Electronic transaction method using an electronic coupon

• US 7,979,353 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Akama, Katsuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin; Evens J
• Application Number:
  US10/729,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,776 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/50, 709/219
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

In an electronic transaction on the Internet, an electronic coupon having pecuniary value information usable in the electronic transaction and owner identification information based on information characteristic of an information terminal is issued to the information terminal, the pecuniary value information and the owner identification information of the electronic coupon are recorded and managed as coupon management information in a transfer management memory, and the owner identification information in the transfer management memory is changed according to a transferee apparatus of the electronic coupon, whereby a settlement in the electronic transaction can be made simply and safely.

Claims

1. An electronic transaction method using an electronic coupon in an electronic transaction system comprising an electronic shop server opening an electronic shop site on Internet to operate and manage said electronic shop site, a coupon issuance/management server, which has a transfer management memory, issuing and managing an electronic coupon having pecuniary value information usable in a settlement of an electronic transaction for said electronic shop site, and a plurality of information terminals individually operable to access to said electronic shop and to access each other to carry out an electronic transaction, said electronic transaction method comprising:

requesting said coupon issuance/management server to issue said electronic coupon from one of said information terminals;

issuing, to said requesting information terminal having requested said electronic coupon by said coupon issuance/management server, said electronic coupon having said pecuniary value information and owner identification information related to said requesting information terminal;

recording and managing, by said coupon issuance/management server, said owner identification information of said electronic coupon as coupon management information in the transfer management memory;

at said requesting information terminal,

transferring, when said requesting information terminal transfers said electronic coupon to another information terminal, said electronic coupon to said another information terminal and transmitting a coupon number of said electronic coupon, identification information of said requesting information terminal, and identification information of said another information terminal to said coupon issuance/management server; and

at said coupon issuance/management server,

comparing said owner identification information, which is recorded in said transfer management memory and which is associated with the coupon number with said identification information of said requesting information terminal, and if said identification information of said requesting information terminal matches the owner identification information, changing the owner identification information recorded in said transfer management memory from said identification information of said requesting information terminal to said identification information of said another information terminal.

2. The electronic transaction method according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal transfers said electronic coupon to another information terminal being as said transferee apparatus and notifies said coupon issuance/management server of the transfer;

and

in response to the notice, said coupon issuance/management server changes said owner identification information in said transfer management memory to information characteristic of said another information terminal.

3. The electronic transaction method according to claim 2, wherein said another information terminal transfers said electronic coupon to said electronic shop server being as said transferee apparatus due to an electronic transaction in said electronic shop site and notifies said coupon issuance/management server of the transfer;

and

in response to the notice, said coupon issuance/management server changes said owner identification information in said transfer management memory to information characteristic of said electronic shop server.

4. The electronic transaction method according to claim 1, wherein said coupon issuance/management server attaches electronic signature data to said pecuniary value information and said owner identification information of said electronic coupon with different encryption keys.

5. The electronic transaction method according to claim 4, wherein said coupon issuance/management server affixes said electronic signatures on said pecuniary value information and said owner identification information with a server private key characteristic of said coupon issuance/management server and a user private key characteristic of a user of said information terminal, respectively.

6. The electronic transaction method according to claim 4, wherein said transferee apparatus transferred said electronic coupon sends said electronic coupon to said coupon issuance/management server to request said coupon issuance/management server to verify validity of said electronic coupon;

said coupon issuance/management server verifies the validity of said electronic coupon on the basis of said electronic signatures affixed on said electronic coupon and notifies said transferee apparatus of a result of the verification;

when the validity of said electronic coupon is confirmed on the basis of a result of the verification, said transferee apparatus requests said coupon issuance/management server to change an owner of said electronic coupon; and

in response to the owner change request, said coupon issuance/management server confirms said information terminal, which is a transferor of said electronic coupon, that said information terminal has transferred said electronic coupon, and changes said owner identification information.

7. The electronic transaction method according to claim 1, wherein said coupon issuance/management server sets a term of validity to said electronic coupon, and records and manages information on said term of validity as a part of said coupon management information in said transfer management memory.

8. The electronic transaction method according to claim 1, wherein said coupon issuance/management server records and manages progress information on a status of progress of issuance and transfer of said electronic coupon as a part of said coupon management information in said transfer management memory, and carries out a process according to said progress information in said transfer management memory.

9. The electronic transaction method according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal holds said electronic coupon in a terminal-side memory, to which an access is inhibited or allowed by inputting password information, and inhibits an access to said electronic coupon by inputting said password information.

10. The electronic transaction method according to claim 9, wherein, when transferring said electronic coupon to said transferee apparatus, the information terminal allows an access to said terminal-side memory by inputting said password information, reads said electronic coupon from said terminal-side memory, and sends said electronic coupon to said transferee apparatus.

11. The electronic transaction method according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal holds said electronic coupon in an IC card, an access to said IC card being inhibited by inputting a personal identification number (PIN) as said password information, and allowed by inputting a PIN block as said password information.

12. The electronic transaction method according to claim 9, wherein said information terminal has a displaying means, and records and manages information on a status of progress of transfer of said electronic coupon in said terminal-side memory, and can display said information on said displaying means.

13. The electronic transaction method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic coupon is electronic money.