WO2015193770A1

WO2015193770A1 - Electronic card for the payment of products, system for the electronic payment of goods or products in a shop or commercial store and method associated therewith

Info

Publication number: WO2015193770A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/054385
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vittoria Carnevale
Original assignee: Vittoria Carnevale
Priority date: 2014-06-16
Filing date: 2015-06-10
Publication date: 2015-12-23

Abstract

Electronic card (200) for the payment of products, comprising: a radio interface module (205) configured for allowing the transceiving of at least a plurality of unique data of a user (10) of said card; a first memory or memory portion (202), electrically connected to said radio interface module (205) and obtaining a customer identification storage medium, immovably constrained to the body of said electronic card (202) and containing unique identification data of said user (10); a second memory or memory portion (208), electrically connected to said radio interface module (205); said second memory or memory portion (208) containing a residual money credit of said user (10); said electronic card (200) being configured for being immovably associated in a physical way to a bag (100) and for being queried by a radio transceiving stage (320) remotely positioned with respect to said bag and transmitting at least one request signal for identification data of said user; said electronic card being configured for retransmitting, towards said radio transceiving stage (320), at least part of the said unique identification data of said user (10) stored inside said first memory or memory portion (202) following the reception of said request signal for identification data of said user.

Description

"Electronic card for the payment of products, system for the electronic payment of goods or products in a shop or commercial store and method associated therewith"

Description Field of the art

The present invention regards the field of devices of RFID type for remote payment, and in detail regards a bag with card that can be queried via radio for the remote payment of goods and/or products and the method associated therewith. Prior art

From the document RM2007U000033 on behalf of the Applicant, a bag is known that is constituted by various material types (such as paper, cardboard, paperboard, also derived from recycled materials) of shape and size that can vary in relation to the type of purchase for which it is used: in particular, such bag can be used for purchases of wholesale and retail type, or in shops belonging to distribution chains situated in shopping malls. In addition, the bag illustrated in the abovementioned document can be employed for purchasing in specialized shops, which have products of heterogeneous size, such as pharmacies or stationary/bookseller shops.

The bag illustrated in the abovementioned document can be reused for identifying a customer who frequents a same shop or chain of commercial stores, given that an identification is provided that is associated with the person who regularly makes the purchases. The identification of the customer occurs by means of a barcode applicable in a removable manner, on the bag exterior.

Each time that the customer enters the commercial store where he/she is registered, the barcode on the bag is read. In addition, periodically, the number of purchases made by the customer is detected, or more generally the constancy or continuity of the customer in a given period is detected, and then the loyalty level of such customer is determined.

On the other hand, applications are known for the digital payment of goods or services which have as objective that of managing micro-payments. Juniper Research deems that such mode of payment will, over the next five years, affect over two billion people in the world.

In addition, since 2010 a European law has been in effect that establishes the modes and procedures for the systems of payment via cell phone in the 27 EU Community countries. Such laws make possible both the access to forms of microcredit, up to 150 euro, and the management of cash for small purchases, thus intended to revolutionize the habits of the generic customer.

Solutions are also known in which a numerous series of products and services are purchased via cell phone. These include: parking, museums, entertainment and ski passes. In this case, the cell phone is coupled to the bank card on which the micro-payment will then be charged. It is even provided that by means of the video camera of the cell phone, the barcodes of the products are read, and purchase and payment are enabled with a simple click on the cell phone.

Beyond the specific use of the cell phone, the added value brought by the present invention to the preceding solutions is that a generic electronic device for telecommunications (which can also be enabled to make micro-payments), is made to interwork in real time with a card with identification code of a shopping bag, in turn provided with RF connection, automatically activated at the time when the bag with relative incorporated RxTx badge is moved close to the reader at the entrance passage of the commercial store, or to the electronic device for telecommunications, such as a cell phone, a PDA or even a dedicated proprietary device.

On the other hand, such devices that originated for remote communications, in the scope of cellular telephony are increasingly equipped with adaptive instruments that support advanced local communications in a variety of different situations and functionalities, such as: Bluetooth, or 802.1, the local wireless networks (WLAN), WiFi and Wimax.

