EP2397981B1 - Terminal and method for distributing electronic tickets - Google Patents

Description

Background of the invention

The present invention is in the field of the distribution of electronic tickets.

It can in particular be used in a transport network.

In particular, it relates to an electronic ticket distribution terminal and a transport system comprising such a terminal.

In the field of the distribution of electronic tickets, the document is particularly known WO 2004/055736 describing a method for managing paid parking spaces using electronic parking tickets.

In this system, when a motorist wants to park his vehicle, he goes to a parking meter with which he pays a certain amount of money by means of a payment method, in exchange for a parking fee for a vehicle. determined duration, this parking fee being encoded in a transponder delivered in the form of a ticket by the time stamp and intended to be placed behind the windshield of the vehicle to allow its verification by an authorized agent.

Unfortunately, although particularly advantageous, this system has a major disadvantage in that it requires a relatively long time for the user between the payment of the parking space to the ticket machine and the distribution of the associated electronic ticket.

The documents JP 2004 287997 and WO 2009/087494 each have a system for managing and distributing electronic tickets.

Object and summary of the invention

The invention proposes a terminal which does not have the drawbacks of the time stamp of the prior art.

More specifically, the invention relates to an electronic ticket dispensing system as defined in claim 1.

Correlatively, the invention also relates to a method of electronic ticket distribution as defined in claim 8.

The invention applies in particular, but in a non-limiting manner to the distribution of electronic transport tickets.

Thus, in a very advantageous manner, the system and the electronic ticket dispensing method according to the invention make it possible to record, in a list, a plurality of electronic tickets, the electronic ticket supplied or delivered to an electronic ticket support. given being selected in the list from an identifier of the medium.

The invention thus makes it possible to reduce the interactions between the user and the terminal.

Indeed, very advantageously, the list of electronic tickets waiting to decorrelate the payment of an electronic ticket of its distribution, so that the waiting time at the time of obtaining the electronic ticket is excessively reduced.

In a particular embodiment, the electronic ticket is generated from the identifier of the support, the terminal and the distribution method according to the invention being able to search the list of electronic tickets, the ticket or tickets generated from the support identifier included in the request issued by a support.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the electronic ticket holders are transponders able to communicate without contact with the terminal for obtaining an electronic transport ticket. These transponders may be passive type transponders using inductive coupling to receive or transmit data in accordance with the contactless technologies described in the ISO14443 or ISO15593 standards.

The electronic ticket holders can be constituted by plastic cards ID1 format of the ISO7816 standard (54 mm x 85 mm).

In a particular embodiment of the system according to the invention, the electronic ticket support comprises means for authenticating the electronic tickets that are issued to it from authentication data generated from the identifier of this medium.

The electronic ticket holder can memorize the history of the electronic tickets that have been provided to it. As a variant, only the last electronic ticket is stored in the medium, the others being erased.

In a particular embodiment, the electronic ticket distribution terminal according to the invention is able to read and receive an electronic ticket stored in a medium and to allow access to a service, for example to a transport network, after verification of the validity of this ticket.

• une borne de distribution de tickets électroniques telle que mentionnée ci-dessus ;
• un support de tickets électroniques ; et
• un serveur apte à obtenir la structure de données précitée à partir d'une base de données d'utilisateurs du système et à fournir cette structure de données à la borne.

The invention relates to a system comprising at least:

• an electronic ticket distribution terminal as mentioned above;
• electronic ticket support; and
• a server adapted to obtain the aforementioned data structure from a user database of the system and to provide this data structure to the terminal.

The database can for example be managed by a server accessible by a website from which the user provides information, including the identifier of its electronic ticket support.

• des premiers moyens de communication aptes à recevoir un message en provenance d'un terminal d'un utilisateur du système, ce message comportant un identifiant de ce terminal et un identifiant d'une borne selon l'invention ;
• des deuxièmes moyens de communication aptes à obtenir la structure de données précitée à partir de l'identifiant de terminal ;

le serveur fournissant la structure de données à la borne identifiée par l'identifiant de borne compris dans le message.According to the invention, this server comprises:

• first communication means adapted to receive a message from a terminal of a user of the system, this message comprising an identifier of this terminal and an identifier of a terminal according to the invention;
• second communication means adapted to obtain the aforementioned data structure from the terminal identifier;

the server providing the data structure to the terminal identified by the terminal identifier included in the message.

