System and method for controlling the storage of data within a portable memory

Claim 1

A first CPU system operable from a set of instructions contained within a memory to load data into a select portable processor of a plurality of portable processors, said data representative of monetary values for use by a second CPU system when the select portable processor is connected to said second CPU system, said first CPU system comprising: means for temporarily attaching the plurality of portable processors to said first CPU, said attached portable processors including said select portable processor; means for interacting with each of said portable processors according to a different authority level of a hierarchical set of authority levels which authorize different operations, wherein a first one of said authority levels associated with a first portable processor of said plurality of portable processors includes authorization to enable operation of said first CPU system according to said set of instructions, a second one of said authority levels associated with a second portable processor of said plurality of portable processors includes authorization to enable a particular operator to control the first CPU with respect to the data representative of the monetary value to be loaded, and a third one of said authority levels associated with said select portable processor includes authorization to enable the distribution of said data representative of monetary values by said second CPU system; means operable upon the attachment of said plurality of portable processors to said first CPU and under control of said set of instructions for determining if the proper hierarchical set of authority level portable processors have been temporarily attached to said first CPU; and means controlled by said proper determination for allowing said first CPU to load said monetary value data into said currently attached select portable processor.

Claim 6

A system of controlling the refill of data into a portable processor where the data refilled in said portable processor represents a monetary equivalent value and wherein the portable processor is operational in conjunction with a plurality of different CPU systems, each of said CPU system controlled by a set of application program instructions which are not common to each other and wherein certain ones of said CPU systems are designated as master systems and are operable to increment said monetary equivalent value data in said portable processor temporarily connected thereto and wherein the other ones of said CPU systems are designated as remote systems and operate to decrement the monetary equivalent value data stored in said portable processor temporarily connected thereto in accordance with directions obtained by a user of said remote CPU, said system comprising: means for concurrently temporarily connecting a plurality of said portable processors to any one of said master CPU systems, wherein only one of said temporarily connected portable processors contains said monetary equivalent value data and wherein the other ones of said temporary connected portable processors contain therein data representative of authority levels for controlling said refill of value data into said temporarily connected monetary equivalent value data containing portable processor; and means for reading from said temporarily connected authority level data containing portable processors data pertaining to authorized refilling of said monetary equivalent value data into said temporarily connected monetary equivalent value data containing portable processor.

Claim 7

A system of controlling the refill of data into a portable processor where the data refilled in said portable processor represents a monetary equivalent value and wherein the portable processor is operational in conjunction with a plurality of different CPU systems, each of said CPU system controlled by a set of application program instructions which are not common to each other and wherein certain ones of said CPU systems are designated as master systems and are operable to increment said monetary equivalent value data in said portable processor temporarily connected thereto and wherein the other ones of said CPU systems are designated as remote systems and operate to decrement the monetary equivalent value data stored in said portable processor temporarily connected thereto in accordance with directions obtained by a user of said remote CPU, said system comprising: means for concurrently temporarily connecting a plurality of said portable processors to any one of said master CPU systems, wherein only one of said temporarily connected portable processors contains said monetary equivalent value data and wherein the other ones of said temporary connected portable processors contain therein data representative of authority levels for controlling said refill of value data into said temporarily connected monetary equivalent value data containing portable processor; and means for reading from said temporarily connected authority level data containing portable processors data pertaining to authorized refilling of said monetary equivalent value data into said temporarily connected monetary equivalent value data containing portable processor.

Claim 15

A method of controlling the refill of data into a credit storage portable processor of a plurality of portable processors where the data in said credit storage portable processor represents a monetary equivalent credit and wherein the credit storage portable processor is operational in conjunction with a plurality of CPU systems each controlled by a respective set of application program instructions, wherein at least a first CPU system of said plurality of CPU systems is operable to increment said monetary equivalent credit data in said credit storage portable processor temporarily coupled thereto, said method comprising the steps of: temporarily coupling a first portable processor to said first CPU system, wherein said first portable processor is associated with a first user of said first CPU system, and wherein said first portable processor interacts with said first CPU system and said first user to authorize operation of said application program instructions associated with said first CPU system beyond said authorization interaction with said first user and said first portable processor; temporarily coupling a second portable processor to said first CPU system, wherein said second portable processor is associated with a second user of said first CPU system, wherein said second portable processor interacts with said first CPU system and said second user to authorize said second user to utilize predetermined aspects of said application program instructions associated with said first CPU system; temporarily coupling said credit storage portable processor to said first CPU system; determining if interaction of said second portable processor with said first CPU system and said second user authorizes said second user to utilize a monetary value refill aspect of said application program instructions associated with said first CPU system; and incrementing said monetary value credit in said credit storage portable processor in an amount selected by said second user if said second user is determined to be authorized to utilize said monetary value refill aspect of said application program instructions.

