SECURE SYSTEM FOR THE ISSUANCE, ACQUISITION, AND REDEMPTION OF CERTIFICATES IN A TRANSACTION NETWORK

• US 20110060904A9
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: SF IP Properties 59 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Whitfield, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156.000
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives

Abstract

A transaction network contains a networked certificate authority, by which one or more virtual certificates may be remotely defined and stored, such as by an issuer user through a issuer web portal interface. An acquirer user, through an acquirer web portal interface, may acquire one or more virtual certificates, which contain a secret public key portion, as well as a corresponding private key, which is established by the acquirer at the time of acquisition, and is stored at the certificate authority. At a redemption location associated with an acquired certificate, the acquirer (or an alternate recipient of an acquired certificate to whom the acquirer has communicated the established private key), submits the certificate information, along with the established private key, to redeem the certificate.

Claims

1. A certificate system on a network, comprising:

a certificate authority connected to said network, said certificate authority adapted to allow the definition of a virtual certificate comprising a redemption denomination defined by an issuer user, and a first public key identifier defined by said certificate authority;

a certificate issuance module for creation of an issued certificate upon selectable acquisition of said virtual certificate by an acquirer user across said network, said issued certificate including said redemption denomination and said first public key identifier, wherein said redemption denomination and said first public key identifier are stored at said certificate authority in association with said issued certificate;

a certificate authentication module for authorization of a redemption of said issued certificate at a redemption location to a holder of said issued certificate, based upon redemption submittal of said redemption denomination and said first public key identifier, and a matching comparison of said redemption denomination and said first public key identifier stored at said certificate authority; and

means to cancel further redemption of said issued certificate at said certificate authority.

2. The certificate system of claim 1, said issued certificate further comprising:

a single-use certificate comprising at least one design element, a denomination, at least one redemption rule, and identification information, which may include human readable information, and/or machine readable information.

3. The certificate system of claim 1, said certificate issuance module further comprising:

an issuer terminal in selective electronic communication with said certificate authority, said issuer terminal comprising user operated means for directing said certificate authority to create at least one customized virtual certificates for subsequent issuance to acquirer users at one or more acquirer terminals.

4. The certificate system of claim 1, further comprising:

an issuer facility for authorization of construction of certificates through a web portal via a network, with which an issuer user connects to said certificate authority; and

said issuer facility further comprising a certificate specification interface through which said issuer user defines detailed specifications for virtual single-use certificates.

5. The certificate system of claim 1, wherein said certificates reflect sellable or distributable commodities comprising products and/or services which are available for pick up by a customer at a redemption location.

6. The certificate system of claim 3, further comprising:

means for controlling modular design of one or more virtual certificates independently, either by selecting standard designs offered by said certificate authority, by uploading one or more custom designs to said certificate authority in the form of a computer file, or by specifying that a certificate be issued using a combination of stock elements uploaded through said issuer terminal.

7. The certificate system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for an acquirer user identifying redemption locations for one or more products or services which are available as selectable virtual certificates;

wherein, upon said acquirer user initiating a search, said certificate authority presents a browseable subset of an entire virtual inventory, or of an aggregate inventory, which matches search limiters entered by said acquirer user.

8. The certificate system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for said certificate authority communicating acquisition transaction to an issuer;

wherein a product or service which is to be received upon redemption is reserved;

wherein, for a product within an inventory at a redemption location, said product is placed on hold;

wherein, for a designated service, said issuer uses acquisition information to schedule personnel or equipment, or to limit the further sale of goods or services.

9. The certificate system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for said issuer user selecting or uploading issuer information, selecting or uploading denomination parameters for a virtual certificate in the form of any of a currency denomination or a code associated with a product, a service, a coupon, a voucher, or other instrument for which an acquired certificate may be redeemed, said issuer authorizing said certificate authority to issue certificates within a set range of selectable denominations, or authorizing creation of virtual certificates with a value determined by an acquirer user.

