Method for paying for services and/or goods and apparatus for carrying out the method

Claim 1

A method for payment for services and/goods of a type, using a credit balance means that stores an amount M thereon, comprising steps of: prior to a purchase of a service and/or goods: reading with a data terminal device said amount M from said credit balance means; and writing with said data terminal device said amount M into a memory of a security module; and during said purchase: determining with said data terminal device a running cost amount K for said service and/or goods; and storing back with said data terminal device into said credit balance means an amount Mν, wherein said amount Mν is a difference between said amount M and said cost amount K, wherein said method comprises steps of: a) providing said memory with a first memory area and a second memory area, and b) in a first transaction prior to said purchase, said data terminal device subtracting said amount M from said credit balance means, and adding said amount M to said first memory area; c) in a second transaction during said purchase, said data terminal device subtracting said amount Mν from said first memory area, and adding said amount Mν to said credit balance means; and d) in a third transaction, said data terminal device transferring said cost amount K from said first memory area to said second memory area.

Claim 2

A method for payment for services and/goods of a type, using a credit balance means that stores an amount M thereon, comprising steps of: prior to a purchase of a service and/or goods: reading with a data terminal device said amount M from said credit balance means; and writing with said data terminal device said amount M into a memory of a security module; and during said purchase: determining with said data terminal device a running cost amount K for said service and/or goods; and storing back with said data terminal device into said credit balance means an amount Mν, wherein said amount Mν is a difference between said amount M and said cost amount K, wherein said method comprises steps of: a) providing said memory with a first memory area and a second memory area, and b) in a first transaction prior to said purchase, said data terminal device subtracting said amount M from said credit balance means, and adding said amount M to said first memory area; c) in a second transaction during said purchase, said data terminal device subtracting said amount Mν from said first memory area, and adding said amount Mν to said credit balance means; and d) in a third transaction, said data terminal device transferring said cost amount K from said first memory area to said second memory area.

Claim 3

A method for payment for services and/goods of a type, using a credit balance means that stores an amount M thereon, comprising steps of: prior to a purchase of a service and/or goods: reading with a data terminal device said amount M from said credit balance means; and writing with said data terminal device said amount M into a memory of a security module; and during said purchase: determining with said data terminal device a running cost amount K for said service and/or goods; and storing back with said data terminal device into said credit balance means an amount Mν, wherein said amount Mν is a difference between said amount M and said cost amount K, wherein said method comprises steps of: a) providing said memory with a first memory area and a second memory area, and b) in a first transaction prior to said purchase, said data terminal device subtracting said amount M from said credit balance means, and adding said amount M to said first memory area; c) in a second transaction during said purchase, said data terminal device subtracting said amount Mν from said first memory area, and adding said amount Mν to said credit balance means; and d) in a third transaction, said data terminal device transferring said cost amount K from said first memory area to said second memory area, wherein transactions to said credit balance means from said first memory area are permitted and/or transactions to said credit balance means from said second memory area are prevented by inhibiting means and/or enabling means.

Claim 4

A method for payment for services and/goods of a type, using a credit balance means that stores an amount M thereon, comprising steps of: prior to a purchase of a service and/or goods: reading with a data terminal device said amount M from said credit balance means; and writing with said data terminal device said amount M into a memory of a security module; and during said purchase: determining with said data terminal device a running cost amount K for said service and/or goods; and storing back with said data terminal device into said credit balance means an amount Mν, wherein said amount Mν is a difference between said amount M and said cost amount K, wherein said method comprises steps of: a) providing said memory with a first memory area and a second memory area, and b) in a first transaction prior to said purchase, said data terminal device subtracting said amount M from said credit balance means, and adding said amount M to said first memory area; c) in a second transaction during said purchase, said data terminal device subtracting said amount Mν from said first memory area, and adding said amount Mν to said credit balance means; and d) in a third transaction, said data terminal device transferring said cost amount K from said first memory area to said second memory area, wherein transactions to said credit balance means from said first memory area are permitted and/or transactions to said credit balance means from said second memory area are prevented by inhibiting means and/or enabling means.

Claim 13

A method of paying for good/services having a cost K using a pre-paid credit balance card that stores an amount M comprising the steps of: in a first transaction prior to a purchase, using a processor of a data terminal, decreasing the amount stored on the credit card by said amount M, and increasing a value stored in a first memory area of a security module, connected to the data terminal via a communications channel, by said amount M, in a second transaction during said purchase, using said processor, decreasing said amount M stored in said first memory area by an amount Mν, where Mν equals said amount M minus said cost K, and increasing a value stored on the credit balance card by said amount Mν and, in a third transaction, using said processor, transferring said amount M-Mν=K, from said first memory area to said second memory area.

Claim 14

A method of paying for good/services having a cost K using a pre-paid credit balance card that stores an amount M comprising the steps of: in a first transaction prior to a purchase, using a processor of a data terminal, decreasing the amount stored on the credit card by said amount M, and increasing a value stored in a first memory area of a security module, connected to the data terminal via a communications channel, by said amount M, in a second transaction during said purchase, using said processor, decreasing said amount M stored in said first memory area by an amount Mν, where Mν equals said amount M minus said cost K, and increasing a value stored on the credit balance card by said amount Mν and, in a third transaction, using said processor, transferring said amount M-Mν=K, from said first memory area to said second memory area.