EP0479982B1
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EP
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Value transfer system
Assignee: Mondex International Ltd
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Filing: 1991-04-10
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Granted: 1995-09-13
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Expires: 2011-04-10
Abstract
Abstract A value transfer system which allows value to be transferred between electronic purses comprises computer which controls the loading of purses with value and the redemption of value from purses, a special bulk purse or purses and a value meter securely linked thereto which registers the total net value issued to the bulk purse or purses. Draw-down of value and redemption of value transactions are effected with the bulk purses.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy Lloyd Jones
- 👤 Graham Robert Leslie Higgins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:59
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/02; G06Q20/04; G06Q20/06; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/10; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/381; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/409; G06Q20/4097; G06Q20/40975
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A value transfer system having a computer system (1a,2a,3a); a plurality of electronic purses (1c,2c,3c,6), one or more of the electronic purses being bulk purses (1c,2c,3c); exchange devices (5,10,11) whereby purses may communicate with each other to transfer value in transactions which are off-line from the computer system; a value meter system (1b,2b,3b); draw-down means for loading said bulk purse or bulk purses with value under control of the computer system via the value meter system; redemption means for redeeming value from said bulk purse or bulk purses under control of the computer system via the value meter system; the value meter system recording one or more float value records whereby the net value released to the bulk purse or purses may be derived, the net value being the difference between the total of values drawn down to the bulk purse or bulk purses and the total of values redeemed from the bulk purse or bulk purses, the float value record being non-specific with regard to individual transactions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
A value transfer system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the value meter system has an interface whereby each float value record may be adjusted on command so as to create or destroy value within the bulk purse or purses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
A value transfer system as claimed in either of the preceding claims comprising, in each purse, storage means which stores a purse value record which is accumulative and, in each purse or associated exchange device, a microprocessor, transactions being conducted between purse pairs, one of which, the sending purse, sends value and the other of which, the receiving purse, receives value, the microprocessors being programmed so that in each transaction the purse value record in the sending purse is decreased by a chosen and variable transaction value and the purse value record in the receiving purse is increased by the same transaction value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A value transfer system as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the microprocessors are programmed so that in a transaction between members of a purse pair the transaction is given a transaction identifier specific to at least one of the purses and unique within that purse.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A value transfer system as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the microprocessors are programmed such that the transaction identifier is specific to the receiving purse and is unique within the receiving purse by the inclusion of a receiving purse transaction sequence number.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
A value transfer system as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the microprocessors are programmed such that a transaction includes the steps of sending a request message including the transaction identifier from the receiving purse to the sending purse, incorporating the transaction identifier in a transaction value message sent from the sending purse to the receiving purse and controlling acceptance of the transaction value message in the receiving purse on the basis of the validity of the transaction identifier received.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A value transfer system as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the microprocessors are programmed to employ an asymmetrical cryptographic system having different public and secret keys and each purse has at least a public key of the system stored.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
A value transfer system as claimed in Claim 7 wherein each purse stores data signed in the cryptographic system by the computer system with a global secret encryption key, the signed data thereby being electronically certified, and the microprocessors are programmed such that each transaction includes the steps of checking certified purse data by means of the global public key.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A value transfer system as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein each purse stores its own unique public/secret key pair in the cryptographic system and the microprocessors are programmed so that the transmission of transaction data is encrypted and decrypted using these keys.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
A value transfer system as claimed in Claim 9 in which in a transaction the two microprocessors have computing powers which are unequal, the microprocessor associated with the first purse being of superior computing power to that associated with the second purse, and the microprocessors are programmed so that the transaction includes the steps of sending to the first purse the secret key of the second purse key pair and encrypting data at the second purse using the public key of the second purse key pair.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
94 words
A value transfer system as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein in a transaction the two microprocessors have computing powers which are unequal, the microprocessor associated with a first purse being of superior computing power to that associated with the second purse, the second purse includes an encryption key for a symmetrical cryptographic system and the microprocessors are programmed so that the transaction includes the steps of sending to the first purse the symmetrical system key of the second purse and encrypting data at the second purse using the symmetrical system key.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
A value transfer system as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the computer system comprises a plurality of computers and the value meter system comprises a plurality of value meters each associated with a respective one of said computers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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