Method and a device for providing digital tickets in a mobile communications environment

• US 7,555,284 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Cofta, Piotr, Yan, Zheng, Lahteenmaki, Mia
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/514,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,233 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 705/6, 705/39, 705/26
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3235 Checking or certification of the authentication information, e.g. by comparison with data stored independently
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3236 Details of authentication information generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A handheld device (100) is capable of communicating wirelessly with a ticket issuer (200) through a network (300) or by using a short-range link such as Bluetooth, IrDA, or the like. A ticket is purchased using a payment system (400). A user selects an image from a data store (120) and transmits it to the ticket issuer (200) along with data associated with the requested ticket. This data may comprise identification data of the user and/or the device (100), data concerning a requested validity of the ticket, data concerning the payment method and/or an optional reservation number. The ticket issuer (200) receives the request then transmits to the user a template, which the user then fills in before transmitting payment data, the completed template and the selected image from the user device (100) to the ticket issuer (200), as one or more SMS and/or MMS messages. If the data is verified as satisfactory, the ticket is then created by the ticket issuer (200) and visible and/or invisible watermarks are embedded into the image. The processed picture/image and the template are combined with additional data to generate a valid image digital ticket for the ticket user, which is then sent to the user or to an address or device which the user has given.

Claims

1. A method of enabling an apparatus in a mobile communication environment to receive a digital ticket for obtaining rights to a service, the method comprising:

transmitting a request for the digital ticket to a ticket issuer;

receiving a template for the said digital ticket from the ticket issuer;

filling the said template;

transmitting the filled template to the ticket issuer;

selecting a digital image from a first storage in the said apparatus;

transmitting the selected digital image to the ticket issuer with a reference to the filled template; and

receiving the digital ticket from the ticket issuer,

wherein the digital ticket comprises the digital image, data from the filled template, ticket validity data, and ticket verification data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein ticket verification data is embedded in the digital image by the ticket issuer as one or more watermarks.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of the watermarks is a visible watermark.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital image is a digital image of the user of the apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the received ticket is received as a multimedia message.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium containing program code, for enabling an apparatus in a mobile communication environment to receive a digital ticket for obtaining rights to a service, that configures the apparatus to:

transmit a request for the digital ticket to a ticket issuer;

receive a template for the said digital ticket from the ticket issuer;

fill the said template;

transmit the filled template to the ticket issuer;

select a digital image from a first storage in the said apparatus;

transmit the selected digital image to the ticket issuer with a reference to the filled template; and

receive the digital ticket from the ticket issuer;

wherein the digital ticket comprises the digital image, data from the filled template, ticket validity data, and ticket verification data.

7. An apparatus operable in a mobile communication environment, the apparatus comprising:

a user interface for entering a request for a digital ticket;

a transmitter configured to send the request for the digital ticket to a ticket issuer;

a receiver configured to receive a template for the digital ticket as a response to the request;

means for filling the received template;

said transmitter being arranged to send the filled template to the ticket issuer;

means for selecting an image from a first storage in the apparatus;

said transmitter being arranged to send the selected image to the ticket issuer with a reference to the filled template;

said receiver being arranged to receive the requested digital ticket from the ticket issuer,

wherein the digital ticket comprises the image, data from the filled template, ticket validity data, and ticket verification data.

8. An apparatus operable in a mobile communications environment, the apparatus comprising:

transmitter configured to;

transmit a request, of a user, for a digital ticket to a ticket issuer, said ticket giving rights for receiving a service,

wherein the ticket comprises;

a digital image;

user data from a filled template;

ticket validity data; and

ticket verification data,

wherein the ticket issuer creates the digital ticket, and

wherein the ticket issuer responds to the request by transmitting a ticket template to the user; and

transmit the filled template and the digital image to the ticket issuer,

wherein the ticket issuer transmits the created ticket to the or another user, and

wherein the or another user receives and stores the digital ticket in their apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein watermarking is visible.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein watermarking is invisible.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the digital image is an image of the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the ticket comprises a multimedia message.