Embedded Electronic Payment System and Integrated Circuit

Abstract

An embedded electronic payment (EEP) system allows various devices and appliances to act as a merchant to accept electronic payments. The EEP system can be formed on an integrated circuit or as a software applet to run on a virtual machine. The integrated chip can be a standard IC, an application specific integrated chip, programmable logic device, or a multiprocessor based microcontroller. The EEP system operates with a standard interface that can be adapted to many applications. As a result, the cost of payment integration is reduced. The reduced cost of inclusion allows electronic payment systems to be applied in systems and devices where cost margins previously prohibited custom electronic payment systems. When the EEP system is included as an integrated chip, the system has improved security and power consumption compared to software solutions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated circuit for processing payment instrument and transaction data into approval-request data that is to be evaluated by a payment transaction acquirer, a processor, or a payment instrument issuer, comprising:
 a plate of semiconductor material;   a set of electronic circuits on said plate of semiconductor material, said set of electronic circuits defining a hardware stack of memory and a logic unit for implementing a merchant account protocol required for interacting with the payment transaction acquirer, the payment processor, or the payment instrument issuer;   an input for receiving said payment instrument data, said input being connected to said logic unit and said memory; and   an output for sending approval-request data to the electronic payment transaction acquirer, the payment processor, or the payment instrument issuer, said output being connected to said logic unit and said memory.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said set of circuits further defines a security element including:
 an encrypted public key stored in said memory; 
 said memory being configured to store a private key sent by the electronic payment transaction acquirer, the payment processor, or the payment instrument issuer, said private key being configured to decrypt said encrypted public key into a decrypted public key; 
 a first logic unit being configured to decrypt said encrypted pubic key with said private key to produce the decrypted public key, said memory being configured to store said decrypted public key; 
 said memory being configured to store an encrypted entitlement message from the payment acquirer; 
 a second logic unit for decrypting said encrypted entitlement message with said decrypted public key to produce a decrypted entitlement message, said memory being configured to store said decrypted entitlement message; 
 said memory being configured to store the payment instrument and transaction data; and 
 a third logic unit for encrypting said payment instrument data with said decrypted entitlement message to create encrypted approval-request data, said memory being configured to store said encrypted approval-request data; 
   said input for receiving said payment instrument and transaction data, said input being connected to said logic units and said memory; and   an output for sending said encrypted approval-request data to an electronic payment transaction acquirer, a processor, or a payment instrument issuer, said output being connected to said logic units and said memory.   
     
     
         3 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 said input receives encrypted acquirer transaction data from the electronic payment transaction acquirer, the processor, or the payment instrument issuer; and   said memory of said security element stores a fourth logic unit for decrypting the encrypted acquirer transaction data into customer transaction data by using said decrypted public key.   
     
     
         4 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate of semiconductor material and said set of electronic circuits are a programmable logic device. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 4 , wherein said programmable logic device is programmable using VHDL. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 2 , further comprising a secure interface for inputting said unique encrypted public key to said memory. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 6 , wherein said secure interface is a one-time write interface. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein said third logic unit encrypts said control words with said entitlement key to form an encrypted control word and said third logic unit utilizes said encrypted word when encrypting said payment instrument data. 
     
     
         9 . An appliance for processing electronic payments, comprising a printed circuit board with an interface configured to connect to the integrated circuit according to  claim 1 ;
 said interface having an output to be connected to the input of the integrated circuit, said output being further configured to transmit the payment instrument data to the integrated circuit; and   said interface further having an input to be connected to the output of the integrated circuit said input being further configured to transmit the encrypted approval-request data to the electronic payment transaction acquirer, the payment processor, or the payment instrument issuer.   
     
     
         10 . The integrated circuit chip according to  claim 1 , wherein said payment instrument and transaction data is selected from the group consisting of credit card data, payment card data, fob data, memory device data, smartcard data, and mobile wallet data. 
     
     
         11 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate of semiconductor material and said set of electronic circuits form a microprocessor. 
     
     
         12 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate of semiconductor material and said set of electronic circuits form an application specific microcontroller. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein said set of circuits define a controller interface. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein said set of circuits define a payment instrument interface. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein said set of circuits define a general purpose interface. 
     
     
         16 . The integrated circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein said set of circuits define a network interface. 
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising:
 the integrated circuit according to  claim 1 ; and   a security element external to said integrated circuit and interfaced with the integrated circuit.   
     
     
         18 . A method for processing payment instrument and transaction data into approval-request data that is to be evaluated by a payment transaction acquirer, a processor, or a payment instrument issuer, which comprises:
 providing the integrated circuit according to  claim 1 ;   receiving the payment instrument and transaction data at said input;   processing said payment instrument and transaction data into said approval request data with said logic unit; and   outputting said approval request data from said output.   
     
     
         19 . A method for processing payment instrument and transaction data into approval-request data that is to be evaluated by a payment transaction acquirer, a processor, or a payment instrument issuer, which comprises:
 providing the integrated circuit according to  claim 2 ;   receiving the private key;   decrypting said encrypted public key with said first logic unit;   receiving the encrypted entitlement message;   decrypting said encrypted entitlement message with said second logic unit;   receiving the payment instrument data;   encrypting the payment instrument data with said third logic unit; and   transmitting said encrypted approval request data to the payment acquirer.   
     
     
         20 . A method for making an integrated circuit for processing payment instrument and transaction data into approval-request data that is to be evaluated by a payment transaction acquirer, a processor, or a payment instrument issuer, which comprises:
 writing a first hardware description program for decrypting a public key with a private key that complies with VHDL;   configuring a programmable logic controller to create said first logic unit based on said first hardware description program;   writing a second hardware description program for decrypting an encrypted entitlement message with a decrypted public key that complies with VHDL;   configuring said programmable logic controller to create said second logic unit based on said second hardware description program;   writing a third hardware description program for encrypting payment instrument data with a decrypted entitlement message that complies with VHDL;   configuring a programmable logic controller to create said third logic unit based on said third hardware description program; and   embedding an encrypted public key in said programmable logic controller.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said programmable logic controller includes a write-once interface and said encrypted public key is written in said programmable logic controller.