Payment system

• US 20050033692A1
• Filed: 04/08/2002
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freedom Card Limited
• Original Assignee: Freedom Card Limited
• Inventors: Leibert, Alan L., Jarman, Jonathan S., Newman, Paul A., Newman, Lucy H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• 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 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a 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 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An electronic transaction payment system is provided having a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser, a vendor smart-card and a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from the vendor smart-card. The system also includes a purchaser smart-card reader which is connected to the vendor terminal and which is operable for transmitting data to and receiving data from a purchaser smart-card. In operation, payment for goods purchased by the purchaser is made between the purchaser smart-card and the vendor smart-card. In a preferred embodiment, the payment data is encrypted using an encryption key specific to the transaction between the purchaser and the vendor. A third party registry terminal may also be provided for providing validation of the vendor and/or the purchaser.

Claims

1. An electronic transaction payment system comprising:

a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser;

a vendor smart-card;

a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said vendor smart-card;

a purchaser smart-card; and

a purchaser smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said vendor terminal comprises;

(i) means for processing requests for vendor goods or services from said purchaser;

(ii) means for generating cost data identifying the cost of requested goods or services;

(iii) means for interfacing with said vendor smart-card reader;

(iv) means for interfacing with said purchaser smart-card reader; and

(v) means for transmitting the cost data to said purchaser smart-card via said purchaser smart-card reader interface;

wherein said purchaser smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said cost data from said vendor terminal;

(ii) means for encrypting payment data to be transmitted to said vendor smart-card; and

(iii) means 25 for outputting the encrypted payment data for transmission to said vendor smart-card; and

wherein said vendor smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said encrypted payment data from said purchaser smart-card; and

(ii) means for decrypting said encrypted payment data received from said purchaser smart-card to obtain payment for the requested goods or services.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises means for digitally signing said payment data using a purchaser digital signature and wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises means for reading the digital signature applied to the payment data to establish the origin of the payment.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises means for generating receipt data describing the goods or services requested and the payment obtained from said payment data;

means for digitally signing said receipt data using a vendor digital signature; and

means for outputting the signed receipt data for transmission to said purchaser smart-card; and

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises means for receiving said signed receipt data and means for reading the vendor digital signature applied to the receipt data to establish the origin of the receipt.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of each said digital signatures is generated using a time stamp.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of each said digital signatures is generated using a random number.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of each said digital signatures is generated using a smart-card identifier.

7. A system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said digital signatures is generated using a terminal identifier.

8. A system according to claim 3, wherein each of said digital signatures is different.

9. A system according to claim 3, wherein said digital signatures are the same.

10. An electronic transaction payment system according to claim 2, wherein

said means for digitally signing said payment data comprises said encrypting means;

and

said means for reading said purchaser digital signature comprises said decrypting means.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said vendor terminal further comprises means for receiving a request for data describing the vendor; and

means for outputting said request to said vendor smart-card; and

said vendor smart-card further comprises means for receiving said request for data describing the vendor;

means for generating data describing the vendor in accordance with said request; and

means for outputting the data describing the vendor to said vendor terminal.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises means for receiving said data describing the vendor from said vendor smart-card;

and means for determining whether said data describing the vendor conforms to a predetermined condition to determine whether said payment data should be generated for transmission to said vendor smart-card.

13. A system according to claim 1, comprising:

a registry;

a registry smart-card; and

a registry smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said registry smart-card;

wherein said registry comprises;

means for interfacing with said registry smart-card reader; and

means for interfacing with said vendor terminal;

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises means for outputting a request for data describing the vendor for transmission to said registry smart-card;

wherein said registry smart-card comprises;

means for receiving said request for data describing the vendor from said purchaser smart-card;

means for generating data describing the vendor in accordance with said request; and

means for outputting the data describing the vendor for transmission to said purchaser smart-card;

and said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

means for receiving said data describing the vendor from said registry smart-card; and

means for determining whether said data describing the vendor conforms to a predetermined condition to determine whether said payment data should be generated for transmission to said vendor smart-card.

14. A system according to claim 1 wherein:

said vendor terminal further comprises means for receiving a request for data describing the purchaser; and

means for outputting said request for transmission to said purchaser smart-card; and

said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

means data describing the for receiving said request for data purchaser;

for generating data describing the purchaser in accordance with said request; and

means for outputting the data describing the purchaser for transmission to said vendor terminal.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises:

means for receiving said data describing the purchaser from said vendor smart-card; and

means for determining whether said data 30 describing the purchaser conforms to a predetermined condition to determine whether said goods or services are to be provided to said purchaser or whether said payment data is to be accepted.

