WO2002063574A1

WO2002063574A1 - System for making electronic payments via a telecommunication network

Info

Publication number: WO2002063574A1
Application number: PCT/FR2002/000365
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Hannecart; Stéphane Petit
Original assignee: France Telecom Sa
Priority date: 2001-02-02
Filing date: 2002-01-31
Publication date: 2002-08-15
Also published as: EP1358638A1; FR2820575A1; FR2820575B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for making electronic payments via a telecommunication network between (i) a vendor equipped with a server which is connected to said network and which can implement a chip card-secured payment protocol and (ii) a customer equipped with navigation and electronic payment means which can establish a link with the vendor's server over the network and make a payment to said vendor using a payment management client software program comprising said secure payment protocol. The inventive system is characterised in that said payment management client software is installed on a home server (WAH) in the home of each client, said server (WAH) comprising message redirection means which can pick up messages specific to the secure payment protocol and redirect said messages to the payment means.

Description

ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEM THROUGH A NETWORK OF

TELECOMMUNICATION

The invention relates to an electronic payment system through a telecommunications network and finds a particularly advantageous application in the field of electronic commerce. The development of telecommunications via the World Wide Web (commonly known as the "Web") and the Internet has resulted in the promotion of electronic commerce on a large scale. Generally, an electronic commerce transaction is carried out by means of an electronic payment system through the telecommunications network, in this case Internet on the Web, between a seller equipped with a server connected to said network. and a customer provided with means of navigation and electronic payment capable of establishing a link on the network with the seller's server and making a payment with said seller. Most often, the means of navigation and payment are constituted by a computer (PC-type microcomputer for example) used for browsing the network, and by a smart card reader connected to said computer and ensuring the function of electronic payment. A remote payment manager connected by network to the seller's server allows all the authentication checks necessary for this type of operation to be carried out. It is obvious that the transactions carried out on the telecommunications network must be highly secure so as to avoid any interception or modification of the messages exchanged between the seller, the customer and the remote payment manager. Thus, various secure payment protocols have been proposed such as for example the protocol known as SET for "Secured Electronic Transaction" which meets the security requirements and constitutes an international standard.

In this context, the seller's server is configured so that it can implement the chosen secure payment protocol. Likewise, on the client side, this secure payment protocol must be included in payment management software installed on the client computer in order to ensure transaction security. This client payment management software is also able to perform other operations such as client history management and has a smart card reader interface in order to take into account the extension of the SET protocol which allows the use of smart cards as an electronic means of payment.

However, these known systems of electronic payment through a telecommunications network have certain drawbacks.

On the one hand, the installation of heavy software, such as client payment management software, on the client's computer poses problems in terms of downloading, updating and the size occupied in memory and on the hard drive. On the other hand, this system is entirely installed on a fixed station, namely the customer's computer, which represents a brake on customer mobility.

The aim of the present invention is to propose an electronic payment system through a telecommunications network according to a secure protocol which allows both a certain mobility of the client, a simplification of the configuration of the client computer and total confidentiality of the private customer data.

To this end, the invention proposes to transfer the secure payment management software to a “relay” server known by the English term “wallet” (wallet server) which will ensure the progress of the secure transaction according to the chosen protocol (SET for example). According to the invention, this relay server, permanently connected to the network, is specific to each client and better known under the term of WAH for Wallet At Home (home server). The WAH is able to communicate with all the terminals connected to the network and referenced by it, whether they are in the customer's home or outside. The customer can thus access his WAH for the progress of a secure transaction, whether he is at home or not. The invention more particularly relates to an electronic payment system through a telecommunications network between, on the one hand, a seller equipped with a server connected to said network and capable of implementing a secure payment protocol by credit cards. puce, and, on the other hand, a customer provided with means of navigation and electronic payment able to establish a link on the network with the seller's server and to make a payment to said seller according to a payment management client software including said secure payment protocol, characterized in that said payment management client software is installed on a "server at home ”(WAH) specific to the home of each client, and in that said home server (WAH) includes message redirecting means capable of picking up messages specific to the secure payment protocol and of redirecting said messages to the means of payment.

According to one characteristic, said means for redirecting messages from the home server consist of: - locating the first message specific to the secure payment protocol and redirecting said first message to a means of payment, recognizing the acceptance of payment by means of payment, - take charge of communications relating to said payment according to the secure payment protocol. According to a first application, the navigation means is a terminal of the customer's home, the message redirection means being implemented automatically by the home server (WAH).

According to a second application, the navigation means is a terminal outside the customer's home, the message redirection means being associated with external redirection software for messages capable of redirecting messages specific to the secure payment protocol to the home server (WAH).

