System and methods for digital receipts

• US 6,996,546 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neopost Technologies S.A. (Quadient SA)
• Original Assignee: Neopost Incorporated
• Inventors: Giles, Christopher, Leon, JP
• Primary Examiner(s): Cangialosi, Salvatore
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worjloh, Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US09/967,787
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 705/60, 705/65, 705/75, 705/61, 705/400, 705/410, 713/189, 380/277
• US Class Current: 705/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

A secure system for creating digital receipts, while minimizing the amount of data that is encoded in the digital receipt. The digital receipt provides authentication for a transaction. A digital receipt may be printed in the form of a code. The digital receipt digitally encodes a transaction identification code, a transaction amount or number of units authorized, and a digital signature. The digital receipt may be scanned or read to verify the authenticity of the transaction.

Claims

1. A method for generating a digital receipt for postage using a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic request for a postage disbursement transaction comprising a payment method;

generating a digital receipt that digitally encodes data comprising a digital signature, a transaction identification code, and a transaction amount or number of units authorized;

storing additional IBIP data associated with the postage disbursement transaction in a database; and

printing the digital receipt on a stamp without printing the additional IBIP data on the stamp; and

providing access to the additional IBIP data in the database upon receipt of the transaction identification code to allow the stamp to be processed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the electronic request for the transaction further comprises receiving the electronic request including the payment method and the transaction amount or the number of units as input from a user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data in the digital receipt consists only of the digital signature, the transaction identification code, and the transaction amount or the number of units authorized.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the digital receipt on a computer readable medium.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional IBIP data includes a date of mailing, an identification code for a stamp printing device, an identification code for software used by the stamp printing device, an ascending register, and a descending register.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting an electronic authorization that comprises the transaction amount or number of units authorized and the transaction identification code.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital receipt comprises a bar code.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital receipt comprises a hexadecimal number.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital receipt comprises a base 64 number.

10. A computer system comprising:

code for receiving an electronic request for a postage disbursement transaction;

code for generating a digital receipt that includes a digital signature, a transaction identification, and a transaction amount or number of units authorized;

code for storing additional IBIP data associated with the postage disbursement transaction in a database;

code for printing the digital receipt on a stamp without printing the additional IBIP data on the stamp;

code for providing access to the database to retrieve additional IBIP data upon receipt of the transaction identification to allow the stamp to be processed; and

a computer readable medium for storing the codes.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the digital receipt consists only of the digital signature, the transaction identification, and the transaction amount or number of units authorized.

12. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the additional IBIP data includes a date of mailing, an identification code for a stamp printing device, an ascending register, and a descending register.

13. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the digital receipt comprises a readable bar code.

14. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the digital receipt comprises a hexadecimal number.

15. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the digital receipt comprises a base 64 number.

16. An authentication system comprising:

a routine for providing a user with an opportunity to enter a requested postage transaction amount or number or units;

a routine for generating a digital signature;

a routine for generating a digital receipt that digitally encodes data comprising the digital signature, a transaction identification code, and the transaction amount or the number of units;

a routine for printing the digital receipt on a medium without printing the additional IBIP data on the medium; and

a routine for providing access to a database to retrieve additional IBIP data upon receipt of the transaction identification code to allow the medium to be processed

a computer readable medium for storing the routines.

17. The authentication system of claim 16 wherein the routine for providing the user with the opportunity to enter the requested transaction amount or number of units is performed on a client computer;

and the routines for generating the digital signature and the digital receipt are performed on a server computer that is in electronic communication with the client computer.

18. The authentication system of claim 16 wherein the routine for providing the user with the opportunity to enter the requested transaction amount or number of units, and the routines for generating the digital signature and the digital receipt are performed on the same computer.

19. The authentication system of claim 16 further comprising:

a routine for storing the digital receipt on a computer readable medium.

20. The authentication system of claim 16 wherein the additional IBIP data includes a date of mailing, an identification code for a stamp printing device, an identification code for software used by the stamp printing device, an ascending register, and a descending register.