Multiple party benefit from an online authentication service

• US 20050246278A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Timothy Mu-Chu, Gerber, Gary E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 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

Abstract

An account authentication service where a trusted party verifies an account holder'"'"'s identity for the benefit of a requestor during an online transaction. The account authentication involves requesting a password from the account holder, verifying the password, and notifying the requestor whether the account holder'"'"'s authenticity has been verified. An alternative embodiment of the account authentication service includes a value-adding component where information about a customer is shared with a value-adding party. The customer information is rich in detail about the customer since it is collected by each of the parties in the account authentication process. The value-adding party can then use this information in various manners. All of the parties involved can benefit from sharing the customer information. The value-adding party can be, for example, a merchant, a shipper, a security organization, or a governmental organization. A transaction identifier identifies a specific transaction between a customer, a merchant, and the customer information.

Claims

1. A method for a value-adding party to interact with an online authentication system wherein the identity of a presenter is authenticated during an online transaction by a trusted party, said method comprising:

receiving an identity authenticating password from said presentor;

comparing said identity authenticating password against a password previously designated for an account of said presenter;

notifying a requestor that said presentor is the actual owner of said account when said identity authenticating password received from said presentor matches the password that was previously designated for said account, whereby said trusted party authenticates for the benefit of said requestor that said presentor is the actual owner of said account; and

sending presentor information to said value-adding party.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

evaluating said presentor information against a set of criteria and sending said presentor information to said value-adding party if said presentor information satisfies said set of criteria.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

sending a payment authentication request message from said requestor to said trusted party to request said trusted party to authenticate said identity of said presentor.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein said payment authentication request message includes presentor information maintained by said requester.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

sending a payment authentication response message from said trusted party to said requestor.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said payment authentication response message includes presentor information maintained by said trusted party.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

generating a transaction identifier by said trusted party wherein said transaction identifier is associated with said online transaction and with said presentor information that is sent to said value-adding party.

8. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said presenter information includes information that describes the subject matter of the online transaction

9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said presentor information also includes purchasing behavior information about said presentor.

10. A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

agreeing to a set of rights and obligations by each of said requestor and value-adding party as a condition before the operation of sending presenter information to said value-adding party.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising:

transferring a monetary value to said requestor from said value-adding party in exchange for said presenter information.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

sending related information, by said value-adding party, that is related to said presentor information to said presenter.

13. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

sending a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier to a history server for storage.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

retrieving a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier from said history server; and

verifying the transaction identifier to audit a value-adding transaction between said requestor and said value-adding party.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier is retrieved by said value-adding party for dispute resolution purposes further comprising:

sending said copy of payment authentication response message and transaction identifier to said requestor in order to resolve a dispute.

16. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

retrieving a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier from said history server; and

analyzing said presenter information for data mining purposes.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said trusted party is a financial institution.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said trusted party maintains said account of said customer.

19. A method for a shipper to interact with an online authentication system wherein the identity of a customer is authenticated during an online transaction by a trusted party, said method comprising:

receiving an identity authenticating password from said customer;

comparing said identity authenticating password against a password previously designated for an account of said customer;

notifying a requestor that said customer is the actual owner of said account when said identity authenticating password received from said customer matches the password that was previously designated for said account, whereby said trusted party authenticates for the benefit of said requester that said customer is the actual owner of said account;

sending customer information to said shipper; and

shipping a purchased product to said customer.

20. A method as recited in claim 19 further comprising:

evaluating said customer information against a set of criteria and sending said customer information to said shipper if said customer information satisfies said set of criteria.

21. A method as recited in claim 20 wherein said customer information includes a mailing address.

22. A method as recited in claim 19 further comprising:

gathering said customer information from said requestor and said trusted party.

23. A method as recited in claim 19 further comprising:

sending a payment authentication request message from said requestor to said trusted party to request said trusted party to authenticate said identity of said customer.

