Electronic ticket system, collecting terminal, service providing terminal, user terminal, electronic ticket collecting method and recording medium

• US 6,260,027 B1
• Filed: 10/20/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, NTT Data Corporation (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, NTT Data Corporation (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yoshio, Moribatake, Hidemi
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myhre, James W.
• Application Number:
  US09/175,198
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 705/69, 705/64, 705/65
• US Class Current: 705/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments
• 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 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 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 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3827 Use of message hashing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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 collecting agency supplies a collecting agency name and a money bag number to a service providing terminal. In response to dealing requests from user terminals, the service providing terminal sends, to the user terminals, information which contains the collecting agency name (Id) and the money bag number (Gb) supplied from the collecting agency. The user terminals generate digital signatures containing the received request information, affix the generated signatures to electronic tickets to be used, and send the electronic tickets with the signatures to the service providing terminal. The service providing terminal, which has received the used electronic tickets, collects those electronic tickets which include the same money bag number supplied from the collecting agency into a group (a money bag), and sends the group of electronic tickets to the collecting agency.

Claims

1. An electronic ticket system comprising:

at least one user terminal which stores an electronic ticket;

at least one service providing terminal for performing a deal with said at least one user terminal; and

a financial agency in which the electronic money after used for the deal is deposited;

wherein said at least one service providing terminal includes sending means for sending challenge information which differ depending on deals to said at least one user terminal in response to a dealing request therefrom, and

said at least one user terminal includes acquiring means for acquiring, before the deal, account information identifying an account which said at least one service providing terminal has opened with said financial agency and in which the electronic ticket is deposited, generating means for generating an assignment which specifies an electronic ticket'"'"'s monetary amount, an electronic ticket'"'"'s destination which is the account identified by the acquired account information, and a dealing ID code including the challenge information sent to said at least one user terminal, and ticket sending means for affixing the generated assignment to the electronic ticket to be used for the deal and sending the electronic ticket with the assignment to said at least one service providing terminal.

2. An electronic ticket system for collecting electronic tickets in accordance with money bag numbers serving as collection ID information, comprising:

user terminals which store the electronic tickets;

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals; and

wherein said at least one service providing terminal includes request information sending means for sending request information to said user terminals in response to dealing requests therefrom, said request information containing a collecting terminal ID code which identifies said at least one collecting terminal, and a money bag number which serves as the collection ID information,

each of said user terminals includes signature generating means for generating a digital signature which contains the request information sent from said at least one service providing terminal, and ticket sending means for affixing the signature generated by said signature generating means to an electronic ticket to be used for a deal and for sending the electronic ticket with the generated signature to said at least one service providing terminal, and

said at least one service providing terminal includes used ticket sending means for collecting, of the electronic tickets sent from said used terminals, electronic tickets with digital signatures which contain identical money bag numbers, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in said digital signatures.

3. The electronic ticket system according to claim 2, wherein said at least one collecting terminal includes supplying means for supplying the collecting terminal ID code and the money bag number to said at least one service providing terminal.

4. The electronic ticket system according to claim 3, wherein:

said supplying means of said at least one collecting terminal includes storage means for storing the money bag number which said supplying means has sent to said at least one service providing terminal; and

said at least one collecting terminal further includes money bag number checking means for checking, by reference to said storage means, whether the money bag numbers, contained in the digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets collected and sent from said at least one service providing terminal, are identical with the money bag number sent to said at least one service providing terminal and have not been used before, and ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets collected and sent from said at least one service providing terminal include no identical electronic tickets.

5. The electronic ticket system according to claim 3, wherein:

said at least one service providing terminal includes a plurality of service providing terminals which are hierarchically arranged in first to m-th levels (m is a natural number);

of said plurality of service providing terminals, a first level service providing terminal located in the first level in hierarchy includes means for supplying, to second level service providing terminals located in the second level in hierarchy, the collecting terminal ID code and the money bag number supplied from said at least one collecting terminal;

each of n-th level service providing terminals located in an n-th level in hierarchy (n is a natural number given as 2≦

n≦

m−

1) includes means for affixing an n-th level terminal ID code identifying each said n-th level service providing terminal to the money bag number supplied from a corresponding (n−

1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (n−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and supplying the money bag number having the n-th level terminal ID code assigned thereto to a corresponding (n+1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (n+1)-level in hierarchy as an n-th level terminal money bag number assigned to each said n-th level service providing terminal, together with the collecting terminal ID code;

each of m-th level service providing terminals located in an m-th level in hierarchy includes request information sending means for affixing an m-th level terminal ID code identifying each said m-th level service providing terminal to the money bag number supplied from a corresponding (m−

