EP1500055A1

EP1500055A1 - Region wide travel pass system

Info

Publication number: EP1500055A1
Application number: EP02724466A
Authority: EP
Inventors: John Wolfgang Halpern
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: HALPERN, JOHN WOLFGANG
Priority date: 2001-05-09
Filing date: 2002-05-09
Publication date: 2005-01-26
Also published as: WO2002091308A1

Abstract

A fare collection and general payment system comprises a payment token (27); (71) comprising a memory (41). At least one public transport provider terminal (6), (8) comprises means for responding to a service-demand for transport, including means for receiving a payment from the payment token. At least one retail terminal (45) comprises means for receiving a payment from the payment token for goods and/services. The transport provider terminal (6, 8) and the retail terminal (45) comprise means for encrypting communication with said payment token (27); (71) using an encryption key. The system further comprises a control centre (4) including key generating means, associated with a wireless communication broadcasting system (2, 3) and arranged to broadcast replacement encryption keys to the transport (6, 8) and retail terminals (45) at predetermined intervals.

Description

Region Wide Travel Pass System

This invention relates to payment systems and particularly, although not exclusively, to transport payment systems

In transport payment systems, it is generally assumed that the fares charged by public transport agencies can be a weapon for disaffecting the general public from their preference for the private car. Upon closer inspection it turns out that in many cases a patron of public transport would like to interrupt his or her journey in order to explore a shop or a restaurant or a park on the way but is impeded from doing so because this would entail losing the right to use the ticket.

In most transit systems, it requires the modification of current rules against journey interruptions in order to make the superiority of the car less obvious. This applies also to inner city bus and tram lines .

When viewed from a first aspect the present invention provides a fare collection and general payment system comprising: a payment token comprising a memory; at least one public transport provider terminal comprising means for responding to a service-demand for transport, including means for receiving a payment from said payment token; at least one retail terminal comprising means for receiving a payment from said payment token for goods and/services; wherein said transport provider terminal and said retail terminal comprise means for encrypting communication with said payment token using an encryption key; said system further comprising: a control centre including key generating means, associated with a wireless communication broadcasting system and being arranged to broadcast replacement encryption keys to said transport and retail terminals at predetermined intervals.

Thus is will be seen that in accordance with the present invention a payment system is provided which may be used both for transport and for general retail use. The security if communication between the respective terminals and a payment token is enhanced by means of the use of regularly replaced encryption keys. These keys could, for example, be transmitted via^a cellular telephone network. In a preferred embodiment thereof, a VHF (very high frequency) transmitter/receiver as employed in such a network is utilised.

Preferably, the transport provider terminal is arranged to record into the memory of the payment token journey data comprising a coded starting point and a coded point of arrival, in return for said payment. This is beneficial since if journey data is stored on the payment token, this effectively becomes an electronic ticket which may be repeatedly, but securely, read whilst being difficult to tamper with by virtue of the encrypted communication with the terminals. This facilitates a transport arrangement in which journeys may be broken.

Preferably said payment token comprises means for storing said encryption key and said transport and retail terminals are arranged to interrogate said payment token for the stored encryption key and to compare the key stored on the payment token with a key stored at the terminal. This provides a mechanism for validating payment tokens presented to the terminals. The payment token could, for example, simply store the last used encryption key. The terminals could then store a recent history of used keys to allow validation of payment tokens that had not been used since the last replacement of encryption keys.

In a preferred embodiment for example, the encryption keys are replaced on a daily basis and the terminals has sufficient memory to store a month's worth of encryption keys. In such a system payment tokens not used for a period long than a month would have to be reactivated or replaced. It is envisaged that previously unused tokens could be provided with a serial number or the like allowing initial manual verification. Preferably the pay token comprises a visual display portion. Preferably the transport terminal is arranged to transmit to said pay token for display on said visual display porion, information on various permissible Alternative routes and transport means. This allows a customer to use alternative routes on his or her way to the designated trip destination before the expiry of the said time limitation, in order to provide the beneficial requisite liberty for taking advantage of shopping opportunities or business visits. The component elements of a preferred embodiment of the system are as follows:

