Process for making remote payments for the purchase of goods and/or a service through a mobile radiotelephone, and the corresponding system and mobile radiotelephone

• US 6,976,011 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Societe Francaise De Radiotelephone SA (Altice Europe NV)
• Original Assignee: Societe Francaise De Radiotelephone SA (Altice Europe NV)
• Inventors: Lucas, Philippe, Wary, Jean-Pierre, Mercier, Philippe, Francois, Christophe, Jean-Marie, Olivier, Hitti, Abdallah, Frey, Sophie, Capitant, Arnaud
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Application Number:
  US09/332,489
• Time in Patent Office: 2,374 Days
• Field of Search: 705/57
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• 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 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for making a secure remote payment for goods and/or a service purchased by the buyer (2) from a supplier (7) using a mobile radiotelephone (1) used by the buyer. The mobile radiotelephone provides access to a radio communications network (5) managed through a management center (6). A payment server (4) is connected to the radio communications network (5). The process according to this invention comprises a step in which the said management center (6) and/or the said payment server (4) and/or a control center identifies the said buyer (2), identification of the buyer consisting of ensuring that the buyer is a bonafide subscriber registered on a list of subscribers to the said radio communications network (5). The process may also include a step to authenticate the said buyer (2).

Claims

1. Process for remote and secure payment for goods and/or a service purchased by a buyer from a supplier within an open network, making use of a mobile radiotelephone within a closed radiocommunications network used by the buyer, the mobile radiotelephone enabling access to the closed radio communications network managed by a management center, a payment server being connected to the closed radio communications network, characterized in that the process includes the following step:

identification of the buyer by the management center and/or the payment server and/or a control center based on a request from the supplier within the open network, the buyer identification consisting of making sure that the buyer is a subscriber correctly registered on a list of subscribers to the closed radio communications network.

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the said buyer identification step itself includes the following steps in sequence:

subscriber identification, enabling the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center to receive a subscriber identifier specific to the said buyer, as a user of the said radio communications network;

subscriber authentication, enabling the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center to check the said subscriber identifier that was sent to it (them) during the said subscriber identification step.

3. Process according to claim 2, characterized in that the said subscriber authentication step itself comprises the following steps:

the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center supplies a random number to the said mobile radiotelephone;

the said mobile radiotelephone generates a subscriber'"'"'s electronic signature;

with an individual authentication algorithm and/or an individual authentication key contained in protected areas of the mobile radiotelephone, and

using the said random number;

the mobile radiotelephone transmits the said subscriber'"'"'s electronic signature to the said management center and/or to the said payment server and/or to the said control center;

the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center checks the said subscriber'"'"'s electronic signature.

4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the said process also includes the following step:

the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center authenticates the said buyer, and possibly a decision to purchase the goods and/or service purchased by the buyer.

5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the said buyer authentication step, and possibly the purchase decision, itself comprises the following steps:

the mobile radiotelephone generates a buyer'"'"'s electronic signature;

the mobile radiotelephone sends the said buyer'"'"'s electronic signature to the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center;

the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center checks the said buyer'"'"'s electronic signature, the said buyer'"'"'s electronic signature being kept available for use by the buyer and the supplier.

6. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the said buyer authentication step, and possibly the purchase decision step, itself comprises the following steps:

the buyer may input a confidential payment code into the mobile radiotelephone, using a keypad associated with the mobile radiotelephone;

the mobile radiotelephone sends a secure transmission of the said confidential payment code to the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center;

the said management center and/or the said payment server and/or the said control center checks the said confidential payment code.

7. Process according to claim 5, characterized in that the said buyer authentication step, and possibly the purchase decision, also comprises the following preliminary step:

the buyer inputs a confidential payment code into the mobile radiotelephone using a keypad associated with the mobile radiotelephone.

8. Process according to claim 6 characterized in that the said step in which the said confidential payment code is input, is made using an input algorithm stored in the said mobile radiotelephone.

9. Process according to claim 6 characterized in that the said step in which the said confidential payment code is input, is made using at least one downloaded page in the HDML or an equivalent format provided for this purpose.

10. Process according to claim 5, characterized in that the said step in which the buyer'"'"'s electronic signature is generated is carried out:

using a payment security algorithm and/or a payment security key contained in the protected areas of the mobile radiotelephone, and

starting from data about the transaction and/or data about the buyer.

11. Process according to claim 10, characterized in that at least some of the said data related to the transaction include a variability.

12. Process according to claim 10, the said mobile radiotelephone comprising a terminal cooperating with a subscriber identification module, characterized in that the said payment security algorithm and/or the said payment security key is (are) stored in protected areas of the said terminal.

13. Process according to claim 10, the said mobile radiotelephone comprising a terminal cooperating with a subscriber identification module, characterized in that the said payment security algorithm and/or the said payment security key is (are) stored in protected areas of the said subscriber identification module.

14. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the following step:

the mobile radiotelephone is unlocked if a comparison between a confidential identification code (PIN code) contained in protected areas of the mobile radiotelephone, and a secret key known to the buyer and input by the buyer into the mobile radiotelephone using a keypad, is positive.

15. Process according to claim 3, the said mobile radiotelephone comprising a terminal cooperating with a subscriber identification module, characterized in that at least one some of the said protected areas of the mobile radiotelephone are included in the said subscriber identification module.

16. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the following step:

data related to payment for the purchase of goods and/or the service are encrypted, exchanged between the mobile radiotelephone and the management center and/or the payment server and/or the control center, to ensure that the purchase is confidential.

17. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the following step:

a check of the integrity of data related to payment for the purchase of goods and/or the service exchanged between the mobile radiotelephone and the management center and/or the payment server and/or the control center, so that a defrauder is unable to modify the said data.

18. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the said buyer is associated with an electronic wallet comprising:

a wallet identifier associated with a subscriber identifier specific to the said buyer, as a user of the said radio communications network;

means of payment;

information about the said buyer and/or the account(s) of the said buyer;

use of the said means of payment, particularly when buying goods and/or a service not being authorized until the buyer has been successfully identified, and possibly authenticated.

19. Process according to claim 18, characterized in that the said electronic wallet also comprises:

a confidential payment code known to the said buyer.

20. Process according to claim 18, the said mobile radiotelephone comprising a terminal cooperating with a subscriber identification module, characterized in that the said electronic wallet is stored in one of the elements belonging to the group consisting of:

the said terminal;

the said subscriber identification module;

the said payment server;

the said management center;

the said control center.

21. System for remote payment of goods and/or a service purchased by a buyer from a supplier, in a secure manner using a mobile radiotelephone used by the said buyer, the said mobile radiotelephone providing access to a radio communications network managed by a management center, a payment server being connected to the said radio communications network, characterized in that the said system comprises means of implementing the process according to claim 1.

22. Mobile radiotelephone used by a buyer for remote payment of goods and/or a service purchased by a buyer from a supplier, in a secure manner using a mobile radiotelephone used by the said buyer, the said mobile radiotelephone providing access to a radio communications network managed by a management center, a payment server being connected to the said radio communications at work, characterized in that the said radiotelephone compromises means of implementing the process according to claim 1.