Abstract: The present invention relates to producing and presenting negotiable instruments and, more specifically, to printing and presenting checks, which are resistant to forgery or fraud. The negotiable instrument comprises an encrypted numeric sequence and a one-way decryption key printed in MICR font upside down across the top face of the negotiable instrument for electronic reading by a MICR reader. The encrypted numeric sequence represents name of the payee of the negotiable instrument and the payment amount.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing authorization and other services. In a preferred embodiment, an authorization service is defined that includes both a messaging specification and a set of rules that govern its use. A first customer wishing to use the authorization service prepares a request that complies with the service's messaging specification and transmits it to a first participant. The first participant transmits the request to a second participant which processes the request according to authorization information provided by a second customer and rules that have been specified for the service. The second participant then prepares a response that complies with the service's messaging specification.

Abstract: A method and system for verifying a check that is being used for an on-line transaction, utilizes a hash code value either printed directly on the check, or obtained from an insert card provided by a check printer. To conduct an on-line transaction using a check, the customer enters in data obtained from a MICR line of the check, whereby the data includes a one-way hash value that is based on the data provided on the MICR line as well as private data not provided on the MICR line. A web server of an e-tailer for which the customer seeks to make the on-line transaction, receives the data entered by the customer. The web server of the e-tailer transmits, to a check verifier, the data entered by the customer. The check verifier verifies whether or not the check is valid, by comparing the hash code value entered in by the customer with a hash code value that is separately calculated by the check verifier, based on private data of the customer obtained by the check verifier from a database.

Abstract: The present invention is a method, system and article of manufacture that provides near simultaneous delivery of information over a packet routed network architecture in an inexpensive, fast, global, bi-directional communication medium, while having means to verify receipt of a transmission. The present invention utilizes a local mainframe distributing encrypted client submissions over a network such as the internet to a number of customers having a receiver. The present invention includes delivering a relatively small decryption key over the same network so that a customer is able to decrypt the previously received encrypted client submission and display the decrypted version simultaneously relative to the other customers.

Abstract: A system is described for allowing “pay by time” purchasing of digital video programming. The system provides for a variable or metered approach. A user can purchase a fraction of a program for a price different from that required for purchasing the entire program. Records of the user's viewing can be created to record, e.g., when a user started receiving a program, how long the user received a program, and when the user stopped receiving a program.

Abstract: Pure random numbers from a sheet within a one-time pad are employed to encrypt the bytes of a source data packet and to order the encrypted bytes in a random order within the encrypted data packet. Pure random numbers fill remaining positions within the encrypted data packet. The resulting encrypted data packet is unconditionally secure (i.e., unbreakable). Sheets within the one-time pad are utilized only once, and the one-time pad is replaced when exhausted. For electronic checking applications, the one-time pad is distributed to the user stored in an electronic checkbook, with a copy retained by the bank. For cellular telephone applications, the one-time pad is stored in a replaceable memory chip within the mobile unit with a copy retained at a single, secured central computer. For client-server applications or applications involving sales over the Internet, the one-time pad may be provided to the user on a floppy disk or CD-ROM, with a copy retained by the vendor.

Abstract: A system for assisting a mobile client interact with associated computers includes a mobile device, a broker, a mini-server and a personal agent. The mobile device transmits requests which include identification information and security information. The requests are transmitted to the mini-server either directly or through the broker. The requests may also be transmitted to the personal agent. Public and restricted requests are transmitted to the mini-server which responds to the requests by providing information accessible through the internet. Private requests are transmitted to the personal agent. Secure connections between the mobile device, broker, mini-server and personal agent are used if required by the security level of the request. The mini-server or personal agent obtains the requested information and formats the requested information according to the requirements of the mobile client identification.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting online financial transactions between individuals or between individuals and entities such as banks, merchants and other companies. Each user accesses a fund exchange server to establish an online account, which is used to transfer funds to and from other entities' online accounts. To fund an online account, funds can be transferred to the online account from a credit card account or from another online account. To withdraw funds, money can be transferred to a credit card account or other bank account. Any user may initiate a send money transaction or a request payment transaction with any other entity provided that entity has an e-mail address. For a send money transaction, the user sending money (payor) enters an amount of funds to be transferred and an e-mail address of the recipient of the funds (payee). The system sends an e-mail message to the payee at the address provided indicating that the amount of funds has been “received” on the payee's behalf.

Abstract: A system and method for using an e-commerce system to provide a user with the ability to order customized identification documents over the Internet is provided. The user can customize the layout of the identification document, including the use of company logos and trademarks. The user provides the demographic data and corresponding graphical representations, and is given the opportunity to approve a digital facsimile of the identification document that will be produced by the service bureau prior to the production of the identification documents. In addition, enhanced security is provided by verifying that the user is part of a legitimate organization and is authorized to use the identification documents being ordered.

Abstract: A storage-medium rental system includes a portable storage medium to be rented to the user, a portable semiconductor memory owned by the user, a rental-shop apparatus owned by the rental agent, and a reproduction apparatus owned by the user. The storage medium prestores encrypted content which is generated by encrypting digital work by using a content encryption key. The semiconductor memory has an area for securely storing a content decryption key. The rental-shop apparatus stores a content decryption key for decrypting the encrypted content. The rental-shop apparatus writes the content decryption key to the semiconductor memory. The reproduction apparatus securely reads the content decryption key from the semiconductor memory, reads the encrypted content from the storage medium, decrypts the encrypted content by using the content decryption key, and reproduces the decrypted content.

