Systems and methods for verifying attributes of users of online systems
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for enabling sharing of information in an online environment, comprising:
- registering a user for participation in an online environment through a user computer that is a mobile phone that is associated with the user, wherein the mobile phone that is associated with the user is one of a plurality of user computers within the online environment, wherein at least one of the plurality of user computers is a mobile phone that comprises a display, a wireless network interface, random access memory, nonvolatile memory, one or more processors, and a plurality of computer programs, and wherein the online environment permits transactions within the online environment between the user and a plurality of merchants;
receiving at one or more server computers a credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the one or more server computers are within the online environment and are not included in the plurality of user computers, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises a credit card number and other information pertaining to the credit card of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value of the user is received from the user computer that is a mobile phone that is associated with the user, and wherein the credit card attribute value is encrypted by the user computer;
receiving at the one or more server computers a name attribute value that pertains to the user'"'"'s name, wherein the name attribute value is received from the user computer, and wherein the name attribute value is encrypted by the user computer;
sending from the one or more server computers the user'"'"'s credit card attribute value that is authorized to be verified and the user'"'"'s name attribute value 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, wherein none of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user are a user computer, wherein the user'"'"'s credit card attribute value and name attribute value are encrypted by the one or more server computers prior to being sent to the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user;
receiving at the one or more server computers a verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources;
sending from the one or more server computers to the user computer the verification related to the credit card attribute value, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value comprises virtual payment information;
sending from the user computer to a merchant computer the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises the virtual payment information, wherein the virtual payment attribute value is sent from the user computer to the merchant computer, and wherein the virtual payment attribute value of the user is sent only after the user provides authentication information in the form of one or more of fingerprint identification information, facial recognition information, iris recognition information, retina recognition information, and a password;
sending the user'"'"'s virtual payment attribute value from the merchant computer to one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user is not the user for whom the virtual payment attribute value is to be verified and is not a user computer;
receiving at the merchant computer a verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user; and
receiving at the user computer the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user;
wherein the verification related to the virtual payment attribute of the user is received from the merchant computer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
127 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for enabling sharing of information in an online environment, comprising:
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registering a user for participation in an online environment through a user computer that is a mobile phone that is associated with the user, wherein the mobile phone that is associated with the user is one of a plurality of user computers within the online environment, wherein at least one of the plurality of user computers is a mobile phone that comprises a display, a wireless network interface, random access memory, nonvolatile memory, one or more processors, and a plurality of computer programs, and wherein the online environment permits transactions within the online environment between the user and a plurality of merchants; receiving at one or more server computers a credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the one or more server computers are within the online environment and are not included in the plurality of user computers, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises a credit card number and other information pertaining to the credit card of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value of the user is received from the user computer that is a mobile phone that is associated with the user, and wherein the credit card attribute value is encrypted by the user computer; receiving at the one or more server computers a name attribute value that pertains to the user'"'"'s name, wherein the name attribute value is received from the user computer, and wherein the name attribute value is encrypted by the user computer; sending from the one or more server computers the user'"'"'s credit card attribute value that is authorized to be verified and the user'"'"'s name attribute value 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, wherein none of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user are a user computer, wherein the user'"'"'s credit card attribute value and name attribute value are encrypted by the one or more server computers prior to being sent to the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user; receiving at the one or more server computers a verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources; sending from the one or more server computers to the user computer the verification related to the credit card attribute value, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value comprises virtual payment information; sending from the user computer to a merchant computer the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises the virtual payment information, wherein the virtual payment attribute value is sent from the user computer to the merchant computer, and wherein the virtual payment attribute value of the user is sent only after the user provides authentication information in the form of one or more of fingerprint identification information, facial recognition information, iris recognition information, retina recognition information, and a password; sending the user'"'"'s virtual payment attribute value from the merchant computer to one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user is not the user for whom the virtual payment attribute value is to be verified and is not a user computer; receiving at the merchant computer a verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the virtual payment attribute of the user; and receiving at the user computer the verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user;
wherein the verification related to the virtual payment attribute of the user is received from the merchant computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A server that exists as a part of a system that enables sharing of information in an online environment,
wherein the server exists as part of the online environment, wherein the online environment includes one or more computers that are not servers, wherein the online environment permits transactions within the online environment between a user and a plurality of merchants, and wherein the server is configured to receive a credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises a credit card number and other information pertaining to the credit card of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value of the user is received from a user computer that is associated with the user, and wherein the credit card attribute value is encrypted by the user computer; -
receive a name attribute value that pertains to the user'"'"'s name, wherein the name attribute value is received from the user computer, and wherein the name attribute value is encrypted by the user computer; send the user'"'"'s credit card attribute value and the user'"'"'s name attribute value 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, wherein none of the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute of the user are a user computer, and wherein the user'"'"'s credit card attribute value and name attribute value are encrypted by the server prior to being sent to the one or more verification sources having evidence to verify the credit card attribute value of the user; receive a verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value of the user is received from the one or more verification sources; and send to the user computer the verification related to the credit card attribute value, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value comprises virtual payment information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A user computer that exists as part of a system that enables sharing of information in an online environment,
wherein the user computer comprises a display, a wireless network interface, random access memory, nonvolatile memory, one or more processors, and a plurality of computer programs, wherein the user computer exists as part of the online environment, wherein the online environment includes one or more server computers that are not user computers, wherein the online environment includes one or more merchant computers, wherein the online environment permits transactions within the online environment between a user and a plurality of merchants, and wherein the user computer is configured to register a user for participation in the online environment, wherein the user registered for participation in the online environment is associated with the user computer; -
send to one or more server computers a credit card attribute value of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value comprises a credit card number and other information pertaining to the credit card of the user, wherein the credit card attribute value of the user is sent from the user computer, and wherein the credit card attribute value is encrypted by the user computer; send to the one or more server computers a name attribute value that pertains to the user'"'"'s name, wherein the name attribute value is encrypted by the user computer; receive from the one or more server computers a verification related to the credit card attribute value, wherein the verification related to the credit card attribute value comprises virtual payment information; store the virtual payment information in nonvolatile memory on the user computer; send to a merchant computer a virtual payment attribute value of the user as part of a transaction, wherein the virtual payment attribute value comprises the virtual payment information, wherein the virtual payment attribute value is sent from the user computer to the merchant computer through a wireless connection, and wherein the virtual payment attribute value of the user is sent only after the user provides authentication information in the form of one or more of fingerprint identification information, facial recognition information, iris recognition information, retina recognition information, and a password; and receive from the merchant computer a verification related to the virtual payment attribute value of the user as part of the transaction. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification