Electronic Coin Dataset Security via Check Value Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing payment systems face challenges in securely managing electronic coin data sets, particularly in preventing double-spending and detecting attempts to pay with non-existent monetary amounts, while ensuring anonymity and flexibility in transactions between terminals.
Innovation Solution
A method where electronic coin data sets are issued by a central entity with a check value that increments upon direct transmission between terminals, allowing terminals to determine if the coin data set should be displayed or returned to the central entity based on predefined thresholds, ensuring security and flexibility in transactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If direct transmission of electronic coin data sets between terminals is allowed, then transaction simplicity and anonymity are improved, but security against double-spending deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a check value that is incremented before each direct transmission of an electronic coin data set. This pre-check mechanism allows terminals to detect potential double-spending attempts prior to completing the transaction, maintaining direct transmission simplicity while preventing security breaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by establishing a monitoring entity that receives and processes check values from terminals. This feedback loop enables the system to detect when a coin data set has been transmitted multiple times and to respond accordingly, balancing the simplicity of direct transmission with the reliability of security monitoring.
2Reliability
If check value monitoring is implemented to prevent double-spending, then security is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by separating the complex security monitoring function from the terminal device. The check value incrementing and double-spending detection logic is extracted and centralized in a dedicated monitoring entity, while terminals only perform simple check value reading and comparison operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring entity serves as an intermediary between terminals and the central authority. It handles the complex task of tracking check values and detecting double-spending attempts, allowing terminals to maintain simplicity while the intermediary provides the necessary security monitoring.
3Measurement precision
If multiple check values are tracked for each coin data set, then detection precision is improved, but loss of information deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the check value specific to each individual coin data set rather than tracking all transactions globally. This allows precise detection of double-spending for each coin while maintaining anonymity for the overall transaction flow, as the check value is only relevant to the specific coin being tracked.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a separate check value field that is copied alongside the coin data set through the system. This copy contains only the necessary tracking information without exposing sensitive transaction details, enabling precise detection while preserving information privacy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method relates to a terminal for managing electronic coin datasets and to a corresponding terminal. The electronic coin datasets are output by a central issuer entity, wherein each electronic coin dataset has a test value, and the test value is incremented when the electronic coin dataset is directly transmitted between two terminals or the test value is invariant in the event of an action carried out by terminals on the electronic coin dataset. In the method, it is determined whether the electronic coin dataset is displayed by the terminal in the payment system or whether the electronic coin dataset is returned to the central issuer entity. A method in a payment system is provided for managing electronic coin datasets, to a corresponding payment system, and to a monitoring entity.