Title:
A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE PROVISION OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND SHOPPING VIA CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED ENTERTAINMENT TERMINALS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2001/015092
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
The methods and systems of the present invention securely enable the principal functions in e-commerce, in a coherent and less complex manner when compared to existing models. It is of direct application to MSO electronic stores with one or more affiliated merchants. Advantageously, the invention can be used to enable e-commerce transactions between a merchant (135) and a consumer via an entertainment terminal (100). The entertainment terminal (100) is capable of providing a consumer with access to a selection of goods and services (140) provided by one or more merchant(s) (135) via a merchant transaction server (150). The invention offers the existing base of cable system operators an alternate avenue to control e-commerce, facilitate per-transaction tracking and/or revenue collection and monitoring.
Inventors:
SAFADI REEM (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2000/021232
Publication Date:
March 01, 2001
Filing Date:
August 03, 2000
Export Citation:
Assignee:
GEN INSTRUMENT CORP (US)
SAFADI REEM (US)
SAFADI REEM (US)
International Classes:
G06Q20/00; G07F7/08; H04N7/173; H04N21/239; H04N21/418; (IPC1-7): G07F/
Domestic Patent References:
| WO1998049658A1 | 1998-11-05 |
Foreign References:
| US5878141A | 1999-03-02 | |||
| EP0690399A2 | 1996-01-03 | |||
| EP0855687A2 | 1998-07-29 | |||
| EP0813325A2 | 1997-12-17 | |||
| US5883810A | 1999-03-16 |
Other References:
None
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Lipsitz, Barry R. (Building No. 8 Monroe, CT, US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
What is claimed is:
| 1. | A method for enabling an entertainment terminal to be used for ecommerce transactions between a consumer and a merchant, comprising the steps of: enabling the consumer to access a selection of goods and services via the terminal; sending a purchase request for the goods or services to be purchased to a merchant transaction server, said request being encrypted and sent in a secure manner, together with a consumer's public key and certificate, to enable the merchant transaction server to securely communicate with the consumer; providing an encrypted response from the merchant transaction server to the consumer, said encrypted response including transaction information; decrypting the response from the merchant transaction server; and arranging for payment for the purchase. |
| 2. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein payment for the purchase is accomplished through the use of a smart card interface in the terminal. |
| 3. | A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein; the purchase request is encrypted by a smart card; and the encrypted response from the merchant transaction server is decrypted by the smart card. |
| 4. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of arranging for payment comprises: verifying consumer credit against an item cost of the item purchase request; and authorizing or denying the transaction based on verification of credit. |
| 5. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selection of goods and services is provided via a global communication network. |
| 6. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selection of goods and services is provided by a system operator. |
| 7. | A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the system operator is one of a cable television system operator, a satellite television system operator, or an Internet Service Provider. |
| 8. | A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the goods and services enabled by the system operator are from a plurality of merchants. |
| 9. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the entertainment terminal is one of a cable television settop box, a digital television or host with point of deployment capability. |
| 10. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of decrypting the response from the merchant transaction server comprises: having a client application in the terminal invoke the corresponding cryptographic routines via designated application program interface routines; and using the cryptographic routines to decrypt the response. |
| 11. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transaction information includes at least one of a transaction identifier, an item identifier, and item cost. |
| 12. | A method in accordance with claim 11, comprising the further step of generating a unique transaction identifier by a purchase application program interface routine which corresponds to the transaction identifier provided by the merchant transaction server. |
| 13. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein a client application tracks different consumers purchasing from the terminal. |
| 14. | A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising the further step of retaining the transaction information at a secure processor's memory for secure storage. |
| 15. | A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the step of arranging for payment comprises: verifying consumer credit against the cost of the purchase request; checking the item cost against a current account balance maintained by the secure processor; generating a transaction confirmation at the secure processor if the current balance is greater than the item cost; sending the transaction confirmation from the secure processor via the purchase application program interface back to the client application; sending the transaction confirmation from the client application to the merchant transaction server; and decrementing the current balance by the item cost. |
| 16. | A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of: verifying the validity of the consumer's public key and certificate. |
| 17. | A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of securely reporting the purchase from the terminal back to a system operator after the purchase transaction is completed. |
| 18. | A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the purchase request for goods and services includes one of a purchase of merchandise, a purchase of specific applications, or a purchase of media streaming events. |
