SMART CARD LOADING TRANSACTIONS USING WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20090030844A1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cutino, Suzanne C., Hoffman, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• 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 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• 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 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• 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 20/349 Rechargeable cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/353 Payments by cards read by M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/12 Usage or charge determination
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A smart card transaction allows a consumer to load value onto a smart card and to make purchases using a smart card with a mobile telephone handset over the telecommunications network. For loading, the system includes: a mobile telephone handset including a card reader; a gateway computer; a funds issuer computer; and an authentication computer. The mobile telephone handset receives a request from a user to load a value onto the smart card. The handset generates a funds request message which includes the value and sends the funds request message to a funds issuer computer. The funds issuer computer debits an account associated with the user. Next, the handset generates a load request message with a cryptographic signature and sends the load request message to an authentication computer which authenticates the smart card. The handset receives a response message which includes a cryptographic signature and an approval to load. Finally, the handset validates the second cryptographic signature and loads the value onto the smart card. For payment, the system includes a merchant server and a payment server. First, the handset sends an order request message to the merchant server computer, and in return receives a purchase instruction message. The handset processes the purchase instruction message locally, and then sends a draw request message to a payment server computer. The payment server computer sends a debit message which includes a cryptographic signature and an approval to debit the smart card. Finally, the handset validates the cryptographic signature and debits the smart card.

Claims

1. A method of loading value onto a smart card that is in communication with a mobile telephone handset of a user, said method comprising:

sending a funds request message from said handset to a bank system that controls an account of said user, said funds request message including a load value and a funding account identifier that identifies said account of said user;

sending a funds response message from said bank system to said handset indicating an approval to debit said user account by said load value;

sending a load request message from said handset to an issuer system, said load request message including a first cryptographic signature, wherein said first cryptographic signature is generated using a first cryptographic key shared between said smart card and an issuer of said smart card;

validating said first cryptographic signature by said issuer system and authenticating said smart card;

sending a load response message from said issuer system to said handset including a second cryptographic signature, wherein said second cryptographic signature is generated using a second cryptographic key shared between said smart card and said issuer of said smart card;

validating, by said smart card, said second cryptographic signature; and

loading said load value into a stored-value application of said smart card.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

debiting said user account of said bank system by said load value; and

crediting said issuer system by said load value, whereby liability for said load value is transferred to said issuer system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

incrementing a value of said smart card in a database of an administration system computer by said load value, wherein said incremented value in said database reflects the value of said stored-value application of said smart card.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

processing said funds request message, said funds response message, said load request message and said load response message by a gateway computer located between said handset and said bank system and between said handset and said issuer system, wherein said gateway computer uses a different message protocol for communication with said handset than with said bank system and said issuer system.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

generating, by said smart card, a cryptographic signature S3 using a third cryptographic key shared between said smart card and said issuer of said smart card;

sending a settlement funds request message over said network from said handset to said bank system to effect the debiting of said user account of said bank system by said load value; and

sending a settlement load request message that includes said cryptographic signature S3 over said network from said handset to said issuer system to effect the crediting of said issuer system by said load value, whereby liability for said load value is transferred to said issuer system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said smart card may be disconnected from said handset without affecting the telecommunications functionality of said handset.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from said user at said handset to load said load value; and

prompting said user to place said smart card into communication with said handset using a card reader interface.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first cryptographic key and said second cryptographic key are the same key.

9. A method of loading value over a wireless telecommunications network onto a smart card using a mobile telephone handset, said method comprising:

receiving at a subscriber identification module (SIM) within said mobile telephone handset a request from a user to load a load value onto said smart card that communicates with said handset via a card reader interface;

generating, by said smart card, a cryptographic signature S1 using a first cryptographic key shared between said smart card and an issuer of said smart card;

sending a funding account identifier from said smart card to said SIM;

preparing a load data message that includes said load value, said funding account identifier, and said cryptographic signature S1;

sending said load data message over said telecommunications network from said SIM of said handset to a gateway server computer;

receiving an approval response message from said gateway server computer at said SIM of said handset, said approval response message including a cryptographic signature S2 and an approval to load said load value onto said smart card, wherein said cryptographic signature S2 is generated using a second cryptographic key shared between said smart card and said issuer of said smart card;

validating, by said smart card, said cryptographic signature S2; and

loading said load value into a stored-value application of said smart card.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

generating, by said smart card, a cryptographic signature S3 using a third cryptographic key shared between said smart card and an issuer of said smart card; and

sending a load confirmation message over said telecommunications network from said SIM of said handset to said gateway server computer that includes said cryptographic signature S3, wherein said cryptographic signature S3 indicates that said stored-value application of said smart card has been loaded by said load value.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

debiting a user account of a user bank system identified by said funding account identifier by said load value; and

crediting an issuer system by said load value, whereby liability for said load value is transferred to said issuer system.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

incrementing a value of said smart card in a database of an administration system computer by said load value, wherein said incremented value in said database reflects the value of said stored-value application of said smart card.

13. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said smart card may be disconnected from said handset without affecting the telecommunications functionality of said handset.

14. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a request from said user at said handset to load said load value; and

prompting said user to place said smart card into communication with said handset using said card reader interface.

15. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said first cryptographic key and said second cryptographic key are the same key.

16. A method of loading value over a wireless telecommunications network onto a smart card using a mobile telephone handset, said method comprising:

receiving, at a gateway server computer, a load data message over said wireless telecommunications network from a subscriber identification module (SIM) within said mobile telephone handset, wherein said load data message includes a load value, a funding account identifier, and a cryptographic signature S1;

sending a funds request message over a network to a bank system that controls an account of said user, said funds request message including said load value and said funding account identifier that identifies said account of said user;

receiving a funds response message over said network from said bank system indicating an approval to debit said user account by said load value;

sending a load request message over said network to an issuer system arranged to authenticate said smart card, said load request message including said first cryptographic signature, wherein said cryptographic signature S1 is generated using a first cryptographic key shared between said smart card and an issuer of said smart card;

receiving a load response message over said network from said issuer system indicating validation of said smart card and a cryptographic signature S2, wherein said cryptographic signature S2 is generated using a second cryptographic key shared between said smart card and said issuer of said smart card; and

sending an approval response message from said gateway server computer to said SIM of said handset over said wireless telecommunications network, said approval response message including said cryptographic signature S2 and an approval to load said load value onto said smart card that is in communication with said handset.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

debiting said user account of said bank system by said load value; and

crediting said issuer system by said load value, whereby liability for said load value is transferred to said issuer system.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

incrementing a value of said smart card in a database of an administration system computer by said load value, wherein said incremented value in said database reflects the value of said stored-value application of said smart card.

19. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

receiving a load confirmation message over said telecommunications network from said SIM of said handset that includes a cryptographic signature S3 that is generated using a third cryptographic key shared between said smart card and said issuer of said smart card;

sending a settlement load request message that includes said cryptographic signature S3 over said network to said issuer system to effect the crediting of said issuer system by said load value; and

sending a settlement funds request message over said network to said bank system to effect the debiting of said user account of said bank system by said load value, whereby liability for said load value is transferred to said issuer system.

20. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said smart card may be disconnected from said handset without affecting the telecommunications functionality of said handset.

21. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said first cryptographic key and said second cryptographic key are the same key.