Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Banking systems
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-07
2002-08-27
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Banking systems
C235S380000, C705S041000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06439455
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to value transfer systems for transferring financial value between electronic purses which are carried by purse carrier devices.
A purse carrier device refers to any device which carries an electronic purse. In the short to medium term the purse carrier device will be a smart card, and this implementation will be assumed through-out the present specification for convenience. However, in the longer term other to implementations are envisaged (the main requirement being tamper resistance) and the present invention is not limited to the smart card option.
Smart cards, also known as IC (integrated circuit) cards, are small plastics cards similar to the well known credit and debit cards but which contain some computing capacity in the form of an IC microprocessor. The smart card includes some form of memory, usually built in to the microprocessor itself. The memory may be of two types: volatile, and non-volatile. The typical smart card will possess both types of memory.
A value transfer system of the type with which the present invention is concerned is described for example in patent application WO 91/16691. This patent application describes a system which provides for the transfer of value equivalent to cash between two smart cards via an interface device, for example in the form of a point of sale device including at least card readers. In this way, goods and services can be paid for in an analogous manner to cash—i.e. without specific reconciliation between the payer and payee accounts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In broad terms, the basic system with which the present invention is concerned comprises a plurality of electronic purses and interface devices by which purses may communicate with one another by means of transactions, each of which involves an exchange of electric signals between a pair of purses, one acting as a payer purse and one as a payee purse, said signals being operable to transfer financial value from the payer purse to the payee purse.
Each purse comprises a data area and a computer program for carrying out the purse functions, both being stored in memory within the smart card. The data area contains, amongst other things, a record of the accumulated value currently contained within the purse. That part of the data area of the purse which holds the accumulated value is known as a pocket. A purse may have several pockets, each storing value in a different currency. Unused pockets can contain zero value, or be unassigned within the program. For the purpose of the present specification, it is assumed that the smart card and the purse are effectively the same entity; however, it is possible for a single smart card to carry multiple purses and/or to additionally carry programs for performing other functions not connected with the transfer of electronic cash.
In the present invention, means are provided for more closely controlling the transfer of financial value from one purse to another. It is not at present envisaged that any control needs to be placed on the receipt of value by a purse (although this could change), but there is a need to control the issuance of value by a purse.
To effect this, in accordance with the present invention, each purse is assigned a class in a hierarchical structure, and a record of the class—for example in the form of a number—is stored in the data area of the purse. Also stored in the data area of the purse is a class list, which is a list of those classes to which the purse can transfer value. In a purse which supports more than one currency, there is a class list for each currency. Thus, each purse is assigned a single purse class and includes within its memory one or more purse class lists depending upon the number of currencies supported.
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Bailey Alan
Everett David Barrington
Viner John
Fureman Jared J.
Le Thien M.
Mondex International Limited
Volpe and Koenig P.C.
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