Multi-venue ticketing using smart cards

• US 6,216,227 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ziegler, Jonathan B., Goldstein, Theodore Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Application Number:
  US09/106,600
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 705/65, 705/67, 713/172
• US Class Current: 713/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• 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 20/3572 Multiple accounts on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• 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 system and methods are provided for storing and validating electronic tickets for multiple venues on a single smart card. In accordance with this present embodiment, an operating system of the smart card includes a Java Virtual Machine and an applet loader key. A shared applet, including a venue loader key, is validated with the applet loader key and is stored on the smart card. One or more venue applets are also stored on the smart card, each with a venue key corresponding to an associated venue. Each venue applet is validated by the applet loader key and the venue loader key. The shared applet is used by the venue applets to interface with ticket loaders and ticket validation devices. Tickets are purchased for events associated with the venue applets and are stored on the smart card in association with the related venue applets. Ticket signatures are authenticated with each venue applet'"'"'s venue key. A ticket is cancelled after being tendered to gain admittance to an event.

Claims

1. A method of using an electronic device to store tickets, comprising:

receiving a first venue module associated with a first venue, said first venue module including a first venue key for validating a ticket for said first venue;

validating said first venue module with a module loader key of the electronic device;

receiving a shared module said shared module comprising an instruction used by said first venue module;

validating said shared module with said module loader key;

receiving a first ticket for said first venue;

receiving a first ticket signature associated with said first ticket; and

authenticating said first ticket signature with said first venue key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second venue module associated with a second venue, said second venue module including a second venue key for validating a ticket for said second venue;

validating said second venue module with said module loader key;

receiving a second ticket for an event offered at said second venue;

receiving a second ticket signature with said second ticket; and

authenticating said second ticket signature with said second venue key;

wherein said first venue is different from said second venue.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said first venue module and said shared module include a module signature and wherein said validating comprises authenticating the module signature of the validated module with the module loader key.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said shared module includes a shared venue key for validating a venue module, further comprising validating said first venue module with said shared venue key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a first ticket comprises:

receiving a challenge from a ticket loader;

signing said challenge with said first venue key; and

transmitting said signed challenge to said ticket loader.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a first venue module comprises:

receiving a first series of instructions for processing a ticket for an event at a first venue;

receiving a first venue key for said first venue;

storing said series of instructions; and

storing said first venue key in association with said series of instructions.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether said shared module is stored on the electronic device; and

replacing said shared module if said shared module is stored on the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving a shared module comprises:

receiving a second series of instructions used by one or more venue modules;

receiving a venue loader key for validating said one or more venue modules;

storing said second series of instructions; and

storing said venue loader key in association with said second series of instructions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said validating said first venue module comprises authenticating a module signature of said first venue module with a module loader key of the electronic device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising canceling said first ticket.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said canceling said first ticket comprises marking said first ticket invalid.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said replacing said shared module comprises:

marking said shared module invalid; and

receiving a new version of said shared module.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said first ticket to a validation device of said first venue.

14. A method of maintaining tickets for multiple venues on an electronic device, comprising:

storing a first venue module, wherein said first venue module is associated with a first venue and includes a first venue key;

storing a shared module, said shared module comprising an instruction used by said first venue module and having a shared venue key for validating said first venue module;

validating said shared module;

receiving a challenge from a ticket loader;

signing said challenge with a first digital signature using said first venue key;

transmitting said signed challenge to said ticket loader;

receiving a first electronic ticket for said first venue;

receiving a first ticket signature, said first ticket signature being associated with said first electronic ticket; and

authenticating said first ticket signature with said first venue key.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing a second venue module, wherein said second venue module is associated with a second venue and includes a second venue key;

wherein said second venue is different from said first venue.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a second electronic ticket for said second venue;

receiving a second ticket signature, said second ticket signature being associated with said second electronic ticket; and

authenticating said second ticket signature with said second venue key.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving a challenge comprises receiving a randomly generated number.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving a first electronic ticket comprises receiving one or more details of an event at said first venue.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a second challenge from a validation device at said first venue;

signing said second challenge using said first venue key;

transmitting said signed second challenge to said validation device; and

transmitting said first electronic ticket.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising canceling said first electronic ticket.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said receiving a second challenge comprises receiving a randomly generated number.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said transmitting said first ticket comprises transmitting one or more details comprising said first electronic ticket.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein said validating comprises validating said first venue module with one or more of said shared venue key and a module loader key stored on the electronic device.

24. An electronic device for storing tickets, said device comprising a memory configured to store:

a shared module, said shared module comprising an instruction used by one or more venue modules and having a shared venue key configured for validating said one or more venue modules;

a first venue module associated with a first venue, said first venue module including a first venue key for validating tickets for said first venue;

a module loader key for validating one or more of said shared module and said first venue module; and

a first ticket for said first venue, said first ticket having a first ticket signature, wherein said first ticket signature is authenticatable with said first venue key.

25. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of using an electronic device to store a ticket, the method comprising:

receiving a first venue module associated with a first venue, said first venue module including a first venue key for validating a ticket for said first venue;

validating said first venue module with a module loader key of the electronic device;

receiving a shared module, said shared module comprising an instruction used by said first venue module;

validating said shared module with said module loader key;

receiving a first ticket for said first venue;

receiving a first ticket signature associated with said first ticket; and

authenticating said first ticket signature with said first venue key.