A further communication technology that is currently used in data transceiving apparatuses, such as radio telephones or tablet devices, is the so-called "proximity communication" i.e. Near Field Communication (hereinbelow NFC). The use of the NFC interfaces in the apparatuses of cell phone type allows having portable devices with functionalities similar to those of the cards/badges with integrated circuit (i.e. the RFID cards with radio-frequency identification). In addition, such electronic devices provided with NFC interface are capable of operating both as radio-frequency readers and/or they are capable of writing in order to communicate with other devices that always operate at the NFC level.

For example, there are cell phones provided with data transceiving systems of NFC (Near Field Communication) type which allows exchanging files and information with other enabled devices, by lightly touching them with the same telephone. In this manner, a photograph is passed from one telephone to the other without first having to await the recognition of the device, or the photograph is passed to the printer by lightly touching it; above all, with regard to the present invention, the cell phone is used for payments like a credit card, that is by lightly touching the sensor of the cash register (adding a possible PIN). The bag described in the document RM2007U000033 is marked by several drawbacks. In particular, it is necessary to move it by hand in order to pass it in front of a barcode reader. If the bag is full of objects, in particular if these are heavy or delicate, the lifting of the bag becomes a difficult/tiring task, or it exposes the products contained therein to the risk of breakage or damage.

Nevertheless, the user is obliged to execute such operation in an active manner, i.e. remembering to "pass" the bag in front of the barcode reader. If the user forgets, he could be accused of fraudulent behavior.

The object of the present invention is therefore to describe an electronic card, a method for the electronic payment of goods and a system for the electronic payment of goods which contribute to resolving the above-described drawbacks. Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, an electronic card is obtained for the payment of products, comprising:

- a radio interface module configured for allowing the transceiving of at least a plurality of unique data of a user of said card;

- a first memory or memory portion, electrically connected to said radio interface module and obtaining a customer identification storage medium, removably constrained to the body of said electronic card and containing unique identification data of said user;

- a second memory or memory portion, electrically connected to said radio interface module; said second memory or memory portion containing a residual money credit of said user; said electronic card being configured for being immovably associated in a physical way to a bag and for being queried by a radio transceiving stage remotely positioned with respect to said bag and transmitting at least one request signal for identification data of said user; said electronic card being configured for retransmitting, towards said radio transceiving stage, at least part of said unique identification data of said user stored inside said first memory or memory portion following the reception of said request signal for identification data of said user.

Advantageously, said first memory or memory portion is of read-only type.

Advantageously there are auxiliary optically readable encoded means for identifying the user associated with said bag.

In detail, said auxiliary means comprise a barcode.

Advantageously said card further comprises means for power supply from renewable energy sources configured for allowing the power supply of at least said radio interface stage.

In detail, said radio interface stage is a RFID-type stage.

According to the present invention, a system is obtained for the electronic payment of goods or products in a shop or commercial store, said system comprising:

- at least one bag susceptible to contain at least part of said goods or products, comprising an electronic card in turn comprising: a radio interface module configured for allowing the transceiving of at least a plurality of unique data of a user of said card; a first memory or memory portion, electrically connected to said radio interface module and obtaining a customer identification storage medium, immovably constrained to the body of said electronic card and containing unique identification data of said user, said unique identification data of the user comprising at least one image of at least part of said user; a second memory or memory portion, electrically connected to said radio interface module; said second memory or memory portion containing a residual money credit of said user;

- means for the visual identification of said user, positioned at an exit zone of said shop or commercial store;

- a radio transceiving stage, configured for querying said electronic card at least with a request signal for identification data of said user and for receiving from said electronic card said identification data of said user;

- comparison means configured to perform a first comparison between the identification data of said user received from said electronic card and at least one image of at least part of said user captured by said visual identification means;

said system being configured for allowing a reduction of money credit previously stored on said electronic card if said comparison means provide a positive identification.