10. The certificate system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for said issuer user selecting or uploading redemption rules comprising any of an expiration date, any exclusion of redemption on a basis of geographic location, or other redemption rules unique to said issuer user;

wherein redemption rule information may be included as printed information on an acquired certificate.

11. The certificate system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for said issuer user selecting or uploading issuance restrictions to said certificate authority for any of limiting a number of acquired certificates to be issued by said certificate authority on behalf of aid issuer user, for any of a specified time frame, within a geographic region, or on a basis of other criteria unique to said issuer user.

12. The certificate system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for said issuer user selecting or specifying a format for a unique certificate supplementary public key identification;

wherein said issuer user may require a unique certificate public key identification which corresponds to existing product codes, inventory, or existing issuer certificate systems.

13. A process within a transaction network, comprising the steps of:

defining a virtual certificate on a certificate authority, said defined virtual certificate comprised of a redemption denomination defined by an issuer user, and a first public key identifier defined by said certificate authority;

creating an issued certificate upon acquisition of said virtual certificate by an acquirer user on said transaction network, said issued certificate including said redemption denomination and said first public key identifier, said redemption denomination and said first public key identifier stored at said certificate authority in association with said issued certificate;

authorizing a redemption of said issued certificate at a redemption location to a holder of said issued certificate, based upon redemption submittal of said redemption denomination and said first public key identifier, and a matching comparison of said redemption denomination and said first public key identifier stored at said certificate authority; and

canceling further redemption of said issued certificate at said certificate authority.

14. The process of claim 13, said issued certificate further comprising:

a single-use certificate comprising at least one design element, a denomination, at least one redemption rule, and identification information, which may include human readable information, and/or machine readable information.

15. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

providing an issuer terminal in selective electronic communication with said certificate authority, said issuer terminal comprising user operated means for directing said certificate authority to create at least one customized virtual certificates for subsequent issuance to acquirer users at one or more acquirer terminals.

16. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

providing an issuer facility for authorization of construction of certificates through a web portal via a network, with which an issuer user connects to said certificate authority; and

said issuer facility further comprising a certificate specification interface through which said issuer user defines detailed specifications for virtual single-use certificates.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

controlling modular design of one or more virtual certificates independently, either by selecting standard designs offered by said certificate authority, by uploading one or more custom designs to said certificate authority in the form of a computer file, or by specifying that a certificate be issued using a combination of stock elements uploaded through said issuer terminal.

18. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

an acquirer user identifying redemption locations for one or more products or services which are available as selectable virtual certificates;

wherein, upon said acquirer user initiating a search, said certificate authority presents a browseable subset of an entire virtual inventory, or of an aggregate inventory, which matches search limiters entered by said acquirer user.

19. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

said certificate authority communicating acquisition transaction to an issuer;

wherein a product or service which is to be received upon redemption is reserved;

wherein, for a product within an inventory at a redemption location, said product is placed on hold;

wherein, for a designated service, said issuer uses acquisition information to schedule personnel or equipment, or to limit the further sale of goods or services.

20. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

said issuer user selecting or uploading issuer information, selecting or uploading denomination parameters for a virtual certificate in the form of any of a currency denomination or a code associated with a product, a service, a coupon, a voucher, or other instrument for which an acquired certificate may be redeemed, said issuer authorizing said certificate authority to issue certificates within a set range of selectable denominations, or authorizing creation of virtual certificates with a value determined by an acquirer user.

21. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

said issuer user selecting or uploading redemption rules comprising any of an expiration date, any exclusion of redemption on a basis of geographic location, or other redemption rules unique to said issuer user;

wherein redemption rule information may be included as printed information on an acquired certificate.

22. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

said issuer user selecting or uploading issuance restrictions to said certificate authority for any of limiting a number of acquired certificates to be issued by said certificate authority on behalf of aid issuer user, for any of a specified time frame, within a geographic region, or on a basis of other criteria unique to said issuer user.

23. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

said issuer user selecting or specifying a format for a unique certificate supplementary public key identification;

wherein said issuer user may require a unique certificate public key identification which corresponds to existing product codes, inventory, or existing issuer certificate systems.