METHOD AND APPARATUS TO IMPLEMENT VALID MOBILE TICKET TRANSFER

• US 20110078440A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Feng, Chen Hua, Liu, Xiao Xi, Huang, He Yuan, Wang, Bin
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods and apparatus to perform a valid transfer of an electronic mobile ticket on a mobile device by a ticketing application system of a ticket processing center. One method includes: receiving a first electronic message from a first user, where the first message includes an encrypted electronic mobile ticket and a mobile device number of a second user, and where the electronic mobile ticket is encrypted with a key shared between the first user and the ticketing application system; decrypting the encrypted electronic mobile ticket; generating an electronic mobile ticket encrypted with a key shared by the ticketing application system and the second user; and transmitting a second electronic message that includes the electronic mobile ticket encrypted with the key shared between the ticketing application system and the second user to a mobile device of the second user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing a valid transfer of an electronic mobile ticket on a mobile device by a ticketing application system of a ticket processing center, said method comprising:

receiving a first electronic message from a first user, wherein said first electronic message includes an encrypted electronic mobile ticket and a mobile device number of a second user, and wherein said electronic mobile ticket is encrypted with a key shared between said first user and said ticketing application system;

decrypting said encrypted electronic mobile ticket;

generating an electronic mobile ticket encrypted with a key shared by said ticketing application system and said second user; and

transmitting a second electronic message that includes said electronic mobile ticket encrypted with said key shared between said ticketing application system and said second user to a mobile device of said second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating said decrypted electronic mobile ticket by checking the status information of an issued ticket.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

locking said encrypted electronic mobile ticket included in said first electronic message to forbid the use of said electronic mobile ticket.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

after receiving an electronic message receipt from said mobile device of said second user, setting the status of said encrypted electronic mobile ticket included in said first electronic message from said first user as invalid.

21. An article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions which when implemented, causes a computer to carry out the steps of a computer-implemented method for performing a valid transfer of an electronic mobile ticket on a mobile device by a ticketing application system of a ticket processing center according to claim 1.

5. A computer-implemented method for performing a valid transfer of an electronic mobile ticket on a mobile device by a ticketing application system of a ticket processing center, said method comprising:

acquiring an electronic message, wherein said electronic message includes an encrypted electronic mobile ticket to be transmitted from a first user to a second user, and wherein said electronic mobile ticket is encrypted with a key shared by said first user and said ticketing application system;

modifying a target receiver of said electronic message in said ticketing application system;

adding a mobile device number of said second user into said electronic message; and

transmitting said electronic message that includes said encrypted electronic mobile ticket and said mobile device number of said second user to said ticketing application system to allow said ticketing application system to implement a valid transfer of said electronic mobile ticket.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

encrypting said mobile device number of said second user with said key shared by said first user and said ticketing application system.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether said electronic message has a plurality of target receivers before said transmission of said electronic message,

wherein said transmission of said electronic message is performed if said electronic message has said plurality of target receivers.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether said electronic mobile ticket has been transmitted to another user before said transmission of said electronic message,

wherein said transmission of said electronic message is performed if said electronic mobile ticket has not been transmitted to said another user.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

decrypting a second encrypted electronic mobile ticket; and

invalidating said decrypted second electronic mobile ticket by adding a flag on said decrypted second electronic mobile ticket.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a decryption command;

decrypting a second encrypted electronic mobile ticket by said decryption command; and

presenting said decrypted second electronic mobile ticket.

22. An article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions which when implemented, causes a computer to carry out the steps of a computer-implemented method for performing a valid transfer of an electronic mobile ticket on a mobile device by a ticketing application system of a ticket processing center according to claim 5.

11. A computer-implemented apparatus for performing a valid transfer of an electronic mobile ticket on a mobile device by a ticketing application system of a ticket processing center, said apparatus comprising:

a receiving module for receiving a first electronic message from a first user, wherein said first electronic message includes an encrypted electronic mobile ticket and a mobile device number of a second user, and wherein said electronic mobile ticket is encrypted with a key shared between said first user and said ticketing application system;

a decryption module for decrypting said encrypted electronic mobile ticket;

a generation module for generating an electronic mobile ticket encrypted with a key shared by said ticketing application system and said second user; and

a transmission module for transmitting a second electronic message that includes said electronic mobile ticket encrypted with said key shared between said ticketing application system and said second user to a mobile device of said second user.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a validation module for validating said decrypted electronic mobile ticket by checking the status information of an issued ticket.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a locking module for locking said encrypted electronic mobile ticket included in said first electronic message to forbid the use of said encrypted electronic mobile ticket.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an invalidation module for setting the status of said encrypted electronic mobile ticket included in said first electronic message from said first user as invalid, wherein setting the status of said encrypted electronic mobile ticket is performed after receiving an electronic message receipt from said mobile device of said second user.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an encryption module for encrypting said mobile device number of said second user with said key shared by said first user and said ticketing application system of said ticket processing center.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a checking module for determining whether said electronic message has a plurality of target receivers before said transmission module transmits said electronic message,

wherein said transmission module transmits said electronic message if said electronic message has said plurality of target receivers.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

said checking module further determines whether said electronic mobile ticket has been transmitted to another user before said transmission module transmits said electronic message, and

said transmission module transmits said electronic message if said electronic mobile ticket has not been transmitted to said another user.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a decryption module for decrypting a second encrypted electronic mobile ticket; and

an invalidation module for invalidating said decrypted second electronic mobile ticket by adding a flag on said decrypted second electronic mobile ticket.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a receiving module for receiving a decryption command;

a decryption module for decrypting a second encrypted electronic mobile ticket by said decryption command; and

a presentation module for presenting said decrypted second electronic mobile ticket.

15. A computer-implemented apparatus for performing a valid transfer of an electronic mobile ticket on a mobile device by a ticketing application system of a ticket processing center, said apparatus comprising:

an acquisition module for acquiring an electronic message, wherein said electronic message includes an encrypted electronic mobile ticket to be transmitted from a first user to a second user, and wherein said electronic mobile ticket is encrypted with a key shared by said first user and said ticketing application system of said ticket processing center;

a modifying module for modifying a target receiver of said electronic message in said ticketing application system;

an editing module for adding a mobile device number of said second user into said electronic message; and

a transmission module for transmitting said electronic message that includes said encrypted electronic mobile ticket and said mobile device number of said second user to said ticketing application system to allow the ticketing application system to implement a valid transfer of said electronic mobile ticket.