A transmitter/Receiver of VHF (very high frequency) of electromagnetic waves of the type now used in mobile phone communications for the transmission of text passages (see Figure 1)

A multitude of low wattage S/R units for communicating with the above centres in association with smart card controlled vending or access control units (such as turnstiles in a station, see Figure 2) , or cash desks (Fig. 10) . Debit or Credit transfers can be handled within two seconds, whereas the present procedures take about thirty times longer to obtain authorisation.. a data encryption/decryption system which is governed by simultaneous distribution of encryption key numbers from a Centre ( embodied in a Mobile Phone Program Extension Sector, Fig. 1) to numerous public and private points whereby new keys are issued on a daily, or twice weekly basis, or on some other basis, and wherein two different magnitudes (Kl and K2) constitute together a specific encryption key. (This is NOT the public key system. )

Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a control centre located at a mobile phone service provider;

Fig. 2 is' s schematic diagram showing operation of a transport or retailer terminal;

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a payment token; Fig 4 is a view of a further embodiment of a payment token; and

Fig. 5 is a view of a retailer terminal. Turning to Fig. 1 there may be seen a mobile phone base station 1 comprising an antenna 2,3. An extension 4 to the basic equipment provides functionality in accordance with the present invention as will be described later. The extension 4 is in data communication with a number of financial institutions 5.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the equipment at a public transport station 7. This comprises a number of data readers 6 in data communication with a data processor and storage device in the form a computer 8 and a VHF radio transmitter/receiver 9 by means of a data connection 10 which could, for example, be a coaxial cable or an optical fibre. These elements together constitute a transport provider terminal.

A schematic diagram of a part of the IC hardware of the card chip of a smart card 27 for use in the system is shown in Fig. 3. This includes a display 33, cash resource reserve 34, debit resource reserve 35 and a credit resource reserve 36. Logic 37-40 is provided to regulate modifying the values in these memories 34-36 and for communicating them with an arithmetic logic unit (ALU ) 41 .

Cash value 34 is an entry obtained against payment of cash to a machine or at a Bank Counter. The user of a plain card without any data entry means will be dependent on finding a terminal with a key board. To pay for a bus ride or a cup of tea, most people will use the CASH reserve of the card, memory 34. Buying a piece of clothing or some drafting gear, the debit account 35 is best. Finally, a credit purchase 36 would be made to buy a motorcycle. Which one is used is determined by the PIN entered.

It would be difficult to remember three six- digit PINs. However, starting with the cash sector with a four digit number, may be X, then the Debit account PIN may be X plus 15, and the Credit Account may be X plus 32. These numbers are less easily forgotten. Changes can be implemented whenever desired if the compared memories 38,38,39 are addressable via a master PIN.

In use a card 27 is brought into the vicinity of a reader terminal 6. A communication protocol based on time division duplex is established between the reader 6 and the card 27. In response to an appropriate interrogation signal from the reader 6, the card 27 transmits an identifying serial number together with the value of an encryption key stored in a memory associated with the ALU 41.

The reader 6, in conjunction with computer 8 receives the serial number and checks it against a blacklist of card numbers supplied by a bank (e.g. those which are lost, stolen, suspended etc.). Assuming that the card 27 is not blacklisted, the computer then compares the encryption key transmitted from the card against a list of stored previous encryption keys. If the key matches the current key, the computer 8 begins to perform the required transaction. However if the key matches a previously used key, the reader 6 is made to transmit the current key to the card 27. This transmission of the key is itself encrypted using the previously stored key supplied by the pay token.

A typical transaction would comprise transmission by the terminal 6, 8 of codes corresponding to the start and end points of a desired journey and details of the amount of payment required. The card would them respond with conformation that the appropriate reserve 34, 35, 36 had been decremented and the remaining amount.

The transmissions from terminal 6 and card 27 are encrypted using the current encryption key. The encryption system utilised herein is as disclosed in EP- A-1018231 to which reference should be made for further details. New keys are sent from the cellular telephone network switch to the antenna 9 of the terminal on a daily basis. Similarly details of transactions are uploaded by the terminal to the control centre 4 for dissemination to the financial institutions 5.

In the event that there is insufficient value in the chosen reserve 34, 35, 36, the terminal 6, 8 will provide a predetermined increment to allow the transaction to continue. This fact is recorded together with the associated card number for later debiting of the account relating to the card. A small commission will also be added. Wireless transmission is the ideal tool for transmitting encryption keys to of a communication system wherein the keys change relatively very frequently, and this happens to be the case in the security system for the transfer of funds which is here proposed. Such key data can be broadcast to all the service providers simultaneously. A routine can therefore be evolved in the data processor 8 which will ensure that even subscribers with older reference numbers are not left out. This is described further below. Because of the importance of a smoothly running encryption system, the application of mobile phone technology to payment technology has been chosen. The idea represented by Figs. 1 and 2 is essentially this: For operating a mobile phone system, there are in regional distribution a few main exchange stations 1 equipped with a relatively powerful sending tower 2 having a VHF antenna 3 which receives calls from subscriber telephones and responds to a calling number by connecting the two subscribers, by allotting to both the same time division slot. It is now proposed to associate the Mobile Phone transmitter to an entirely different kind of program. , namely the transmission of encryption keys that originate from the "Extension Program" area 4 to other Service Providers such as for example a Railway Station 7, or a small cafe, or a large supermarket. In the case of a small and isolated cafe shop, the equipment may be limited to a re-configured mobile phone. Where there is an aggregation of service desks, it would be more cost-effective to install a single Send/Receive antenna and dedicated processor system 8 such as illustrated in Figure 2., comprising an antenna 9 and a box 8 containing the encrypt/decrypt processor, several registers, a sequencing program, and two-way coaxial connections 10 to transaction stations 6 throughout the building (s) 7. Using a travel card on City Railways involves the following: waving the card briefly above the Reader Point marked on the turnstile 6; a valid card to be accepted must have at least enough value to cover the minimum fare which is deducted as the turnstile opens allowing the person to enter the so-called 'paid area'. When arriving at the distant station, the exit turnstile reads the entry code from the card and derives from a look-up table in the associated computer what the remaining fare is to the point of exit which is deducted from the card value. If the latter is insufficient, the turnstile will not open but directs the user to an Addfare Machine which, on presentation of the card, will display the balance to be paid to the machine whereupon the card can be used for exiting through the turnstile. No interruption of the journey is allowed, nor provided for (even though, with a permanent card, it would be easy to make provision for a modified fare system that does permit journey interruptions).

As none of today's smart cards have a value display on the card, the traveller may be left unaware of what its value is, and may easily be taken by surprise when the card is rejected, either at an exit or even when trying to catch a train or bus. We therefore recommend inclusion into the processing system of vending units (cash registers, smart card operated buses, and turnstiles at stations) to use an automatic fixed update arrangement. The same would become operative every time the charge is greater than the residual value of the card. Only legitimately used cards will receive the privilege of automatic updating by a fixed amount. Cards stolen, or abandoned or otherwise on the black list of Banks will be rejected. Card serial numbers which are affected would be identified by banks to the PROGRAM EXTENSION CENTRE next to the mobile phone station (Fig. 1) and from there these will be radiated to all the transaction subscribers. These lists would be updated at least once every 24 hours, preferably in the early morning hours.

When a good card is updated at a vending point, its account-or serial number is read out, and recorded into the local processor box 8. In the early morning hours of the next day, the program of the PROGRAM EXTENSION

ROOM will cause the individual send/receive stations 8 to be called up with a request code ordering them to transmit all the account or serial numbers of those cards that during the preceding day were incremented. These identifying numbers are then passed on to the respective Bank computer stations 5. The convenience which the just described institution would bring to the travelling public would be worth the extra investment. The public transport authority would have to be willing to accept the small risk element in updating the cards against the certainty that all the banks would honour their obligation from the next day onwards. Strictly speaking the one-day risk investment by the Transport company would justify a small fee, say 0,3% on the fixed update amount. If the fixed update amount were, for example, £25 , this would yield 7.5 p per update. Considering that there may well be about 100,000 updates daily, a daily extra income of £7500 means on an annual basis 2,7 mill £. This may double if the card is beginning to be used among shops and traders.