1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (m−

1)-th level in hierarchy, thereby generating an m-th level terminal money bag number assigned to each said m-th level service providing terminal, and for supplying request information containing the collecting terminal ID code and the generated money bag number to one of said user terminals in response to a dealing request therefrom;

each said n-th level service providing terminal further includes means for collecting from said corresponding (n+1)-th level service providing terminal the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the n-th level terminal money bag number after said m-th level service providing terminals have performed deals with said user terminals, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said corresponding (n−

1)-th level service providing terminal; and

the first level service providing terminal further includes means for collecting from the second level service providing terminals the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the money bag number which the first level service providing terminal has sent to the second level service providing terminals, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

6. The electronic ticket system according to claim 5, wherein said request information sending means of said at least one service providing terminal further includes means for generating the request information by applying one-way hash functions to information which contains the collecting terminal ID code and the money bag number.

7. The electronic ticket system according to claim 3, wherein:

said at least one collecting terminal includes a plurality of collecting terminals which are hierarchically arranged in first to m-th levels (m is a natural number);

of said plurality of collecting terminals, a first level collecting terminal located in the first level in hierarchy includes means for supplying, to second level collecting terminals located in the second level in hierarchy, a collecting terminal ID code which identifies the first level collecting terminal and a collection money bag number which serves as collection ID information;

each of n-th level collecting terminals located in an n-th level in hierarchy (n is a natural number given as 2≦

n≦

m−

1) includes means for affixing an n-th level terminal ID code identifying each said n-th level collecting terminal to the collection money bag number supplied from a corresponding (n−

1)-th level collecting terminal located in an (n−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and for supplying the collection money bag number having the n-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto to a corresponding (n+1)-th collecting terminal located in an (n+1)-level in hierarchy as an n-th level terminal collection money bag number assigned to each said n-th level collecting terminal, together the collecting terminal ID code;

each of m-th level collecting terminals located in an m-th level in hierarchy includes means for affixing an m-th level terminal ID code identifying each said m-th level collecting terminal to the collection money bag number supplied from a corresponding (m−

1)-th level collecting terminal located in an (m−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and for supplying as the money bag number the collection money bag number having the m-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto to said at least one service providing terminal, together with the collecting terminal ID code;

each said n-th level collecting terminal further includes means for collecting from said corresponding (n+1)-th collecting terminal the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the n-th level terminal collection money bag number after said m-th level collecting terminals have received the electronic tickets from said at least one service providing terminal, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said corresponding (n−

1)-th level collecting terminal; and

the first level collecting terminal collects from the second level collecting terminals the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the collection money bag number which the first level collecting terminal has sent to the second level collecting terminals.

8. The electronic ticket system according to claim 7, wherein said request information sending means of said at least one service providing terminal further includes means for generating the request information by applying one-way hash functions to information which contains the collecting terminal ID code and the money bag number.

9. The electronic ticket system according to claim 2, wherein each of said user terminals includes:

an IC card which stores at least one of an electronic ticket and a private key for use in generating a digital signature; and

means for sending the electronic ticket through utilization of information stored in said IC card.

10. The electronic ticket system according to claim 2, wherein:

said electronic ticket system further comprises an issuing terminal for issuing electronic tickets;

said at least one collecting terminal includes returning means for returning collected electronic tickets to said issuing terminal; and

said issuing terminal includes issuing storage means for storing information pertaining to the issued electronic tickets, and ticket discriminating means for discriminating whether the electronic tickets returned from said returning means are proper.

11. The electronic ticket system according to claim 2, wherein the electronic tickets have a monetary value.

12. An electronic ticket system for collecting electronic tickets in accordance with money bag numbers serving as collection ID information, comprising:

user terminals which store the electronic tickets;

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said at least one collecting terminal includes supplying means for supplying a collecting terminal ID code identifying said at least one collecting terminal to said at least one service providing terminal, and generating means for generating a money bag number which serves as the collection ID information in accordance with a predetermined rule,

said at least one service providing terminal includes request information sending means for generating a money bag number in accordance with a rule identical with the predetermined rule of said at least one collecting terminal and for sending request information, which contains the generated money bag number and the collecting terminal ID code supplied from said at least one collecting terminal, to said user terminals in response to dealing requests therefrom,

each of said user terminals includes signature generating means for generating a digital signature containing said request information sent from said at least one service providing terminal, and ticket sending means for affixing the signature generated by said signature generating means to an electronic ticket to be used for a deal and for sending the electronic ticket with the generated signature to said at least one service providing terminal, and

said at least one service providing terminal includes used ticket sending means for collecting, of the electronic tickets sent from said used terminals, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing identical money bag numbers, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in said digital signatures.