For example, in this embodiment, the data structure may include the MSISDN identifier ("Mobile Station ISDN Number", the number of the user known to the public) or IMSI ("International Mobile Suscriber Identity") of a card. subscription to a telephone network (SIM card). Therefore, when the user calls a number corresponding to a terminal, using a mobile phone incorporating the SIM card, this call is processed by the system server according to the invention; it then obtains, from the database, the identifier of the electronic ticket holder of the user, generates the electronic ticket from this identifier, and makes it available to the user, in the list of the terminal corresponding to the called number.

It is recalled that the IMSI identifier is stored in the SIM card, the telephone network making the correspondence between the IMSI identifier and the MSISDN identifier communicated to the recipient.

Very advantageously, the user can thus request the generation of an electronic ticket for a terminal, without being close to the terminal, since it is sufficient that he knows the telephone number associated with this terminal.

Of course, this call phase is not necessary for the implementation of the invention. In another embodiment, the server sends, at a given moment, for example at the beginning of the month, the data structure to the distribution terminal, so that it makes available the electronic ticket in its list, the terminal being specified by the user in his profile registered in the website.

Alternatively, it may also be the last terminal used following a phone call as described above.

Preferably, the server of the system according to the invention is able to cut the communication with the terminal, as soon as it has obtained the identifier of this terminal and the identifier of the terminal, early enough to avoid billing of this communication, for example before the terminal accepts communication, during the ring phase.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the server of the system according to the invention comprises means for sending a message to the terminal of the user to indicate that the electronic ticket is available from this terminal. The sending or not of this message, for example of SMS type, can be configured with the aforementioned website.

The user can thus be informed of the availability of the ticket.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the terminal according to the invention sends the server a message when it has actually delivered the electronic ticket to a user.

The server can then by means of an identifier of a means of payment of the user pay the ticket payment and send a payment confirmation message to the terminal of the user.

• un identifiant de moyen de paiement, par exemple de carte bancaire,
• un identifiant de terminal par exemple de téléphone mobile ;
• un mot de passe pour la gestion de son compte ;
• les paramètres du service pour lequel il souhaite être facturé ; et
• une durée de validité de ce service (mois, quinzaine, ...).

For this purpose, the data structure registered with the website may comprise a plurality of elements, namely, in addition to the indispensable support identifier, information among which:

• a means of payment identifier, for example a bank card,
• a terminal identifier for example a mobile phone;
• a password for managing his account;
• the parameters of the service for which it wishes to be billed; and
• a period of validity of this service (month, fortnight, ...).

In a particular embodiment, the various steps of the electronic ticket dispensing method are determined by computer program instructions.

Accordingly, the present application also describes a computer program on an information medium, this program being capable of being implemented by a computer, this program comprising instructions adapted to the implementation of the steps of the method of distribution of electronic transport tickets as mentioned above.

This program can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

The present application also describes a computer-readable information carrier, and including instructions of a computer program as mentioned above.

The information carrier may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a diskette (floppy disc) or a disk hard.

On the other hand, the information medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The program according to the invention can be downloaded in particular on an Internet type network.

Alternatively, the information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question.

Brief description of the drawings

Other features are advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment having no limiting character.

• la figure 1 représente un système conforme à un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 représente une structure de données pouvant être utilisée dans le système de la figure 1 ; et
• la figure 3 représente sous forme d'organigramme les principales étapes d'un procédé de distribution de tickets électroniques conforme à un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention.

In the figures:

• the figure 1 represents a system according to a particular embodiment of the invention;
• the figure 2 represents a data structure that can be used in the system of the figure 1 ; and
• the figure 3 represents in flow chart form the main steps of an electronic ticket dispensing method according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention is presented here in the context of a transport application.

The figure 1 represents a transport system 10 according to the invention.

This system comprises two terminals TERM1, TERM2 transport according to the invention, each of these terminals having a reader RD adapted to communicate with a support PT electronic ticket transport.

In the exemplary embodiment described here, this support PT is constituted by a contactless smart card.

Each of these terminals TERM1, TERM2 is associated with a telephone number respectively N-TERM1, N-TERM2, the telephone number of a terminal being displayed on the terminal itself.

The electronic transport ticket holder PT comprises a non-volatile memory storing an ID-PT identifier of this medium.