16. A system according to claim 1, comprising:

a registry;

a registry smart-card; and

a registry smart-card reader for transmitting data 10 to and receiving data from said registry smart-card;

wherein said registry comprises means for interfacing with said registry smart-card reader; and

means for interfacing with said vendor terminal;

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises means for outputting a request for data describing the purchaser for transmission to said registry smart-card;

wherein said registry smart-card further comprises;

means for receiving said request for data describing the purchaser from said vendor smart-card;

means for generating data describing the purchaser in accordance with said request; and

means for outputting the data describing the purchaser for transmission to said vendor smart-card; and

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises;

means for receiving said data describing the purchaser from said registry smart-card; and

means for determining whether said data describing the purchaser conforms to the predetermined condition to determine whether said goods or services are to be provided to said purchaser 30 or whether said payment data is to be accepted.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises a memory for storing an asymmetric encryption key pair comprising a vendor private key and a vendor public key;

and means for outputting said vendor public key for transmission to said purchaser smart-card, wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises means for receiving said vendor public key; and

is operable to encrypt said payment data using said vendor public key; and

wherein said means for decrypting said payment data in said vendor smart-card is operable to decrypt the payment data using the vendor private key.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein said asymmetric encryption key pair are generated using an RSA algorithm.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein said asymmetric encryption key pair are generated using an elliptic curve algorithm.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein said purchaser smart-card reader interface comprises means for communication via a computer network.

21. A system according to claim 1 wherein said purchaser smart-card reader interface comprises means for communication via the Internet.

22. A system according to claim 1 comprising:

a registry;

a purchaser registry smart-card associated with the purchaser; and

a registry smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said purchaser registry smart-card;

wherein said registry comprises means for 10 interfacing with said registry smart-card reader;

means for interfacing with said vendor terminal;

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

means for generating instruction data, for instructing 15 said purchaser registry smart-card to make a payment, to be transmitted to said vendor smart-card; and

means for outputting the instruction data for transmission to said purchaser registry smart-card;

wherein said purchaser registry smart-card further comprises means for receiving said instruction data from 20 said purchaser smart-card;

means for generating payment data to be transmitted to said vendor smart-card;

means for encrypting said payment data; and

means for outputting the encrypted payment data for transmission to said vendor smart-card; and

wherein said vendor smart-25 card further comprises;

means for receiving said encrypted payment data from said purchaser registry smart-card.

23. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a registry;

a vendor registry smart-card; and

a registry smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said vendor registry smart-card;

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises means for outputting said encrypted payment data for transmission to said vendor registry smart-card;

wherein said vendor registry smart-card comprises;

means for receiving said encrypted payment data from said purchaser smart-card;

means for decrypting said encrypted payment data received from said purchaser smart-card to obtain payment for the requested goods or services;

means for generating acknowledgement data describing the obtained payment; and

means for outputting said acknowledgement data for transmission to said vendor smart-card; and

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises means for receiving said acknowledgement data from said 20 vendor registry smart-card.

24. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a purchaser terminal associated with the purchaser, the purchaser terminal comprising:

(i) means for generating a request for vendor goods or services from said purchaser;

(ii) means for interfacing with said purchaser smart-card reader;

(iii) means for interfacing with said vendor terminal; and

(iv) means for transmitting said purchaser requests to said vendor 30 terminal via said purchaser smart-card.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein data transmitted between said purchaser terminal and said vendor terminal is encrypted before transmission by the respective smart-cards.

31. A smart-card programmed to be able to function as a purchaser smart-card according to claim 1.

32. A smart-card programmed to be able to function as a vendor smart-card according to claim 1.

33. A smart-card programmed to be able to function as a registry smart-card according to claim 13.

44. A signal carrying processor implementable instructions for causing a smart-card to become programmed as a smart-card according to claim 31.

45. A storage medium storing processor implementable instructions for causing a smart-card to become programmed as a smart-card according to claim 31.

46. A computer terminal programmed to function as a vendor terminal according to claim 1.

47. A computer terminal programmed to function as a purchaser terminal according to claim 24.

48. An electronic transaction payment characterized by the step of using an electronic transaction payment system according to claim 1.

26. An electronic transaction payment system comprising:

a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser;

a vendor smart-card;

a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said vendor smart-card;

a purchaser smart-card; and

a purchaser smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said vendor terminal comprises;

(i) means for processing requests for vendor goods or services from said purchaser;

(ii) means for generating cost data identifying the cost of requested goods or services;

(iii) means for interfacing with said vendor smart-card reader;

(iv) means for interfacing with said purchaser smart-card reader; and

(v) means for transmitting the cost data to said purchaser smart-card via said purchaser smart-card interface;

wherein said purchaser smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said cost data from said vendor terminal;

(ii) means for digitally signing payment data to be transmitted to said vendor smart-card;

(iii) means for outputting the signed payment data for transmission to said vendor smart-card;

wherein said vendor smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said signed payment data from said purchaser smart-card to obtain payment for the requested goods or services;

(ii) means for reading the digital signature applied to the payment data to establish the origin of the payment;

(iii) means for generating receipt data describing the goods or services and the payment obtained from said payment data;

(iv) means for digitally signing said receipt data; and

(v) means for outputting 10 the signed receipt data for transmission to said purchaser smart-card,

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

(iv) means for receiving said signed receipt data; and

(v) means for reading the digital signature applied to the receipt data to establish the origin of the receipt.

