Method for electronic merchandise dispute resolution

• US 6,336,095 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1998
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citibank NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citibank NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rosen, Sholom S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US09/197,179
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/26, 705/64, 705/75, 705/76, 705/77, 705/78, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• 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 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• 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 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• 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 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 : Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 : Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 : for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 : by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/42 : Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 : Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 : received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3213 : using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• 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

A system for open electronic commerce having a customer trusted agent securely communicating with a first money module, and a merchant trusted agent securely communicating with a second money module. Both trusted agents are capable of establishing a first cryptographically secure session, and both money modules are capable of establishing a second cryptographically secure session. The merchant trusted agent transfers electronic merchandise to the customer trusted agent, and the first money module transfers electronic money to the second money module. The money modules inform their trusted agents of the successful completion of payment, and the customer may use the purchased electronic merchandise.

Claims

1. A method for processing a dispute over electronic merchandise, comprising the steps of:

a customer trusted agent sending electronic merchandise and dispute information to a merchant trusted agent;

said merchant trusted agent authenticating the validity of said electronic merchandise;

said merchant trusted agent sending said electronic merchandise and said dispute information to a host processor;

determining to deny said dispute;

said host processor sending a dispute denied message to said merchant trusted agent; and

said merchant trusted agent sending a message to said customer trusted agent reporting the dispute decision.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of said customer trusted agent storing dispute denied log data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing a cryptographically secure session between said customer trusted agent and said merchant trusted agent.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

said customer trusted agent sending transaction log data to a customer host processor for choice of a dispute corresponding to electronic merchandise; and

said customer host processor sending said dispute information to said customer trusted agent.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of said customer trusted agent and said merchant trusted agent committing at the end of said dispute transaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic merchandise is an electronic ticket.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

said customer trusted agent sending an electronic object corresponding to said electronic ticket to said merchant trusted agent;

validating said electronic object;

decrypting said electronic object using said electronic ticket; and

sending said decrypted electronic object to said host processor for defect testing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said electronic object is movie data.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said electronic object is computer software.

10. A method for processing a dispute over electronic merchandise, comprising the steps of:

a first electronic transaction device sending electronic merchandise and dispute information to a second electronic transaction device;

said second electronic transaction device authenticating the validity of said electronic merchandise prior to merchant review of the dispute information;

determining not to deny said dispute; and

said second transaction device providing a refund by sending electronic money to said first transaction device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

said second transaction device sending a message to said first transaction device requesting customer resolution; and

said first transaction device sending a refund request to said second transaction device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said electronic merchandise is an electronic ticket.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

said first transaction device sending an electronic object corresponding to said electronic ticket to said second transaction device;

said second transaction device validating said electronic object;

said second transaction device decrypting said electronic object using said electronic ticket; and

defect testing said decrypted electronic object.

14. A method for processing a dispute over electronic merchandise comprising the steps of:

a first electronic transaction device sending electronic merchandise and dispute information to a second electronic transaction device;

said second electronic transaction device authenticating the validity of said electronic merchandise prior to merchant review of the dispute information;

determining not to deny said dispute; and

said second transaction device sending customer payment credential information to an authorization network for authorization of a refund amount.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

said second transaction device sending a message to said first transaction device requesting customer resolution; and

said first transaction device sending a refund request to said second transaction device.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

said first transaction device sending a payment credential to said second transaction device; and

said second transaction device validating said payment credential.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said electronic merchandise is an electronic ticket.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

said first transaction device sending an electronic object corresponding to said electronic ticket to said second transaction device;

said second transaction device validating said electronic object;

said second transaction device decrypting said electronic object using said electronic ticket; and

defect testing said decrypted electronic object.

19. A method for processing a dispute over electronic merchandise, comprising the steps of:

a customer trusted agent sending electronic merchandise and dispute information to a merchant trusted agent;

said merchant trusted agent authenticating the validity of said electronic merchandise;

said merchant trusted agent sending said electronic merchandise and said dispute information to a host processor;

said merchant trusted agent requesting new electronic merchandise from a merchandise server; and

said merchant trusted agent sending said new electronic merchandise to said customer trusted agent.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of establishing a cryptographically secure session between said customer trusted agent and said merchant trusted agent.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

said customer trusted agent sending transaction log data to a customer host processor for choice of a dispute corresponding to electronic merchandise; and

said customer host processor sending said dispute information to said customer trusted agent.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of said customer trusted agent and said merchant trusted agent committing at the end of said dispute transaction.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of said merchant trusted agent receiving said electronic merchandise from said merchandise server and validating the identity of said new electronic merchandise.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said electronic merchandise is an electronic ticket.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

said customer trusted agent sending an electronic object corresponding to said electronic ticket to said merchant trusted agent;

validating said electronic object;

decrypting said electronic object using said electronic ticket;

sending said decrypted electronic object to said host processor for defect testing.

26. A method for processing a dispute over electronic merchandise, comprising the steps of:

a merchant trusted agent sending electronic merchandise to a customer trusted agent and recording a purchase transaction in its transaction log;

said customer trusted agent receiving and recording said purchase transaction in its transaction log;

said customer trusted agent and said merchant trusted agent communicating and executing a first dispute protocol;

determining to deny said dispute;

said customer trusted agent recording an indication of denial in its transaction log, upon denial of said dispute; and

said customer trusted agent and a trusted server communicating and executing a second dispute protocol.