According to one characteristic, the home server (WAH) comprises a permanent link to the telecommunications network with a fixed address on said network.

According to another characteristic, the home server (WAH) constitutes an obligatory passage point between the means of navigation of the customer's home and the telecommunications network.

According to the embodiments, the navigation means is a fixed or mobile terminal and the payment means is a fixed or mobile terminal. According to one mode of implementation, the secure payment protocol is the SET protocol (from the English Secured Electronic Transaction for Secure Electronic Transaction).

The present invention also relates to a payment server for an electronic payment system through a telecommunications network between, on the one hand, a seller equipped with a server connected to said network and able to implement a secure payment protocol by smart cards, and, on the other hand, a customer provided with means of navigation and electronic payment able to establish a connection on the network with the seller's server and to make a payment with said seller according to client management software payment including said secure payment protocol, characterized in that said payment server comprises said client management software secure payment and in that said payment server is a home server (WAH) capable of managing the connection to the telecommunications network of a plurality of terminals of the customer's home.

The system according to the invention allows a high level of security, the payment process being advantageously taken care of by the WAH.

The WAH is in fact specific to each client and makes it possible to store all of the private data relating to the client with a high degree of confidence and security.

In addition, the transfer of the client payment management software to the WAH considerably simplifies the configuration of the client-side system.

Other advantageous features of the invention will appear clearly on reading the description which follows, given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example and with reference to the appended figures in which: FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the electronic payment system according to the invention. FIG. 2 is an information exchange diagram relating to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

The evolution of telecommunications networks allows a permanent connection of terminals to the Internet on the Web. This is the case, for example, of new technologies such as DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) which allows a permanent broadband connection on a fixed station, or the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) which allows a broadband connection on a mobile station. Gradually, these techniques will be deployed in private homes to allow a permanent connection of the home to the Internet. Thus, equipment such as household appliances, IT or home automation can be connected to the network in order to be able to be supervised and controlled remotely through the network.

It is in this context that the concept of home server, better known under the term of WAH for Wallet At Home, is developing. The WAH acts as a relay server in order to be able to chat with all the terminals connected to the Internet and referenced, whether they are inside or outside the home. All the terminals in a customer's home are thus connected to the WAH by a wired link or via a local radio network (bluetooth link). The WAH thus becomes the obligatory passage from any home terminal to the Internet (this function being known by the term of proxy).

FIG. 1 schematically represents an electronic payment system according to the invention. On the one hand, a merchant is equipped with a server 10 connected to the telecommunications network, such as for example the Internet network on the Web. The seller's server is able to implement a secure payment protocol by smart card, such as for example the SET protocol mentioned above, the specifications of which are public and available at the Internet address. www.setco.org. An extension of this protocol to smart cards has been developed by the company Cybercom.

On the other hand, a customer has fixed and / or mobile means of navigation and electronic payment 21-25. To carry out secure transactions with the seller on the Internet, the customer must also have payment management software including, among other things, the SET protocol with extension to smart cards. This client software is also capable of performing other operations, such as the management of data relating to the client such as histories, payment ceilings, loyalty points or the like.

According to the invention, the client software including the SET protocol is installed on the client's WAH 20. The WAH can for example be a PC with Windows server 2000 software. It is permanently connected to the Internet via the Web network, for example via an ADSL link, and has a fixed IP address. The customer can therefore access their WAH through the network from any fixed or mobile terminal.

The navigation means 21-25, capable of establishing a link on the network with the seller's server 10, is essentially used for searching on the network, consulting the seller's site and placing orders. It can, for example, consist of a fixed station such as a PC or television computer, or a mobile station such as a telephone of the GSM or UMTS type or a personal assistant known by the acronym of PDA for "Personal Digital Assistant". The electronic means of payment consists of a terminal capable of establishing a link on the network and comprising a smart card reader. The payment terminal can be mobile such as a dual-slot GSM for example, or fixed such as a PC associated with a smart card box.

The kinematic sequence of the payment operation of the system according to the invention will be detailed with reference to FIG. 2 which illustrates the exchange of information between the different terminals.

An Internet user browses the Internet using a PC, for example. The user becomes a customer by sending a purchase order to the site of a seller by a message 0 transmitted according to a conventional HTTP protocol or according to a WAP protocol (Wireless Application Protocol) if navigation is done from a mobile terminal .

The merchant responds to this purchase order with an initial message 1 (wake up message) comprising a specific header in order to initialize the secure payment protocol, such as for example a MIME header specific to the SET standard. This message 1 is intercepted by the WAH which does not transmit it to the terminal initiating the order but to the payment terminal. The payer can thus be distinct from the initiator of the order.