13. The electronic ticket system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one collecting terminal further includes money bag number checking means for checking whether the money bag numbers, contained in the digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets collected and sent from said at least one service providing terminal, have not been used before and are identical with the money bag number which said generating means has generated in accordance with the predetermined rule, and ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets collected and sent from said at least one service providing terminal include no identical electronic tickets.

14. The electronic ticket system according to claim 12, wherein:

said at least one service providing terminal includes a plurality of service providing terminals which are hierarchically arranged in first to m-th levels (m is a natural number);

of said plurality of service providing terminals, a first level service providing terminal located in the first level in hierarchy includes means for supplying, to second level service providing terminals located in the second level in hierarchy, the money bag number generated in accordance with the rule identical with the predetermined rule of said at least one collecting terminal, and the collecting terminal ID code supplied from said at least one collecting terminal;

each of n-th level service providing terminals located in an n-th level in hierarchy (n is a natural number given as 2≦

n≦

m−

1) includes means for affixing an n-th level terminal ID code identifying each said n-th level service providing terminal to the money bag number supplied from a corresponding (n−

1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (n−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and for supplying the money bag number having the n-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto to a corresponding (n+1)-th service providing terminal located in an (n+1)-level in hierarchy as an n-th level terminal money bag number assigned to each said n-th level service providing terminal, together with the collecting terminal ID code;

each of m-th level service providing terminals located in an m-th level in hierarchy includes request information sending means for affixing an m-th level terminal ID code identifying each said m-th level service providing terminal to the money bag number supplied from a corresponding (m−

1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (m−

1)-th level in hierarchy, thereby generating an m-th level terminal money bag number assigned to each said m-th level service providing terminal, and for supplying request information which includes the collecting terminal ID code and the generated money bag number to one of said user terminals in response to a dealing request therefrom;

each said n-th level service providing terminal further includes means for collecting from said corresponding (n+1)-th level service providing terminal the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the n-th level terminal money bag number after said m-th level service providing terminals have performed deals with said user terminals, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said corresponding (n−

1)-th level service providing terminal; and

the first level service providing terminal further includes means for collecting from the second level service providing terminals the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the money bag number which the first level service providing terminal has sent to the second level service providing terminals, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

15. The electronic ticket system according to claim 14, wherein said request information sending means of said at least one service providing terminal further includes means for generating the request information by applying one-way hash functions to information which contains the collecting terminal ID code and the money bag number.

16. The electronic ticket system according to claim 12, wherein:

said at least one collecting terminal includes a plurality of collecting terminals which are hierarchically arranged in first to m-th levels (m is a natural number);

of said plurality of collecting terminals, a first level collecting terminal located in the first level in hierarchy includes means for supplying, to second level collecting terminals located in the second level in hierarchy, a collecting terminal ID code identifying the first level collecting terminal and a collection money bag number which serves as collection ID information;

each of n-th level collecting terminals located in an n-th level in hierarchy (n is a natural number given as 2≦

n≦

m−

1) includes means for affixing an n-th level terminal ID code identifying each said n-th level collecting terminal to the collection money bag number supplied from a corresponding (n−

1)-th level collecting terminal located in an (n−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and for sending the collection money bag number having the n-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto to a corresponding (n+1)th collecting terminal located in an (n+1)-level in hierarchy as an n-th level terminal collection money bag number assigned to each said n-th level collecting terminal, together with the collecting terminal ID code;

each of m-th level collecting terminals located in an m-th level in hierarchy includes means for affixing an m-th level terminal ID code identifying each said m-th level collecting terminal to the collection money bag number supplied from a corresponding (m−

1)-th level collecting terminal located in an (m−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and for storing as the money bag number the collection money bag number having the m-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto, and for supplying the collecting terminal ID code to said at least one service providing terminal;

each said n-th level collecting terminal further includes means for collecting from said corresponding (n+1)-th collecting terminal the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the n-th level terminal collection money bag number after said m-th level collecting terminals have received the electronic tickets from said at least one service providing terminal, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said corresponding (n−

1)-th level collecting terminal; and

the first level collecting terminal collects from the second level collecting terminals the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the collection money bag number which the first level collecting terminal has sent to the second level collecting terminals.

17. The electronic ticket system according to claim 16, wherein said request information sending means of said at least one service providing terminal further includes means for generating the request information by applying one-way hash functions to information which contains the collecting terminal ID code and the money bag number.

18. The electronic ticket system according to claim 12, wherein each of said user terminals includes:

an IC card which stores at least one of an electronic ticket and a private key for use in generating a digital signature; and

means for sending the electronic ticket through utilization of information stored in said IC card.