Claim 16

A method of controlling the refill of data into a credit storage portable processor of a plurality of portable processors where the data in said credit storage portable processor represents a monetary equivalent credit and wherein the credit storage portable processor is operational in conjunction with a plurality of CPU systems each controlled by a respective set of application program instructions, wherein at least a first CPU system of said plurality of CPU systems is operable to increment said monetary equivalent credit data in said credit storage portable processor temporarily coupled thereto, said method comprising the steps of: temporarily coupling a first portable processor to said first CPU system, wherein said first portable processor is associated with a first user of said first CPU system, and wherein said first portable processor interacts with said first CPU system and said first user to authorize operation of said application program instructions associated with said first CPU system beyond said authorization interaction with said first user and said first portable processor; temporarily coupling a second portable processor to said first CPU system, wherein said second portable processor is associated with a second user of said first CPU system, wherein said second portable processor interacts with said first CPU system and said second user to authorize said second user to utilize predetermined aspects of said application program instructions associated with said first CPU system; temporarily coupling said credit storage portable processor to said first CPU system; determining if interaction of said second portable processor with said first CPU system and said second user authorizes said second user to utilize a monetary value refill aspect of said application program instructions associated with said first CPU system; and incrementing said monetary value credit in said credit storage portable processor in an amount selected by said second user if said second user is determined to be authorized to utilize said monetary value refill aspect of said application program instructions.

Claim 23

A method utilizing a general purpose computer for increasing prepaid credit data stored in a user portable processor operable with a prepaid credit distribution system, wherein said general purpose computer is a credit server of said prepaid credit distribution system, and wherein said user portable processor is a portable processor of a plurality of portable processors specifically operable with said prepaid credit distribution system, said plurality of portable processors also including at least a master portable processor and an agent portable processor specifically operable with said prepaid credit distribution system, said method comprising the steps of: coupling ones of said plurality of portable processors to said general purpose computer, wherein said coupling step includes coupling at least a master portable processor, an agent portable processor, and a user portable processor to said general purpose computer; authenticating a first password associated with said master portable processor coupled to said general purpose computer; authenticating a second password associated with said agent portable processor coupled to said general purpose computer; determining if said user portable processor has been previously coupled to a credit server of said prepaid credit distribution system for increasing prepaid credit data and if prepaid credit data currently stored in said user portable processor exceeds a preestablished amount; and incrementing said prepaid credit data currently stored in said user portable processor upon successful authentication of said first password and said second password and a determination that said prepaid credit data currently stored in said portable processor does not exceed a preestablished amount if the user portable processor has not been previously coupled to a credit server of said prepaid credit distribution system for increasing prepaid credit data.

Claim 24

A method utilizing a general purpose computer for increasing prepaid credit data stored in a user portable processor operable with a prepaid credit distribution system, wherein said general purpose computer is a credit server of said prepaid credit distribution system, and wherein said user portable processor is a portable processor of a plurality of portable processors specifically operable with said prepaid credit distribution system, said plurality of portable processors also including at least a master portable processor and an agent portable processor specifically operable with said prepaid credit distribution system, said method comprising the steps of: coupling ones of said plurality of portable processors to said general purpose computer, wherein said coupling step includes coupling at least a master portable processor, an agent portable processor, and a user portable processor to said general purpose computer; authenticating a first password associated with said master portable processor coupled to said general purpose computer; authenticating a second password associated with said agent portable processor coupled to said general purpose computer; determining if said user portable processor has been previously coupled to a credit server of said prepaid credit distribution system for increasing prepaid credit data and if prepaid credit data currently stored in said user portable processor exceeds a preestablished amount; and incrementing said prepaid credit data currently stored in said user portable processor upon successful authentication of said first password and said second password and a determination that said prepaid credit data currently stored in said portable processor does not exceed a preestablished amount if the user portable processor has not been previously coupled to a credit server of said prepaid credit distribution system for increasing prepaid credit data.