Patent US6233565B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.

US6233565B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Methods and apparatus for internet based financial transactions with evidence of payment

Assignee: Saranac Software Inc

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Filing: 1998-02-13

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Granted: 2001-05-15

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Expires: 2018-02-13

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Abstract

Abstract A system and methods for conducting Internet based financial transactions between a client and a server. The client has a processor, a printer, a client authentication module, a module for issuing a transaction request, and a unique digital signature. The server has a network including a transaction server, a transaction database, a server authentication module, and a receipt generation module. An internet connection is used between the client and the server network. The transaction execution system includes authentication, wherein the client authentication module and the server authentication modules communicate via the internet connection and are authenticated to each other. A transaction module is included wherein, in response to the client and server being authenticated, the client issues a transaction request to the server and the transaction server, in response to a client transaction request, executes an electronic payment transaction at the server and records the transaction in the transaction database. The server receipt generation module, in response to an executed electronic payment, then generates a receipt and transmits the receipt to the client. The receipt includes the client digital signature and a data set uniquely identifying the executed transaction and is printable by the client printer. The printed receipt is an evidence of payment for the executed transaction. In addition, a third party seller having a processor and a database can be connected via a communication channel to the server, wherein the client further obtains a registration certificate representative of being a consumer registered with said third party seller. A third party credit facility also may be connected via a communication link to the server, for implementing credit card transactions. The transaction execution system may be to purchase an amount of postage, to purchase a ticket for air travel or to an entertainment complex or the like.

Inventors

👤 Richard Lewis
👤 Tara Dwyer
👤 Mohammed Abdelsadek
👤 Donald Han
👤 Jonathon Rogoff
👤 Louis Parks

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction US

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 18:51

CPC Classifications

H; H04; H04L; H04L63/00; H04L63/04; H04L63/0428; H04L63/0442; G; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/10; G06Q20/102; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/36; G06Q20/367; G06Q20/3674; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; G06Q40/00; H04L63/08; H04L63/0823; H04L63/083; H04L2463/00; H04L2463/102

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20

Claim 1

Independent Claim 207 words

A system for conducting Internet based financial transactions comprising: a client having a processor, a printer, a client authentication module, a module for issuing a transaction request, and a unique digital signature; a server having a network including a transaction server, a transaction database, a server authentication module, and a receipt generation module; and an internet connection between the client and the server network; wherein the transaction execution system further comprises: an authentication module, wherein the client authentication module and the server authentication modules communicate via the internet connection and are authenticated to each other; a transaction module wherein, in response to the client and server being authenticated, the client issues a transaction request to the server and the transaction server, in response to a client transaction request, executes an electronic payment transaction at the server and records the transaction in the transaction database, and wherein the server receipt generation module, in response to an executed electronic payment, generates a receipt and transmits said receipt to the client, said receipt comprising the client digital signature and a data set uniquely identifying the executed transaction; and wherein the receipt is printable by the client printer and the printed receipt is an evidence of payment for the executed transaction.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 207 words

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the module for issuing a transaction request further comprises means for providing the transaction request with the client digital signature.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 2 wherein the server further comprises a unique digital signature and the receipt further comprises the server digital signature.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 84 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the server further comprises a first server, a firewall and a single TCP/IP port, the first server is connected to the interact connection, the firewall is interposed between the server first server and transaction server so that the transaction server is connected to the network through the single TCP/IP port and the firewall comprises a communication module that operates to limit communications between the internet and the transaction server to client transaction requests identifying the single TCP/IP port.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 48 words

The system of claim 1 further comprising: a third party seller having a processor and a database; and a communication channel between the third party seller and the server, wherein the client further comprises a registration certificate representative of being a consumer registered with said third party seller.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 5 further comprising a transaction module wherein said third party seller database is updated by said server transaction database.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 82 words

The system of claim 1 further comprising a third party credit facility and a communication link between the third party credit facility and the server, wherein the server further comprises a credit module wherein, in response to a client transaction request, a credit card payment request is made by the server to the third party credit facility, the third party credit facility authorizes the credit card payment and issues an authorization code to the server, and the server transaction database is updated.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 68 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the transaction request further comprises a request to purchase an amount of postage, an addressee data set, and wherein the server transaction database further comprises a pool of postage prepaid by said server, and an account register associated with said client, wherein the client transaction request operates to transfer the requested amount of postage from said pool to said client account register.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 167 words

The system of claim 1 wherein the client further comprises a client public key, a client private key, and a client identification password, a hash module for performing a hash algorithm based on an input data, a hash of at least one of the client public key, private key and identification password, and an encryption/decryption module for encrypting and decrypting at least one of the client private key and client public key based on said hash; wherein the server further comprises a server public key, a server private key, and a server identification password, a hash module for performing a hash algorithm based on an input data, a hash of at least one of the server public key, private key and identification password, and an encryption/decryption module for encrypting and decrypting at least one of the server private key and server public key based on said hash; and wherein said authentication module utilizes said public and private keys of said client and server to perform the authentication.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 163 words

A method for conducting Internet based financial transactions comprising: providing a client having a processor, a printer, a client authentication module, a module for issuing a transaction request, and a unique digital signature; providing a server having a network including a transaction server, a transaction database, a server authentication module, and a receipt generation module; connecting the client to the server network via an internet connection; authenticating the client and the server to each other; issuing a transaction request from the client to the server; in response to a client transaction request, executing an electronic payment transaction at the transaction server and recording the transaction in the transaction database, generating a receipt at the server receipt generation module, providing said receipt with the client digital signature and a data set uniquely identifying the executed transaction, and transmitting said receipt to the client; and printing said receipt using the client printer, wherein the printed receipt is an evidence of payment for the executed transaction.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 163 words

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 10 wherein issuing a transaction request further comprises providing the transaction request with the client digital signature.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the server with a unique digital signature and providing the receipt further comprises providing the server digital signature as a part of the receipt.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 10 wherein providing the server further comprises providing a single TCP/IP port connecting the first server to the internet connection with said client and limiting communications between the internet and the transaction server to client transaction requests identifying the single TCP/IP port.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a third party seller, connecting the third party seller and the server via a communication channel and providing the client with a registration certificate representative of being a consumer registered with said third party seller.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 14 further comprising providing the third party seller with a transaction database and updating said third party seller transaction database by said server.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 74 words

The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a third party credit facility, connecting the third party credit facility and the server via a communication link and in response to a client transaction request, issuing a credit card payment request by the server to the third party credit facility, authorizing the credit card payment by the third party credit facility and issuing an authorization code to the server, and updating the server transaction database.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 71 words

The system of claim 10 wherein issuing the transaction request further comprises issuing a request to purchase an amount of postage, an addressee data set, and wherein the server transaction database further comprises a pool of postage prepaid by said server, and an account register associated with said client, wherein issuing the client transaction request further comprises transferring the requested amount of postage from said pool to said client account register.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 167 words

The system of claim 10 wherein authenticating the client and the server further comprises providing the client with a client public key, a client private key, a client identification password, a hash module for performing a hash algorithm based on an input data, a hash of at least one of the client public key, private key and identification password, and an encryption/decryption module for encrypting and decrypting at least one of the client private key and client public key based on said hash; providing the server a server public key, a server private key, a server identification password, a hash module for performing a hash algorithm based on an input data, a hash of at least one of the server public key, private key and identification password, and an encryption/decryption module for encrypting and decrypting at least one of the server private key and server public key based on said hash; and using said public and private keys of said client and server to perform the authentication.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-05-14	2004-11-13	2005-05-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-05-14	2008-11-13	2009-05-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-05-14	2012-11-13	2013-05-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

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