Advantageously, said comparison means are configured to perform a second comparison between said image of at least part of said user captured by said visual identification means and an image of at least part of said user previously stored inside a centralized memory of said system; said comparison means being configured for allowing the reduction of money credit only when said first and said second comparison provide a positive identification. Advantageously, said means of identification comprise a pair of video cameras positioned in respective positions, separate from each other, at an exit zone of said shop and susceptible to film said user on a first and second angle of a horizontal plane.

Advantageously, said system further comprises a visor, susceptible to be installed on a shopping cart and comprising radio communication means susceptible of transceiving data with said radio transceiving stage and with said electronic card; said visor comprising user interface means configured for presenting to said user an offer of at least one product selected according to a predetermined criterion processed by a central server.

In detail said visor further comprises positioning means configured for allowing the real-time detection of the position of said cart inside said shop. According to the present invention, a method is finally obtained for the electronic payment of goods or products inside a commercial store, said method comprising:

- a first step of association between a user and an electronic card immovably constrained to a bag of said user, wherein in said association step, unique identification data of said user comprising at least one image of said user is stored inside at least one first memory or memory portion of said electronic card;

- a second step of capturing at least one image of at least part of said user by means of at least one video camera positioned inside said shop, wherein said image is processed in order to obtain comparison data of said user;

- a further step of querying said electronic card by means of a radio transceiving stage of a system for managing electronic payments of goods or products, configured for transmitting a request signal for identification data of said user to a transceiver module of said electronic card;

- a further step of response, wherein said transceiver module transmits, to said radio transceiving stage, said identification data of said user;

- a first step of comparison, wherein the identification data of said user transmitted by said transceiver module are compared, by said system for managing electronic payments of goods or products, with said at least one image captured by the video camera, and wherein in case of identity said system commands said radio transceiving stage for transmitting money credit reduction data previously stored inside said electronic card.

Advantageously, said method comprises a step of anomaly signaling if said response of the transceiver module is not received by the radio transceiving stage or is received corrupted; and wherein said step of anomaly signaling follows a step of acquisition of said identification data of said user through the reading of auxiliary optically readable encoded means for identifying the user associated with said bag by means of an optical code reader of said system.

Advantageously, said method further comprises a second step of comparison, wherein said at least one image captured by the video camera is compared with identification data of said user previously stored inside a memory of said system, and wherein in case of identity both on the first and on the second comparison step, said system commands said radio transceiving stage for transmitting money credit reduction data previously stored inside said electronic card.

Said method comprises a step of establishing a radio communication between said electronic card and an electronic mobile radio device associated with said user, wherein said step of establishing a radio communication is followed by a step of querying said electronic card by means of an echo signal repeated over time and susceptible to cause a transmission of a radio signal of response by said electronic card, and wherein in case of absence of radio signal of response, said electronic mobile radio device associated with said user is configured for automatically emitting an alarm signal.

Description of the figures

The invention will be described with reference to the enclosed figures, in which:

- figure 1 illustrates a schematic side view of a bag containing an electronic card according to the present invention;

- figure 2 illustrates a detail of the electronic card of figure 1,

- figure 3 illustrates a top view of a portion of a shop or commercial store in which a first embodiment of the system for electronic payment, object of the present invention, is visible; - figure 4 illustrates a top view of a portion of a shop or commercial store in which a second embodiment of the system for electronic payment, object of the present invention, is visible;

- figure 5 and figure 6 respectively illustrate a first and a second flow diagram for the functioning of the system, object of the present invention. Detailed description of the invention.

With reference to figure 1, the reference number 100 overall indicates a bag for purchasing and containing products. Said bag can be made of a natural or synthetic material such as paper, paperboard, cardboard or plastic material, and be configured with pre-folding zones such that before its use for containing products, it can be folded and thus maintain a limited volume.