If a City, by investing in the new system, engages also in the leasing of the equipment items to private trading companies, there may be further financial benefits from such policies. It will appreciated that the use of Personal

Identification Numbers (PINs) to protect the use of plain and smart cards requires each reader to have a keyboard associated therewith. The embodiment of the payment token shown in Fig. 4 however, obviates this need.

It will be seen that the smart card payment token 71 shown in Fig. 4 has a keyboard portion 61 comprising a number of numeric keys 62 and other keys 63, 64. It also has indicating lights 65, 67, 68 and 69. It has display 72 with a display light 74 and a photocell 73 for the derivation of power.

The provision of a keypad 62 means that PIN entry can be done away from the public eye, and that is a decided advantage from the security point of view. In addition, payments can be switched on the spot from being a credit card payment to a debit card payment or a cash card payment, as the occasion requires .^• This would be done in accordance with Fig.3 merely by entering the appropriate access word (PIN) .

Its key board 61 comes in handy for PIN confirmations and money transfers from the card 71 in return for ticketing the smart card for definite trips by air, rail or coach services. This function can be relegated to separate encoding machines at key points such as stations, ^' post offices etc.

The card of Figure 4 promises altogether a series of new uses. When a tourist enters a region or a village he has never seen before, he may have a number of questions. Such questions can be coded in terms of 2 - 5 digit numbers. Naturally, the local answers may be quite different from place to place, and also depend on the coincidental timing thereof. Some answers are likely to change from week to week. In anticipation of this possibility, the local telecommunication agency of a village or region will produce computer input for each such question and set up readout terminals at different public places such as hotels, restaurants, bus stops and re-fuelling stations, also in parks and at village entry points. When a card 71 as shown in Fig 4 is introduced into such -coupling terminals (which would have no keyboards or displays, and therefore can be formed out as very robust all-weather devices) the answer to any pre-coded question would appear on the display screen of the card 71. For example, some tourists may wish to know where the nearest botanical garden is, or the nearest library, nearest toilets, chemist, medical adviser, police station, bookshop, stationary, teashop, English restaurant, vegetarian restaurant, etc. Some may wish to know whether there is a debate going on anywhere on any subject, they may ask for the location- of churches and synagogues and the subjects on which these intend to have public talks. What courses are there given nearby admitting also guests and tourists?. Are there any amateur artists performing plays with tickets left to buy, any football matches, any dances, or nearby sport events. Are there any guide walks into the surrounding nature studying wild life? Which bus connections are to the next village this morning, this afternoon., this evening?

Many tourists do desire to take part in the intellectual efforts of the place they come to but have no way of legitimate approach to them. This method of downloading answers to pre-formulated questions with location details will introduce into travel an improved dimension and also bring into isolated villages an incentive to offer something.

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of a retailer terminal for any type of trader receiving cash (electronic cash, that is) . The equipment 45 has two separate display screens, 55 and 56. The price for any product or service is indicated, say, on the right window. If the customer accepts the price he/she is asked to confirm by pushing the right button 46. This action causes the price number to be encrypted in the processor 53 and placed into an auxiliary shift register which is not accessible from outside. Next, this register is recirculated and passed through a decryption process with the result being displayed on the left display window 56. The customer ^'is expected to compare the price display on the left and right window. If he is satisfied that the two are identical, he / she presses the button on the left, 48, . which has the consequence of recording the encrypted version of the price on the tape recorder 54. The same procedure is of course applied to all transactions. The tape holds a string of data which in the early morning hours of the next day, is transmitted to the Bank where the consecutive items are decrypted (using the decryption keys of teh previous day) and entered into their customer's account as the preceding day's receipts. It would not be possible to add anything to them or remove anything by manipulation, of any kind. This makes the transfer of the true amounts fool proof, namely the transfer from the consecutive customers cards 51 to the trader's own bank account.

No clearing bank is involved, and the purchasers' personal authorisations are implicit in the procedure.

