Electronic money sending system

• US 6,039,250 A
• Filed: 01/06/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ito, Atsushi, Hiroya, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): St. Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US08/981,810
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/379, 235/382, 902/2, 902/10, 902/25
• US Class Current: 235/380
• 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: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

To a communication network there is connected an electronic money server that temporarily stores electronic money. The remittance of electronic money from a remitter to a receiptor is carried out by dividing the remittance process into two steps, namely, the remittance from the remitter to the electronic money server and the remittance from the electronic money server to the receiptor. When the electronic money server receives [an] electronic money from a remitter, the electronic money server sends to a receiptor an electronic mail message saying that a payment of electronic money has been received. The receiptor requests the electronic money server to transfer the received electronic money based on this electronic mail message. Further, to prevent electronic money from remaining in the electronic money server for an excessive time, the electronic money server is provided with a time management unit, and if a receiptor leaves electronic money in the electronic money serve until a certain period of time passes, the electronic money server sends a reminder to the receiptor or refunds the electronic money to the remitter.

Claims

1. An electronic money remittance system comprising:

at least one remitter information processing unit containing storing means for storing/sending electronic money having a money value in such a way as to prevent duplication and counterfeit of the electronic money;

at least one receiptor information processing unit containing storing means for receiving/storing electronic money having a money value in such a way as to prevent duplication and counterfeit of the electronic money;

an electronic money server for receiving electronic money sent from the remitter information processing unit and information relating to the electronic money, for storing the received electronic money in storing means for storing electronic money in such a way as to prevent duplication and counterfeit of the electronic money, and for storing the information relating to the electronic money in other means than said storing means for storing electronic money; and

a communication network for connecting the remitter information processing unit and receptor information processing unit to the electronic money server;

wherein the electronic money server receives and stores electronic money sent from the remitter information processing unit as a remitter and designated for the receptor information processing unit as a receiptor, electronically informs the receiptor information processing unit of the stored electronic money and electronically attempts to solicit a remittance request from the receiptor information processing unit, and transfers the stored electronic money to the receiptor information processing unit in accordance with a remittance request from the receiptor information processing unit.

2. An electronic money remittance method, for use in an electronic money system in which communication lines are set up through a communication network between a plurality of IC cards for storing electronic money having a money value to thereby send and receive electronic money via the communication network between the IC cards, the electronic money remittance method comprising the steps of:

connecting to the communication network an electronic money server containing an IC card for temporarily storing electronic money and means for storing information other than electronic money;

sending information to identify a receiving party to the electronic money server by a remitting party and remitting to the electronic money server electronic money, when electronic money is to be sent from a remitting party to a receiving party, and storing the electronic money in the IC card in the electronic money server and the information to identify a receiving party in the means for storing information other than electronic money in the electronic money server;

electronically informing the receiving party of a remittance of electronic money through electronic money transfer by the remitting party, and electronically soliciting a remittance request from the receiving party;

sending to the electronic money server by the receiving party, a remittance request to transfer electronic money remitted by the remitter to the receiving party on the basis of the stored information;

making a decision whether or not it is proper to remit the electronic money by the electronic money server on the basis of the remittance request of the receiving party and the stored information identifying the receiving party;

transferring the electronic money remitted from the remitting party to the receiving party, if the decision result indicates that it is proper to remit the electronic money; and

informing the remitting party of the completion of remittance of electronic money to the receiving party.

3. An electronic money remittance method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information to identify a receiving party contains an address that uniquely recognizes a receiving party on the communication network.

4. An electronic money remittance method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electronic money server controls a retention period for electronic money received from a remitting party, and sends a reminder of the receipt of the electronic money to the receiving party if a certain period of time passes while the receiving party does not request the electronic money.

5. An electronic money remittance method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electronic money server refunds the electronic money to the remitter, if a further certain period of time passes after sending a reminder to the receiving party.

6. An electronic money remittance method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the information to identify a receiving party contains an identifier issued by the receiving party, the receiving party sends the identifier to the electronic money server, and the electronic money server correlates the identifier to thereby validate a receiptor.

7. An electronic money remittance method as claimed in claim 2, wherein information to identify a receiving party and a corresponding bank account are registered in the electronic money server, and if there is a remittance request to a receiptor registered in the electronic money server, the electronic money server transfers the electronic money to the corresponding bank account and sends remittance completion information to the remitting party.

8. A processing method for use in an information processing unit in an electronic money system, in which communication lines are set up through a communication network between a plurality of IC cards for storing electronic money having a money value, the information processing unit being connected to the communication network, whereby electronic money is sent and received through the communication network between IC cards, the processing method in the information processing unit comprising the steps of:

receiving a remittance request from an IC card carrier;

receiving information to identify a receiptor contained in a remittance request and electronic money remitted;

storing received electronic money in a storage medium capable of preventing duplication and counterfeit of the electronic money, and storing received information to identify a receiptor in other storage medium than said electronic money storage medium;

electronically informing the receiptor of the stored electronic money and electronically attempts to solicit a remittance request from the receiptor;

correlating, if another IC card carrier requests to receive stored electronic money, the information to identify a receiptor contained in the remittance request with the stored information in said other storage medium; and

remitting the stored electronic money to the receiptor if the correlation produces a coincidence, and refunding the electronic money to a remitter if the correlation does not produce a coincidence.

9. A processing method in an information processing unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the information processing unit further monitors a retention period for stored electronic money, and refunds the electronic money to the remitter, if the information processing unit does not receive a remittance request from the receiptor for a certain period of time.

10. A processing method in an information processing unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein a transfer identifying number corresponding to a receiptor is further registered in the information processing unit, and the information processing unit transfers electronic money to the transfer identifying number registered if the information processing unit receives the remittance request.

11. A processing method in an information processing unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the information processing unit sends reception information to the remitter if the information processing unit receives the electronic money.

12. A processing method in an information processing unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the information processing unit sends remittance information to the remitter if the information processing unit remits the electronic money to the receiptor.

13. An information processing unit, in an electronic money system in which communication lines are set up through a communication network between a plurality of IC cards for storing electronic money having a money value, the information processing unit being connected to the communication network, whereby electronic money is sent and received through the communication network between IC cards, the information processing unit, wherein:

a remittance request is received from an IC card carrier;

information to identify a receiptor contained in a remittance request and electronic money remitted are received;

received electronic money is stored in a storage medium capable of preventing duplication and counterfeit of electronic money, and received information to identify a receiptor is stored in other storage medium than said electronic money storage medium;

the intended receiptor of the stored electronic money is electronically informed together with an attempt to solicit a remittance request from the receiptor;

information to identify a receiptor contained in a remittance request is correlated with stored information, if another IC card carrier requests to receive stored electronic money; and

stored electronic money is remitted to the receiptor if the correlation produces a coincidence, and the electronic money is refunded to a remitter if the correlation does not produce a coincidence.