Private data protection method for a network kiosk

• US 20020065901A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Francis, John Brian, Goodwin, John C. III
• Granted Patent: US 6,981,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes

Abstract

A method of protecting private data for a network kiosk which masks entered private data with a symbol. The method includes the steps of determining fields in the web page which contain the private data by the kiosk, and masking the private data by the kiosk.

Claims

1. A method of protecting private data entered into a web page displayed by a network kiosk comprising the steps of:

(a) determining fields in the web page which contain the private data by the kiosk; and

(b) masking the private data by the kiosk.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step a comprises the substeps of:

(a-1) determining whether the web page contains the fields for accepting the private data by the kiosk; and

(a-2) determining whether the fields contain the private data by the kiosk.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step b comprises the substep of masking each character of the private data with a predetermined character by the kiosk.

4. A method of protecting private data entered into a web page displayed by a network kiosk comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying the web page;

(b) determining an address of the web page;

(c) determining that the address is in a table of web page addresses identifying web pages and their fields which accept the private data;

(d) determining first fields in the one web page from the table;

(e) determining second fields of the first fields which contain the private data; and

(f) masking each character of the private data in the second fields with a symbol by the kiosk.

5. A method of protecting credit card data entered into a web page displayed by a network kiosk comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying the web page;

(b) determining an address of the web page;

(c) determining that the address is in a table of web page addresses identifying web pages and their fields which accept private data;

(d) determining first fields in the one web page from the table;

(e) determining a second field of the first fields which contains the credit card data; and

(f) masking each character of the credit card data in the second field with a symbol by the kiosk.

6. A network kiosk comprising:

a display; and

a computer which displays a web page containing private data entered by an operator of the kiosk, determines fields in the web page which contain the private data, and masks the private data.

7. A network kiosk comprising:

a storage medium which stores a table of web page addresses identifying web pages and their fields which accept private data entered by an operator;

a display which displays a first web page containing the private data; and

a computer which determines an address of the first web page, determines that the address is in the table, determines first fields in the first web page from the table, determines second fields of the first fields which contain the private date, and causes the display to display a symbol for each character of the private data in the second fields.