19. The electronic ticket system according to claim 12, wherein:

said electronic ticket system further comprises an issuing terminal for issuing electronic tickets;

said at least one collecting terminal includes returning means for returning collected electronic tickets to said issuing terminal; and

said issuing terminal includes issuing storage means for storing information pertaining to the issued electronic tickets, and ticket discriminating means for discriminating whether the electronic tickets returned from said returning means are proper.

20. The electronic ticket system according to claim 12, wherein the electronic tickets have a monetary value.

21. An electronic ticket system comprising:

user terminals which store electronic tickets; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets;

wherein each of said user terminals includes signature generating means for generating a digital signature which contains a money bag number, serving as collection ID information and including time information, and sending means for affixing the signature generated by said signature generating means to an electronic ticket to be used for a deal and for sending the electronic ticket with the generated signature to said at least one collecting terminal, and

said at least one collecting terminal includes storage means for storing electronic tickets which said at least one collecting terminal has received within a predetermined period, money bag number checking means for checking whether the time information, included in money bag numbers contained in digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets sent from said user terminals, specifies time within said predetermined period, and double use checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets sent from said user terminals include no electronic tickets identical with the electronic tickets stored in said storage means.

22. An electronic ticket system comprising:

user terminals which store electronic tickets;

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said at least one service providing terminal includes request information sending means for sending request information, containing a collecting terminal ID code which identifies said at least one collecting terminal, to said user terminals in response to dealing requests therefrom,

each of said user terminals includes signature generating means for generating a digital signature containing the request information sent from said at least one service providing terminal, and ticket sending means for affixing the signature generated by said signature generating means to an electronic ticket to be used for a deal and for sending the electronic ticket with the generated signature to said at least one service providing terminal, and

said at least one service providing terminal includes used ticket sending means for sending the electronic tickets received from said user terminals to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets.

23. The electronic ticket system according to claim 22, wherein said at least one collecting terminal includes ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets received from said user terminals include no electronic tickets identical with electronic tickets which said at least one collecting terminal has collected before.

24. A collecting terminal for collecting used electronic tickets in an electronic ticket system which comprises:

user terminals which store electronic tickets; and

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals by using the electronic tickets;

wherein said collecting terminal includes

supplying means for supplying a collecting terminal ID code which identifies said collecting terminal and a money bag number which serves as collection ID information to said at least one service providing terminal,

storage management means for storing and managing the money bag number supplied to said at least one service providing terminal,

collecting means for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals from said at least one service providing terminal,

money bag checking means for checking, by reference to information stored in said storage management means, whether money bag numbers contained in digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means are identical with the money bag number supplied to said at least one service providing terminal and have not been used before, and

ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means include no identical electronic tickets.

25. The collecting terminal according to claim 24, wherein the electronic tickets have a monetary value.

26. A collecting terminal for collecting used electronic tickets in an electronic ticket system which comprises:

user terminals which store electronic tickets; and

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals by using the electronic tickets;

wherein said collecting terminal includes

supplying means for supplying a collecting terminal ID code which identifies said collecting terminal to said at least one service providing terminal,

generating means for generating, in accordance with a predetermined rule, a money bag number which serves as collection ID information,

storage management means for storing and managing the money bag number generated by said generating means,

collecting means for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals from said at least one service providing terminal,

money bag number checking means for checking, by reference to information stored in said storage management means, whether money bag numbers contained in digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means are identical with the money bag number generated by said generating means and have not been used before, and

ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means include no identical electronic tickets.

27. The collecting terminal according to claim 26, wherein the electronic tickets have a monetary value.

28. A collecting terminal for collecting used electronic tickets in an electronic ticket system which comprises:

user terminals which store electronic tickets; and

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals by using the electronic tickets;

wherein said collecting terminal includes

collecting means for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals from said at least one service providing terminal, and

ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means include no identical electronic tickets.

29. A service providing terminal for performing deals with user terminals by using electronic tickets in an electronic ticket system which comprises:

the user terminals which store the electronic tickets; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said at least one service providing terminal includes

request information sending means for sending request information, containing a collecting terminal ID code which identifies said at least one collecting terminal and a money bag number which serves as collection ID information, to said user terminals in response to dealing requests therefrom,

ticket receiving means for receiving electronic tickets having digital signatures assigned thereto from said user terminals, said digital signatures containing the request information sent from said request information sending means, and

used ticket sending means for collecting, of the electronic tickets received from said user terminals, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing identical money bag numbers, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

30. The service providing terminal according to claim 29, further including receiving means for receiving from said at least one collecting terminal the collecting terminal ID code identifying said at least one collecting terminal.

