Secure on-line ticketing

A method of providing a value bearing indicium to an end-user via a computer network, the method comprising:

• providing an indicium server, the indicium server coupled to a validation information database;
• generating a web interface by a distributor server coupled to the computer network;
• receiving a value bearing indicium request over the computer network from an end-user's machine by the distributor server via the web interface;
• generating validation information from the value bearing indicium request, and a link to an indicium graphic in the indicium server, by the distributor server;
• transmitting the validation information and the link to the indicium graphic in the indicium server to the web browser of the end-user's machine, by the distributor server;
• receiving by the indicium server the validation information and the link to the indicium graphic from the end-user's machine via the computer network;
• generating by the indicium server a digital signature using the validation information and the link to the indicium graphic;
• generating by the indicium server the value bearing indicium using the digital signature;
• storing the digital signature in the validation information database;
• transmitting the value bearing indicium to the end-user's machine by the indicium server, wherein the value bearing indicium includes a copy of the digital signature;
• printing the value bearing indicium including the digital signature;
• scanning the printed value bearing indicium using a scanning machine and receiving the scanned copy of the value bearing indicium from a remote terminal including a scanning machine, by the indicium server via the computer network;
• determining a validity status for the value bearing indicium by the indicium server using the received digital signature in the scanned value bearing indicium, and the validation information database;
• and
• transmitting the validity status to the remote terminal by the indicium server via the computer network.

A computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program instructions for execution by a computer, the computer program instructions adapting a computer to provide value bearing indicium data to an end-user via a computer network, the computer program instructions comprising:

• providing a ticket server, the ticket server coupled to a validation information database;
• generating a web interface by a distributor server coupled to the computer network;
• receiving a ticket request over the computer network from an end-user's machine by the distributor server via the web interface;
• generating validation information from the ticket request, and a link to an indicium graphic in the ticket server, by the distributor server;
• transmitting the validation information and the link to the indicium graphic in the ticket server to the web browser of the end-user's machine, by the distributor server;
• receiving by the ticket server the validation information and the link to the indicium graphic from the end-user's machine via the computer network;
• generating by the ticket server an indicium graphic using the validation information and the link to the indicium graphic;
• generating by the ticket server a ticket using the indicium graphic and the validation information;
• storing the indicium graphic and the validation information in the validation information database, before the ticket is validated;
• transmitting the ticket by the ticket server to the end-user's machine, wherein the ticket includes a copy of the indicium graphic and the validation information;
• printing the ticket;
• scanning the printed ticket using a scanning machine and receiving the scanned copy of the ticket from a remote terminal including the scanning machine, by the ticket server via the computer network;
• determining a validity status for the ticket by the ticket server using the received indicium graphic and the validation information in the ticket, and the validation information database;
• and
• transmitting the validity status to the remote terminal by the ticket server via the computer network.