SECURE ELECTRONIC RECEIPT SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110137803A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Willins, Bruce
• Application Number:
  US12/630,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137803A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network 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 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to secure electronic receipt systems and methods. The present invention removes the need for paper-based receipts while preserving security through use of a digital signature on each electronic receipt verifying the transaction and other data related to the transaction. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention includes a trusted email server, an authentication server, a point-of-sale (POS) terminal or the like, and a smart card or the like. A buyer can utilize the smart card to instruct the terminal to provide an electronic receipt. The terminal can utilize the trusted email server and the authentication server to digitally sign the electronic receipt with credentials trusted by the buyer, and these credentials can later be utilized to verify the electronic receipt.

Claims

1. An electronic receipt method, comprising:

processing a transaction responsive to input from a buyer;

providing data associated with the transaction and the input to a server;

receiving a signed electronic receipt from the server; and

providing the signed electronic receipt to the buyer, wherein the signed electronic receipt comprises real-time, non-reputable transaction related information.

2. The electronic receipt method of claim 1, further comprising:

by the server, verifying a seller associated with the data prior to the server providing the signed electronic receipt, wherein the seller is verified through a certificate associated with the seller.

3. The electronic receipt method of claim 1, wherein the signed electronic receipt comprises the data associated with the transaction including description of good or services, seller information, and amount tendered, and wherein the signed electronic receipt further comprises a certificate.

4. The electronic receipt method of claim 3, further comprising:

by the buyer, validating the transaction through an operation over a secure link with the server utilizing the certificate.

5. The electronic receipt method of claim 4, wherein the buyer has a verified certificate or a public key of the server, and wherein the operation comprises a public key operation verifying the server has validated the transaction.

6. The electronic receipt method of claim 1, wherein providing the signed electronic receipt comprises transmitting the signed electronic receipt to a smart card of the buyer.

7. The electronic receipt method of claim 6, wherein the smart card communicates to a terminal for receiving the signed electronic receipt through one of a high-frequency contactless link or a Bluetooth link.

8. The electronic receipt method of claim 7, wherein the smart card comprises circuitry configured to store the signed electronic receipt and a display configured to visually display data associated with the signed electronic receipt, and wherein the smart card further comprises a tamper responsive grid preventing unauthorized access to cryptographic keys stored in the circuitry.

9. The electronic receipt method of claim 1, wherein providing the signed electronic receipt comprises transmitting the signed electronic receipt to a mobile device of the buyer.

10. The electronic receipt method of claim 9, further comprising:

by the buyer, validating the transaction through an operation by the mobile device with the server utilizing a certificate associated with the signed electronic receipt.

11. The electronic receipt method of claim 10, wherein the buyer has a verified certificate or a public key of the server, and wherein the operation comprises a public key operation verifying the server has validated the transaction.

12. A method of providing secure electronic receipts, comprising:

receiving digitally signed data with a private key, wherein the data comprises transaction data between a buyer and a seller;

verifying the digitally signed data originated from a trusted seller;

signing the digitally signed data with a trusted private key; and

sending the digitally signed data with the trusted private key to one of the seller or the buyer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a public key to the buyer; and

verifying the digitally signed data with the trusted private key through an operation with the public key.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

registering the buyer with associated data comprising the buyer'"'"'s email address; and

sending the digitally signed data with the trusted private key as an electronic receipt to the buyer'"'"'s email address.

15. A system providing secure electronic receipts, comprising:

a network interface;

a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface;

wherein the processor is configured to;

receive transaction data associated with a sale between a seller and a buyer;

verify the seller associated with the sale;

digitally sign an electronic receipt based on the transaction data; and

verify the electronic receipt.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a point-of-sale terminal associated with the seller connected to the network interface through a network.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a smart card associated with the buyer, wherein the smart card is configured to communicate with the point-of sale terminal.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the smart card is configured to provide data about the buyer to the point-of sale terminal, and wherein the point-of sale terminal is configured to send the data about the buyer and the transaction data to the network interface.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the point-of sale terminal is configured to receive the electronic receipt from the network interface and to transmit the electronic receipt to the smart card.