US 7,080,045 B1 · Electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus and method thereof and recording medium stored control program thereof

Abstract

An electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus and a method thereof and a recording medium stored a control program thereof, in which the amount of an electronic revenue stamp that became invalid can be used again as a possible amount to issue without any communication with a specified communication center, are provided. The electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus provides a judging means for judging whether the amount of an electronic revenue stamp to be issued is equal to or less than a possible amount to issue in which a prepaid amount is stored or not, an issuing means for issuing the electronic revenue stamp as data attached a signature of the electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus to a message to be attached to the electronic revenue stamp, the amount of the electronic revenue stamp, and an identifier of a receiver of the electronic revenue stamp, in case that the amount of the electronic revenue stamp is equal to or less than the possible amount to issue, a balance amount reducing means for reducing the amount of the electronic revenue stamp from the possible amount to issue, when the electronic revenue stamp was issued, a verifying means, when the verifying means receives a certificate making electronic revenue stamp invalid attached a signature of the receiver, verifies whether the certificate making electronic revenue stamp invalid is valid or not by using the identifier of the receiver and the signature of the electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus, an amount increasing means for increasing the possible amount to issue by the amount of the electronic revenue stamp made to be invalid, and an invalid electronic revenue stamp recording means for recording the certificate making electronic revenue stamp invalid that was made to be invalid.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus, comprising:

request means for making a request for issuance of an electronic revenue stamp for a user-determined amount, said user-determined amount being a value or cost of the electronic revenue stamp, said request being made by a receiver;
debit means for tracking remaining value of a prepaid amount, said prepaid amount being reduced, each time an electronic revenue stamp is issued, by said value or cost of said electronic revenue stamp;
a judging means for judging whether the amount of said electronic revenue stamp to be issued is equal to or less than said prepaid amount;
an issuing means for issuing said electronic revenue stamp as data on a document, said issuing means giving a serial number with said data to said electronic revenue stamp, said data containing a digital signature of said electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus on a message, said message including the document which said electronic revenue stamp is attached to, the amount of said electronic revenue stamp, and an identifier of a receiver of said electronic revenue stamp, if said amount of said revenue stamp is judged to be equal to or less than said prepaid amount by said judging means;
a balance amount reducing means for reducing said prepaid amount of said debit means by said value or cost of said electronic revenue stamp if said electronic revenue stamp is issued;
a verifying means that is part of the stamp issuing apparatus, for receiving a digital certificate for making an electronic revenue stamp invalid, said digital certificate containing a digital signature of said receiver, and verifying whether said digital certificate is valid or not by using an identifier of said receiver and without communication with a data center;
an amount increasing means for increasing said prepaid amount by an amount equal to the value or cost of said invalidated electronic revenue stamp;
and
an invalid electronic revenue stamp recording means for recording receipt of said digital certificate.

6 more elements

An electronic revenue stamp issuing method, comprising the steps of:

requesting issuance of an electronic revenue stamp for a user-determined amount, said user-determined amount being a value or cost of the electronic revenue stamp, said request being made by a receiver;
tracking remaining value of a prepaid amount, said prepaid amount being reduced, each time an electronic revenue stamp is issued, by said value or cost of said electronic revenue stamp;
judging whether the amount of said electronic revenue stamp to be issued is equal to or less than said prepaid amount;
providing an electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus;
said electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus issuing said electronic revenue stamp as data on a document and giving a serial number with said data to said electronic revenue stamp, said data containing a digital signature of said electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus on a message, said message including the document which said electronic revenue stamp is attached to, the amount of said electronic revenue stamp, and an identifier of a receiver of said electronic revenue stamp, if said amount of said revenue stamp is judged by said judging step to be equal to or less than said prepaid amount;
subtracting said amount of said electronic revenue stamp from said prepaid amount if said electronic revenue stamp is issued;
when a digital certificate from said receiver making said electronic revenue stamp invalid containing a digital signature of said receiver is received, verifying through a verification means that is part of the stamp issuing apparatus whether said digital certificate making said electronic revenue stamp invalid is valid or not by using an identifier of said receiver, said verifying step being performed without communicating with a data center;
increasing said prepaid amount by said amount of said invalidated electronic revenue stamp when said verifying step verifies that a valid digital certificate has been received for invalidating said issued electronic revenue stamp;
and
recording receipt of said digital certificate making an electronic revenue stamp invalid.

7 more elements

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for storing a control program of an electronic revenue stamp issuing method, comprising the steps of:

requesting issuance of an electronic revenue stamp for a user-determined amount, said user-determined amount being a value or cost of the electronic revenue stamp, said request being made by a receiver;
tracking remaining value of a prepaid amount, said prepaid amount being reduced, each time an electronic revenue stamp is issued, by said value or cost of said electronic revenue stamp;
judging whether the amount of said electronic revenue stamp to be issued is equal to or less than said prepaid amount;
providing an electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus;
said electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus issuing said electronic revenue stamp as data on a document and giving a serial number with said data to said electronic revenue stamp, said data containing a digital signature of said electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus on a message, said message including the document which said electronic revenue stamp is attached to, the amount of said electronic revenue stamp, and an identifier of a receiver of said electronic revenue stamp, if said amount of said revenue stamp is judged by said judging step to be equal to or less than said prepaid amount;
subtracting said amount of said electronic revenue stamp from said prepaid amount if said electronic revenue stamp is issued;
when a digital certificate from said receiver making said electronic revenue stamp invalid containing a digital signature of said receiver is received, verifying through a verification means that is part of the stamp issuing apparatus whether said digital certificate making said electronic revenue stamp invalid is valid or not by using an identifier of said receiver, said verifying step being performed without communicating with a data center;
increasing said prepaid amount by said amount of said invalidated electronic revenue stamp when said verifying step verifies that a valid digital certificate has been received for invalidating said issued electronic revenue stamp;
and
recording receipt of said digital certificate making an electronic revenue stamp invalid.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus and method thereof and recording medium stored control program thereof

Life of this patent

Electronic revenue stamp issuing apparatus and method thereof and recording medium stored control program thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19