31. The service providing terminal according to claim 29, wherein the electronic tickets have a monetary value.

32. A service providing terminal for performing deals with user terminals by using electronic tickets in an electronic ticket system which comprises:

said user terminals which store the electronic tickets; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said at least one service providing terminal includes receiving means for receiving from said at least one collecting terminal a collecting terminal ID code which identifies said at least one collecting terminal,

generating means for generating a money bag number which serves as collection ID information, in accordance with a rule identical with a generation rule employed in said at least one collecting terminal,

request information sending means for sending request information to said user terminals in response to dealing requests therefrom, said request information containing the collecting terminal ID code received from said at least one collecting terminal and the money bag number generated by said generating means,

ticket receiving means for receiving electronic tickets having digital signatures assigned thereto from said user terminals, said digital signatures containing the request information sent from said request information sending means, and

used ticket sending means for collecting, of the electronic tickets received from said user terminals, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing identical money bag numbers, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

33. The service providing terminal according to claim 32, wherein the electronic tickets have a monetary value.

34. A service providing terminal for performing deals with user terminals by using electronic tickets in an electronic ticket system which comprises:

said user terminals which store the electronic tickets; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said at least one service providing terminal includes

receiving means for receiving from said at least one collecting terminal a collecting terminal ID code which identifies said at least one collecting terminal,

request information sending means for sending request information to said user terminals in response to dealing requests therefrom, said request information containing the collecting terminal ID code received from said at least one collecting terminal,

ticket receiving means for receiving electronic tickets having digital signatures assigned thereto from said user terminals, said digital signatures containing the request information sent from said request information sending means, and

used ticket sending means for sending the electronic tickets received from said user terminals to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the received electronic tickets.

35. A user terminal for performing a deal with at least one service providing terminal in an electronic ticket system which comprises:

said at least one service providing terminal for performing the deal with said user terminal by using an electronic ticket; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic ticket after used for the deal;

wherein said user terminal includes

request information receiving means for requesting and receiving request information, containing a collecting terminal ID code and a money bag number, from said at least one service providing terminal before the deal, said collecting terminal ID code identifying said at least one collecting terminal by which the electronic ticket after used for the deal is to be collected, and said money bag number serving as collection ID information,

signature generating means for generating a digital signature containing the request information received by said request information receiving means, and

ticket sending means for affixing the signature generated by said signature generating means to the electronic ticket to be used for the deal, and for sending the electronic ticket with the generated signature to said at least one service providing terminal.

36. The user terminal according to claim 35, further including:

an IC card which stores at least one of the electronic ticket and a private key for use in generating the digital signature; and

means for sending the electronic ticket through utilization of information stored in said IC card.

38. The user terminal according to claim 36, further including:

an IC card which stores at least one of the electronic ticket and a private key for use in generating the digital signature; and

means for sending the electronic ticket through utilization of information stored in said IC card.

37. A user terminal for performing a deal with at least one service providing terminal in an electronic ticket system which comprises:

said at least one service providing terminal for performing the deal with said user terminal by using an electronic ticket; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic ticket after used for the deal;

wherein said user terminal includes

request information receiving means for requesting and receiving request information containing a collecting terminal ID code from said at least one service providing terminal before the deal, said collecting terminal ID code identifying said at least one collecting terminal by which the electronic ticket after used for the deal is to be collected,

signature generating means for generating a digital signature containing the request information received by said request information receiving means, and

ticket sending means for affixing the signature generated by said signature generating means to the electronic ticket to be used for the deal, and for sending the electronic ticket with the generated signature to said at least one service providing terminal.

39. An electronic ticket collecting method for collecting electronic tickets used in an electronic ticket system, said method comprising:

a request information sending step of sending, from at least one service providing agency to users, request information containing a money bag number which serves as collection ID information and a collecting agency ID code which identifies at least one collecting agency, in response to dealing requests from the users;

a ticket sending step of receiving the request information sent by said request information sending step, generating digital signatures containing the request information, affixing the generated signatures to the electronic tickets to be used for deals, and sending the electronic tickets with the generated signatures to said at least one service providing agency; and

a ticket collecting step of collecting, of the electronic tickets sent by said ticket sending step, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing identical money bag numbers, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting agency which is identified by the collecting agency ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

40. The electronic ticket collecting method according to claim 39, further comprising:

a supplying step of supplying the collecting agency ID code and the money bag number to said at least one service providing agency before said request information sending step;

a checking step of checking whether the money bag numbers, contained in the digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets sent to said at least one collecting agency, are identical with the money bag number supplied by said supplying step and have not been used before, and checking whether the electronic tickets sent to said at least one collecting agency include no identical electronic tickets.