Thus it will be seen that what has been described herein is a system with the following characteristics: it makes possible without reservation a multiple participation system; it makes possible to display a transaction result on a passive smart card; the first system proposals that are likely to tip the balance in the competition between the private car and public transport; the first smart card system wherein the normal vending terminal can be used for updating the value of the card, that is, at the very moment when the transaction would have to be refused or the card value would go negative, card value is being entered into its value register, (this applies of course only to customers who own a bank account or a credit account; and a public service system that is significantly less likely to be exploited or faulted.

Claims

Claims :

1. A fare collection and general payment system comprising: a payment token comprising a memory; at least one public transport provider terminal comprising means for responding to a service-demand for transport, including means for receiving a payment from said payment token; at least one retail terminal comprising means for receiving a payment from said payment token for goods and/services; wherein said transport provider terminal and said retail terminal comprise means for encrypting communication with said payment token using an encryption key; said system further comprising: a control centre including key generating means, associated with a wireless communication broadcasting system and being arranged to broadcast replacement encryption keys to said transport and retail terminals at predetermined intervals.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said payment token comprises means for storing said encryption key and said transport terminal and/or said retail terminal comprises storage means arranged to store previously used encryption keys and is arranged to interrogate said payment token for the stored encryption key and to compare the key stored on the payment token with one or more keys stored at the terminal.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein upon successful matching of the key stored in the payment token with a previously used key stored in the transport or retail terminal, the terminal is arranged to transmit said replacement encryption key to the payment. token.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said transport or retail terminal is arranged to encrypt the transmission of said replacement key using the matched previously used key.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said payment token comprises storage means for storing, independently from each other, a cash value reserve, a value reserve debited to an account, and a value reserve credited to an account.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said transport or retail terminal is arranged to increment said cash value reserve by a fixed amount in the event that said reserve is insufficient to meet said payment.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said transport or retail terminal is arranged to check information identifying said payment token against a list before incrementing said cash value reserve.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein said transport or retail terminal is arranged to transmit to the control centre, information identifying payment tokens for which it has incremented the cash reserve by said fixed amount.

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising means for broadcasting one or more encryption keys to a storage and processor device at the premises of each of the said transport and retail providers, said broadcasting means employing mobile phone transmission techniques .

10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said control centre is arranged to transmit said encryption key and other associated data once a day.

11. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the broadcasting means is arranged additionally to transmit to said processor and storage devices information identifying unauthorised payment tokens.

12. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said key generator is arranged to generate random numbers for use as encryption keys.

13. A system as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising at least one subscriber terminal for connection to a public telephone network and being arranged to transfer said journey data to said payment token to allow pre-arrangement of a journey.

14. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said payment token comprises a visual display portion.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said transport or retail terminal is arranged to transmit sufficient energy to said payment token to allow temporary operation of said visual display.

16. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said transport terminal comprises means for calculating alternative routes between said start and arrival points.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16 when dependent on claim 14 or 15 wherein said payment token is arranged to display information relating to said alternative routes on said visual display portion.

18. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said retail terminal comprises: visual display means comprising two portions; means for reading said payment token; data processing means; and memory means; wherein said terminal further comprises means to allow a customer to verify information relating to a purchase appearing on said two portions of said visual display means, the data processing means being arranged thereafter to encrypt said information and store it in the memory means for subsequent transfer to the control centre.

19. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said transport or retail terminal is arranged to communicate with said payment token and/or with said control centre by means of a time division duplex arrangement.

20. A system as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a data storage station in fast data communication with a plurality of transport or retail terminals.

21. A method of fare collection or general payment using an electronic payment device having a value reserve in cash or cash back-up from a debit or credit account, comprising the steps of: determining whether said payment device has a sufficient value reserve to effect a transaction; if the payment device does not have a sufficient value reserve, then incrementing the value reserve thereby avoiding rejection; recording a number of the payment device updated; transmitting details of the payment devices whose value reserves have been incremented to a remote processor; said remote processor sending instructions to debit an account associated with said payment device for the amount of said increment plus an additional surcharge.

22. An automatic fare collection and general payment system, comprising at least one electronic pay token comprising a visual display portion; a plurality of terminals having means for communicating with said pay token; a data connection between said terminals and a database comprising information about the locality of the respective terminals; wherein said pay token further comprises means for transmitting a predetermined query to said terminal, the terminal being arranged to pass on said query to said database such that the terminal can transmit the result of the query to the pay token and the pay token can then display the result on the visual display portion, the system being such that the result of the query is dependent upon the location of the terminal.

