Charging system and charging method

• US 20020026415A1
• Filed: 06/13/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomoyuki Asano
• Original Assignee: Tomoyuki Asano
• Inventors: Asano, Tomoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1453 Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 : using an account
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1464 : using a card, such as credit card, prepay card or SIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 : applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 : Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

A user sends data for requesting a service provider to provide predetermined service and signature data created based upon the data to the service provider, the service provider calculates a fee based upon this data and requests a bank to collect the fee from the user. The bank informs the user of the fee requested from the service provider. When the user protests against the amount of the fee, the service provider discloses the data and signature data received from the user to the bank and when the bank judges based upon this signature data that this data is valid, it calculates a proper fee based upon this data and collects it from the user. As described above, it is enabled to collect a proper fee for service.

Claims

1. Charging system for electronic commerce, which comprises a service provider terminal providing service for a user via network by a request from a user terminal, the system charging a fee on the user corresponding to said service, comprising:

a charge collection terminal for collecting a fee from said user, which fee is reflected on said service provided by said service provider terminal,

the charge collection terminal existing individually from said service provider terminal.

2. Charging system for electronic commerce according to claim 1, wherein:

said user terminal generates service request data and digital signature data and transmits them via network to said service provider terminal, the service request data is for requesting desired service of the user to said service provider terminal, the digital signature data is created based on said service request data; and

said service provider terminal transmits charged fee data calculated based on said service request data to said charge collection terminal, and transmits said digital signature data and said service request data to said charge collection terminal responding to request of said user.

3. Charging system for electronic commerce according to claim 2, wherein:

said digital signature data is created only by said user.

4. Charging system for electronic commerce according to claim 1, wherein:

said user terminal generates service request data and digital signature data and transmits them via network to said service provider terminal, the service request data is for requesting desired service of the user to said service provider terminal, the digital signature data is created based on said service request data;

said user terminal comprises memory medium which stores said service request data; and

when the user has objection against the charge, in case of happening charged fee collection notice from said charge collection terminal, the user enables to send said memory medium to said charge collection terminal, and the charge collection terminal enables to read out said service request data and said digital signature data from said memory medium to confirm.

5. Charging system for electronic commerce according to claim 4, wherein:

said digital signature data is created only by said user.

6. Charging system for electronic commerce according to claim 4, wherein:

said service request data stored once in said memory medium is impossible to rewrite.

7. Charging system for electronic commerce according to claim 1, wherein:

said service provider terminal charges a fee to said user based on time period providing said service to the user.

8. Charging system for electronic commerce according to claim 1, wherein:

said service provider terminal charges a fee to said user based on contents provided to the user.

9. A method of charging for electronic commerce, service provider terminal providing service for a user via network by a request from a user terminal, and charging a fee on the user corresponding to said service, comprising steps of that:

collecting a charged fee from said user by a charge collection terminal, which fee is reflected on said service provided by said service provider terminal, wherein;

the charge collection terminal is provided individually from said service provider terminal.

10. A method of charging for electronic commerce according to claim 9, wherein:

generating service request data and digital signature data on said user terminal, transmitting the service request data and the digital signature data via network to said service provider terminal, the service request data is for requesting desired service of the user to said service provider terminal, the digital signature data is created based on said service request data;

transmitting charged fee data by said service provider terminal calculated based on said service request data to said charge collection terminal; and

transmitting said digital signature data and said service request data from said service provider terminal to said charge collection terminal responding to the request of said user.

11. A method of charging for electronic commerce according to claim 10, wherein:

said digital signature data is created only by said user.

12. A method of charging for electronic commerce according to claim 9, wherein:

generating service request data and digital signature data by said user terminal;

transmitting said service request data and said digital signature data via network to said service provider terminal;

the service request data is for requesting desired service of the user to said service provider terminal, the digital signature data is created based on said service request data;

said user terminal comprises memory medium which stores said service request data; and

when the user has objection against the charge, in case of happening charged fee collection notice from said charge collection terminal, the user enables to send said memory medium to said charge collection terminal, and the charge collection terminal enables to read out said service request data and said digital signature data from said memory medium to confirm.

13. A method of charging for electronic commerce according to claim 12, wherein:

said digital signature data is created only by said user.

14. A method of charging for electronic commerce according to claim 12, wherein:

said service request data stored once in said memory medium is impossible to rewrite.

15. A method of charging for electronic commerce according to claim 9, wherein:

said service provider terminal charges a fee to said user based on time period providing said service to the user.

16. A method of charging for electronic commerce according to claim 9, wherein:

said service provider terminal charges a fee to said user based on contents provided to the user.