Secured communication system and data model to facilitate authorization to access rental property

• US 10,304,270 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc. (Expedia Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Monette, Jonathan S., Miller, Aaron, Bloom, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Tanmay K
• Application Number:
  US14/935,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20170132862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 340561
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software and systems, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for establishing a secure, closed-loop communication channel for authorizing access to rental properties. More specifically, a system, a device and a method are configured to facilitate authorization via secure communications between an inquiring entity and a responding entity to access a rental property. In one or more embodiments, a method can include establishing a data arrangement representing a messaging dialog between an inquirer and a responder. The messaging dialog may include data representing exchange of electronic messages. Further, the method may include suppressing transmission of the identity data of the inquirer and the responder during the exchange of the electronic messages to form secured messages, and generating anonymized transaction data representing authorization to access the rental property.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of a server computing device configured with specific computer-executable instructions,

receiving data from an inquirer representing an inquiry regarding a rental property, the data including identity data that identifies a traveler;

identifying a responder associated with the rental property;

establishing a data arrangement representing a messaging dialogue between the inquirer and the responder, the messaging dialogue including data representing exchange of electronic messages;

suppressing, by the server computing device, transmission of the identity data to the responder during the exchange of the electronic messages;

determining, based at least in part on the identity data and a comparison between content of the electronic messages and content of previously exchanged electronic messages, a degree of risk that the inquirer is fraudulently impersonating the traveler; and

transmitting data representing the degree of risk to the responder.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein suppressing transmission of the identity data comprises:

identifying the identity data in the electronic messages; and

removing the identity data from the electronic messages to form secured messages, wherein the exchange of electronic messages comprises transmitting the secured messages.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein removing the identity data from the electronic messages comprises:

assigning a unique key configured to obscure at least a portion of the identity data associated with data representing a communication control data field; and

substituting the portion of the identity data with the unique key in each electronic message that includes the portion of the identity data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein removing the identity data from the electronic messages comprises:

substituting at least a portion of the identity data with masked data symbols configured to mask the portion of the identity data in each electronic message that includes the portion of the identity data,

wherein at least one of the masked data symbols is representative of a type of electronic message specified by the identity data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining authorization to access the rental property; and

transmitting the identity data of the inquirer to the responder.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein determining authorization to access the rental property comprises:

generating data indicating an exchange of data indicative of a unit of value of the rental property.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identity data comprises one or more of a name, an email address, and a phone number.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein establishing the data arrangement representing the messaging dialogue comprises:

extracting data from the exchange of the electronic messages, the data including at least a quantity specified by the inquirer;

analyzing the data from the exchange of the electronic messages to identify a corresponding attribute of the rental property; and

characterizing the data from the exchange of the electronic messages to form characterized attribute data associated with the inquiry.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the degree of security risk is determined based at least in part on:

analyzing the characterized attribute data against one or more data templates indicative of an anomalous portion of the exchange of the electronic messages; and

detecting an instance of the characterized attribute data indicating an anomaly.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

obtaining verified characterized attribute data;

determining at least one mismatched attribute based at least in part on the characterized attribute data and the verified characterized attribute data; and

identifying an anomaly based at least in part on the at least one mismatched attribute.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the verified characterized attribute data is obtained from the previously exchanged electronic messages, and wherein the previously exchanged electronic messages were exchanged between the inquirer and the responder.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the verified characterized attribute data is obtained from the previously exchanged electronic messages, and wherein the previously exchanged electronic messages were exchanged between the inquirer and one or more responders at least a second responder.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the verified characterized attribute data is obtained from the previously exchanged electronic messages, and wherein the previously exchanged electronic messages were exchanged between the responder and at least a second inquirer.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the responder associated with the rental property comprises identifying a property identifier indicative of the rental property.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising suppressing, by the server computing device, transmission of second identity data representing an identity of the responder to the inquirer during the exchange of the electronic messages.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the inquiry comprises a request for an accommodation that corresponds to an accommodation previously requested by the inquirer, wherein determining the degree of risk is based at least in part on determining that the inquiry comprises the request for the accommodation that corresponds to the accommodation previously requested by the inquirer.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data representing a response to the inquiry regarding the rental property, wherein the data representing the response includes second identity data that identifies the responder;

determining, based at least in part on the second identity data and the comparison between the content of the electronic messages and the content of previously exchanged electronic messages, a second degree of risk associated with the response; and

transmitting data representing the second degree of risk associated with the response to the inquirer.

18. A device comprising:

a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions;

a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to at least;

receive, from an inquirer, data representing an inquiry regarding a rental property, the data including identity data that identifies a traveler;

identify a responder associated with the rental property;

establish a data arrangement representing a messaging dialogue between the inquirer and the responder, the messaging dialogue including data representing exchange of electronic messages;

suppress transmission of the identity data to the responder during the exchange of the electronic messages;

determine, based at least in part on the identity data and a comparison between content of the electronic messages and content of at least one previously exchanged electronic message, a degree of risk that the inquirer is fraudulently impersonating the traveler; and

transmit data representing the degree of risk to the responder.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify the identity data in at least one electronic message of the electronic messages; and

remove the identity data from the at least one electronic message to form secured messages, wherein the exchange of electronic messages comprises transmitting the secured messages.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the inquiry comprises a request for an accommodation that corresponds to an accommodation previously requested from the responder, wherein determining the degree of security risk is based at least in part on determining that the inquiry comprises the request for the accommodation that corresponds to the accommodation previously requested from the responder.