27. An electronic transaction payment system comprising:

a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser;

a vendor smart-card;

a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said vendor smart-card;

a purchaser smart-card; and

a purchaser smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said vendor terminal comprises;

(i) means for processing requests for vendor goods or services from said purchaser;

(ii) means for generating cost data identifying the cost of requested goods or services;

(iii) means for interfacing with said vendor smart-card reader;

(iv) means for interfacing with said purchaser smart-card; and

(v) means for transmitting the cost data to said purchaser smart-card via said purchaser smart-card reader interface;

wherein said purchaser smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said cost data from said vendor terminal;

(ii) means for generating a request for data describing the vendor; and

(iii) means for outputting the request for data describing the vendor for transmission 10 to said vendor smart-card;

wherein said vendor smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said request for data describing the vendor from said purchaser smart-card;

(ii) means for generating data describing the vendor in accordance with said request; and

(iii) means for outputting the data describing the vendor for transmission to said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

(iv) means for receiving said data describing the vendor from said vendor smart-card;

(v) means for determining whether said data describing the vendor conforms to a predetermined condition;

(vi) means for, if said data describing the vendor conforms to said predetermined condition, generating payment data to be transmitted to said vendor smart-card; and

(vii) means for outputting the payment data for transmission to said vendor smart-card; and

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises;

(iv) means for receiving said payment data from said purchaser smart-card to obtain payment for requested goods or services.

28. An electronic transaction payment system comprising:

a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser;

a vendor smart-card;

a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said vendor smart-card;

a purchaser smart-card; and

a purchaser smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said vendor terminal comprises;

(i) means for processing requests for vendor goods or services from said purchaser;

(ii) means for generating cost data identifying the cost of requested goods or services;

(iii) means for interfacing with said vendor smart-card reader;

(iv) means for interfacing with said purchaser smart-card reader; and

(v) means for transmitting the 20 cost data to said purchaser smart-card via said purchaser smart-card reader interface;

wherein said purchaser smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said cost data from said vendor terminal;

wherein said vendor smart-card comprises;

(i) means for generating a request for data describing the purchaser; and

(ii) means for outputting the request for data describing the purchaser for transmission to said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

(ii) means for receiving said request for data describing the purchaser from said vendor smart-card;

(iii) means for generating data describing the purchaser in accordance with said request; and

(iv) means for outputting the data describing the purchaser for transmission to said vendor smart-card;

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises;

(iii) means for receiving said data describing the 10 purchaser from said purchaser smart-card;

(iv) means for determining whether said data describing the purchaser conforms to a predetermined condition;

(v) means for, if said data describing the purchaser conforms to said 15 predetermined condition, generating acceptance data to be transmitted to said purchaser smart-card; and

(vi) means for outputting the acceptance data for transmission to the purchaser smart-card; and

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

(v) means for receiving said acceptance data from said vendor smart-card;

(vi) means for generating payment data to be transmitted to said vendor smart-card; and

(vii) means for outputting the payment data for transmission to said vendor smart-card; and

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises;

(viii) means for receiving said payment data from said purchaser smart-card to obtain payment for the requested goods or services.

29. An electronic transaction payment system comprising:

a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser;

a vendor smart-card;

a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said vendor smart-card;

a purchaser smart-card; and

a purchaser smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said vendor terminal comprises;

(i) means for processing requests for vendor goods or services from said purchaser;

(ii) means for generating cost data identifying the cost of requested goods or services;

(iii) means for interfacing with said vendor smart-card 15 reader;

(iv) means for interfacing with said purchaser smart-card; and

(v) means for transmitting the cost data to said purchaser smart-card via said purchaser smart-card reader interface;

wherein said purchaser smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said cost data from said vendor terminal;

(ii) means for generating a request for data describing the vendor; and

(iii) means for outputting the request for data describing the vendor for transmission to said vendor smart-card;

wherein said vendor smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said request for data describing the vendor from said purchaser smart-card;

(ii) means for receiving data describing the vendor in accordance with said request; and

(iii) means for outputting the data describing the vendor for transmission to said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

(iv) means for receiving said data describing the vendor from said vendor smart-card;

(v) means for outputting said data describing said vendor to the purchaser;

(vi) means for receiving an indication whether or not said data describing the vendor is acceptable to the purchaser; and

(vii) means for, if said data describing the vendor is acceptable, causing payment data to be transmitted to said vendor smart-card; and

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises;

(iv) means for receiving said payment data to obtain payment for the requested goods or services.