41. The electronic ticket collecting method according to claim 39, wherein:

said at least one service providing agency includes a plurality of service providing terminals which are hierarchically arranged in first to m-th levels (m is a natural number);

said sending step includes steps of

supplying the collecting agency ID code and the money bag number, from a first level service providing terminal located in the first level in hierarchy to second level service providing terminals located in the second level in hierarchy among said plurality of service providing terminals,

in each of n-th level service providing terminals located in an n-th level in hierarchy (n is a natural number given as 2≦

n≦

m−

1), affixing an n-th level terminal ID code identifying each said n-th level service providing terminal to the money bag number supplied from a corresponding (n−

1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (n−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and supplying the money bag number having the n-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto to a corresponding (n+1)-th service providing terminal located in an (n+1)-level in hierarchy as an n-th level terminal money bag number assigned to each said n-th level service providing terminal, together with the collecting agency ID code, and

in each of m-th level service providing terminals located in an m-th level in hierarchy, affixing an m-th level terminal ID code identifying each said m-th level service providing terminal to the money bag number supplied from a corresponding (m−

1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (m−

1)-th level in hierarchy, thereby generating an m-th level terminal money bag number assigned to each said m-th level service providing terminal, and supplying request information which includes the collecting agency ID code and the generated money bag number to one of the users in response to a dealing request therefrom; and

said ticket collecting step includes steps of

in each said n-th level service providing terminal, collecting from said corresponding (n+1)-th level service providing terminal the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the n-th level terminal money bag number after said m-th level service providing terminals have performed deals with the users, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said corresponding (n−

1)-th level service providing terminal, and

in the first level service providing terminal, collecting from the second level service providing terminals the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the money bag number which the first level service providing terminal has sent to the second level service providing terminals, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting agency which is identified by the collecting agency ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

42. The electronic ticket collecting method according to claim 39, wherein:

said at least one collecting agency includes a plurality of collecting terminals which are hierarchically arranged in first to m-th levels (m is a natural number);

said supplying step includes steps of

supplying, from a first level collecting terminal located in the first level in hierarchy to second level collecting terminals located in the second level in hierarchy among said plurality of collecting terminals, a collecting terminal ID code which identifies the first level collecting terminal and a collection money bag number which serves as collection ID information,

in each of n-th level collecting terminals located in an n-th level in hierarchy (n is a natural number given as 2≦

n≦

m−

1), affixing an n-th level terminal ID code identifying each said n-th level collecting terminal to the collection money bag number supplied from a corresponding (n−

1)-th level collecting terminal located in an (n−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and supplying the collection money bag number having the n-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto to a corresponding (n+1)-th collecting terminal located in an (n+1)-level in hierarchy as an n-th level terminal collection money bag number assigned to each said n-th level collecting terminal, together with the collecting terminal ID code, and

in each of m-th level collecting terminals located in an m-th level in hierarchy, affixing an m-th level terminal ID code identifying each said m-th level collecting terminal to the collection money bag number supplied from a corresponding (m−

1)-th level collecting terminal located in an (m−

1)th level in hierarchy, and supplying the collection money bag number having the m-th level ID code affixed thereto to said at least one service providing agency as the money bag number, together with the collecting terminal ID code; and

said electronic ticket collecting method further comprises steps of

in each said n-th level collecting terminal, collecting the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the n-th level terminal collection money bag number from said corresponding (n+1)-th collecting terminal after said m-th level collecting terminals have received the electronic tickets collected by said ticket collecting step, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said corresponding (n−

1)-th level collecting terminal, and

in the first level collecting terminal, collecting from the second level collecting terminals the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the collection money bag number which the first level collecting terminal has sent to the second level collecting terminals.

43. An electronic ticket collecting method for collecting electronic tickets after used for deals in a system which performs the deals by using the electronic tickets, said method comprising:

a supplying step of supplying a collecting agency ID code identifying at least one collecting agency to at least one service providing agency for performing deals;

a generating step of generating a money bag number which serves as collection ID information in accordance with a predetermined rule;

a sending step of generating a money bag number in said at least one service providing agency in accordance with a rule identical with the predetermined rule employed in said generating step, and sending request information, which contains the generated money bag number and the collecting agency ID code supplied by said supplying step, to users in response to dealing requests therefrom;

a ticket sending step of receiving the request information sent by said sending step, generating digital signatures containing the request information, affixing the generated signatures to the electronic tickets to be used for deals, and sending the electronic tickets with the generated signatures to said at least one service providing agency; and

a ticket collecting step of collecting, of the electronic tickets sent by said ticket sending step, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing identical money bag numbers, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting agency which is identified by the collecting agency ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

44. The electronic ticket collecting method according to claim 43, further comprising:

a checking step of checking, in said at least one collecting agency, whether the money bag numbers contained in the digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets collected from said at least one service providing agency are identical with the money bag number generated by said generating step and have not been used before, and whether the collected electronic tickets include no identical electronic tickets.