24. A method as recited in claim 23 wherein said payment authentication request message includes customer information maintained by said requestor.

25. A method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

sending a payment authentication response message from said trusted party to said requestor.

26. A method as recited in claim 25 wherein said payment authentication response message includes customer information maintained by said trusted party.

27. A method as recited in claim 25 further comprising:

generating a transaction identifier by said trusted party wherein said transaction identifier is associated with said online transaction and with said customer information that is sent to said shipper.

28. A method as recited in claim 27 wherein said shipping operation is performed by said shipper only if said shipper receives said transaction identifier

29. A method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

agreeing to a set of rights and obligations by each of said requestor and shipper as a condition before the operation of sending presentor information to said shipper.

30. A method as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

generating a shipping invoice at a discount price when said shipper receives said customer information and said transaction identifier.

31. A method as recited in claim 27 further comprising:

sending a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier to a history server for storage.

32. A method as recited in claim 31 further comprising:

retrieving a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier from said history server; and

verifying the transaction identifier to audit a transaction between said requester and said shipper.

33. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein said trusted party is a financial institution.

34. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein said trusted party maintains said account of said customer.

35. A method as recited in claim 19 further comprising:

generating a transaction identifier by said trusted party wherein said transaction identifier is associated with said online transaction and with said customer information;

sending said customer information and said transaction identifier to a plurality of shippers;

receiving a shipping price quote from at least some of said shippers; and

selecting a shipper to ship said purchased product based upon said price quotes.

36. A method for a security organization to interact with an online authentication system wherein the identity of a presenter is authenticated during an online transaction by a trusted party, said method comprising:

receiving an identity authenticating password from said presentor;

comparing said identity authenticating password against a password previously designated for an account of said presenter;

notifying a requester that said presentor is the actual owner of said account when said identity authenticating password received from said presentor matches the password that was previously designated for said account, whereby said trusted party authenticates for the benefit of said requestor that said presentor is the actual owner of said account; and

sending presentor information to said security organization.

37. A method as recited in claim 36 further comprising:

evaluating said presentor information against a set of criteria and sending said presenter information to said security organization if said presentor information satisfies said set of criteria, wherein said set of criteria determines when a security concern exists.

38. A method as recited in claim 36 further comprising:

sending a payment authentication request message from said requestor to said trusted party to request said trusted party to authenticate said identity of said presentor.

39. A method as recited in claim 38 wherein said payment authentication request message includes presentor information maintained by said requester.

40. A method as recited in claim 39 further comprising:

sending a payment authentication response message from said trusted party to said requestor.

41. A method as recited in claim 40 wherein said payment authentication response message includes presentor information maintained by said trusted party.

42. A method as recited in claim 41 further comprising:

generating a transaction identifier by said trusted party wherein said transaction identifier is associated with said online transaction and with said presentor information that is sent to said security organization.

43. A method as recited in claim 37 wherein said presenter information includes information that describes at least the subject matter of the online transaction.

44. A method as recited in claim 43 wherein said presentor information also includes purchasing behavior information about said presenter.

45. A method as recited in claim 43 further comprising:

performing a security check on said presentor, by said security organization, in response to receiving said presentor information.

46. A method as recited in claim 41 further comprising:

sending a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier to a history server for storage.

47. A method as recited in claim 41 further comprising:

retrieving a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier from said history server; and

analyzing said presentor information for evidence of security concerns.

48. A method as recited in claim 37 further comprising:

agreeing to a set of rights and obligations by each of said requestor and security organization as a condition before the operation of sending presentor information to said security organization.

49. A method as recited in claim 47 wherein a copy of said payment authentication response message and said transaction identifier is retrieved by said security organization for dispute resolution purposes further comprising:

sending said copy of payment authentication response message and transaction identifier to said requestor or said security organization in order to resolve a dispute.

50. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein said trusted party is a financial institution.

51. A method as recited in claim 36 wherein said trusted party maintains said account of said customer.