Transaction recovery in a value transfer system

Details Transaction recovery in a value transfer system Transaction recovery in a value transfer system

1998-01-27

1999-11-09

Horabik, Michael

Communications: electrical

Continuously variable indicating

With meter reading

395181, 395182, 371 32, G06F 704

Patent

active

059822937

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a value transfer system for cashless transactions and in particular to the recovery of failed transactions. Value transfer systems have been proposed to allow the interchange of money values between "electronic purses". Such systems are described, for example, in International Patent Publication Nos. WO 91/16691 and WO 93/08545. Tamper proof carriers such as integrated circuit cards (ICC's), otherwise known as "smart cards" incorporate microprocessors and electronic memories and carry the electronic purses. Strictly, the electronic purses are computer "applications" consisting of programs and associated data and the smart cards are one example of an application carrier device (ACD).
In order to exchange value between electronic purses the cards (ACD's) which carry the respective purses are put into communication via one or more interface devices (IFD's). For example, in loading value, or "electronic cash" into his purse from a bank, a customer would introduce his card into an automatic teller machine (ATM) associated with the bank. The ATM is an interface device which is coupled to the ACD which carries the electronic purse of the bank. The interface device (IFD) exchanges information between the purse and the required electronic cash is transferred from the bank purse to the customer purse. This is an on-line transaction as far as the bank is concerned.
Another form of interface device is a point-of-sale (POS) terminal at a retailer's outlet. Here the customer may introduce his card to the terminal, so connecting his electronic purse to that of the retailer. Goods can be purchased by transfer of electronic cash from the customer purse to the retailer purse. This is an off-line transaction as far as the bank is concerned. Remote transactions are also possible, where two purse-carrying cards are introduced to respective interface devices which communicate with each other via modems and a communication network. Thus, value can be exchanged in transactions via telephone or on the Internet, for example.
A transaction, typically for the exchange of value, consists of the exchange of a number of messages between purses in accordance with a predetermined protocol. It is possible for the message sequence to be interrupted for a number of reasons. There may be equipment failure, power loss or message corruption because of electrical noise or synchronisation difficulties, for example. Most network systems have error correction facilities at the modem level. Even so, there is potential for a transaction to fail because of interruption of the transaction message sequence. The present invention seeks to provide a system having facilities for the recovery and completion of interrupted transactions.
According to the invention there is provided a value transfer system comprising a plurality of electronic purses; a plurality of application carrier devices (ACD's) for carrying the electronic purses; and a plurality of interface devices (IFD's) for coupling together pairs of ACD's to allow value transfer transactions to take place between pairs of electronic purses, wherein a transaction between a pair of electronic purses in ACD's coupled by an IFD comprises an exchange of transaction messages in a sequence according to a predetermined protocol, each transaction message is sent from one electronic purse of a pair to the IFD and from the IFD to the other electronic purse of the pair, storage means are provided for storing transaction messages after they are sent, and the IFD is effective to invoke a recovery procedure if the predetermined sequence of transaction messages fails, the recovery procedure comprising the step of deriving from the storage means the last transaction message sent and re-sending it to resume the sequence.
Preferably each electronic purse includes a pending log which holds details of the current or latest transaction, the pending logs of the said purse pair constituting said storage means. Further, it is preferable that each electronic purse has an exception log which is a stor

REFERENCES:
patent: 5161231 (1992-11-01), Iijima

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