MY124123A - Method and apparatus for implementing hierarchical electronic cash - Google Patents

Abstract

A USER U GENERATES A SIGNATURE VERIFICATION KEY Nu, A SIGNATURE KEY SSu AND A CIPHER KEY K, ENCIPHERS (X,Nu) BY A PUBLIC KEY INTO EI (X,K,Nu) AND SENDS THE ENCIPHERED INFORMATION TO A BANK TOGETHER WITH A USER INFORMATION U AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY X. THE BANK REGISTERS THE INFORMATION U AND EI IN A USER DATA BASE IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH EACH OTHER, THEN WITHDRAWS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY X FROM A USER''S BANK ACCOUNT AND SENDS INFORMATION (X,EI) TO AN ELECTRONIC CASH ISSUER TOGETHER WITH A BANK SIGNATURE SB (X,EI) FOR THE INFORMATION. THE ISSUER DECIPHERS THE ENCIPHERED INFORMATION EI BY A SECRET KEY TO OBTAIN THE INFORMATION (X,Nu), THEN REGISTERS THE INFORMATION EI AND THE KEY NU IN AN INSPECTION DATA BASE IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH EACH OTHER, AND ENCIPHERS THE SIGNATURE SI (X,Nu) ATTACHED TO THE KEY NU BY THE KEY K INTO EK (SI), WHICH IS SENT TO THE USER VIA THE BANK. THE USER DECIPHERS THE INFORMATION EK BY THE KEY K TO OBTAIN THE ISSUER SIGNATURE SI AND SENDS TO A SHOP, AS ELECTRONIC CASH C, INFORMATION CONTAINING THE KEY NU AND THE ISSUER SIGNATURE SI. THE SHOP VERIFIES THE VALIDITY OF THE ISSUER SIGNATURE AND THE SUER SIGNATURE AND, IF THEY ARE VALID, APPROVES PAYMENT IN AN AMOUNT Y. THE SHOP SENDS DATA H OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE USER TO THE ISSUER FOR SETTLEMENT OF ACCOUNTS, AND THE ISSUER MAKES A CHECK TO SEE IF THE KEY NU IN THE DATA H IS REGISTERED IN THE INSPECTION DATA BASE. (FIG. 1)