Method and system of payment by electronic cheque

• US 7,505,944 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Proton World International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Proton World International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Daemen, Joan, Moulart, Yves, Dawirs, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Worjloh; Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US11/027,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 705 64- 79, 713/150, 713/155, 713/182, 380/255, 380/277
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0425 the cheque being electronic only
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• 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 20/4093 Monitoring of device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

An offline payment method includes communicating a commitment value calculated by an electronic check medium to a terminal configured to receive a payment from the electronic check medium. The commitment value is calculated based on a first authentication code and secret key, wherein the first authentication code is calculated based on a payment amount and secret verification key. The terminal determines and communicates a random/pseudo-random guesstimation to the electronic check medium in response to receiving the verification code, the random/pseudo-random guesstimation being configured to verify that the electronic check medium is authentic. The electronic check medium determines and communicates a second authentication code to the terminal, the second authentication based upon the random/pseudo-random guesstimation. The terminal compares the second authentication with the random/pseudo-random guesstimation to verify the second authentication and accepts payment from the electronic check medium when the second authentication is verified.

Claims

1. A method of offline payment, comprising:

calculating a first authentication code based on a payment amount and a secret verification key;

calculating a commitment value by an electronic check medium, having a memory and an integrated circuit residing thereon, calculating the commitment value including calculating the commitment value based on the first authentication code and a secret key;

communicating the commitment value to a terminal configured to receive a payment from the electronic check medium;

determining a random/pseudo-random value by the terminal in response to receiving at least the commitment value, the random/pseudo-random value being configured to verify that the electronic check medium is authentic;

communicating the random/pseudo-random value to the electronic check medium

determining a second authentication code by the electronic check medium, the second authentication code being based on the random/pseudo-random value;

communicating the second authentication code to the terminal;

verifying the received second authentication code by comparing the second authentication code with the random/pseudo-random value; and

accepting payment from the electronic check medium in response to verifying the second authentication code.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating the first authentication code, wherein the secret verification key verifies an issuing bank.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating the first authentication code, wherein the first authentication code contains information specifying a maximum number of times that the electronic check medium may be used to make payments therefrom.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

calculating a number of times that payment has been made from the electronic check medium; and

permitting payment only when the electronic check medium has not been used for payment more times than the maximum number of times.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first authentication code is calculated based on an identification of a party that is to receive payment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the payment amount corresponds to an amount to be received by the electronic check medium from the terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an audit trail by the electronic check medium, the audit trail corresponding to the sum of previous payment amounts plus the payment amount made to the terminal, such that a predefined maximum transaction amount associated with the electronic check medium is not exceeded.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first authentication code is calculated by performing a first cryptographic function on the secret verification key and the payment amount and the commitment value is calculated by performing a second cryptographic function on the first authentication key.

9. An offline payment system, comprising:

an electronic check medium, having a memory and an integrated circuit residing thereon, the integrated circuit including;

calculating means for calculating commitment value based on a first authentication code and a secret key, for calculating the first authentication code based on a payment amount and a secret verification key, and for calculating a second authentication code based on a random/pseudo-random value; and

means for communicating the commitment value and the second authentication code;

means for calculating the random/pseudo-random value in response to receiving at least the commitment value, the random/pseudo-random value being configured to verify that the electronic check medium is authentic;

means for communicating to the random/pseudo-random value to the electronic check medium;

means for verifying the received second authentication code by comparing the second authentication code with the random/pseudo-random value; and

means for accepting payment from the electronic check medium in response to verifying the second authentication code.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the secret verification key verifies an issuing bank.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first authentication code contains information specifying a maximum number of times that the electronic check medium may be used to make payments therefrom.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for calculating a number of times that payment has been made from the electronic check medium; and

means for permitting payment only when the electronic check medium has not been used for payment more times than the maximum number of times.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the first authentication code is calculated based on an identification of a party that is to receive payment.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for generating an audit trail by the electronic check medium, the audit trail corresponding to the sum of previous payment amounts plus the payment amount made to the terminal, such that a predefined maximum transaction amount associated with the electronic check medium is not exceeded.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first authentication code is calculated by performing a first cryptographic function on the secret verification key and the payment amount and the commitment value is calculated by performing a second cryptographic function on the first authentication key.

16. An offline payment system, comprising:

an electronic check medium including;

calculating means for calculating a first authentication code based on a payment amount and a secret verification key, for calculating a commitment value based on a first authentication code and a secret key, and for calculating a second authentication code based on a random/pseudo-random value, and

communicating means for communicating the commitment value and the second authentication code; and

a terminal configured to receive a payment from the electronic check medium, the terminal including;

means for determining the random/pseudo-random value in response to receiving at least the commitment value,

means for verifying the received second authentication code by comparing the second authentication code with the random/pseudo-random value,

means for communicating to the electronic check medium the random/pseudo-random value, and

means for accepting payment from the electronic check medium in response to verifying the second authentication code.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first authentication code contains information specifying a maximum number of times that the electronic check medium may be used to make payments.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the calculating means include means for calculating the first authentication code based on an identification of a party that is to receive payment.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the terminal includes means for generating an audit trail corresponding to the sum of previous payment amounts plus the payment amount made to the terminal, such that a predefined maximum transaction amount associated with the electronic check medium is not exceeded.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the calculating means include:

means for calculating the first authentication code by performing a first cryptographic function on the secret verification key; and

means for calculating the payment amount and the commitment value by performing a second cryptographic function on the first authentication key.