23. A fare collection and general Payment System composed of inter-related components, namely (a) an identifiable, personal payment token device capable of electronically storing independently from each other a cash value reserve, a value reserve debited to an account, and a value reserve credited to an account, (b) at least one public transport provider unit organised to be responsive to service a demand for transport from the general public in terms of a coded starting point and a coded arrival point, after having these and other parameters down-loaded into the said pay token device in return for a verified payment made from said device to said transport provider or his agent, (c) at least one product provider unit or Retail Trader selling goods and articles to the general public, in return for a commensurate electronic payment from said pay token device to said Product Provider, said system being characterised by the employment of mobile phone transmission techniques in order to broadcast to said diverse Service Providers the identifying data of those pay tokens which are in the process of using its debited or credited value reserve at the same time as their respective banking units have declared them invalid, and therefore ought to use only their said cash-updated value reserve.

24. A Fare Collection and general Payment System as in Claim 23, further comprising contact free data transfer means between the said pay token device and the transaction terminal of the said Service Provider, characterised by the use of three antenna loops in both said transaction device and said pay token device.

25. A Fare Collection and general Payment System as in

Claim 24 , w h e r e i n the said transaction device contains a carrier wave generator connected to the said three antenna loops which arouses oscillations in the said three loop antenna with a phase angle of one hundred twenty degrees between them.

26. A Fare Collection and general Payment System as in any of claims 23 to 25, w h e r e i n the said Pay Token has incorporated positive (11,12, and 14 Figs.5 and

6) and negative delay elements (13, Fig.6) in two of the antenna loops so as to obtain a single tuned circuit (with 20 and 20-1 being tuning capacitors) with contributions coming from all the three loops.

27. A Fare Collection and general Payment System as in Claim 26, wherein the said single tuned circuit is made to resonate at its maximum when the Pay Token is at a distance of approximately 30 - 40 mm from the surface of its said token Reader Unit.

28. A Fare Collection and general Payment System as in Claim 26 w h e r e i n a passive Pay Token is furnished with an LCD display (33, Fig. 8) and wherein the contact free energy transfer from the Transaction Reader to said pay token is in excess of the data processing energy requirement, the said excess being stored in a capacitor (not shown) for making the transaction data visible in humanly readable form in said LCD, or in an equivalent, display screen.

29. A Fare Collection and general Payment System composed of inter-related elements, namely an identifiable, personal payment token capable of electronically storing, - independently from each other, - a cash value reserve, a value reserve debited to an account, and a value reserve credited to an account, at least one public transport provider unit organised to be responsive to a service-demand for transport from the general public in terms of a coded starting point and a coded point of arrival to be recorded into a token device memory, including any associated ticketing data such as duration of validity (3 hours, 3 days, etc.) in return for a verified payment made from said device to said transport provider or to its agent

in which system is also provided a dedicated generator for the random production of encryption keys within the "program extension room" (4) of the said mobile phone station providing replacement of the current key within relatively short periods of validity in order to broadcast new keys to the said service providers thereby replacing keys employed during a preceding period, for broadcasting these new encryption keys to the processor units of said corporate service providers.

30. A fare collection and general payment System, wherein the Payment Token Device stores the last-used encryption key as well as the reference or access control data thereto, the latter being passed on through coaxial or optical cable to the Processor Unit to enable it to carry out a 'key replacement routine' resulting in the pay token being given a new key for encrypting transaction data.

31. A fare collection and general payment system as in

Claim 28 or 29 wherein a Mobile Phone Relay Installation is supplemented by the equivalent of the "Program Extension Room" of Fig. 1 but having automatic functionality in that it receives from the former the encryption keys together with the access codes for same, also the list of rejected debit or credit holding pay tokens, and also receives from the data processors of the individual Service Provider companies the identifying numbers of those said pay token devices which the Service Provider's have updated by an agreed fixed amount in order to avoid interruption of said services and communication means between said mobile phone relay station and said main station in order to pass on said numbers to said program extension room.

