a transportation card, a point card or the like is limited. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0015]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to provide a card payment apparatus that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
         [0016]    An aspect of the present invention is directed to provide a card payment apparatus, which is accessed to a portable communication apparatus or a computer without a card terminal, and then, performs a payment process by using a contactless card or a contact card. 
         [0017]    Another aspect of the present invention is directed to provide card payment apparatus, which identifies various types of cards including a contactless card or a contact card, and then, performs a payment process. 
         [0018]    Additional advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0019]    To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a card payment apparatus including: a USB interface receiving a USB signal from a USB connector, which is inserted into a USB port of a terminal apparatus to be connected and inputs and outputs data; an earphone jack connecting part inserted into an earphone jack inserting groove of a portable communication apparatus to be connected; a contactless reader sensing first payment information from a contactless card in a state where the contactless card is not contacted; a contact reader sensing second payment information from a contact card in a state where the contact card is contacted; a card type decoder extracting an identifying code included in the first payment information or the second payment information and determining a type of the contact card or the contactless card, if the first payment information or the second payment information sensed from the contact card or the contactless card is decoded; and a controller transferring the first payment information or the second payment information to the terminal apparatus or the portable communication apparatus, and if a type of a card is decoded by the card type decoder, generating a program activation control signal, which performs a payment process corresponding to the type of a card, to transfer the program activation control signal to the portable communication apparatus or the terminal apparatus. 
         [0020]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically illustrating a payment system using a card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of the card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a USB connector and an earphone jack connector applied to the card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the specification, in adding reference numerals for elements in each drawing, it should be noted that like reference numerals already used to denote like elements in other drawings are used for elements wherever possible. In the following description, when the detailed description of the relevant known configuration or function is determined to unnecessarily obscure the important point of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically illustrating a payment system using a card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0029]    As shown in a portion (a) of  FIG. 1 , in a payment system using a card payment apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention, the card payment apparatus  100  is connected to a computer  200 , and requests payment to an approval server  400  or a payment agency server  410  through an internet network  300  to processes the payment. 
         [0030]    As shown in a portion (b) of  FIG. 1 , the card payment apparatus  100  according to another embodiment of the present invention is connected to a portable communication apparatus  210 , and requests payment to an approval server  400  or a payment agency server  410  through a mobile network  310  to processes the payment. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the card payment apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a body part  102  having a certain length and thickness, a USB connector  110  provided in a side of the body part  102 , an earphone jack connecting part  120  provided in a lower surface of the body part  102 , and a card inserting groove  180  which has a certain depth from one side of an upper surface of the body part  102 . Here, a card is inserted into the card inserting groove  180 . 
         [0032]    The USB connector  110  and the earphone jack connecting part  120  may be provided in various positions of the body part  102 . 
         [0033]    A card is inserted into the card inserting groove  180  to be mounted onto the card inserting groove  180 , and a card fixing part  182  is provided in an inside of an upper end of the card inserting groove  180 . 
         [0034]    The card fixing part  182  is fixed to the card inserting groove  180  so that the card fixing part  182  is pushed back to move when a card is inserted into the card inserting groove  180  and protrudes from the card inserting groove  180  again by an elastic force to press the inserted card to prevent the card from being extracted. 
         [0035]    When card payment is completely processed and the card is extracted from the card inserting groove  180 , the card fixing part  182  is pushed back, and thus, the pressure supplied to the card is released. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of the card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0037]    The card payment apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a USB connector  110 , a USB interface  112 , an earphone jack connecting part  120 , a contact reader  130 , a reader antenna  142 , a contactless reader  140 , a card type decoder  150 , an application storage part  160  and a controller  170 . 
         [0038]    The USB connector  110  is connected to a USB port of a notebook, a computer  200 , and a portable communication apparatus  210  (a portable phone, PDA or the like). 
         [0039]    The USB interface  112  receives a USB signal through the USB connector  110 . 
