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An Innovation That's Right in Your Back Pocket

H ypercom Corp. and WearLogic, Inc. announced an alliance that will give consumers the ability to use leather pocket wallets for wireless payments at checkout lines. The technology will transform the everyday wallet into a convenient, portable and personal commerce tool for both in-store and online transactions.

The operation is simple. Using the flexible display and keyboard in the WearLogic Smartwear "e-wallet," customers select which of their smart credit cards to use. The card information is securely transmitted to the Hypercom Epic ICE card payment terminal, which in turn instantly transmits the purchase amount to the "e-wallet." The customers then accept the transaction.

Next, the ICE terminal formats a transaction, which is then sent online to the processor/acquirer for approval. Once the transaction is approved, the ICE terminal transmits a confirmation to the Smartwear "e-wallet," which digitally records the purchase amount and the merchant's name and number. The leather "e-wallet" has the ability to fully record all expense information securely.

The "e-wallet" has a unique, built-in, flexible screen with ATM-like softkeys and an intuitive keyboard along with the usual pockets and compartments typically found in a traditional leather wallet. The Smartwear wallet includes a smart-card reader along with advanced WearX and CardX software.

The system operates using an XML browser interface technology. It is this combination that allows smart-card issuers to supply cardholders with a physical wallet that doubles as a personal and financial portal that consumers can have with them at all times. Cardholders easily can track financial account information as well as make secure purchases in both brick-and-mortar and virtual environments.

Using smart-card technology, the "e-wallet" affords the storage of personal information easily and securely with the use of passwords as well as the ability to download addresses, driving directions and e-mails from the user's PC or the Internet.

For more information on this and other Hypercom products, visit www.hypercom.com. For more information on WearLogic, visit www.wearlogic.com.