In detail, the bag 100 comprises an internal space for containing said products and a pocket 101 comprising an electronic card 200 at its interior, having the size of a card, preferably shaped like a credit card or the like, remotely readable by means of a query executed via radio, preferably though not limited to this, by means of RFID techniques. In detail the electronic card 200 comprises a magnetic band 207, an RFID tag 205, a customer identification module 202 that obtains a read-only memory, and its small data processing unit 210 which is only configured for accessing the reading of the customer identification module 202; in detail, the data processing unit 210 is partly power supplied by a photovoltaic micro-cell 203, with which it is electrically connected.

The electronic card 200 finally comprises a memory 208, a barcode 204 and a pair of micro LEDs 207a, 207b preferably, though not limited to this, of different color.

The data processing unit is electrically connected with the RFID tag module 205, so as to be able to manage complex operations of data storage and writing on the memory 208. Preferably, on the RFID tag module 205, a patch antenna is positioned, made via serigraphy on metal material.

In particular, the data processing unit 208 is configured for operating in an energy-saving configuration in a manner such to have a first monitoring state in which it is configured to remain substantially silent and non-functioning, and a second active state which is only activated when the electronic card is queried by an external RFID transceiving stage 320, whose detailed functioning will be better described in detail hereinbelow; in this case, the RFID tag module transmits an activation signal to the data processing unit, which causes the switching towards said second active state.

Preferably, though not limited to this, the RFID tag module uses a frequency of 13.56 MHz, different from those low-frequency RFID systems at 125KHz for the query distance reachable between RFID transceiving stage and the RFID tag module 205, for the data transfer speed and for the data storage capacity. Upon switching to the active state, the data processing unit 208 activates a transceiving of data towards the RFID tag module 205 that is encrypted through known encryption techniques, which advantageously allow maintaining the confidential nature of the exchanged data even when this travels through the air in electromagnetic radiation form. In particular, if an asymmetric encryption key is employed, the private keys are stored inside the customer identification medium 202 in a manner such to not be accessible from the outside, not even by the user. The data thus encrypted is then stored inside the memory 208. More in detail, the barcode 204 is a graphical representation of standardized type within which the customer identification data is contained, in a manner such that in case of malfunctioning of the RFID tag module 205 and/or of the data processing unit 210, one can still use the electronic card 200.

In particular, the electronic card 200 is conceived for allowing the payment of the goods or products acquired by the user in a manner without contact, through an identification radio of the user, by reducing a credit with respect to a prepaid credit.

In particular, therefore, contained on the identification module of the user 202 are the personal data of the user and a code or means of association with a database of a payment system lacking contact, in which a credit is stored that is progressively reduced with respect to an initial value.

The same personal data of the user and his/her code are equally reported in the barcode 204; if there is a malfunctioning as described above, the user can move the electronic card 200 closer to the barcode reader, and thus carry out a payment of the acquired goods by means of a manual operation. Therefore, the barcode 204 has auxiliary optically readable encoded means for identifying the user associated with said bag 100, object of the present invention. In detail, said pocket is obtained on the external surface of the bag 100, in a manner such that said electronic card 200 is directed towards the outside environment. Even if such solution must not be intended in a limited manner, since said pocket 101 could also be obtained on the internal surface of the bag, it is advantageous. Indeed, if the bag is for example a freezer bag of the type covered in metal material, adding the electronic card 200 inside the layer obtained by the bag 100, object of the present invention, could obstruct or in any case limit the performances or radio range in reading the electronic card 200, in some cases even preventing the reading altogether. In particular, if the electronic card 200 is power supplied as described by means of a photovoltaic micro-cell 203, the pocket 101 is obtained with a transparent external covering layer, facing outside the bag 100, configured for allowing the access of the light radiation to the photovoltaic micro-cell 203.

As illustrated in figure 3, when a user makes a purchase in an enabled shop, upon reaching an exit zone 500 of the shop itself, he/she comes into contact with a user detection portion of at least one video camera 300, connected by means of a wired or radio connection with a central server 310 of a system for user detection and electronic payment of acquired goods. Said video camera is positioned in a manner so as to film the face of the person who has been identified.

