Electronic ticket presentation and transfer method

• US 5,621,797 A
• Filed: 12/19/1995
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Agroteam Consultants Limited
• Original Assignee: Citibank (South Dakota) NA (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rosen, Sholom S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US08/576,992
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 380/16, 380/25, 380/24, 380/30, 380/4, 395/280, 395/700
• US Class Current: 705/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• 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 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 : Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 : Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 : for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 : by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/42 : Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 : Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 : received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3213 : using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 : involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

A system for open electronic commerce having a customer trusted agent securely communicating with a first money module, and a merchant trusted agent securely communicating with a second money module. Both trusted agents are capable of establishing a first cryptographically secure session, and both money modules are capable of establishing a second cryptographically secure session. The merchant trusted agent transfers electronic merchandise to the customer trusted agent, and the first money module transfers electronic money to the second money module. The money modules inform their trusted agents of the successful completion of payment, and the customer may use the purchased electronic merchandise.

Claims

1. A method for presenting an electronic ticket for services utilizing a customer trusted agent, a first host processor, a merchant trusted agent and a second host processor, comprising the steps of:

establishing a secure session between said customer trusted agent and said merchant trusted agent by using cryptographic means;

said first host processor providing a first signal informing said customer trusted agent of said electronic ticket selected for presentation;

said customer trusted agent sending a second signal including a copy of said electronic ticket to said merchant trusted agent, via said secure session;

said merchant trusted agent checking the validity of said electronic ticket;

said merchant trusted agent providing a third signal notifying said second host processor to deliver services identified by said electronic ticket;

said merchant trusted agent sending a fourth signal notifying said customer trusted agent, via said secure session, that said electronic ticket is in use;

said second host processor providing a fifth signal informing said merchant trusted agent that said services have been rendered;

said merchant trusted agent sending a sixth signal including a new ticket value to said customer trusted agent;

said customer trusted agent marking said electronic ticket not in use and updating ticket value;

said customer trusted agent providing a seventh signal notifying said first host processor of the end of the transaction;

said merchant trusted agent receiving an eighth signal from said customer trusted agent and providing a ninth signal notifying said second host processor of the end of the transaction,

where in the event said transaction fails, said first and second trusted agents can roll-back their states using abort means.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic ticket is a transportation ticket.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic ticket is an event ticket.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic ticket is a communications ticket for accessing a communications service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic ticket is a credential.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said merchant and customer trusted agents are tamper-proofed.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of said merchant and customer trusted agents updating transaction logs at the end of said transaction.

6. A method for transferring an electronic ticket from a first trusted agent to a second trusted agent, comprising the steps of:

establishing a secure session between said first trusted agent and said second trusted agent by using cryptographic means;

said first trusted agent signing over said electronic ticket by adding transfer information to a transfer history section of said electronic ticket and appending a digital signature to a sender signatures section of said electronic ticket;

said first trusted agent sending a first signal including said signed over electronic ticket to said second trusted agent, via said secure session;

said second trusted agent validating said signed over electronic ticket;

said second trusted agent sending an acknowledgment signal to said first trusted agent, via said secure session;

after receiving said acknowledgment signal, said first trusted agent sending a second signal to said second trusted agent, and providing a third signal notifying a first host processor of the end of the transaction; and

after receiving said second signal, said second trusted agent sending a fourth signal notifying a second host processor of the end of the transaction,

where in the event said transaction fails, said first and second trusted agents can roll-back their states using abort means.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said electronic ticket is a transportation ticket.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said electronic ticket is an event ticket.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said electronic ticket is a communications ticket for accessing a communications service.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said electronic ticket is a credential.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

after receiving said acknowledgment signal, said first trusted agent deleting said electronic ticket.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein said transfer information includes an identifier of said second trusted agent and a certificate of said first trusted agent.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first and second trusted agents are tamper-proofed.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of said first and second trusted agents updating transaction logs at the end of said transaction.