         [0040]    The earphone jack connecting part  120  is inserted into an earphone jack inserting groove of a portable communication apparatus  210  to be connected, and is configured with a terminal for an input and an output of a signal and a common grounding terminal, and thus, transmits and receives an analog audio signal and a digital data signal. 
         [0041]    If the USB connector  110  and the earphone jack connecting part  120  are connected to an external apparatus, the card payment apparatus  100  converts an audio signal having a certain frequency and amplitude into constant voltage power to supply the power to the contact reader  130  and the contactless reader  140 . 
         [0042]    The card payment apparatus modulates a digital data signal to a certain frequency band, converts the digital data into an analog signal, and then, transfers the analog signal through the earphone jack connecting part  120 . 
         [0043]    Further, in the portable communication apparatus  210 , a process of converting a digital data signal and a decoding process are performed. 
         [0044]    Therefore, an analog audio signal and a digital data signal are configured to be transferred through one earphone jack connecting part  120 . 
         [0045]    The contactless reader  140  includes at least one or more reader antenna  142 , which has an electrical contact with a contactless card in a contactless type by using capacitance coupling and/or electromagnetic induction or the like for transaction with a contactless card (IC card or RF card). Moreover, the contactless reader  140  supplies power to a contactless card through the reader antenna  142 . Here, the reader antenna  142  outputs a current, which has a frequency of a specific band, so as to have an electrical contact with a contactless card in a contactless type. Also, the contactless card may be formed of plastic, which accommodates an antenna (generally a loop antenna configured with a coil) for receiving a current output from a reader antenna  142 , and a chip saving card information. The contactless card is turn on by using a current signal received from an antenna, and transfers card information saved in a chip to the reader antenna  142 . 
         [0046]    The contactless reader  140  senses payment information of the contactless card excited by capacitance coupling and/or electromagnetic induction provided from the reader antenna  142  through the half duplex type transaction using application protocol data unit, and decodes the payment information. 
         [0047]    The contact reader  130  includes at least one or more contact point, which forms an electrical contact with a chip on board COB provided in the contact card in a contact type. The contact reader  130  supplies power to the contact card through the contact point. The contact reader  130  senses payment information from the contact card through the half duplex type transaction using application protocol data unit, and decodes the payment information. 
         [0048]    The payment information of the contactless card and the contact card includes at least one or more of available period information, a card issue bank, account information and an identifying code (for example, BIN or the like) 
         [0049]    According to ISO 7811, a track of the contact card includes at least one or more track. Information of a credit card or a debit card is inputted into a first track, and information of a cash card is inputted into a second track. 
         [0050]    A card number saved in a first track is configured with a number of sixteen ciphers. 4 to 6 numbers from the first of the card number is referred to as a bank identification number BIN. A unique number is internationally assigned to BIN for each bank and each financial institution. Therefore, it is possible to identify which financial institution issues a card, by using BIN information. 
         [0051]    BIN of a credit card and BIN of a debit card are different from each other. A type of a card may be determined by sensing a field, which expresses a card type in BIN of a credit card and BIN of a debit card. It is equally applied to every card types. 
         [0052]    That is, it is assumed that each of every cards include a field expressing a card type. 
         [0053]    For example, in a front surface of a card, there is sixteen numbers. One or more of the sixteen numbers from the first denotes a type of a card. That is, there are 35 for JCB card, 36 for dynasty card, 37 for an american express card, 4× for a visa card, 51-55 for a masters card, and 9 for a domestic use card, or the like. 
         [0054]    In the above-described description, BIN is described for identifying a card type, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Therefore, a debit card, a cash card, a transportation card, a point card, a credit card or the like may be identified by using a special identifying code. 
         [0055]    Moreover, it is assumed that a special identifying code (BIN, etc.) is saved in a contactless card for identifying a card type by using the same method used in a contact card. 
