Smartcard internet authorization system

• US 20010037312A1
• Filed: 01/04/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Peart, Lee J., Gray, William J., Larkin, Carl, Hohle, William G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for conducting electronic commerce such as a virtual purchase transaction with an on-line merchant. A user is provided with an intelligent token, such as a smart card containing a digital certificate. The intelligent token suitably authenticates with a wallet server on a network that conducts all or portions of the transaction on behalf of the user with out requiring changes to the merchant'"'"'s server. The wallet server interacts with a security server of a selected financial service to provide authentication of the transaction. Upon authentication, the digital wallet pre-fills forms which are transmitted to the merchant who contacts the security server for validation of the forms and upon validation, completes the transaction with the user.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a transaction, the method comprising:

a. receiving a request to authenticate a transaction from a user at a server;

b. requiring the user to provide an instrument for verification;

c. receiving an instrument input response from the user based upon said requirement;

d. processing said instrument input as an input to a security processor;

e. assembling forms for the transaction, said forms comprising said security processor authorization of said input to said security processor;

f. providing said forms incident to said transaction and sending a request to said security processor for a second authorization of said forms; and

g. validating said transaction with said second authorization of said forms received from said security processor.

2. The method of

claim 1

further directed to providing such transaction validation for different combinations of instruments and security processors without requiring changes to transaction processing by said merchant.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the transaction is an electronic purchase transaction.

4. The method of

claim 3

, wherein the electronic purchase transaction is conducted using a digital wallet.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the instrument is a smart card.

6. A method for providing secure virtual transactions between a user and a an on-line merchant without requiring changes at the merchants location, the method comprising:

a. developing a first query for transmission to a credit provider;

b. receiving a response from said credit provider and transmitting same to said merchant;

c. said merchant querying said credit provider for authentication of said credit provider response; and

d. completing said virtual transaction using authorization from said credit provider.

7. The method of

claim 6

wherein said first query is developed by opening a wallet and inputting information from a smart card.

8. The method of

claim 6

, further comprising developing a form from said response from said credit provider and transmitting said form to said merchant.

9. The method of

claim 8

, wherein said merchant requests authentication of said form from said credit provider.

10. The method of

claim 6

, wherein said credit provider is selected by said user from a group of credit providers.

11. The method of

claim 9

, wherein said credit provider is selected by said user from a group of credit providers.

12. A method for conducting a transaction, the method comprising:

a. receiving a request to authenticate a transaction with a merchant from a server;

b. requiring an instrument for providing verification;

c. receiving an instrument input response based upon said requirement;

d. processing said instrument input as an input to a security processor;

e. assembling forms for the transaction, said forms comprising said security processor authorization of said input to said security processor;

f. providing said forms incident to said merchant;

g. said merchant processing said forms and sending a request to said security processor for a second authorization of said forms; and

h. validating said transaction with said second authorization of said forms received from said security processor.

13. The method of

claim 12

, further directed to providing such transaction validation for different combinations of instruments and security processors without requiring changes to transaction processing by said merchant.

14. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the transaction is an electronic purchase transaction.

15. The method of

claim 14

, wherein the electronic purchase transaction is conducted using a digital wallet.

16. The method of

claim 12

, wherein the instrument is a smart card.

17. A method for conducting a transaction, the method comprising:

a. receiving a request to authenticate a transaction at a server;

b. requiring an instrument for verification of said request;

c. receiving an instrument input response based upon said requirement;

d. processing said instrument input as an input to a security processor;

e. assembling forms for the transaction, said forms comprising said security processor authorization of said input to said security processor;

f. providing said forms for authorization;

g. processing said forms and sending a request to said security processor for a second authorization of said forms; and

h. validating said transaction with said second authorization of said forms received from said security processor.

18. The method of

claim 17

, further directed to providing such transaction validation for different combinations of instruments and security processors without requiring changes to transaction processing by said merchant.

19. The method of

claim 17

, wherein the transaction is an electronic purchase transaction.

20. The method of

claim 19

, wherein the electronic purchase transaction is conducted using a digital wallet.

21. The method of

claim 17

, wherein the instrument is a smart card.

22. A method for conducting a transaction, the method comprising:

a. receiving a request to authenticate a transaction with a merchant from a user at a server;

b. requiring the user to provide an instrument for verification;

c. receiving an instrument input response from the user based upon said requirement;

d. processing said instrument input as an input to a security processor;

e. assembling forms for the transaction, said forms comprising said security processor authorization of said input to said security processor;

f. providing said forms to said merchant;

g. said merchant processing said forms and sending a request to said security processor for a second authorization of said forms; and

h. validating said transaction with said second authorization of said forms received from said security processor.

23. The method of

claim 22

, further directed to providing such transaction validation for different combinations of instruments and security processors without requiring changes to transaction processing by said merchant.

24. The method of

claim 22

, wherein the transaction is an electronic purchase transaction.

25. The method of

claim 24

, wherein the electronic purchase transaction is conducted using a digital wallet,

26. The method of

claim 22

, wherein the instrument is a smart card.

27. A transaction system, comprising:

a. a data network, including at least one instrument and operative to permit initiation of a transaction;

b. an authorization server coupled to receive said initiation of said transaction as an input and transmit same to a security server;

c. said security server operative to receive said input from said authorization server and generate and transmit an authorization to said authorization server;

d. said authorization server coupled to receive said authorization from said security server and operative to generate and transmit an authorization form; and

e. an interface coupled to said security server and operative to permit validation of said form and complete a secure on-line virtual transaction.

28. The transaction system of

claim 27

, further operative to provide said validation for different combinations of instruments and security processors.

29. The transaction system of

claim 27

, wherein said authorization server is an electronic purchase server.

30. The transaction system of

claim 29

, wherein said electronic purchase server is coupled to a digital wallet and operative to validate said transaction input transmitted to said security server.

31. A transaction system, comprising:

a. a data network operative to permit a user to initiate a transaction;

b. an authorization server coupled to receive an input from said user and transmit same to a security server;

c. said security server coupled to receive said input from said authorization server and operative to generate and transmit an authorization to said authorization server;

d. said authorization server coupled to receive said authorization from said security server and operative to generate and transmit an authorization form; and

e. an interface coupled to said security server and operative to permit validation of said form and complete a secure on-line virtual transaction with said user.

32. The transaction system of

claim 31

, further operative to provide said form validation for different combinations of instruments and security processors.

33. The transaction system of

claim 31

, wherein said authorization server is an electronic purchase server.

34. The transaction system of

claim 33

, wherein said electronic purchase server is coupled to a digital wallet and operative to validate said user input transmitted to said security server.

35. A transaction system, comprising:

a. a data network operative to permit initiation of a transaction with a merchant;

b. an authorization server coupled to receive said transaction initiation as an input and transmit same to a security server;

c. said security server coupled to receive said input from said authorization server and operative to generate and transmit an authorization to said authorization server;

d. said authorization server coupled to receive said authorization from said security server and operative to generate and transmit an authorization form; and

e. an interface coupled to said security server and operative to permit validation of said form and complete a secure on-line virtual transaction with said user.

36. The transaction system of

claim 35

, further operative to provide said validation for different combinations of instruments and security processors.

37. The transaction system of

claim 35

, wherein said authorization server is an electronic purchase server.

38. The transaction system of

claim 37

, wherein said electronic purchase server is coupled to a digital wallet and operative to validate said transaction input transmitted to said security server.