Secure anonymous verification, generation and/or proof of ownership of electronic receipts
First Claim
1. A verification method comprising verifying ownership of an electronic receipt in a communication system providing a public key encryption infrastructure, including the steps of:
- receiving a message from a sender, said message being electronically signed by said sender using a private signature key owned by said sender, said message includes a receipt which is electronically signed by an issuer having given said receipt using a private signature key assigned to said issuer, wherein said receipt includes details for what said receipt has been given and a reference to said owner of said receipt;
obtaining a public signature verification key on the basis of said reference to said owner of said receipt; and
examining whether or not said private signature key used for electronically signing said message is associated to said public signature verification key obtained on the basis of said reference to said owner of said receipt.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, apparatus and system is provided for secure anonymous proof of ownership of electronic receipts, wherein a sender sends a first message including a transaction request and referencing an owner of a receipt to be generated to a first addressee. The first addressee returns a signed receipt including the reference and details for what the receipt has been given. The sender sends a signed second message including the receipt to a second addressee. The second addressee obtains a public signature verification key on the basis of the reference to the owner of the receipt and authenticates the second message. A major advantage of the invention is that in a pseudonymous or anonymous transaction based system it is now possible to remain anonymous or pseudonymous when presenting electronic receipts, while securely proving ownership of the receipt.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A verification method comprising verifying ownership of an electronic receipt in a communication system providing a public key encryption infrastructure, including the steps of:
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receiving a message from a sender, said message being electronically signed by said sender using a private signature key owned by said sender, said message includes a receipt which is electronically signed by an issuer having given said receipt using a private signature key assigned to said issuer, wherein said receipt includes details for what said receipt has been given and a reference to said owner of said receipt;
obtaining a public signature verification key on the basis of said reference to said owner of said receipt; and
examining whether or not said private signature key used for electronically signing said message is associated to said public signature verification key obtained on the basis of said reference to said owner of said receipt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 23, 30)
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6. A receipt generation method, comprising generating an electronic receipt in a communication system providing a public key encryption system, including the steps of:
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receiving a message from a sender, said message is electronically signed by said sender using a private signature key owned by said sender, whereby said message includes a transaction request and a reference to a designated owner of a receipt to be generated;
authenticating said message using a public signature verification key associated to said private signature key held by said sender of said message;
issuing a receipt including said reference to said designated owner of said receipt and details for what said receipt has been given; and
electronically signing said receipt with a public signature key assigned to an issuer issuing said receipt. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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13. A method for proving ownership of a receipt, the method comprising proving ownership of said receipt in a communication system providing a public key encryption infrastructure, including the steps of:
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creating a first message including a transaction request and a reference to a designated owner of a receipt to be generated in response to receiving said message;
electronically signing said message using a first private signature key;
sending said first message to a first addressee; and
receiving said receipt from said first addressee, said receipt being electronically signed by said first addressee having given said receipt using a private signature key assigned to said first addressee, wherein said receipt includes information as for what said receipt has been issued and said reference to said designated owner of said receipt. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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24. A verification device comprising:
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means for receiving a message from a sender, said message is electronically signed by said sender using a private signature key owned by said sender, said message includes a receipt which is electronically signed by an issuer having given said receipt using a private signature key assigned to said issuer, wherein said receipt includes details for what said receipt has been given and a reference to an owner of said receipt;
means for obtaining a public signature verification key on the basis of said reference to said owner of said receipt; and
means for examining whether or not said private signature key used for electronically signing said message is associated to said public signature verification key obtained on the basis of said reference to said owner of said receipt, said device being for verifying ownership of said receipt in a communication system providing a public key encryption infrastructure.
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25. A receipt generating device comprising:
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means for receiving a message from a sender, said message is electronically signed by said sender using a private signature key owned by said sender, whereby said message includes a transaction request and a reference to a designated owner of a receipt to be generated;
means for authenticating said message using a public signature verification key associated to said private signature key held by said sender of said message;
means for issuing a receipt including said reference to said designated owner of said receipt and details for what said receipt has been given; and
means for electronically signing said receipt with a public signature key assigned to an issuer issuing said receipt, said device being for generating said receipt in a communication system providing a public key encryption system.
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26. A device for proving ownership of a receipt, said device comprising:
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means for creating a first message including a transaction request and a reference to a designated owner of the receipt to be generated in response of receiving said message;
means for electronically signing said message using a first private signature key;
means for sending said first message to a first addressee;
means for receiving a receipt from said first addressee, which is electronically signed by said first addressee having given said receipt using a private signature key assigned to said first addressee, wherein said receipt includes information related to a purpose for which said receipt has been given, and related to said reference to said designated owner of said receipt, said device being for proving ownership of the receipt in a communication system providing a public key encryption infrastructure. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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29. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for [DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL FUNCTION], said method steps comprising:
Specification