Public Key Crytography Method and System

• US 20080228651A1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zan Tapsell
• Original Assignee: Zan Tapsell
• Inventors: Tapsell, Zan
• Application Number:
  US10/571,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228651A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/65
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• 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 20/0655 e-cash managed centrally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A system is disclosed relating to the use of digital certificates to improve internet communications. In one embodiment digital certificates are used to facilitate payment for goods or services, where the digital certificate is designated as having a certain value. In a further embodiment digital certificates are used for reducing or preventing unsolicited emails or spam. In a still further embodiment digital certificates are used in a digital Lottery System.

Claims

1. A system for transferring value including the steps of:

means for issuing a digital money certificate to a transferor, said digital money certificate including a unique identifier and an equivalent monetary value or a reference to, or an identifier of said monetary value;

means for receiving instructions from said transferor for a transfer of a specified value to a transferee, said instructions digitally signed by said certificate; and

means for transferring said value according to said instructions from said transferor to said transferee.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for issuing said digital money includes:

means for receiving the public key of the transferor, means for generating said digital money certificate using said public key; and

means for sending said certificate to said transferor.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein means for issuing said digital money further includes means for placing said generated certificate on hold until confirmation of receipt of said certificate is received.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 further comprising means for controlling access to said digital money certificates that have been issued.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for issuing said digital money includes means for storing said public key of said client.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for transferring value includes:

means for receiving the unique identifier of a receiving certificate to transfer said value to and being signed by at least one paying certificate, from which said value is transferred;

means for validating said paying certificate;

means for validating said instructions;

means for reducing the monetary amount of said at least one paying certificate by said specific value or revoking said at least one paying certificate and providing a replacement of equivalent monetary amount less said specific value; and

means for increasing the monetary amount of said receiving certificate by said specific value, for providing a further certificate of monetary amount equivalent to said specific value or revoking said receiving certificate and providing a replacement of equivalent monetary value plus said specific amount.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means for transferring value further includes:

means for sending said replacement certificates to transferor and transferee; and

means for receiving confirmation of receipt of said changed certificates

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said digital certificate is an X.509 format certificate.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said digital certificate includes an electronic address of the owner of said certificate and said electronic address is stored with said information about said certificate.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 further comprises means for consolidating the monetary value of multiple digital certificates into a single certificate.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 further comprises means for converting digital money into other monetary forms.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for converting digital money certificates into other monetary forms includes:

means for receiving conversion instructions signed by said digital money certificates,

means for validating said digital money certificate to be converted, and

means for validating said conversion instructions.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 further comprises means for splitting the monetary value of a single digital certificate into multiple certificates.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said receiving certificate is not usable as a paying certificate.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said receiving certificate is usable as a paying certificate.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said instructions are received by email.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16 wherein said means for validating said instructions include checking the validity of said at least one signing certificate.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein means for validating said instructions further includes validating the sender electronic address of said instructions and said certificate has at least one valid instructing electronic address included in said certificate and said at least one valid instructing electronic address is stored with said information about said certificate.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18 wherein said electronic addresses are email addresses.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19 wherein said means for validating said instructions further includes validating the sender email address domain of said instructions and said certificate has at least one valid instructing email address domain included in said certificate and said at least one valid instructing email address domain is stored with said information about said certificate.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein each said at least one paying certificate is placed on hold during said transfer.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21 wherein said digital monetary certificate includes the currency of said monetary value, said currency being stored with said information on said certificate.

23. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein said instructions include the currency of said transfer and said system of digital money includes means for converting one currency to another.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23 wherein said instructions are generated by an email client plug-in.

33. A system as claimed in claim 30 further comprising means for receiving a control includes means for receiving instructions for payment using a system for transferring value according to claim 1 and means to enable payment and/or reimbursement to be made using said digital money certificates.

34. A system as claimed in claim 33 wherein said means for receiving instructions includes means for receiving said digital money certificate serial number and an electronic address.

35. A system as claimed in claim 34 wherein said systems includes:

means for recording said transaction in association with said vendor;

means for allowing a payee to express their satisfaction or otherwise with regard to said transaction; and

means to obtain a summary of the satisfaction or otherwise of purchasers from a vendor.

57. A system as claimed in claim 56 wherein said payment winnings are sent using digital money certificates according to the system for transferring value as claimed in claim 1.

58. A system as claimed in claim 57 wherein said instructions are received by email.

59. A system as claimed in claim 58 wherein said means for validating said winning lottery certificate payment instructions include means for checking the validity of said signing certificate and checking the validity of signed instructions.

60. A system as claimed in claim 59 wherein said digital lottery certificate is an X.509 type certificate.

61. A system as claimed in claim 60 wherein said digital lottery certificate includes an electronic address of the owner of said certificate and said electronic address is stored in association with said information about said certificate.

62. A system as claimed in claim 61 wherein said electronic address is an email address.

25. A system for transferring value including the steps of:

means for receiving from a vendor website digital payment control in relation to offered goods and services or other valuable consideration, wherein said vendor makes said payment control available on their website for a user to activate in relation to a proposed transaction;

central authority means for storing information in association with an activated control, said information including information on said vendor and details of the transaction; and

means for providing a transaction identifier and a reverse billing method to said user.