It should be observed that in figure 3, a solution is illustrated in which at a passage 501 for channeling people into the exit zone 500 of the shop - passage that can be obtained between a pair of cash registers for the payment of the goods - two video cameras 300 are present that are adapted to film the user 10 both from the left and from the right. Advantageously this allows reducing the risk of lack of detection of the face of the user 10, only because he/she faces towards a direction opposite that of the video camera 300. Preferably, though not limited to this, the video cameras 300 are anchored to the ceiling or positioned at human height at the cash register.

As illustrated in figure 5, in a first embodiment of the system, object of the present invention, through the central server 310 the image of the user 10 captured by the video cameras 300 (block 1100) is compared with a database of user images stored inside a memory 330 of said central server 320 (block 1110). If the result is positive, and thus the user 10 is effectively "known" by the system, since his/her personal data and his/her facial image were previously stored through known techniques, the querying of the electronic card 200 (block 1120) is performed.

Upon transmission of a query request command transmitted by the central server, the RFID transceiving stage 320, it too electrically connected with the central server 310, queries the RFID tag module 205 of the electronic card 200, requesting the transmission of an image of the user 10, it too stored on the electronic card 200 and in detail in the customer identification medium 202; the data processing unit 210 extracts said image from the customer identification medium 202 and transmits it to the RFID tag module 205, which in turn retransmits it via radio towards the RFID transceiving stage 320.

At this point, the central server 310 carries out a second comparison (block 1150) between the image received from the electronic card 200 and that previously compared, in order to advantageously verify if - independent of the presence or lack of presence of the user data on the database 330 - the user 10 uses his/her bag 100 or his/her identity. In other words, therefore, with the double comparison of the images as described above, it is possible to identify if the user-bag coupling is the correct one.

If also the second comparison (block 1150) gives a positive result, then the reduction is carried out of the residual credit stored on the electronic card 200 (block 1170).

If the RFID transceiving stage 330 is unable to provide a positive result, or it receives a corrupted message (block 1130, N), then the user 10 will be informed, for example by the turning on of an alarm signal at the passage 510, and he/she will be asked to show the electronic card 200 in order to proceed with the reading of the barcode 204 with a barcode reader 340, in a manner such that it is possible to manually retrieve the data of the user 10 (block 1140).

In a second embodiment, however, represented in figure 6, the memory 330 does not contain the personal identification data of the user 10. In this case, therefore, when the video camera/cameras 300 identify a user 10 (block 1010), they transmit the image to the central server 310, which transmits a query request command towards the RFID transceiving stage. The latter queries the RFID tag module 205 (block 1020) of the electronic card 200, requesting the transmission of an image of the user 10, it too stored on the electronic card 200, in detail in the customer identification medium 202; the data processing unit 210 extracts said image from the customer identification medium 202 and transmits it to the RFID tag module 205, which in turn retransmits it via radio towards the RFID transceiving stage 320.

In the above-described second embodiment, therefore, the central server only executes a comparison (block 1050) between the image stored inside the electronic card 200 and that received by the video cameras 300, hence authorizing the financial transaction (block 1060) only in case of positive result, corresponding to the confirmation of the user's identity.

If the RFID transceiving stage 330 is unable to provide a positive result or receives a corrupted message (block 1030, N), then the user 10 will be informed for example by the turning on of an alarm signal at the passage 510, and he/she will be asked to show the electronic card 200 so to be able to proceed with the reading of the barcode 204 with a barcode reader 340, in a manner such that it is possible to manually retrieve the user data 10 (block 1040). Once the barcode has been read, the comparison occurs as described above, depending on whether the system is operating in reality according to the above-described first or second embodiment.

For both the first and second above-described embodiment, the financial transaction occurs with a reduction of residual credit stored in an encrypted manner inside the memory 208 of the electronic card. In addition, as already mentioned, also the exchange of data via radio between the RFID transceiving stage 320 and the electronic card 200 occurs by means of an encrypted communication and in real time. In this manner, advantageously, not only the user but also the shop cashier, after having verified the effective regularity of the bag, can proceed with a verification of the residual credit.

