Electronic ticket presentation and transfer method

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electronic commerce today is comprised of a collection of closed communities. Examples of such communities include local and long distance telephone companies, cable companies, cellular telephone companies, E-mail services, and electronic service providers such as Prodigy and CompuServe. Customers must enroll in each community in order to use the products and services provided. Thus, prior identification of the payer is required before electronic delivery of merchandise or services. The operator of the service can then either bill the customer, credit his/her loan account, or debit his/her deposit account.

With the advent of high-speed networks delivering entertainment and information on demand, the current billing and payment systems will be flooded with transactions. Consequently, the customer will be bombarded by invoices with numerous items for each billing period. Moreover, the customer's lifestyle will be exposed to each system operator due to the non-anonymous nature of the transactions.

One method of anonymous payment is described in my PCT patent application WO 93/10503 entitled "Electronic-Monetary System" published May 27, 1993, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. That application discloses an electronic monetary system for implementing electronic money payments as an alternative medium of exchange to cash, checks, credit cards, debit cards, and electronic funds transfers. In particular, the described system uses money modules packaged in tamper-proof housings to store and transfer electronic notes. Money module payments may be either real-time, off-line payments between money modules (e.g., between a money module contained within a customer's "electronic wallet" and a money module contained within a merchant's point-of-sale terminal), or on-line payments for network services such as information retrieval and telephone calls, or for purchasing airline tickets, theater tickets, etc.

However, a serious problem with remote, anonymous purchase is the security of payment and delivery. If one wants to purchase a movie over the telephone anonymously, then how can the buyer be assured he will receive the movie if he pays first, or the seller be assured that he will be paid if he delivers the movie first? Thus, when purchasing anything from a remote location, it is customary today for the buyer and seller to first identify themselves, leading to a consequent loss of privacy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a system which will allow customers to buy electronic merchandise or services on demand without enrolling in an electronic community.

It is another object of the present invention to enable remote delivery of electronic merchandise or services with real-time anonymous payment or real-time authorization-based payment where neither the customer nor the merchant can interfere with the payment and delivery process once they have agreed to the transaction.

It is another object of the present invention to use trusted agents and money modules to create a system for open electronic commerce where both customers and merchants can securely transact remotely over electronic networks without prior knowledge of each other.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a secure electronic real-time purchase transaction between buyer and seller without third-party intervention.

According to one aspect of the invention, a customer trusted agent establishes a cryptographically secure session with a merchant trusted agent. The customer trusted agent securely communicates with a first money module, and the merchant trusted agent securely communicates with a second money module. The merchant trusted agent delivers electronic merchandise that is provisionally retained by the customer trusted agent. The trusted agents participate in a secure dialogue and mutually agree on the payment terms. The first money module transmits electronic money to the second money module. Upon successful completion of the money module payment, the first money module informs the customer trusted agent, and the second money module informs the merchant trusted agent. The merchant then logs the sale and the customer may use the purchased electronic merchandise.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the customer may pay for the electronic merchandise by presenting a credential representing a credit or debit card.

According to a third aspect of the invention, electronic tickets may be presented to other trusted agents in order to obtain services.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the trusted agents may be used for performing a secure identity-based payment.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the trusted agents may be used to resolve a dispute over purchased electronic merchandise.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the attached drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the trusted agent/money module interaction.

FIG. 2 illustrates the sections and fields of various tickets.

FIG. 3 illustrates the components of a transaction device.

FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate the functional components of trusted agents.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the network structure of a system for open electronic commerce.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the security hierarchy for the trusted agents.

FIG. 6B illustrates the functional components of a (primary) trusted server.

FIG. 7A illustrates a Commit protocol.

FIG. 7B illustrates an Abort protocol.

FIGS. 8A-8C illustrate a Recertify Trusted Agent protocol.

FIGS. 9A-9E illustrate an Establish Session protocol.

FIG. 10 illustrates a Send Message protocol.

FIG. 11 illustrates an Abort Transaction protocol.

FIG. 12A-12B illustrates a Purchase of Electronic Merchandise protocol.

FIG. 13 shows the various message encryption layers established among trusted agents and money modules.

FIG. 14 illustrates a Check Credential protocol.

FIGS. 15A-15B illustrate a Deliver Merchandise protocol.

FIGS. 16A-16E illustrate a Money Module Payment protocol.

FIG. 17 illustrates a Send Routed Message protocol.

FIG. 18 illustrates a Send MM/TA Message protocol.

FIG. 19 illustrates a Send TA/MM Message protocol.

FIG. 20 illustrates a Send E-Routed Message protocol.

FIGS. 21A-21B illustrate an Authorization-Based Payment/Refund protocol.

FIG. 22 illustrates an Open Merchandise protocol.

FIGS. 23A-23D illustrate a Present Electronic Ticket for Services protocol.

FIG. 24 illustrates a Commit Ticket protocol.

FIGS. 25A-25C illustrate a Transfer Tickets protocol.

FIG. 26 illustrates an Acquire Credential protocol.

FIGS. 27A-27B illustrate a Deliver Credential protocol.

FIGS. 28A-28B illustrate a Revalidate Credential Remotely protocol.

FIGS. 29A-29B illustrate an Identity-Based Money Module Payment protocol.

FIGS. 30A-30E illustrate a Dispute Over Electronic Merchandise protocol.

FIG. 31 illustrates a Commit Dispute protocol.

FIG. 32 illustrates a Pay Dispute protocol.

FIG. 33A is a diagram showing the EMS Security Hierarchy.

FIG. 33B is a diagram showing the security network messaging between a primary security server and an ordinary security server.

FIG. 34 is a diagram showing the security network structure for the EMS.

FIG. 35A illustrates the functional components of a security server.

FIG. 35B illustrates the functional components of a network server.

FIG. 36 shows an overview of the network sign-on procedure.

FIGS. 37A-37K illustrate a Network Sign-On protocol.

FIGS. 38A-38E illustrate an Establish Session protocol in the EMS.

FIGS. 39A-39B illustrate a Transfer Notes protocol.

FIGS. 40A-40D illustrate a Foreign Exchange protocol.

FIG. 41 illustrates a Commit protocol for modules in the EMS.

FIGS. 42A-42B illustrate an Abort Transaction protocol for modules in the EMS.

FIGS. 43A-43C illustrates a Point of Sale (POS) Payment protocol.

FIGS. 44A-44B illustrate a Link Accounts protocol.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention contemplates a system for enabling the secure delivery of electronic merchandise with real-time anonymous payment or authorization-based payment. The system allows both the customer and merchant to feel secure that their interests are being served.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown the basic interaction between system components during an anonymous payment transaction. To achieve the secure exchange of payment for electronic merchandise when buyer and seller are transacting electronically, the present invention introduces trusted agents 2, 4 for both the customer and merchant. A trusted agent is a combination of hardware and software components. It is tamper-proof and contains secure protocols which cooperate with a money module 6 to synchronize secure payment to delivery.

The money modules contemplated herein are tamper-proof devices capable of storing and transferring electronic money. The electronic money is preferably in the form of electronic notes that are representations of currency or credit. Money modules are also capable of establishing cryptographically secure communication sessions with other devices. The preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes the transaction money modules described in PCT patent application WO 93/10503, together with any modifications or improvements described hereafter.