32. A fare collection and general payment system as in Claim 23 or 28, wherein a fixed line home telephone has a built-in pay token reader in order to receive from a remote telephone subscriber station a complete said of trip details concerning an intended journey in digital form for transfer into said pay token, thereby converting it into an entitlement document or ticket for that journey.

33. A fare collection and general payment system as in Claim 31, the provision of a wall mounted box containing filters for separating audio from text- digital channels so that a normal telephone may remain in use when at the same time proposed text is being transmitted from a remote agency office, thereby shortening the time needed for acceptance of the ticket details .

34. A fee charging system wherein all cities, villages and hamlets are associated with a code number for two reasons, to identify in the said pay token device a journey starting point and a journey end point for developing a journey price based on the knowledge of fares for the quickest possible route using public transport (a) to identify which off-main route places may be visited during a journey interruption, be it by advance planning or by spontaneous decision, so as to emulate the advantage of travel by private car which promotes impulses of curiosity and discovery.

35. A fare charging system in line with that of Claim 33 applied to Cities and metropolitan areas, where start and end points of an intended journey can be connected over alternative routes which can be entered into the said pay token device and displayed in a MK III device, partly to help the traveller to avoid overcrowded buses, or buses which for any reason have been delayed, or taken out of service, partly to avoid disputes.

36. In a fare collection and general Payment System, the use of the said electronic payment device having a value reserve in cash or cash back-up from a debit or credit account, and the practice of updating the said pay token when in the midst of a purchase transaction and insufficient value is left in the token thereby avoiding rejection, characterised by a program that causes readout of the pay tokens identifying numbers and by a system to arrange the debiting of one of the pay tokens account numbers and by further arranging a small portion of the debited amount to be allotted to the Service Provider in exchange of the courtesy of updating the said payment token device.

37. A fare collection and general payment system as in any of Claims 23, 28, 29 or 32, the inclusion therein of a trader's cash register for using the said electronic payment token device for the acceptance of its payments as Cash payments, the said 'cash register' having two screens or two divisions (55,56) of a screen, an electronic processor, a magnetic tape recorder (54) or equivalent memory, a permanent connection (57) to a wall socket 58 connecting to a cable line for an automatic dial-up to the trader's Bank Computer 60, the said equipment also having a receptacle 50 for reading a contact-free smart card 51, w h e r e i n the phases of clearing the cash offered are as follows : (i) a customer intends to buy a number of items and brings them in a basket, the desk clerk counts them out and enters a total price which is displayed on one half of the screen, say the right half (55) . The customer is asked to confirm or reject the price. If confirmed, he or she pushes button 46.

(ii) By pushing button 46, the next stage of the program is triggered which is the encrypting of the price number and its placing into a register (not displayed in the encrypted form) . The data contained in said register are then decrypted and displayed in the other half of the screen (56) and the customer will decide whether it is the same number as on the right screen and if it is, he presses button 48 confirming that the two are identical.

The pushing of button 48 triggers a transfer of the encrypted price to the tape record 54. The encryption process is under control of the day's encryption key as transferred from the mobile phone centre in the manner described, (iii) The accumulated string of encrypted prices is on demand received by the Bank Computer, decrypted and summed, and entered into the account of the said Retail Trader

38. In an automatic fare collection and general payment system, the provision of an information service in conjunction with electronic pay tokens of the version MK III (Fig.11), the said information service further comprising:

(robust) terminals having no display or keyboard but only a receptacle for accepting a MK III payment token device

(b) coaxial cable connections with an information computer for the locality

concerned (c) a booklet with questions on various travel topics of local relevance, each question being coded within the context of a decimal digit number which may be entered on the said token's keyboard, (d) Data thus entered by contact-less transfer are retained in the payment token and, in response to a display command, are being shown u entered on the token device, the answer to the high-lighted question is being shown up, the self-sp with the system being also useful at bus stops and on trains, when latest information can be transferred accurately to avoid unnecessary waiting or wrong decisions by a guessing public.

39. A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20 wherein said transport terminal comprises is arranged to record into the memory of the payment token journey data comprising a coded starting point and a coded point of arrival, in return for a payment.