30. An electronic transaction payment system comprising:

a vendor terminal associated with a vendor who provides goods or services to a purchaser;

a vendor smart-card;

a vendor smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said vendor smart-card;

a purchaser smart-card; and

a purchaser smart-card reader for transmitting data to and receiving data from said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said vendor terminal comprises;

(i) means for processing requests for vendor goods or services from said purchaser;

(ii) means for generating cost data identifying the cost of requested goods or services;

(iii) means for interfacing with said vendor smart-card reader;

(iv) means for interfacing with said purchaser smart-card reader; and

(v) means for transmitting the cost data to said purchaser smart-card via said purchaser smart-card reader interface;

wherein said purchaser smart-card comprises;

(i) means for receiving said cost data from said vendor terminal;

wherein said vendor smart-card comprises;

(i) means for generating a request for data describing the purchaser; and

(ii) means for outputting the request for data describing the purchaser for transmission to said purchaser smart-card;

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

(ii) means for receiving said request for data describing the purchaser from said vendor smart-card;

(iii) means for receiving data describing the purchaser in accordance with said request; and

(iv) means for outputting the data describing the purchaser for transmission to said vendor smart-card;

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises;

(iii) means for receiving said data describing the purchaser from said purchaser smart-card;

(iv) means for outputting said data describing the purchaser to the vendor;

(v) means for receiving an indication whether or not said data describing the purchaser is acceptable to the vendor;

(vi) means for, if said data describing the purchaser is acceptable, generating acceptance data to be transmitted to said purchaser smart-card; and

(vii) means for outputting the acceptance data for transmission to the purchaser smart-card; and

wherein said purchaser smart-card further comprises;

(v) means for receiving said acceptance data from said vendor smart-card;

(vi) means for generating payment data to be transmitted to said vendor smart-card; and

(vii) means for outputting the payment data for transmission to said vendor smart-card; and

wherein said vendor smart-card further comprises;

(viii) means for receiving said payment data from said purchaser smart-card to obtain payment for the requested goods or services.

34. A smart-card comprises:

means for interfacing with a card reader;

means for receiving details of a new transaction from an external terminal via said interfacing means and said card reader;

means for generating a unique session ID for the new transaction;

means for storing the generated session ID;

means for receiving message data relating to the new transaction from the external terminal via said card reader and said interfacing means;

means for tagging the received message data by appending the stored session ID to the message data; and

means for outputting the tagged message data to said external terminal via said interface means and said card reader.

35. A smart-card according to claim 34, further comprising means for encrypting said tagged message data.

36. A smart-card according to claim 34, further comprising means for receiving a session ID generated by another smart-card involved in the new transaction and wherein said tagging means is operable to append the generated session ID and the received session ID to the message data.

37. A smart-card according to claim 34, further comprising a money store for storing electronic money and wherein said tagging means is operable to tag said electronic money with said generated session ID and to output the tagged electronic money back to said external terminal via said interface means in said card reader.

38. A smart-card according to claim 37, comprising means for storing remote account data and wherein said smart-card is operable to receive an instruction identifying whether or not payment for a current transaction is to be made from electronic money stored on the card or from the remote account and wherein said tagging means is operable to tag said electronic money with said session ID if said instruction identifies that the payment should be made from the card and is operable to tag the stored account data if said instruction indicates that the payment is to be made from the remote account.

39. A smart-card according to claim 34, further comprising means for storing user validation data;

means for receiving instructions to output user validation data; and

wherein said tagging means is operable to tag the user validation data with the session ID prior to outputting the tagged validation data to said external terminal via said interface means and said card reader.

40. A smart-card according to claim 34, further comprising a transaction log store for storing details of data transmitted during each new transaction.

41. A smart-card comprising:

means for interfacing with a card reader;

a card controller operable for receiving instructions from an external terminal via said interface means and said card reader;

means for storing electronic money;

means for storing account data relating to a remote account;

wherein said card controller is operable to either output electronic money from said money store or to output account details from said account storing means in dependence upon instructions received from an external terminal via said interfacing means and said card reader.

42. A smart-card according to claim 41, wherein said card controller is operable to tag the electronic money or the account data with a unique identifier relating to a current transaction.

43. An electronic transaction system comprising a vendor 15 terminal, a purchaser terminal and a third party registry for providing validation of a purchaser associated with the purchaser terminal and/or validation of a vendor associated with the vendor terminal.