• un premier serveur SRV1 ;
• un deuxième serveur SRV2 hébergeant un site Web comportant, dans une base de données BD, le profil des utilisateurs du système 10 ; et
• un serveur bancaire SRV-BK.

Terminals TERM1, TERM2 are connected to a telecommunications network to which are also connected:

• a first server SRV1;
• a second server SRV2 hosting a website comprising, in a database BD, the profile of the users of the system 10; and
• an SRV-BK bank server.

On the figure 1 a terminal MP of the holder of the electronic ticket transport medium PT is also represented, namely, in this example, a mobile telephone.

The server SRV is able to implement a computer program PG-SRV whose main steps C10 to C100 are represented at the figure 3 . In the exemplary embodiment described here, the SRV server comprises a recording medium, namely a memory, on which this PG-SRV program is recorded.

We will now describe, with reference to the figure 3 , an example of operation of the system 10 of the figure 1 .

We will first assume that the user holding the electronic transport ticket holder creates his profile with the SRV2 server using a terminal capable of communicating with the server SRV2 via the Internet, this terminal may in particular be constituted by a mobile phone MP or a personal computer not shown.

The PG-BD program implemented by this server SRV2 comprises, in this example, the steps A10 and A20 shown in FIG. figure 3 .

Step A10 makes it possible to create the account of the user and to record the information relating to this user, in other words his profile in the database BD.

It should be noted that the creation and / or update of the user's profile can be carried out by the user, or by a third party, for example the administrator of the database BD.

• l'identifiant ID-PT du support de tickets électroniques PT ;
• un identifiant ID-MP du téléphone mobile MP de cet utilisateur ;
• une définition DZ des zones de transport dans lequel circule cet utilisateur ;
• une durée de validité d'un ticket de transport électronique devant être délivré à cet utilisateur ;
• un identifiant ID-CV d'une carte bancaire de cet utilisateur enregistrée auprès du serveur bancaire SRV-BK ; et
• un mot de passe PWD permettant à l'utilisateur de s'authentifier auprès du site Web.

In the exemplary embodiment described here, this information is structured according to a data structure SD represented in FIG. figure 2 . It involves :

• the ID-PT ID of the electronic ticket holder PT;
• an ID-MP identifier of the mobile phone MP of this user;
• a definition DZ of the transport zones in which this user is traveling;
• a period of validity of an electronic transport ticket to be delivered to this user;
• an ID-CV identifier of a bank card of this user registered with the bank server SRV-BK; and
• a PWD password that allows the user to authenticate to the website.

Of course, at any time, the user can, after providing his password PWD, modify the information of his profile.

• les étapes B10 à B40 sont les étapes d'un programme d'ordinateur PG-MP mis en oeuvre par le téléphone mobile MP ;
• les étapes D10 à D70 sont les étapes d'un programme d'ordinateur PG-TERM mis en oeuvre par chacune des bornes TERM1, TERM2 ; et
• les étapes E10 à E30 sont les étapes d'un programme d'ordinateur PG-PT mis en oeuvre par un microprocesseur embarqué dans le support de tickets de transport électroniques PT.

To the figure 3 :

• steps B10 to B40 are the steps of a PG-MP computer program implemented by the mobile phone MP;
• steps D10 to D70 are the steps of a PG-TERM computer program implemented by each of terminals TERM1, TERM2; and
• steps E10 to E30 are the steps of a computer program PG-PT implemented by a microprocessor embedded in the support of electronic transport tickets PT.

We will assume in this example, that the user calls, during a step B10, with his mobile phone MP, the phone number N-TERM1 associated with terminal TERM1.

This number can be a toll free number.

Of course, it is not necessary for the user to be near this terminal at the time of this call.

This call establishes, during a step C10, a communication COM1 with the server SRV, for example via a mobile telephone network. This communication can be established in circuit mode or according to the http protocol for example.

In known manner, the protocol or signaling implemented for the establishment of the communication allows the SRV server to identify the calling mobile phone MP; the ID-MP identifier of this mobile phone can for example be constituted by a telephone number or by an IP address (Internet Protocol).

Upon receipt of the call, the SRV server records, during a step C20, the ID-MP identifier of the mobile phone MP in a memory not shown. In the embodiment described here, the SRV server also records the N-TERM1 telephone number of the terminal TERM1.

Then, it cuts the telephone communication, during a step C30, the communication with the mobile phone MP before it is billed, for example during the ringing step.

