# US 7,412,423 B1 · Charging system and charging method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,412,423 B1 - Document ID: US7412423B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 08/865,403 - Filed: 1997-05-29 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 1996-06-07 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Tomoyuki Asano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7412423B1 ## CPC - G06Q 20/04: Payment circuits - G06Q 20/02: involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP] - G06Q 20/027: {involving a payment switch or gateway} - G06Q 20/085: {involving remote charge determination or related payment systems} - G06Q 20/0855: {involving a third party} - G06Q 20/10: specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems - G06Q 20/102: {Bill distribution or payments} - G06Q 20/105: {involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"} - G06Q 20/108: {Remote banking, e.g. home banking} - G06Q 20/1085: {involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]} - G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems - G06Q 20/204: {comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit} - G06Q 20/3821: {Electronic credentials} - G06Q 20/389: {Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction} - G06Q 20/401: {Transaction verification} - G07F 17/0014: {for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 (meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00)} - H04L 12/14: Charging, metering or billing arrangements specially adapted for data communications, e.g. authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] framework - H04L 12/1403: {Architecture for metering, charging or billing} - H04L 12/1439: {time-based} - H04L 12/1453: {Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network} - H04L 12/1457: {using an account} - H04L 12/1464: {using a card, such as credit card, prepay card or SIM} - H04L 63/12: {Applying verification of the received information (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32)} - H04L 2463/102: applying security measure for e-commerce - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A user, in requesting a service provider to provide predetermined service, sends to a service provider data and signature data created based upon the data. The service provider calculates a fee based upon this data and requests a bank to collect the fee from the user. The bank informs the user of the fee requested from the service provider. When the user protests the amount of the fee, the service provider discloses the data and signature data received from the user to the bank and when the bank judges based upon this signature data that this data is valid, it calculates a proper fee based upon this data and collects it from the user. As described above, it is enabled to collect a proper fee for service. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for providing a service to a user, comprising the steps of: receiving a service request requesting desired service for the user from a service provider and a digital signature generated based on said service request from a user terminal; providing the service to the user terminal according to said service request; requesting a charge collection from an accounting terminal based on said service request; and providing said service request and said digital signature to said accounting terminal when a disclosure request of service requests and digital signatures is received. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said digital signature is generated only by said user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said service provider verifies said digital signature received from said user terminal, and said service provider provides the service to the user if said digital signature is valid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said service provider verifies said digital signature received from said user terminal, and said service provider rejects the service request from the user terminal if the user falls behind in his payment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said service request from the user terminal includes a user name, bank account information, a name of service provider, a name of the service to be provided, date and time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said charge collection request to said accounting terminal includes a user name, a bank account information and amount of fee. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said charge collection request to said accounting terminal includes said service request and said digital signature received from the user terminal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said disclosure requests of said service requests and digital signatures is received from the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said service provider charges a fee to the user based on a time period said service is provided to the user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said service provider charges a fee to the user based on contents provided to the user. ### Claim 11 A system for providing a service to a user, comprising: means for receiving a service request requesting desired service for the user from a service provider and a digital signature generated based on said service request from a user terminal; means for providing the service to the user terminal according to said service request; means for requesting a charge collection from an accounting terminal based on said service request; and means for providing said service request and said digital signature to said accounting terminal when a disclosure request of service requests and digital signatures is received. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said digital signature is generated only by said user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said service provider verifies said digital signature received from said user terminal, and said service provider provides the service to the user if said digital signature is valid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said service provider verifies said digital signature received from said user terminal, and said service provider rejects the service request from the user terminal if the user falls behind in his payment. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said service request from the user terminal includes a user name, bank account information, a name of service provider, a name of the service to be provided, date and time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said charge collection request to said accounting* terminal includes a user name, a bank account information and amount of fee. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said charge collection request to said accounting terminal includes said service request and said digital signature received from the user terminal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said disclosure requests of said service requests and digital signatures is received from the user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said service provider charges a fee to the user based on a time period said service is provided to the user. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein said service provider charges a fee to the user based on contents provided to the user. ### Claim 21 A system for providing a service to a user, comprising: a service provider for receiving from a user terminal a service request requesting desired service for the user and a digital signature generated based on said service request, wherein the service provider provides the service to the user terminal according to said service request, requests a charge collection from an accounting terminal based on said service request, and provides said service request and said digital signature to said accounting terminal when a disclosure request of service requests and digital signatures is received. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said digital signature is generated only by said user. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said service provider verifies said digital signature received from said user terminal, and said service provider provides the service to the user if said digital signature is valid. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said service provider verifies said digital signature received from said user terminal, and said service provider rejects the service request from the user terminal if the user falls behind in his payment. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said service request from the user terminal includes a user name, bank account information, a name of service provider, a name of the service to be provided, date and time. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said charge collection request to said accounting terminal includes a user name, a bank account information and amount of fee. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said charge collection request to said accounting terminal includes said service request and said digital signature received from the user terminal. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said disclosure requests of said service requests and digital signatures is received from the user. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said service provider charges a fee to the user based on a time period said service is provided to the user. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The system according to claim 21, wherein said service provider charges a fee to the user based on contents provided to the user.