Method for confirming transactions

• US 20030050081A1
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom Mobile AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Huber, Adriano
• Granted Patent: US 7,069,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

Method with which a mobile user can confirm a transaction with a service provider, in which:

an offer of said service provider is reproduced with the mobile device of said mobile user,

said mobile user selects said offer with input means of his mobile device,

a transaction confirmation is automatically forwarded from said mobile device to an authentication server, a plurality of transactions between different mobile users and different service providers being stored in said authentication server,

and said service provider retrieves said confirmation from said authentication server.

Claims

1. A method, with which a mobile user can confirm a transaction with a service provider, wherein

an offer of said service provider is reproduced with the mobile device of said mobile user,

said mobile user selects said offer with input means of his mobile device,

a transaction confirmation is forwarded automatically by said mobile device to an authentication server, wherein a plurality of transactions between different mobile users and different service providers are stored in said authentication server,

and said service provider can retrieve said confirmation from said authentication server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said offer is contained in a WAP card of said service provider that is reproduced by a browser in said mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said offer is contained in a web page that is reproduced by a browser in said mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation sent by said mobile device consists of a USSD message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said USSD message is automatically prepared and sent by a script contained in said WAP card or web page when said mobile user selects an offer on this card resp. page.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said script is a WML script.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation contains a service provider identification.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation contains a time stamp from said service provider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation contains a session identification.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation contains a secret known only to the service provider.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said secret is a random number set by said service provider.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation contains a user identification.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one part of said confirmation is prepared by a script in said mobile device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one part of said confirmation is encrypted by a script in said mobile device with a key of the service provider.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation contains a datagram that is executed by said authentication server.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation contains at least one flag that causes the execution of an application in said authentication server.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation is stored in a transaction database in said authentication server.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said authentication server contains a user database in which mobile user indications are stored,

and in that at least certain of these mobile users are linked with said confirmation in said authentication server.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation is signed by said authentication server.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation is provided upon receipt with a time stamp by the authentication server.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation is stored in said authentication server and in that said service provider sends a query to said authentication server to check whether the confirmation has arrived.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said authentication server comprises a http server and in that said service provider connects over the Internet with said authentication server to check whether a confirmation has arrived.

23. The method of one claim 21, wherein said service provider must authenticate itself electronically to the authentication server in order to retrieve confirmations.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirmation is forwarded automatically by said authentication server to said service provider.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said service provider sends a confirmation to said mobile user as soon as he has retrieved said confirmation from said authentication server.

26. A WAP server wherein WAP cards are stored that can be retrieved by a plurality of mobile users with WAP-capable mobile devices, at least certain of said WAP cards containing offers, wherein at least certain WAP cards contain a WML script with which a transaction confirmation can be sent as USSD to a predetermined authentication server if a said offer is selected with a WAP browser in a said mobile device.

27. The WAP server of claim 26, wherein said USSD contain a service provider identification.

28. The WAP server of claim 26, wherein said WAP card comprises a time stamp that determines the time of download of the WAP card and in that said script makes a copy of this time stamp in said USSD.

29. The WAP server of claim 26, wherein said USSD contain a session identification.

30. The WAP server of claim 26, wherein said USSD contain a secret known only to the service provider.

31. The WAP server of claim 30, wherein said secret is a random number set by said service provider.

32. An authentication server that is connected with a mobile radio network in such a manner that USSD messages can be forwarded to it with a predetermined USSD Service Request Code, wherein it contains a transaction database in which transaction confirmations contained in said USSD are stored, a plurality of transactions between different mobile users and different service providers being received and stored.

33. The authentication server of claim 32, wherein it comprises a http server with which said service providers can connect over the Internet to check whether a confirmation has arrived.

34. The authentication server of claim 32, wherein it comprises an authentication module that can authenticate said service providers before these can retrieve confirmations.

35. The authentication server of claim 32, wherein is contains at least one application program that is executed when a certain flag is set in the incoming USSD.

36. The authentication server of claim 32, wherein it contains a user database in which mobile user indications are stored,

and in that at least certain of these mobile user indications are linked with said confirmation.

37. The authentication server of claim 32, wherein the incoming USSD are electronically signed.

38. The authentication server of claim 32, wherein the incoming USSD are provided with a time stamp.

39. The authentication server of claim 32, wherein it contains a profile for each registered service provider.