Abstract: An electronic asset system mints a stick of electronic assets that can be spent by the user with multiple vendors. Assets sticks are issued anonymously or non-anonymously in a way without requiring dedication to a particular vendor, hence allowing the user to spend one or more assets from the stick with different vendors. The auditor randomly audit samples of the spent assets to detect whether the assets have been fraudulently used. The electronic asset system employs tamper-resistant electronic wallets constructed as dedicated hardware devices, or as devices with secure-processor architecture. The electronic asset system also facilitates handling of electronic coupons in a manner that enforces compliance between the user and the vendor. The user and vendor each maintain a stick of corresponding coupons with pointers to the most recent and oldest coupons available for expenditure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a payment system utilizing so called “smart cards”, which include a microprocessor attached to the card with associated memory circuits for storage of transactions, and which via a terminal can be supplied an available and for the card holder useable amount. According to the invention, a unique card number for said card, together with a PIN code chosen by the user and registered for the card, are transformed by means of the card microprocessor into a unique and preferably encoded user certificate for each individual card, which is used for verification of the authority of the user.

Abstract: A bid estimating system and method is provided according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a processor that accesses a database of existing customer information specific to that customer. The processor identifies information specific to the customer stored in the database and determines an estimate, in real time, for the services provided based on the customer specific information. The estimate is then conveyed to the customer for their approval. According to one preferred embodiment the service provider is a landscaper. According to this embodiment the potential customer provides the customer's address. A processor then access a real estate database for the address and determines a bid based on the database information corresponding to the address. Alternatively, a landscaper can create accurate bids for mailers simply by identifying an address and selecting the types of services to be performed in order to determine the cost of the services.

Abstract: A multiple party system for distributing content. In one embodiment, four parties are involved in the system: a consumer, a service provider, an authenticator, and a content provider. The distribution of content from the content provider to the consumer is carried out using a predefined protocol, mutating IDs, and licenses. The authenticator controls the distribution of mutating IDs and verifies the identity of one or more participating parties.

Abstract: A server, having an automatic management mechanism, automatically delivers a request for license from a user to a communication window, automatically arranges information such as titles of software parts, keywords of the software parts, etc. in a hierarchical structure, performs a certification only when a user access a web page for which a certification is necessary, or automatically extracts, from a document such as a specification or a manual, an explanation of a software part to be registered, whereby the procedure for arranging images is automated, the process for certification is simplified so that the time necessary for the certification procedure is shortened, and the time necessary for a user to wait until the explanation becomes useable is shortened.

Abstract: A method for visual programming an automated transaction machine (12). The method includes the creation of terminal directors (225) that generally correspond to transactions performed by the automated transaction machine. The terminal directors are programmed by visually creating associations (238) between a plurality of ATM objects (230, 232) in a work space (224). Exemplary ATM objects include an authorization object (260), a back stage control object (262), a card reader object (264), a customer profile object (266), a depositor object (268), a dispenser object (270), keypad object (272), a logic object (274), a OCS object (276), a presenter object (278), a PIN entry object (280), a printer object (282), a sync object (284), and a transaction data object (286). The customer profile object is operative to retrieve customer profile information responsive to a determined customer of a person using the ATM.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system evaluates and displays a return on investment for using weather-related risk-management services. The system includes user interfaces, databases containing information about the accuracy of different forms of weather-related risk-management services and the types and frequency of weather events in different geographical areas, and return on investment functions. The system accepts information about a user's costs of responding to weather warnings and events, retrieves information from its databases and applies the appropriate function to determine a return on investment. The result is then displayed to the user. The method determines the costs of weather-related risks faced by a user under two different risk-management services and compares them, determining a return on investment for the use of one service over the other.

Abstract: A technique for transferring money between a customer and a beneficiary comprises a money-transfer company, and a plurality of selling agents and paying agents. The money-transfer company maintains a server, a database, and a communications interface for communicating, via a telephone network and/or the Internet, with data terminals located at the selling and paying agents' sites. Customer transaction cards are distributed to customers. These cards have a visible card number and a corresponding alphanumeric card code stored in, e.g., a magnetic strip. In response to a customer's request, the money-transfer company activates the customer's transaction card by loading customer and beneficiary information into a corresponding transaction card record stored in the database. A selling agent initiates a money-transfer request from a data terminal. Specifically, the selling agent enters a monetary amount and swipes the customer's card in a magnetic strip reader located on the data terminal.

Abstract: A system and corresponding method for enabling the use of digital postage or, more generally, digital coin. The system includes, in the case of enabling digital postage, a digital postage generator, responsive to a request for digital postage, and further responsive to an initial pointer value, for providing a supply of digital postage, and further for providing verifying data for use in verifying portions of the digital postage when imprinted on mailpieces, wherein the digital postage is based on a random sequence of bits, wherein the digital postage generator includes a bitstream generator for providing a random sequence of bits associated with the initial pointer value, and also includes a digital postage manager for providing as the digital postage the random sequence of bits and the initial pointer value, and for providing as verifying data information indicating at least a portion of the random sequence of bits.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a method and system for promoting compliance with data protection and privacy laws and regulations relating to the privacy rights of individuals.