Method and apparatus for network transactions

• US 20060235761A1
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Bruce E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,849,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213

Abstract

A method is provided to authorize an online transaction between a purchaser and a merchant. The method includes providing, via an identity provider, verification of an identity of the purchaser. The method also includes providing, via a payment provider, verification of an ability of the purchaser to pay for the transaction, where the identity provider and the payment provider are different network entities. A computer system is also provided that can conduct an online transaction between a purchaser and a merchant providing one or more goods and/or services. The computer system includes a first node configured to provide verification of an identity of the purchaser, and a second node configured to provide verification of an ability of the purchaser to pay for the transaction, where the first node and the second node are associated with different network entities.

Claims

1. A method of authorizing an online transaction between a purchaser and a merchant, the method comprising acts of:

providing, via an identity provider, verification of an identity of the purchaser; and

providing, via a payment provider, verification of an ability of the purchaser to pay for the transaction, wherein the identity provider and the payment provider are different network entities.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of providing, via the purchaser, identification information to facilitate the identity provider in verifying the identity of the purchaser.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the act of providing identification information includes an act of providing a subscriber identity module (SIM) number, a network address, or a unique hardware identification (ID).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the act of providing identification information includes providing identification information programmatically, via an end-user computer associated with the purchaser, the identification information provided upon an indication by at least one application operating on the end-user computer that the purchaser intends to make a purchase.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of providing verification of the ability of the purchaser to pay is performed by the payment provider only after the identity of the purchaser is verified.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the payment provider employs the identity verification to perform the payment verification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity provider is a bank or a government agency.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identify provider provides identification verification via an identity token to be received by the payment provider, and wherein the payment provider provides payment verification via a payment token to be received by the merchant.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identity token includes a predetermined interval of time during which the identity token can be processed, wherein, when the predetermined interval of time expires, the identity token is considered invalid.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the payment token includes a predetermined interval of time during which the payment token can be processed, wherein, when the predetermined interval of time expires, the payment token is considered invalid.

11. A computer system having a plurality of nodes interconnected via a network, the computer system adapted to conduct an online transaction between a purchaser and a merchant, the computer system comprising:

a first node configured to provide verification of an identity of the purchaser; and

a second node configured to provide verification of an ability of the purchaser to pay for the transaction, wherein the first node and the second node are associated with different network entities.

12. The computer system of claim 11, further comprising a purchaser node associated with the purchaser, the purchaser node adapted to provide identification information to facilitate the first node in verifying the identity of the purchaser.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the purchaser node provides a subscriber identity module (SIM) number, a network address, or a unique hardware identification as the identification information.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the purchaser node includes an end-user computer that provides the identification information programmatically when a signal to initiate the transaction is issued by at least one application operating on the end-user computer.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the second node provides verification of the ability of the purchaser to pay only after the first node verifies the identity of the purchaser.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the second node employs the identity verification to perform the payment verification.

17. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the first node is associated with a network entity that is a bank or a government agency.

18. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the first node provides identification verification via an identity token to be received by the second node, and wherein the second node provides payment verification via a payment token to be received by the merchant.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the identity token includes a predetermined interval of time during which the identity token can be processed, wherein when the predetermined interval of time expires, the identity token is considered invalid.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the payment token includes a predetermined interval of time during which the payment token can be processed, wherein when the predetermined interval of time expires, the payment token is considered invalid.