The mobile terminal MP releases the communication on its side, during a step B20.

Then, during a step C40, the server SRV sends to the server SRV2, a request including the ID-MP identifier of the mobile phone MP (communication COM2). This request is received by the server SRV2 during a step A20. Upon receipt of this request, the server SRV2 searches the database BD, a data structure SD, including the identifier ID-MP, and returns this data structure SD to the server SRV.

During a step C50, the server SRV sends (communication COM3) to the terminal identified by the terminal identifier N-TERM1 received from the telephone call COM1 previously established with the mobile telephone MP at least some information included in the structure SD data, and in particular the ID-PT identifier of the electronic transport ticket holder of the user.

These data are received by the terminal TERM1 during a step D10.

During a step D20, the TERM1 terminal generates an electronic transport ticket CP and saves it in an LC list.

In the embodiment described here, the terminal SRV generates authentication data of the electronic ticket CP, these data being verifiable by the support PT. This authentication data may for example be constituted by a cryptographic signature of the electronic ticket calculated with a diversified key obtained from a master key and the ID-PT identifier of the medium.

Terminal TERM1 then sends a confirmation message of this record to the SRV server which receives it during a step C60.

On receipt of this message, the server SRV sends, during a step C70, a short SMS message to the mobile phone MP, this SMS being received by the mobile phone MP during a step B30 (communication COM4).

At this time, the TERM1 terminal according to the invention comprises, in its LC list, a plurality of electronic transport tickets, each of which has been generated from the ID-PT identifier of an electronic ticket holder.

We will now assume that the user holding the electronic transport ticket holder PT physically approaches the terminal TERM1 to get his own electronic transport ticket.

For this purpose, the user approaches, during a step D30, its support PT electron transport tickets RD drive terminal TERM1.

It establishes then a communication without contact COM5 between these two entities.

This COM5 communication can be secured by cryptographic means; for example, the ID-PT identifier of the electronic transport ticket holder may include a signature, the latter being verified by the terminal TERM1 before issuing a ticket.

During this communication COM5, the support PT transmits, during a step E10, its identifier ID-PT to the terminal TERM1, which receives it during a step D30.

Then, during a step D40, the terminal TERM1 searches, in its LC list, an electronic ticket CP generated from the identifier ID-PT of this support.

During a step D50, the terminal TERM1 communicates this electronic ticket CP to the support PT; it stores it in its memory during a step E20.

In this particular embodiment, the electronic ticket CP comprises authentication data, (ie for example a cryptographic signature) verifiable by the support PT, the electronic ticket CP being stored in the memory only in case of success authentication.

In the exemplary embodiment described here, the terminal TERM1 sends, in a communication message COM6, a message to the server SRV2 to confirm that the electronic transport ticket CP has been delivered to the support PT (step D60).

This message is received by the SRV server during a step C80.

During a step C90, the SRV server communicates, during a COM7 communication, with the bank server SRV-BK to debit the account of the user. It uses for this purpose the ID-CB identifier of the bank card of this user.

In the embodiment described here, the server SRV1 sends a short message SMS, during a step C100 during a COM8 communication to the mobile phone MP to confirm this payment.

Alternatively the payment can also be made before the establishment of COM5 communication: the user can prepay the electronic ticket with SRV2 using his mobile phone MP or another terminal.

This SMS is received by the mobile phone MP during a step B40.

The user can now use his electronic transport ticket to access the transport network.

We assume in this example that terminal TERM2 allows access to this transport network.

When the user approaches his support PT electronic transport ticket (step E30), in front of the reader RD of this terminal, contactless COM9 communication is established.

This COM9 communication is a short-range communication (of the order of a few centimeters) for example in accordance with the NFC standard. It can also be a contact communication.

Alternatively, the terminal can communicate with wireless communication means or without contact with a mobile phone controller MP, the controller being connected to the support PT by a connector.

The TERM2 terminal then allows the user access to the transport network, after checking the validity of the ticket.

In the case of a transport application, the validity check may consist of verifying the validity of an access date or specific areas covered by the network.

The invention can also be applied for example to the distribution of electronic tickets for shows or access tickets to a building.