         [0056]    If the card type decoder  150  decodes payment information from the contact reader  130  or the contactless reader  140 , the card type decoder  150  extracts an identifying code included in the payment information, and the card type decoder  150  determines effectiveness of the identifying code by determining whether the identifying code is available information configured according to a rule or not. 
         [0057]    If the identifying code is available information, the card type decoder  150  determines that a card sensed by using a contact method or a contactless method is one of a credit card, a debit card, a cash card, a transportation card and a point card. Here, the above-described card types are described for convenience of a description, and thus, the present invention includes various card types other than the above-described card types. 
         [0058]    The card type decoder  150  provided in the card payment apparatus  100  is described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and thus, the card type decoder  150  may be provided in a computer  200  or a portable communication apparatus  210 . 
         [0059]    A client program corresponding to a type of a card such as a credit card, a debit card, a cash card, a transportation card and a point card is saved in the application storage part  160 . 
         [0060]    The application storage part  160  provided in the card payment apparatus  100  is described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and thus, the application storage part  160  may be provided in a computer  200  or a portable communication apparatus  210 . 
         [0061]    When the USB connector  110  or the earphone jack connecting part  120  is connected to a computer  200  or a portable communication apparatus  210 , the controller  170  recognizes the connected apparatus as a hard disk, and thus, transfers the client program saved in the application storage part  160  to the computer  200  or the portable communication apparatus  210 . 
         [0062]    When a computer  200  or a portable communication apparatus  210  is connected to the card payment apparatus  100 , the computer  200  or the portable communication apparatus  210  downloads the client program and automatically executes the client program. 
         [0063]    The client program includes at least one or more payment application, which performs a payment process corresponding to payment information. 
         [0064]    The payment application transfers a payment information request signal to an approval server  400  to process the payment. 
         [0065]    The approval server  400  may be a card company server or a bank server, which receives the payment information request signal to transfer a payment approval result. The approval server  400  may transfer the payment information request signal to a member store, a company, etc. through a payment relay server or a payment agency server  410 . 
         [0066]    A portable communication apparatus  210  is connected to the earphone jack connecting part  120  or the USB connector  110 , and particularly, a portable phone is connected to the earphone jack connecting part  120 , and a personal computer PC is connected to the USB connector  110 . 
         [0067]    If a type of a card is decoded by the card type decoder  150 , the controller  170  generates a program activation control signal corresponding to the type of the card, and transfers the program activation control signal to an apparatus connected to the card payment apparatus  100 . 
         [0068]    A difference in a payment method occurs between a credit card, a debit card, a cash card, a transportation card and a point card. 
         [0069]    For example, a credit card is connected to a card company server through a payment agency server  410 , and thus, electronic payment is processed. Also, a debit card is connected to a bank server, and thus electronic payment is processed. That is, according to the present invention, a payment method is changed according to a type of a card. 
         [0070]    The program activation control signal denotes a control signal, which activates an application program performing a payment process of the corresponding card, according to a type of a card. 
         [0071]    If an apparatus connected to the card payment apparatus  100  receives the program activation control signal in a state where the client program is executed, the apparatus activates one of a plurality of payment applications to perform a payment process. 
         [0072]    The controller  170  transfers a signal such as a program activation control signal to a computer  200  or a portable communication apparatus  210  through the USB connector  110  or the earphone jack connecting part  120  in a state where a client program is installed or saved in a computer  200  or a portable communication apparatus  210 . The client program processes a corresponding signal. 
         [0073]    If a payment approval is received and payment is completely processed, the controller  170  issues an electronic receipt in connection with the payment, and transfers the electronic receipt to a computer  200 , a portable communication apparatus  210 , etc. Then, the controller controls the computer  200  or the portable communication apparatus  210  to print the receipt through a printer. 
         [0074]    Therefore, the present invention may process payment according to purchase of goods without limit in a place, and may transfer an electronic receipt including payment information to user&#39;s terminal. 