Optionally, in the electronic card 200, loyalty credit points can be stored, of the time commonly used in shops; points are accumulated as the user makes more purchases. In such case, the accumulation of points will be managed through a series of steps which comprise a request of transmission of the accumulated points by the central server 310, which through the RFID transceiving stage 320 and the RFID tag module 205 exchange the current number of points; such number of points is then increased by the value corresponding to the purchase made by the central server 310 and then retransmitted towards the electronic card 200 in order to be stored in an updated manner on the memory 208.

On the electronic card 200, four encryption keys are then stored which comprise:

- a first key for radio-frequency identification - corresponding to the barcode 204;

- a second key for recharging the money credit on the electronic card 200;

- a third key for the dynamic real-time updating of the data stored in the memory 208;

- a fourth key for controlling the state of the electronic card 200.

Advantageously, therefore, depending on the type of operation carried out between the central server 310 and the electronic card 200, the use of different encryption keys will also allow that in case of violation of one of the keys, only part of the content of the electronic card 200 will be accessible to the ill-intentioned person. The preservation of the data and the functionalities is thus maintained more secure.

A further (third) embodiment of the present invention comprises the coupling between the electronic card 200, object of the present invention, and a mobile radiotelephone device. In this case, the complete system comprises the electronic card 200 inside the bag 100, object of the present invention, at least one video camera 300 for detecting the face of the user 10, mobile radiotelephone device 700, the central server 300.

The above-described coupling occurs by means of the use of a communication protocol, preferably though not limited to Bluetooth type, wherein there is a previous step of association between said electronic card 200 and said mobile radiotelephone device 500, an association that occurs in a known manner by means of an exchange of encrypted codes.

The third embodiment described herein is characterized in that at the time of association between the mobile radiotelephone device 500 and the electronic card 200, a communication session is activated between the bag 100 (in detail, the electronic card 200) and said mobile radiotelephone device 500 which is maintained open for the entire time the user 10 remains inside the shop.

In particular, when the user enters the shop, sensor means 600 detect the presence of the electronic card 200 and send, to the latter, a signal for the request of connection to a specific previously-selected mobile radiotelephone device 500. Subsequently, therefore, a communication is established by means of the opening of said communication session between the RFID tag module 205 of the electronic card 200 and the mobile radiotelephone device 500. Upon payment of the goods, i.e. when the user is situated near the exit zone of the shop at the cash registers, he/she is identified by the video camera(s) 300 as described above in the first embodiment of the system, object of the present invention, and in particular the image captured by the video cameras 300 is verified/compared with that stored on the central server 310 and with that stored on the electronic card. For the entire time the user remains inside the shop, a verification of bag 100 preservation is also carried out in proximity to the previously- stored mobile radiotelephone device 500. If such presence is no longer detected, this is sign that the bag has been forgotten or stolen, the mobile radiotelephone device 500 will lose the signal produced by the RFID tag module 205 of the electronic card, and will automatically produce an alarm signal capable of warning the user of the loss that occurred in timely manner.

Preferably, though not limited to this, the mobile radiotelephone device 500 will be configured for querying the RFID tag module 205 with an echo response signal over a pre- established time interval, for example comprised between 20 seconds and 2 minutes (though not limited to this). The first LED 207a is maintained active with each echo response request received by the mobile radiotelephone device.

In detail, the mobile radiotelephone device can be provided with an application that allows managing a number N of bags, each provided with its own transmission identification. In this manner, advantageously, if the user 10 goes into the shop for example with his/her children, relatives or friends, it will be possible to associate multiple bags with a same electronic device.

In detail, with the data association between the bag 100 and the mobile radiotelephone device, the application will query all the electronic cards present in its action range, selecting those desired by the user. When selected - when the communication session between the mobile radiotelephone device and the electronic card is open - preferably a single radio channel can be used, in order to advantageously reduce the occupation in the frequency spectrum, by using a time multiplication technique where, over a plurality of time slots, the mobile radiotelephone device 500 as described above alternately queries the various electronic cards with said echo request signal.

