METHOD AND DEVICE IN COMPUTER NETWORKS

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for granting a discount and/or free calls to a subscriber in a telephone network, said subscriber having access to a computer connectable to a network, said computer being connectable to a smart card reader, said method comprising the following steps: storing information about the discount or other benefits to be granted on a smart card; downloading the information from the smart card to the telephone company's computer system for registration of the discount information in the telephone company's subscriber database.

Description: Method and device in computer networks Technical Field The present invention relates to the use of smart cards, and more specifically to the use of smart cards to give discounts to users, for example in a telephone network. Background A smart card is a small plastic card, the size of a credit card, comprising, instead of a magnetic strip, a small processor, and Random Access Memory (RAM). A smart card is able to hold large amounts of data, compared to a magnetic strip card, and can also comprise operating system type functionality. A smart card reader can be made very small, down to palm size. Data can be written to the card and read from the card when the card is placed in a smart card holder connected to, for example, a personal computer (PC). Smart cards are being used to an increasing degree for a number of different applications, such as ID cards, credit cards or phone cards. Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to enable the offering of discounts to certain subscribers, for example in a telephone network. It is another object of the invention to enable the subsidizing of telephony services for certain groups of subscribers. These objects are achieved according to the present invention by a method for granting a discount and/or free calls to a subscriber in a telephone network, said subscriber having access to a computer connectable to a network, said computer being connectable to a smart card reader, said method comprising the following steps: storing information about the discount or other benefits to be granted on a smart card; downloading the information from the smart card to the telephone company ' s computer system for registration of the discount information in the telephone company ' s subscriber database. A smart card comprising information about discounts or other benefits to be granted to the holder of the smart card, intended for use with the inventive method is also disclosed. The invention offers the following advantages: It provides telecommunications operators with a new source of income, as persons or companies will pay for the certificates, or for the right to issue certificates. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of the system components needed to practice the invention. Figure 2 is a flow chart of the actions involved in issuing and activating a certificate according to the invention. Figures 3 A to 3D illustrate the encryption and decryption procedure according to a preferred embodiment. Detailed Description of Embodiments According to the invention, certificates in the form of smart cards may be issued to users that should receive, for example, a discount on telephony services. The certificates may be issued by the telephone company itself. A third party may purchase the right to issue certificates or purchase the certificates from the telephone company for further distribution. j For example, a travel agency or an airline company may issue certificates to travellers. The certificates may give, for example, the right to a number of free calls, or a discount on all calls made to the country to which the user is going for a certain period of time. The user may then choose to activate the certificate in connection with a telephone subscription of his own choice, for example, the user's own family or a person who is looking after the user's children. Alternatively, the certificate may be made valid for a certain subscription when it is issued. Alternatively, a certificate may be purchased by paying an amount of money which, when the certificate is registered, will be entered into a subscriber's account. Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of the equipment needed to use the invention. A Personal Computer (PC) 1 or other kind of computer or terminal is connected to a computer network 3, such as the Internet. The vendor's computer system, or a PC 5 or the like on the vendor's premises, is also connected to the computer network 3. To the PC 1 a smart card holder 7 is coimected. The smart card holder 7 is used to read information from a smart card to a PC and to write information from the PC 1 to a smart card. Figure 2 is a flow chart showing the steps involved in issuing the certificates. Step S 1. The information to be stored on the smart card is compiled. This may involve encryption, as will be discussed in more detail below. Step S2: The certificate is issued, the information compiled in step S I is stored on a smart card, which is distributed to the end user. Step S3 The user activates the certificate or, in other words, uses the information on the smart card to change the desired user profile in the telephone company ' s database. This is done by inserting it in a smart card reader connected to a computer connected to the telephone company's database. If the information on the smart card is encrypted, it must be decrypted, as will be discussed in more detail below. As explained above, the compilation of information and issuing of the certificate in steps S 1 and S2 may be done by the telephone operator, or by a third party who has purchased the right to issue certificates from the telephone operator. In step S3, the user can choose the user profile to be changed freely, depending on who should receive the discount. Figures 3A - 3D illustrates the encryption principle used according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Two encryption keys are used: a public encryption key and the telephone operator's private encryption key. The information about the discount is first compiled, producing the discount information DI shown symbolically in Figure 3A. The discount information is then encrypted using the issuer's public encryption key. The encrypted discount information DI' is shown in Figure 3B. In Figure 3C, header information HI has been added, comprising information such as the content of the card, and how it may be used. Finally, in an optional step, the header information HI is encrypted using the buyer's public encryption key. Figure 3D shows the content of the smart card, after the final step: the encrypted discount information DI' and the encrypted header information HI'. The resulting information is stored on a smart card, which is distributed to the end user. The end user inserts the smart card in a smart card holder connected to a computer and decrypts the information using his own private key. The header information and encrypted discount information is obtained. This information is then downloaded to the operator's subscriber data base, and decrypted there using the operator's private encryption key. The encryption keys must be selected in such a way as to ensure the required level of security. This may be done from the user's own computer, provided it has a smart card reader and access to the telephone operator's database. The telephone operator's database could be accessible, for example through the Internet. It is also perceivable to have certain terminals commonly available, for example in the travel agency issuing the certificates, from which the information could be entered. If the end user wishes to let someone else benefit from die discount, this may be done in different ways: If the end user is authorized to change the user profile of the person who is to benefit from the discount, the end user may make the changes directly in the user profile of the beneficiary. The information may also be transferred from the end user's smart card to the beneficiary's own PC and entered into the user profile from there, possibly being intermediately stored on the beneficiary's own smart card. Apart from the encryption, additional security measures may be taken to prevent unauthorized changes to the telephone operator's database. For example, all changes made from external terminals may be entered into an intermediate storage space, which may for example be a replica of the actual database, and verified before they are registered in the database. Such procedures are known in the art.

Claims: Claims 1. A method for granting a discount and/or free calls to a subscriber in a telephone network, said subscriber having access to a computer connectable to a network, said computer being connectable to a smart card reader, characterized by the following steps: storing information about the discount or other benefits to be granted on a smart card; downloading the information from the smart card to the telephone company's computer system for registration of the discount information in the telephone company's subscriber database; retrieving the information from said database when appropriate. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by the step of distributing the card with the information to the beneficiary of the discount or other benefits before the information is downloaded to the telephone company's computer system. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the step of storing the data on an intermediate storage space before it is registered in the telephone operator's customer database. 4. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the information is encrypted, using an encryption key specific to the issuer, before it is stored on the smart card and decrypted when it is downloaded to the telephone operator's computer system. 5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that header information is added and the complete information encrypted using a public encryption key immediately before it is stored on the smart card and decrypted when the smart card is inserted in a smart card holder to register the certificate. 6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the discounts or free calls are limited to a specified period of time. 7. A method according to any one of the preceding, characterized in that the discounts or free calls are limited to a specified value. 8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a specified number of free calls are granted. 9. A smart card comprising a processor and Random Access Memory (RAM) to which data can be written and from which data can be read, comprisin information about discounts or other benefits to be granted to the holder of the smart card, characterized in that the discount information giving the holder certain telephony services for free or with a discount. 10. A smart card according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises information about the telephone connection for which the discount or benefit information should be registered. 11. A smart card according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the information is encrypted.

Inventors: LUNDSTROEM JENS, LUNDSTROEM, JENS
Applicants: ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M, LUNDSTROEM JENS, TELIA AB, LUNDSTROEM, JENS, TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL), TELIA AB (PUBL)
Application year: 1998
Main classification: H04M3
IPC codes: H04M15