         [0075]    Moreover, according to the present invention, resource waste according to issue of a paper receipt does not occur, and a receipt may be archived in a computer or a portable communication apparatus semipermanently. 
         [0076]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a USB connector and an earphone jack connector applied to the card payment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0077]    The USB connector  110  applied to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in a portion (b) of  FIG. 5 , includes a power pin  110   a  for a power signal, data pins  110   b  and  110   c  for transmitting/receiving data signals D+ and D−, and a grounding pin  110   d  for a grounding signal. 
         [0078]    The USB connector  100  applied to another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in a portion (c) of  FIG. 5 , is a card type connector and is connected to an apparatus having a USB interface connector. 
         [0079]    The USB connector  110  matches the power signal, the data signals and the grounding signals to nine pins  110   e ,  110   f ,  110   g ,  110   h ,  110   j ,  110   k ,  110   m ,  110   n  and  110   p.    
         [0080]    For example, the power signal is matched to a fifth pin  110   j , the grounding signals are matched to a fourth pin  110   h  and a seventh pin  110   m , and the data signals are matched to two pins among first to third pins  110   e ,  110   f  and  110   g , a sixth pin  110   k , a eighth pin  110   n  and a ninth pin  110   p . The USB connector  110  has the standards compatible with a secure digital SD card. 
         [0081]    As another example of a card type connector, the USB connector  110  has the standards compatible with a memory stick configured with a ten number of pins. 
         [0082]    For example, the power signal is matched to a second pin and a eighth pin, the grounding signals are matched to a first pin and a tenth pin, and the data signals are matched to two or more pins among a third to a seventh pins and a ninth pin. 
         [0083]    The earphone jack connecting part  120  applied to an embodiment of the present invention is a four-electrode jack, which includes a grounding terminal  121 , audio terminals  122  and  123  transferring two audio signals, and a microphone terminal  124  for inputting data into a portable communication apparatus  210 . 
         [0084]    If the earphone jack connecting part  120  is connected to a portable communication apparatus  210  and the USB connector  112  is connected to a computer  200  at the same time, when the controller receives a token signal from a portable communication apparatus  210  or a computer  200 , the controller  170  is changed to a transmitting mode and generates a data transmitting start signal to transmit the data transmitting start signal to the apparatus transmitting the token signal. 
         [0085]    When a portable communication apparatus  210  or a computer  200  receives the data transmitting start signal from the earphone jack connecting part  120  or the USB connector  112 , the portable communication apparatus  210  or the computer  200  is changed to a receiving mode to demodulate a data bit stream by an asynchronous protocol or a synchronous protocol to save it in the storage part. 
         [0086]    The card payment apparatus  100  according to the present invention is connected to a computer  200  and a portable communication apparatus  210  by using the USB connector  110  or the earphone jack connecting part  120 , but, the present invention is not limited thereto. Therefore, a near field communication module may be provided in each of the card payment apparatus  100 , the computer  200  and the portable communication apparatus  210 . 
         [0087]    In other words, each of the card payment apparatus  100 , the computer  200  and the portable communication apparatus  210  may be configured with a near field communication module, and transmit and receive the payment information and the control signal by using a near field communication, such as bluetooth, infrared wireless communication IrDA, shared wireless access protocol SWAP, etc. within a certain distance (for example, 10 to 100 m, etc.). 
         [0088]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0089]    According to the present invention, various types of card including a contactless card or a contact card may be identified in a portable phone, a personal computer PC or the like, and thus, a payment may be processed. 
         [0090]    The card payment apparatus of the present invention may process payment according to purchase of goods without limit in a place, and may transfer an electronic receipt including payment information to user&#39;s terminal. 
         [0091]    According to the present invention, resource waste according to issue of a paper receipt does not occur, and a receipt may be archived in a computer or a portable communication apparatus semipermanently. 
         [0092]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.