45. The electronic ticket collecting method according to claim 43, wherein:

said at least one service providing agency includes a plurality of service providing terminals which are hierarchically arranged in first to m-th levels (m is a natural number);

said sending step includes steps of

supplying, from a first level service providing terminal located in the first level in hierarchy to second level service providing terminals located in the second level in hierarchy among said plurality of service providing terminals, the money bag number generated by said generating step and the collecting agency ID code supplied from said at least one collecting agency,

in each of n-th level service providing terminals located in an n-th level in hierarchy (n is a natural number given as 2≦

n≦

m−

1), affixing an n-th level terminal ID code identifying each said n-th level service providing terminal to the money bag number supplied from a corresponding (n−

1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (n−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and supplying the money bag number having the n-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto to a corresponding (n+1)-th service providing terminal located in an (n+1)-level in hierarchy as an n-th level terminal money bag number assigned to each said n-th level service providing terminal, together with the collecting agency ID code, and

in each of m-th level service providing terminals located in an m-th level in hierarchy, affixing an m-th level terminal ID code identifying each said m-th level service providing terminal to the money bag number supplied from a corresponding (m−

1)-th level service providing terminal located in an (m−

1)-th level in hierarchy, thereby generating an m-th level terminal money bag number assigned to each said m-th level service providing terminal, and supplying request information which includes the collecting agency ID code and the generated money bag number to one of users in response to a dealing request therefrom; and

said ticket collecting step includes steps of

in each said n-th level service providing terminal, collecting from said corresponding (n+1)-th level service providing terminal the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the n-th level terminal money bag number after said m-th level service providing terminals have performed deals with the users, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said corresponding (n−

1)-th level service providing terminal, and

in the first level service providing terminal, collecting from the second level service providing terminals the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the money bag number which the first level service providing terminal has sent to the second level service providing terminals, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting agency which is identified by the collecting agency ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

46. The electronic ticket collecting method according to claim 43, wherein:

said at least one collecting agency includes a plurality of collecting terminals which are hierarchically arranged in first to m-th levels (m is a natural number);

said supplying step includes steps of

supplying, from a first level collecting terminal located in the first level in hierarchy to second level collecting terminals located in the second level in hierarchy among said plurality of collecting terminals, a collecting terminal ID code which identifies the first level collecting terminal and a collection money bag number which serves as collection ID information,

in each of n-th level collecting terminals located in an n-th level in hierarchy (n is a natural number given as 2≦

n≦

m−

1), affixing an n-th level terminal ID code identifying each said n-th level collecting terminal to the collection money bag number supplied from a corresponding (n−

1)-th level collecting terminal located in an (n−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and supplying the collection money bag number having the n-th level terminal ID code affixed thereto to a corresponding (n+1)-th collecting terminal located in an (n+1)-level in hierarchy as an n-th level terminal collection money bag number assigned to each said n-th level collecting terminal, together with the collecting terminal ID code, and

in each of m-th level collecting terminals located in an m-th level in hierarchy, affixing an m-th level terminal ID code identifying each said m-th level collecting terminal to the collection money bag number supplied from a corresponding (m−

1)-th level collecting terminal located in an (m−

1)-th level in hierarchy, and storing as the money bag number the collection money bag number having the m-th level ID code affixed thereto, and supplying the collecting terminal ID code to said at least one service providing agency; and

said electronic ticket collecting method further comprises steps of

in each said n-th level collecting terminal, collecting the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the n-th level terminal collection money bag number from said corresponding (n+1)-th collecting terminal after said m-th level collecting terminals have received the electronic tickets collected by said ticket collecting step, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said corresponding (n−

1)-th level collecting terminal, and

in the first level collecting terminal, collecting from the second level collecting terminals the electronic tickets with digital signatures including the collection money bag number which the first level collecting terminal has sent to the second level collecting terminals.