The above-described application, during the open time of the communication session, is used in background: this advantageously allows using the mobile radiotelephone device in a normal manner.

A fourth embodiment of the system, object of the present invention, is conceived for comprising the details of the above-described third embodiment, with the method of comparing the images, described instead in the second embodiment.

Finally, it should be noted that all the embodiments, object of the present invention, can optionally comprise a visor associated with a shopping cart, provided with radio and data processing means configured for allowing the establishment of data transceiving with the central server and with the electronic card 200. In detail, said visor is configured for establishing a communication with said electronic card 200, querying the latter in a manner such to acquire a unique code of the user 10 stored on said electronic card 200 and then retransmitting said code to the central server 310 which in this manner will know that the specific visor is associated with a specific user. The central server 310 is at this point configured for selectively processing the offers of products specifically selected for said user 10, for example and not limited to this, based on a statistical analysis made on a list of previously-purchased products maintained stored on the memory 330. After having processed said product offers, these are transmitted to said visor in the form of a message transmitted via radio, and processed by said visor in a manner such to present not only the offers of products via text and/or in the form of images, but also the position of said products.

Also optionally, said visor further comprises positioning means, configured for detecting the position of said cart inside said store. Said positioning means allow calculating the position of the cart in real time. The message transmitted via radio by the central server 310 towards the visor, in addition to information on the products on sale, also comprises information relative to the position of each of the products on sale inside the shop. Preferably said positioning means are configured for detecting the position of the visor - and hence of the cart on which it is installed - based on a triangulation of powers of signals received by a plurality of radio emitters positioned at specific points inside the shop.

The visor is configured for allowing the user to select, through his/her user interface means, a specific product on sale, and following said selection calculating a distance between its own position and the position of the specific product selected by the user 10, proposing a preferred path of travel to such user for reaching said product in a minimum amount of time. Advantageously, this allows the user to determine the position of the product with a minimum loss of time, and is particularly useful in large stores where the product on sale could even be situated several hundred meters away from the current position of the user 10. Finally, it is clear that additions, modifications and variants that are obvious for a man skilled in the art can be applied to that described herein, without departing from the protective scope provided by the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. Electronic card (200) for the payment of products, comprising:

- a radio interface module (205) configured for allowing the transceiving of at least a plurality of unique data of a user (10) of said card;

- a first memory or memory portion (202), electrically connected to said radio interface module (205) and obtaining a customer identification storage medium, immovably constrained to the body of said electronic card (202) and containing unique identification data of said user (10);

- a second memory or memory portion (208), electrically connected to said radio interface module (205); said second memory or memory portion (208) containing a residual money credit of said user (10);

said electronic card (200) being configured for being immovably associated in a physical way to a bag (100) and for being queried by a radio transceiving stage (320) remotely positioned with respect to said bag and transmitting at least one request signal for identification data of said user; said electronic card being configured for retransmitting, towards said radio transceiving stage (320), at least part of said unique identification data of said user (10) stored inside said first memory or memory portion (202) following the reception of said request signal for identification data of said user.

2. Card according to claim 1, wherein said first memory or memory portion (202) is of read-only type.

3. Card according to claim 1, comprising auxiliary optically readable encoded means for identifying the user (10) associated with said bag (100).

4. Card according to claim 3, wherein said auxiliary means comprise a barcode.

Card according to claim 1, also comprising means for power supply from renewable energy sources (203) configured for allowing the power supply of at least said radio interface stage (205).

Card according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said radio interface stage is a RFID-type stage.

