Simultaneous electronic transactions with subscriber verification
First Claim
1. An electronic communication method between a first and second party, in the presence of a trusted party, enabling an exchange of unpredictable values in which the second party receives a first value produced by the first party and unpredictable to the second party if and only if the first party receives a second value produced by the second party and unpredictable to the first party, comprising:
- (a) exchanging a first set of communications between the first and second parties without participation of the trusted party to attempt completion of the exchange of unpredictable values; and
(b) if the exchange of unpredictable values is not completed using the first set of communications between the first and second parties, having the trusted party take action to complete the exchange, wherein at least one party is authenticated to belong to a group of parties that exchange unpredictable values.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic communication in the presence of a trusted party enables an exchange of unpredictable values in which a second party receives a first value produced by a first party and unpredictable to the second party if and only if the first party receives a second value produced by the second party and unpredictable to the first party. The communication includes exchanging a first set of communications between the first and second parties without participation of the trusted party to attempt completion of the exchange of unpredictable values. If the exchange of unpredictable values is not completed using the first set of communications between the first and second parties, the trusted party takes action to complete the exchange. At least one party is authenticated to belong to a group of parties that exchanges unpredictable values. The group may be a group of subscribers. The at least one party may be authenticated by a digital signature. The digital signature may be produced by the trusted party. The digital signature may also authenticate a key of the at least one party.
83 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. An electronic communication method between a first and second party, in the presence of a trusted party, enabling an exchange of unpredictable values in which the second party receives a first value produced by the first party and unpredictable to the second party if and only if the first party receives a second value produced by the second party and unpredictable to the first party, comprising:
-
(a) exchanging a first set of communications between the first and second parties without participation of the trusted party to attempt completion of the exchange of unpredictable values; and (b) if the exchange of unpredictable values is not completed using the first set of communications between the first and second parties, having the trusted party take action to complete the exchange, wherein at least one party is authenticated to belong to a group of parties that exchange unpredictable values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An electronic communication method between a first and second party, in the presence of a trusted party, enabling an exchange in which the second party receives a message produced by the first party if and only if the first party receives a receipt produced by the second party, comprising:
-
(a) exchanging a first set of communications between the first and second parties without participation of the trusted party to attempt completion of the exchange of the message and the receipt; and (b) if the exchange is not completed using the first set of communications between the first and second parties, having the trusted party take action to complete the exchange, wherein at least one party is authenticated to belong to a group of parties that exchange messages and receipts. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A method by which first and second parties and a trusted party effect a certified mail transaction, each of the parties having secret keys, and wherein the first party desires to send a message to the second party and obtain a message receipt to thereby complete the certified mail transaction comprising:
-
(a) having the first party generate and send the second party a data string including an encryption, decryptable with a secret key known to the trusted party, of information that prevents the second party from obtaining the first party'"'"'s message without the first party obtaining the message receipt; (b) upon receipt by the second party of the data string, having the second party generate and send to the first party the message receipt; (c) upon receipt by the first party of the message receipt, having the first party send to the second party information that enables the second party to retrieve the message; (d) having the second party attempt to verify whether the message was received; and (e) if the message was not received, having the second party send information to the trusted party for further processing, wherein the information includes the data string and wherein at least one party is authenticated to belong to a group of parties that effect certified mail transactions. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
Specification