47. An electronic ticket collecting method for collecting used electronic tickets in a system, said method comprising:

a sending step of sending request information, which contains a collecting agency ID code identifying at least one collecting agency, to users in response to dealing requests therefrom;

a ticket sending step of receiving the request information sent by said sending step, generating digital signatures containing the request information, affixing the generated signatures to electronic tickets to be used, and sending the electronic tickets with the generated signatures to said at least one service providing agency; and

a ticket collecting step of collecting, of the electronic tickets sent by said ticket sending step, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing identical money bag numbers, and sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting agency which is identified by the collecting agency ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

48. The electronic ticket collecting method according to claim 47, further comprising:

a ticket checking step of checking, in said at least one collecting agency, whether the electronic tickets sent by said ticket sending step include no identical electronic tickets.

49. A recording medium having programs recorded therein, said programs being readable by a computer and making said computer function as a collecting terminal in a system which comprises:

user terminals which store electronic tickets;

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals by using the electronic tickets; and

said collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said programs makes said computer function as

supplying means for supplying a collecting terminal ID code which identifies said collecting terminal and a money bag number which serves as collection ID information to said at least one service providing terminal,

storage management means for storing and managing the money bag number supplied from said supplying means to said at least one service providing terminal,

collecting means for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals from said at least one service providing terminal,

money bag number checking means for checking, by reference to information stored in said storage management means, whether money bag numbers contained in digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means are identical with the money bag number supplied to said at least one service providing terminal and have not been used before, and

ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means include no identical electronic tickets.

50. A recording medium having programs recorded therein, said programs being readable by a computer and making said computer function as a collecting terminal in a system which comprises:

user terminals which store electronic tickets;

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals by using the electronic tickets; and

said collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said programs makes said computer function as

collecting means for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals from said at least one service providing terminal,

money bag number checking means for checking whether money bag numbers, contained in digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means, have not been used before, said money bag numbers serving as collection ID information, and

ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means include no identical electronic tickets.

51. A recording medium having programs recorded therein, said programs being readable by a computer and making said computer function as a collecting terminal in a system which comprises:

user terminals which store electronic tickets;

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals by using the electronic tickets; and

said collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said programs makes said computer function as

storage management means for generating a money bag number which serves as collection ID information, and storing and managing the generated money bag number,

collecting means for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals from said at least one service providing terminal,

money bag number checking means for checking, by reference to information stored in said storage management means, whether money bag numbers contained in digital signatures affixed to the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means are identical with the money bag number generated by said storage management means and have not been used before, and

ticket checking means for checking whether the electronic tickets collected by said collecting means include no identical electronic tickets.

52. A recording medium having programs recorded therein, said programs being readable by a computer and making said computer function as a service providing terminal in a system which comprises:

user terminals which store electronic tickets;

said service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals by using the electronic tickets; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said programs makes said computer function as

request information sending means for sending request information, which contains a collecting terminal ID code identifying said at least one collecting terminal and a money bag number serving as collection ID information, to said user terminals,

ticket receiving means for receiving, from said user terminals, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing the request information sent from said request information sending means, and

used ticket sending means for collecting, of the electronic tickets received from said user terminals, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing identical money bag numbers, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

53. A recording medium having programs recorded therein, said programs being readable by a computer and making said computer function as a service providing terminal in a system which comprises:

user terminals which store electronic tickets;

said service providing terminal for performing deals with said user terminals by using the electronic tickets; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said programs makes said computer function as

generating means for generating a money bag number which serves as collection ID information in accordance with a rule identical with a predetermined rule employed in said at least one collecting terminal,

request information sending means for sending request information, which contains a collecting terminal ID number identifying said at least one collecting terminal and the money bag number generated by said generating means, to said user terminals in response to dealing requests therefrom,

ticket receiving means for receiving, from said user terminals, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing the request information sent from said request information sending means, and

used ticket collecting means for collecting, of the received electronic tickets, electronic tickets with digital signatures containing identical money bag numbers, and for sending the collected electronic tickets to said at least one collecting terminal which is identified by the collecting terminal ID code contained in the digital signatures affixed to the collected electronic tickets.

54. A recording medium having programs recorded therein, said programs being readable by a computer and making said computer function as a user terminal in a system which comprises:

at least one service providing terminal for performing deals by using the electronic tickets; and

at least one collecting terminal for collecting the electronic tickets after used for the deals;

wherein said programs makes said computer function as

request information receiving means for requesting and receiving request information, which contains a collecting terminal ID code and money bag number serving as collection ID information, from said at least one service providing terminal before the deals, the collecting terminal ID code identifying said at least one collecting terminal by which the electronic tickets after used for the deals are to be collected,

signature generating means for generating digital signatures containing the request information received by said request information receiving means, and

ticket sending means for affixing the signature generated by said signature generating means to the electronic tickets to be used for the deals, and for sending the electronic tickets with the generated signatures to said at least one service providing terminal.