System for the electronic payment of goods or products in a shop or commercial store, said system comprising:

- at least one bag (100) susceptible to contain at least part of said goods or products, comprising an electronic card (200) in turn comprising: a radio interface module (205) configured for allowing the transceiving of at least a plurality of unique data of a user (10) of said card; a first memory or memory portion (202), electrically connected to said radio interface module (205) and obtaining a customer identification storage medium, immovably constrained to the body of said electronic card (202) and containing unique identification data of said user (10), said unique identification data of the user (10) comprising at least one image of at least part of said user (10); a second memory or memory portion (208), electrically connected to said radio interface module (205); said second memory or memory portion (208) containing a residual money credit of said user (10);

- means for the visual identification of said user (10), positioned at an exit zone (500) of said shop or commercial store;

- a radio transceiving stage (320), configured for querying said electronic card (200) at least with a request signal for identification data of said user (10) and for receiving, from said electronic card (200), said identification data of said user (10);

- comparison means configured to perform a first comparison between identification data of said user (10) received from said electronic card (200) and at least one image of at least part of said user (10) captured by said visual identification means (300); said system being configured for allowing a reduction of money credit previously stored on said electronic card (200) if said comparison means provide a positive identification.

8. System according to claim 7, wherein said comparison means are configured to perform a second comparison between said image of at least part of said user (10) captured by said visual identification means (320) and an image of at least part of said user (10) previously stored inside a centralized memory (330) of said system; said comparison means being configured for allowing the reduction of money credit only when said first and said second comparison provide a positive identification.

9. System according to any one of the claims 7-8, wherein said means of identification comprise a pair of video cameras (300) positioned in respective positions, separate from each other, at an exit zone of said shop and susceptible to film said user (10) on a first and second angle of a horizontal plane.

10. System according to any one of the claims 7-10, further comprising a visor, susceptible to be installed on a shopping cart and comprising radio communication means susceptible of transceiving data with said radio transceiving stage (320) and with said electronic card (200); said visor comprising user interface means configured for presenting to said user (10) an offer of at least one product selected according to a predetermined criterion processed by a central server (310).

11. System according to claim 10, wherein said visor further comprises positioning means configured for allowing the real-time detection of the position of said cart inside said shop.

12. Method for the electronic payment of goods or products inside a commercial store, said method comprising: - a first step of association between a user (10) and an electronic card (200) immovably constrained to a bag (100) of said user (10), wherein in said association step, unique identification data of said user comprising at least one image of said user is stored inside at least one first memory or memory portion (202) of said electronic card (200);

- a second step of capturing at least one image of at least part of said user (10) by means of at least one video camera (300) positioned inside said shop, wherein said image is processed in order to obtain comparison data of said user (10);

- a further step of querying said electronic card (200) by means of a radio transceiving stage (320) of a system for managing electronic payments of goods or products, configured for transmitting a request signal for identification data of said user (10) to a transceiver module (205) of said electronic card (200);

- a further step of response, wherein said transceiver module (205) transmits, to said radio transceiving stage (320), said identification data of said user (10);

- a first step of comparison, wherein the identification data of said user (10) transmitted by said transceiver module (205) is compared, by said system for managing electronic payments of goods or products, with said at least one image captured by the video camera (300), and wherein in case of identity said system commands said radio transceiving stage (320) for transmitting money credit reduction data previously stored inside said electronic card (200).

13. Method according to claim 12, comprising a step of anomaly signaling if said response of the transceiver module (205) is not received by the radio transceiving stage (320) or is received corrupted; and wherein said step of anomaly signaling follows a step of acquisition of said identification data of said user (10) through the reading of auxiliary optically readable encoded means for identifying the user (10) associated with said bag (100) by means of an optical code reader (340) of said system.

14. Method according to any one of the claims 12-13, also comprising a second step of comparison, wherein said at least one image captured by the video camera (300) is compared with identification data of said user (10) previously stored inside a memory (330) of said system, and wherein in case of identity both on the first and on the second comparison step, said system commands said radio transceiving stage (320) for transmitting money credit reduction data previously stored inside said electronic card (200).

15. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a step of establishing a radio communication between said electronic card (200) and an electronic mobile radio device (700) associated with said user (10), wherein said step of establishing a radio communication is followed by a step of querying said electronic card (200) by means of an echo signal repeated over time and susceptible to cause a transmission of a radio signal of response by said electronic card (200), and wherein in case of absence of the radio signal of response, said electronic mobile radio device (700) associated with said user (10) is configured for automatically emitting an alarm signal.