Methods and apparatus for authenticating the download of information onto a smart card

• US 6,931,381 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2000
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Petit, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abdi, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US09/522,628
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: 705/53, 705/64, 705/68, 705/77, 705/78, 707/207, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 717/120, 717/122, 717/168, 717/170, 717/171, 717/172, 717/173
• US Class Current: 705/53
• 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 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Systems and methods for producing a digitally-computed acknowledgment of a delegated download event are disclosed. An information owner, such as the issuer of a smart card, delegates an information download to a third party. The information is downloaded from the third party to an information device, such as a smart card. The computed acknowledgment is a digital “seal” or signature (depending upon the type of cryptographic algorithm used). The seal or signature is preferably a cryptogram generated by the information device using cryptographic keys resident on the information device itself. This acknowledgment is then made available to the information owner, who may then test the cryptogram to determine whether the third party successfully completed the software download.

Claims

1. A method for an information owner to download software to an information device over a network, wherein said information device comprises a smart card, and said method comprises the steps of:

a. the information owner delegating to a third party, download of said software from a server associated with said third party to the information device, wherein said information device is capable of downloading new instruction, update existing instructions, and overwriting existing instructions;

b. the information device computing an acknowledgment of said download of said software, wherein said acknowledgment includes a digital signature created via public key encryption;

c. the information device sending said computed acknowledgment to the information owner via said network; and

d. the information owner verifying the computed acknowledgment, wherein only the information owner can verify the computed acknowledgment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said software comprises an applet.

3. A system for allowing a smart card issuer to securely delegate to a third party the download of an applet to a smart card over a network, said system comprising:

an external device associated with said third party and having said applet resident thereon, said external device capable of transferring said applet to said smart card, wherein said applet is associated with said issuer and said applet is transferred by said third party as delegated by said issuer, said information device capable of downloading new instructions, update existing instructions, and overwriting existing instructions;

said smart card includes instructions configured to initiate a public-key acknowledgement process that produces a digital signature responsive to successful transfer of said applet and utilizing a cryptographic key stored on said smart card, and send said digital signature to said issuer for validation by said issuer, wherein only the issuer can validate said acknowledgement.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said acknowledgment process utilizes a symmetrical DES algorithm based on said cryptographic key.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said DES algorithm is a triple-DES algorithm.