Patent US5077573A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0623903A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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System for smart card funds refill
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1994-05-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-05-06
Abstract
Abstract A system for providing items of value, charging the items to a smart card, and for recharging the smart card. The system includes a station (30) for providing the items of value, which may be postal services, and debiting the cost of the items to a smart card; the smart card being charged with funds equivalent data. The station also communicates with a Data Center (10) for recharging the smart card. Users of the system communicate with the data center to request recharge of a particular smart card and in response to an authorization request the data center generates an encrypted authorization message which includes an identification number, the amount of recharge requested, and control data, which preferably includes a control sum formed by adding the amounts stored in a descending register, which stores the amount available on the smart card, and an ascending register which stores the total of the amounts by which the card has been charged since initialization. Thus, the authorization message may be used only once. From time-to-time the Data Center (10) transmits authorization messages to each station (30) on the system. When a particular smart card for which an authorization message has been received is connected to a station (30), the smart card compares the control data with the control data stored on the smart card and if there is a match updates the funds equivalent data in the descending register of the smart card. To provide security against transmission of false authorization messages to a station, the authorization messages are encrypted, preferably using a public key encryption system.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter J. Baker
- 👤 Joseph L. Gargiulo
- 👤 Richard W. Heiden
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:57
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/409; G06Q20/4093; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00016; G07B17/0008; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00193; G07B17/00733; G07F17/00; G07F17/26; G07F7/0866; G07F7/1016; G07B2017/00088; G07B2017/00096; G07B2017/00153; G07B2017/00161; G07B2017/00177; G07B2017/00266; G07B2017/00274; G07B2017/00282; G07B2017/00306; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00661; G07B2017/00701; G07B2017/00741; G07B2017/00758
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A system for providing items of value, comprising a) a station for providing said items of value and debiting the cost of said items of value to a smart card charged with funds equivalent data, and for recharging said smart card, said station further comprising: a1) a controller; a2) a smart card reader operatively connected to said controller; a3) input means for input of control signals to said controller controlling provision of said items of value; and a4) providing means, responsive to said controller, for dispensing said items of value; b) data processing means for generating an authorization signal unique to a particular smart card; c) communications means for connecting said station and said data processing means for transmitting said unique authorization signal to said station; and d) said station being responsive to reception of said authorization signal and connection of said particular smart card to said card reader to recharge said smart card.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operation of providing items of value comprises franking of mail pieces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 further comprising at least one further said station, wherein, from time-to-time, said data processing means transmits a plurality of said authorization signals to each of said stations, through said communications means, and, wherein said authorization signals are one-time signals which can only be used to recharge said particular smart card a single time.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
16 words
A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said authorization signal comprises an encrypted message.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said encrypted message comprises control data relating to said particular card for identifying said particular smart card.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control data comprises a control sum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said message is encrypted using the private key of a public key encryption system and decrypted by said smart card using the public key of said encryption system, whereby compromise of said smart card will not provide the capability to generate said encrypted message.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
82 words
A system as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising at least one further said station, wherein, from time-to-time, said processing means transmits a plurality of said authorization signals to each of said stations through said communications means; each of said stations storing said plurality of authorization signals and, upon connection of one of said particular smart card corresponding to one of said stored authorization signals recharging said corresponding particular smart card and deleting the corresponding one of said stored authorization signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means for purging said stored authorization signals.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
35 words
A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a user is enabled to communicate with said data processing means to request recharge of particular smart cards over a telephone or similar public access network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein means are provided for including a surcharge for recharge of said particular smart cards in a user charge for use of said telephone or similar public access network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
122 words
A station for dispensing items of value and debiting the cost of said items of value to a smart card, said smart card being charged with funds equivalent data, and for recharging said smart card, comprising: a) a controller; b) a smart card reader operative connected to said controller; c) input means for input to said controller of control signals for controlling dispensing of said items of value; d) dispensing means, responsive to said controller, for dispensing said items of value; e) receiving means for receiving authorization signals unique to particular smart cards; and f) said station being responsive to reception of an authorization signal and connection of a corresponding smart card to said card reader to recharge said corresponding smart card.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A station as claimed in claim 12, wherein said operation of dispensing items of value comprises franking of mail pieces.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A station as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein said authorization signal comprises an encrypted message.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A station as claimed in claim 14, wherein said encrypted message comprises control data relating to said particular card for identifying said particular smart card.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A station as claimed in claim 15, wherein said control data comprises a control sum.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
A station as claimed in claim 14, wherein said message is encrypted using the private key of a public key encryption system and decrypted by said smart card using the public key of said encryption system, whereby compromise of said smart card will not comprise the capability to generate said encrypted message.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of recharging smart cards with funds equivalent data comprising the steps of: a) receiving a request to recharge a particular smart card; b) generating an authorization signal unique to said particular smart card; c) transmitting said authorization signal to a station for providing items of value to users of said smart cards and debiting the cost of said items of value to said smart cards; and said station then d) responding to receipt of said authorization signal and connection of said particular smart card to said station to recharge said particular smart card with funds equivalent data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said operation of providing items of value comprises franking of mail pieces.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein said authorization signal comprises an encrypted message.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said encrypted message comprises control data relating to said particular smart card for identifying said particular smart card.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said control data comprises a control sum.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said message is encrypted using the private key of a public key encryption system and decrypted by said smart card using the public key of said encryption system, whereby compromise of said smart card will not comprise the capability to generate said encrypted message.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
47 words
A method as described in any of claims 18 to 23, wherein a user inputs said request via a telephone or similar public access network, said user receives a bill for use of said network, and bill including a surcharge for recharging of said particular smart card.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
21 words
A system according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein said communication means is responsive to said data processing means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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