Transmitter for transmitting a secure access signal

1. A cellular telephone configured to transmit a secure signal to a system for performing a secure transaction, the cellular telephone comprising:

a biometric sensor;

a display;

a selector through which user input is received;

a switch;

a proximity circuit arrangement coupled to the switch, the proximity circuit arrangement providing a plurality of proximity circuits associated with a plurality of corresponding financial accounts;

a controller configured to:

present data representative of a plurality of financial accounts on the display;

receive, via the selector, a user input indicative of a selected financial account selected from the presented data representative of the plurality of financial accounts;

present, via the display, feedback indicating the selected financial account;

prompt input of biometric signal via the biometric sensor;

receive, via the biometric sensor, a biometric signal;

perform a matching process, thereby to seek matching of the received biometric signal with a biometric signature contained in memory of the cellular telephone;

in the case that the matching is successful, configure the proximity circuit arrangement to provide the one of the plurality of proximity circuits associated with the selected financial account to transmit a secure signal conveying information to the system when the proximity circuit is placed within range of a radio frequency field emitted by the system;

wherein a secure transaction is performed based on the information conveyed within the transmitted secure signal in order to adjust a financial account associated with the matched biometric signature by an amount provided by the system;

wherein a database of biometric signatures is maintained using the cellular telephone by a user corresponding to the biometric signature contained in the memory of the cellular telephone; and

wherein the biometric sensor of the cellular telephone is used to store the biometric signatures contained in the memory of the cellular telephone.

2. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to receive the biometric signal in one of the following forms: retinal pattern, iris pattern, face pattern, and palm configuration.

3. The cellular telephone claim 1 , wherein at least one proximity circuit of the plurality of proximity circuits is further configured to unlock an automobile.

4. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , further comprising at least one light-emitting diode (LED).

5. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , wherein at least one proximity circuit of the plurality of proximity circuits includes at least one coil.

6. The cellular telephone of claim 5 , wherein at least one proximity circuit of the plurality of proximity circuits further comprises an inductor and a capacitor.

7. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , wherein at least one proximity circuit of the plurality of proximity circuits is configured to activate an automobile engine.

8. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , wherein said biometric sensor is further configured to allow the user to gain access to an application.

9. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to generate passwords for use by the user.

10. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , wherein said secure transaction identifying the financial account associated with the user comprises a number of the financial account associated with the user.

11. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , wherein secure transaction identifying the financial account associated with the user comprises a token generated by the cellular telephone.

12. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , wherein at least one proximity circuit of the plurality of proximity circuits is configured to communicate with a magnetic stripe card reader.

13. The cellular telephone of claim 1 , further comprising at least one infrared emitter.

14. A method for operating a cellular telephone to transmit a secure signal to a system for performing a secure transaction, the method including:

presenting on a display unit of the cellular telephone data representative of a plurality of financial accounts;

receiving, via a selector of the cellular telephone through which user input is received, the user input indicative of a selected financial account selected from the plurality of financial accounts presented;

presenting, via the display, feedback indicating the selected financial account;

prompt input of a biometric signal via a biometric sensor of the cellular telephone;

receiving, via the biometric sensor, a biometric signal;

performing a matching process, thereby to seek matching of the received biometric signal with a biometric signature contained in physical memory of the cellular telephone; and

in the case that the matching is successful, configuring a proximity circuit arrangement provided by the cellular telephone to provide a proximity circuit, in the proximity circuit arrangement and corresponding to the selected financial account, to transmit a secure signal conveying information to the system when the proximity circuit is placed within range of a radio frequency field emitted by the system, wherein the proximity circuit arrangement is controllable to be configured to provide a plurality of proximity circuits associated with a plurality of corresponding financial accounts;

wherein a secure transaction is performed based on the information conveyed within the transmitted secure signal in order to adjust a financial account associated with the matched biometric signature by an amount provided by the system;

wherein a database of biometric signatures is maintained using the cellular telephone by a user corresponding to the biometric signature contained in the physical memory of the cellular telephone; and

wherein the biometric sensor of the cellular telephone is used to store the biometric signatures contained in the physical memory of the cellular telephone.