If the Internet user is at his home, the treatment by the WAH is automatic since his navigation transits by the WAH. On the other hand, if it is in a situation of mobility, redirection software (known under the term of "thin wallet" in technical jargon) is associated with WAH. This redirection software is installed on the navigation terminal, fixed or mobile, used outside the home and makes it possible to redirect the initial message 1 (wake up) to the personal WAH of the customer. This redirection operation is transparent to the user.

Messages 2 and 3 constitute, on the one hand a payment request 2 from WAH to the payment terminal, and on the other hand a validation of the purchase 3 by the payer. These messages 2 and 3 are exchanged according to various possible protocols, such as the SMS (Short Message Service), WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) or HTTP protocols. The protocol for exchanging messages 2 and 3 depends essentially on the payment terminal used (GSM, box associated or not with a PC) and on the type of connection connecting the payment terminal to the WAH (wired link, radio or Internet connection).

When the WAH has recognized the acceptance of payment for message 3, it takes charge of the secure payment PS between the customer's home and the seller's server.

The communications relating to the payment, between the WAH and the seller's server, are then governed by the secure protocol PS, such as the SET protocol in the example described. Likewise, compensation communications between the seller's server and the telepayment manager (a bank for example) are exchanged according to the standards of the SET protocol. On the other hand, exchanges between the WAH and the payment terminal take place outside SET security, which does not has few disadvantages because the risk of interception at this level is low.

When the payment is made, the WAH informs the initiating terminal by a message 4 of the good progress of the payment transaction.

The internet user can also chat directly with their WAH to consult private data contained in the payment management software, or to choose their payment terminal. This communication takes place according to any protocol (the same as that used in the sending of message 0 for example).

According to a possible embodiment, several payment terminals can be listed by the WAH and the user chooses the one by which he wishes to pay for his purchase.

Claims

1. Electronic payment system through a telecommunication network between, on the one hand, a seller equipped with a server (10) connected to said network and able to implement a secure payment protocol (PS) by smart cards , and, on the other hand, a client provided with navigation (21,22,23,24,25) and electronic payment (21,22) means capable of establishing a link on the network with the seller's server (10 ) and to make a payment to said seller according to a payment management client software including said secure payment protocol (PS), characterized in that said payment management client software is installed on a "home server" (WAH) (20) specific to the home of each client, and in that said home server (WAH) (20) includes message redirection means capable of picking up specific messages (1) to the secure payment protocol (PS) and to redirect said messages to means of payment nt (21.22).

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for redirecting messages from the home server (WAH) consist in: - locating the first specific message (1) in the secure payment protocol (PS) and in redirecting said first message to one of the means of payment (2), recognize acceptance of payment by means of payment (3), take charge of communications relating to said payment according to the secure payment protocol (PS) with the seller's server (10).

3. System according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the navigation means (22,23,24,25) is a terminal of the customer's home and in that the message redirection means are set works automatically by the home server (WAH) (20).

4. System according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the navigation means (21) is a terminal outside the customer's home and in that the message redirection means are associated with external redirection software messages capable of redirecting specific messages (1) to the secure payment protocol (PS) to the home server (WAH) (20).

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the home server (WAH) comprises a permanent link to the telecommunications network with a fixed address on said network.

6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the server domicile (WAH) constitutes a compulsory crossing point between the navigation means (22,23,24,25) of the client's domicile and the telecommunications network.

7. System according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the navigation means is a fixed terminal.

8. System according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the navigation means is a mobile terminal.

9. System according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the means of payment is a fixed terminal.

10. System according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the means of payment is a mobile terminal.

11. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secure payment protocol (PS) is the SET (Secured Electronic Transaction) protocol.

12. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the home server (WAH) informs the navigation means of the correct progress of the payment by a message (4).

13. Payment server for an electronic payment system through a telecommunication network between, on the one hand, a seller equipped with a server (10) connected to said network and able to implement a secure payment protocol (PS ) by smart cards, and, on the other hand, a customer equipped with means of navigation and electronic payment (21,22,23,24,25) able to establish a connection on the network with the server of the seller (10 ) ^' and to make a payment to said seller according to a payment management client software including said secure payment protocol (PS), characterized in that said payment server comprises said secure payment management client software and in that said payment server is a home server (WAH) capable of managing the connection to the telecommunications network of a plurality of terminals in the customer's home.

14. Payment server according to claim 13, characterized in that it is capable of managing private data relating to the client.