26. A system as claimed in claim 25 wherein said means for providing a reverse billing method includes:

means for providing a number for reverse billing, said number depending on the amount of payment.

27. A system as claimed in claim 26 wherein said billing number comprises multiple reverse sms, ems or mms billing numbers.

28. A system as claimed in claim 27 wherein all of said multiple sms, ems or mms billing numbers are displayed to said user.

29. A system as claimed in claim 27 wherein only the first of said multiple reverse sms, ems or mms billing numbers are displayed to said user and on receipt of confirmation of reverse billing using said first sms billing number an sms message is sent to said user to reply to, on receipt of confirmation of reverse billing in respect of said reply to message further messages for reply to are sent until total payment has been confirmed.

30. A system as claimed in claim 27 further comprising means for obtaining payment of said amount of payment includes means for setting the amount reverse billed.

31. A system as claimed in claim 30 wherein means for setting the amount comprises notifying the sms, ems or mms reverse billing system of the amount to bill.

32. A system as claimed in claim 30 wherein means for setting the amount comprises including the amount to be billed in sms, ems or mms message sent by said user.

36. A system of preventing unsolicited emails signed by digital certificates identifying a message sender including:

means for storing information on a plurality of said identification certificates, said information including the validity of said identification certificate;

means for invalidating the identification certificate of spam message senders.

means for sending a message to at least one recipient, signed with one of said identification certificate, and

means for checking if said message is signed by a valid certificate, wherein if said message is not signed by a valid certificate it is considered to be spam; and

37. A system as claimed in claim 36 further comprising means for receiving a list of invalid certificates.

38. A system as claimed in claim 37 wherein said list of invalid certificates is Updated before checking if said message is signed by a valid certificate.

39. A system as claimed in claim 38 further comprising means for providing an identification certificate to a message sender.

40. A system as claimed in claim 39 further comprising means for automatically marking messages that do not have a valid digital signature as potential spam, and

means for sorting marked messages into a spam folder.

41. A system as claimed in claim 40 further comprising means for invalidating the identification certificate of a message sender who sends spam including:

means for a recipient of a signed message the recipient considers to be spam to notify the provider of said identification certificate, said spam notification including a nested copy of the signed message that is signed by the recipient;

means for the provider of said identification certificate to store said spam notification in association with said certificate; and

means for marking as invalid said certificate when the number of spam notifications by individual message recipients exceeds a certain number.

42. A system as claimed in claim 41 wherein access to said means for providing an identification certificate to a message sender is restricted.

43. A system as claimed in claim 42 wherein said means for restricting is selected from a group consisting of requiring a payment, limiting access based on IP address, limiting access based on time of last access and any other means that could be used to prevent a message sender obtaining identification certificates.

44. A system as claimed in claim 43 wherein said identification certificate includes an indication of the number of times the signed message can be forwarded on by the message recipient

45. A system as claimed in claim 44 wherein said identification certificate includes means for the sender to indicate for each signed message the number of times the signed message can be forwarded on by the message recipient.

46. A system as claimed in claim 45 wherein said means for said sender to sign at least one message with said identification certificate before sending said message to at least one recipient is a plug-in for an email client.

47. A system as claimed in claim 46 wherein said means for checking said message is signed by a valid certificate is a plug-in for an email client.

48. A system as claimed in claim 47 wherein said means for automatically marking messages that do not have a valid digital signature as potential spam is a plug-in for an email client

49. A system as claimed in claim 48 wherein said means for sorting marked messages into a span folder is a plug-in for an email client.

50. A system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said means for a recipient of a signed message the recipient considers to be spam is to notify the provider of said identification certificate, said spam notification including a nested copy of the signed message that is signed by the recipient is a plug-in for an email client.

51. A system as claimed in claim 50 wherein said list of invalid certificates is updated before checking if said message is signed by a valid certificate by a plug-in for an email client.

52. A system for running a digital lottery including:

means for issuing a digital lottery certificate, said digital lottery certificate including a unique identifier and at least one lottery entry; and

means for storing information about a said certificate and including the lottery entry details, a reference to, or an identifier of said entry details.

53. A system as claimed in claim 52 wherein said means for issuing said digital lottery certificates includes:

means for receiving the public key of a purchaser;

means for receiving the lottery numbers of said purchaser;

means for generating said digital lottery certificate using said public key and said lottery numbers; and

means for sending said certificate to said client,

means for associating said digital lottery certificate with a particular lottery draw.

54. A system as claimed in claim 53 wherein said system for running a digital lottery includes:

means for determining which lottery certificate has won a prize; and

means for notifying said winning lottery certificate owner of a win.

55. A system as claimed in claim 54 wherein said notification is conducted through email.

56. A system as claimed in claim 55 further comprising means for receiving instructions to transfer lottery winner payment details of a winning lottery certificate include:

means for validating a winning lottery certificate;

means for validating said winning lottery certificate payment instructions;

means for paying winnings.