Systems and methods for verifying attributes of users of online systems

• US 10,027,645 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew Rappaport
• Original Assignee: MBR Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Rappaport, Matthew B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teng, Louis C
• Application Number:
  US14/938,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20160080347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/30 Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

For sharing of information in a virtual or online environment, methods and systems are provided which enable verifying attributes of an individual. An individual registered for participation in a virtual or online environment may provide evidence of the attributes from a verification source that exists outside the virtual or online environment. An administrator associated with the virtual or online environment verifies the attributes by receipt of the evidence. Alternatively, the attribute for the individual may be verified after receipt of one or more signals indicating individuals registered for participation in the virtual or online environment have corroborated the attributes. A verification indication for an attribute may be shared with other individuals in the virtual or online environment.

Claims

1. A system that enables the sharing of information in an online environment, comprising

a plurality of user computers, wherein each of the plurality of user computers comprise random access memory, nonvolatile memory, one or more processors, and one or more computer programs, wherein each of the plurality of user computers exists as part of the online environment, wherein the online environment exists on one or more computers, wherein the one or more computers of the online environment includes the plurality of user computers and wherein the one or more computers of the online environment also includes one or more computers that are not included in the plurality of user computers, wherein each of the plurality of user computers is a mobile phone associated with a user, wherein the one or more computers of the online environment include one or more merchant computers, wherein each of the one or more merchant computers is associated with one or more merchants, and wherein the one or more computers of the online environment are together configured to

register a plurality of users for participation in an online environment, wherein each of the plurality of users registered for participation in the online environment is associated with one or more user computers that is one of the plurality of user computers, wherein the online environment permits interactions within the online environment between one or more users and one or more merchants;

receive from a user that is one of the plurality of users registered for participation in the online environment a credit card attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises credit card information of the user;

send the user'"'"'s credit card attribute value that is authorized to be verified to one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user, wherein none of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user are the user for whom the credit card attribute value is to be verified or a user computer, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user are one or more of the one or more computers of the online environment, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user utilize a private database;

receive a verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified and related to the evidence of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user;

send the verification related to the credit card attribute value to a user computer associated with the user, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value comprises virtual payment information;

receive from the user a virtual payment attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises the virtual payment information;

send the user'"'"'s virtual payment attribute value that is authorized to be verified to one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user originates from a verification source that is not the user for whom the virtual payment attribute value is to be verified and is not a user computer but is one or more of the one or more computers of the online environment, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user utilize a private database;

receive a verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user; and

send the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user to a merchant computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of user computers is capable of selecting from information stored in nonvolatile memory the credit card information to be used for a transaction, wherein the transaction is between the user and a merchant associated with the merchant computer to which the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user was sent, and wherein the transaction is performed through the use of the online environment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user and the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user are the same verification sources.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user comprises a computer system that is controlled by an entity that is different from any of the plurality of users registered to participate in the online environment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is received by the user computer after a verification process is performed by one or more the verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user includes one or more banking entities.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein information pertaining to the verification that is related to the credit card attribute value is stored for use as a token based identifier on the nonvolatile memory of a user computer associated with the user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user and the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user are different verification sources.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user consists of a single verification source that is a banking entity.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein communications in the online environment between the user computer associated with the user and the merchant computer to which the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user was sent are encrypted.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of users registered for participation in the online environment includes a plurality of customers of merchants.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the private database includes information taken from both public and private records.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of computers are each further configured to

receive fingerprint information as a biometric identifier of the user.

14. A system that enables the sharing of information in an online environment, comprising

a user computer that is one of a plurality of user computers, wherein each of the plurality of user computers comprise random access memory, nonvolatile memory, one or more processors, and one or more computer programs, wherein each of the plurality of user computers exists as part of the online environment, wherein the online environment exists on one or more computers, wherein the one or more computers of the online environment includes the plurality of user computers and wherein the one or more computers of the online environment also includes one or more computers that are not included in the plurality of user computers, wherein each of the plurality of user computers is a mobile phone associated with a user, wherein the one or more computers of the online environment include one or more merchant computers, wherein each of the one or more merchant computers is associated with one or more merchants,

wherein the user computer is configured to

register a user associated with the user computer for participation in the online environment, wherein the online environment permits interactions within the online environment between the user and a merchant associated with a merchant computer;

accept as input from the user and hold in nonvolatile memory credit card information;

generate a credit card attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises the credit card information of the user;

send the user'"'"'s credit card attribute value that is authorized to be verified for receipt by a verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the verification source is not the user for whom the credit card attribute value is to be verified and is not a user computer but is one or more of the one or more computers of the online environment, wherein the verification source utilizes a private database;

receive a verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified and related to the evidence of the verification source having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the verification comprises virtual payment information;

send to a merchant computer through a wireless network connection a virtual payment attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified in connection with a transaction, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises the virtual payment information; and

wherein the transaction is a transaction between the user and a merchant associated with the merchant computer;

receive a confirmation from the merchant computer related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified and related to the transaction.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the verification source is not a banking entity.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is received by the user computer after a verification process is performed by the verification source.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the verification source is a banking entity.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein information pertaining to the verification that is related to the credit card attribute value is stored for use as a token based identifier on the nonvolatile memory of the user computer.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the user computer is further configured to receive from the user biometric information as an identifier of the user.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the user computer is further configured to

receive from the user fingerprint information as a biometric identifier of the user.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the credit card information accepted as input from the user originates from a camera.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of users registered for participation in the online environment includes a plurality of customers of merchants.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the private database includes information taken from both public and private records.

24. A system that enables the sharing of information in an online environment, comprising

a plurality of user computers, wherein each of the plurality of user computers is a mobile phone associated with a user, wherein each of the plurality of computers comprise random access memory, nonvolatile memory, one or more processors, and one or more computer programs, wherein each of the plurality of user computers exists as part of the online environment, wherein the online environment exists on one or more computers, wherein the one or more computers of the online environment includes the plurality of user computers and wherein the one or more computers of the online environment also includes one or more computers that are not included in the plurality of user computers, wherein the one or more computers of the online environment include one or more merchant computers, wherein each of the one or more merchant computers is associated with a merchant, and wherein the one or more computers of the online environment are together configured to

register a user for participation in an online environment, wherein the online environment permits interactions within the online environment between one or more users of a plurality of users registered within the online environment and one or more merchants registered for participation in the online environment;

receive from the user a credit card attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises credit card information of the user;

send the credit card attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified for receipt by a verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the verification source is a banking entity having a private database;

generate a verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified and related to the evidence of the verification source;

receive authorization from the user to share the verification related to the credit card attribute value with one or more of the plurality of merchants;

share with the one or more of the plurality of merchants the verification related to the credit card attribute value;

receive from the user a virtual payment attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises virtual payment information;

send the user'"'"'s virtual payment attribute value that is authorized to be verified to a verification source having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the verification source having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user is a banking entity having a private database;

receive a verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified and related to the evidence of the verification source having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user; and

send the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user that is authorized to be verified and related to the evidence of the verification that is received to a merchant computer.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is received by the user computer after a verification process is performed by the verification source having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein information pertaining to the verification that is related to the credit card attribute value is stored for use as a token based identifier on the nonvolatile memory of a user computer associated with the user.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the user computer associated with the user is further configured to receive from the user biometric information as an identifier of the user.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the user computer associated with the user is further configured to

receive from the user fingerprint information as a biometric identifier of the user.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein one or more databases containing encrypted information are accessed by the verification source having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user to verify the credit card attribute value of the user.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of users registered for participation in the online environment includes a plurality of customers of merchants.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the private database includes information taken from both public and private records.