| 19. | A system for enabling ecommerce transactions between a consumer and a merchant, comprising: an entertainment terminal capable of providing a consumer with access to a selection of goods and services and having a client application with a purchase application program interface; a merchant transaction server capable of communicating with the terminal; wherein: a purchase request for the goods or services to be purchased is sent to the merchant transaction server from the terminal, said request being encrypted and sent in a secure manner, together with a consumer's public key and certificate, to enable the merchant transaction server to communicate securely with the consumer; an encrypted response is sent from the merchant transaction server to the terminal, which encrypted response includes transaction information; the encrypted response is decrypted; and the consumer pays the merchant for the purchase. |
| 20. | A system in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a smart card interface in the terminal enabling the consumer to pay the merchant. |
| 21. | A system in accordance with claim 20, wherein: the purchase request is encrypted by a smart card; and the encrypted response from the merchant transaction server is decrypted by the smart card. |
| 22. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the consumer pays the merchant through a credit transaction comprising: verifying consumer credit against an item cost of the item purchase request; and authorizing or denying the transaction based on verification of credit. |
| 23. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the selection of goods and services is provided via a global communication network. |
| 24. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the selection of goods and services is provided by a system operator. |
| 25. | A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the system operator is one of a cable television system operator, a satellite television system operator, or an Internet Service Provider. |
| 26. | A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the goods and services enabled by the system operator are from a plurality of merchants. |
| 27. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the entertainment terminal is one of a cable television settop box, a digital television or host with point of deployment capability. |
| 28. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the encrypted response is decrypted by the client application in the terminal which invokes the corresponding cryptographic routines via designated application program interface routines. |
| 29. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the transaction information includes at least one of a transaction identifier, an item identifier, and item cost. |
| 30. | A system in accordance with claim 29, wherein a unique transaction identifier is generated by a purchase application program interface routine which corresponds to the transaction identifier provided by the merchant transaction server. |
| 31. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the client application tracks different consumers purchasing from the terminal. |
| 32. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the terminal further comprises a secure processor with memory to retain the transaction information for secure storage. |
| 33. | A system in accordance with claim 32, wherein: the consumer is preapproved for a predetermined credit limit; consumer credit against the cost of the purchase request is verified; the item cost is checked against a current account balance maintained by the secure processor; a transaction confirmation is generated at the secure processor if the current balance is greater than the item cost; the transaction confirmation is sent from the secure processor via the purchase application program interface back to the client application; the transaction confirmation is sent from the client application to the merchant transaction server; and the current balance is decremented by the item cost to pay the merchant. |
| 34. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the merchant transaction server verifies the validity of the consumer's public key and certificate. |
| 35. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the terminal securely reports the purchase back to a system operator after the purchase transaction is completed. |
| 36. | A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the purchase request for goods and services includes one of a purchase of merchandise, a purchase of specific applications, or a purchase of media streaming events. |
Description:
INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT lnt'ional Application No int iona! Apptication No PCT/US00/21232 C. (Continuation) DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT Category Citation of document, with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages Relevant to claim No. X EP 0 690 399 A (TANDEM COMPUTERS INC) 1,4-7, 3 January 1996 (1996-01-03) 9-11, 14-19, 22-25, 27-29, 32-36 A column 3, line 41-column 5, line 34 2,3,20, 21 21 Y WO 98 49658 A (CONKLIN FREDRICK SIDNEY 2,3,20, ; PRINGLE STEVEN JOHN (US); BERG MICHAEL J) 21 5 November 1998 (1998-11-05) page 11, line 26-page 12, line 2 Y EP 0 855 687 A (AT & T CORP) 8,26 29 July 1998 (1998-07-29) abstract Y EP 0 813 325 A (AT & T CORP) 12,30 17 December 1997 (1997-12-17) column 1, line 51-line 56 column 3, line 2-line 11 A US 5 883 810 A (ROSEN DANIEL ET AL) 12,30 16 March 1999 (1999-03-16) abstract column 9, line 63-column 10, line 5 INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT | Int (ionalApplicationNo Informationon patentfamilymembers | PCT/US 00/21232 Patent document Publication Patent family Publication cited in search report date member (s) date US 5878141 A 02-03-1999 NONE EP 0690399 A 03-01-1996 CA 2153006 A 31-12-1995 CN 1118482 A 13-03-1996 JP 8063532 A 08-03-1996 US 5999624 A 07-12-1999 WO 9849658 A 05-11-1998 AU 7272698 A 24-11-1998 EP 1003139 A 24-05-2000 EP 1023705 A 02-08-2000 US 6105008 A 15-08-2000 EP 0855687 A 29-07-1998 CA 2222229 A 15-07-1998 JP 10207945 A 07-08-1998 EP 0813325 A 17-12-1997 US 5778173 A 07-07-1998 CA 2205124 A 12-12-1997 JP 10149397 A 02-06-1998 US 5883810 A 16-03-1999 NONE US 5883810 A 16-03-1999 NONE