Claims (12)

1. A system (10) including at least:

   - a medium (PT) for electronic tickets for a user of said system (10);

   - a server (SRV) including:

   - first communication means configured to receive a message coming from a terminal (MP) of the user of said system (10), this message including an identifier (ID-MP) of this terminal and an identifier (N-TERM1) of an electronic ticket distribution terminal (TERM1); and

   - second communication means configured to obtain a data structure (SD) from a user database of said system and said identifier (ID-MP) of the terminal received by the first communication means, said data structure (SD) including an identifier (ID-PT) of said electronic ticket medium (PT);
   said server (SRV) being configured to provide said data structure (SD) to said terminal (TERM1) identified by said terminal identifier (N-TERM1);

   - said terminal (TERM1) including:

   - a module for generating electronic tickets, this module including:

   - means for obtaining said data structure (SD) including said identifier (ID-PT) of the electronic ticket medium (PT); and

   - means for generating an electronic ticket (CP) from said identifier (ID-PT);
   said terminal also including:

   - recording means configured to record, in a list (LC), the generated electronic ticket(s) (CP), the list associating each ticket (CP) with an identifier (ID-PT) of the electronic ticket (CP) medium (PT); and

   - an electronic ticket distribution module including:

   - communication means configured to receive, from said electronic ticket medium (PT), a request to obtain an electronic ticket (CP), this request including said identifier (ID-PT) of said medium (PT); and

   - search means configured to search, in said list (LC), for an electronic ticket (CP) generated from the medium identifier (ID-PT) included in said request;

   - said communication means being configured to deliver said electronic ticket (CP) to said medium.
2. The system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said communication means of said electronic ticket distribution module are contactless communication means compatible with contactless communication means of said medium (PT).
3. The system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said communication means of the electronic ticket distribution module are able to receive an electronic ticket (CP) from said medium and to allow access to a service after verification of the validity of said ticket.
4. The system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said server (SRV) includes means for cutting off communication before said terminal (MP) accepts the call to avoid billing for said communication.
5. The system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said server (SRV) includes means for sending a message to said terminal to inform it that said electronic ticket (CP) is available from said terminal (TERM1).
6. The system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that:

   - said terminal (TERM1) includes means for sending a message to said server (SRV) to inform it that it has actually delivered said electronic ticket (CP) to said medium; and in that

   - said server (SRV) is able to obtain an identifier (ID-CB) from a payment means of a user of said medium and to make the payment for said electronic ticket (CP) by using this identifier and to send a confirmation message for said payment to a terminal of said user.
7. The system (10) according to claim 6, wherein said medium (PT) includes means for authenticating said electronic ticket (PY) from authentication data generated from said identifier.
8. A method for distributing electronic tickets (CP) successively including:

   - a step (C10) for receiving, by a server, from a terminal (MP) of a user, a message requesting to generate an electronic ticket including the identifier (ID-MP) of this terminal (MP) and the identifier (N-TERM1) of a terminal (TERM1) for distributing electronic tickets;

   - a step (C40) for obtaining, by the server (SRV), a data structure (SD) from a user database and said terminal identifier (ID-MP), said data structure (SD) including the identifier (ID-PT) of an electronic ticket medium of the user;

   - a step (C50) for sending, by the server (SRV), to said terminal (TERM1) for distributing electronic tickets, the data structure (SD);

   - a step (D20) for generating, via said terminal (TERM1), an electronic ticket (CP) from said medium identifier (ID-PT);

   - a step (D20) for recording, in a list (LC), by said terminal (TERM1), of said electronic ticket (CP) associated with the identifier (ID-PT) of the electronic ticket medium (PT);

   - a step (D30) for receiving, by said terminal (TERM1) from a medium (PT) able to receive an electronic ticket, a request to obtain an electronic ticket (CP), this request including an identifier (ID-PT) of said medium (PT);

   - a step (D40) for searching, by said terminal (TERM1) in said list (LC), for an electronic ticket (CP) generated from the identifier (ID-PT) included in said request; and

   - a step (D50) for providing, by said terminal (TERM1), said electronic ticket (CP) to said medium.
9. The distribution method according to claim 8, characterized in that the obtainment (D30) of the electronic ticket (CP) by said terminal is done by contactless communication means.
10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the communication means use a contactless technology according to standard ISO 14443 or standard ISO 15593.
11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that said server (SRV) communicates with said terminal (MP) to receive said message via a mobile telephone network.
12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that said terminal identifier (ID-MP) is made up of a telephone number or an IP address.

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