System and method for authorization of transactions

• US 20070107044A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Chih-Jen, Yuen, Philip, Yuen, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/2
• 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 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215

Abstract

System and method for authorizing transactions, such as payments or money transfers. A transaction authorization mechanism may be provided through which a transaction initiated via a first communications channel may be authorized through a second, separate communications channel or mechanism. A source entity may initiate a transaction to a target entity via a first communications channel to a transaction authorization service. The transaction authorization service may confirm the transaction with the source entity via a second communications channel. Various embodiments may use different communications channels, for example conventional telephone systems, mobile/cellular phone systems, and text messaging systems as the first or second communications channels. After the transaction has been authorized via the second communications channel, the transaction authorization service and/or the source entity may contact the target entity to inform the target entity of the transaction. The target entity may then complete the transaction.

Claims

1. An Internet-based service center using Short Message Service (SMS) text messages for secure communication between multiple parties, comprising:

means for registering users equipped with Internet-enabled mobile devices to establish at least two codes, including one code for authenticating communications from a particular user to a center on the Internet and another code for authenticating communications from the center to the particular user;

means for establishing a payment account for the particular user;

means for receiving an SMS message from the particular user to initiate a payment transaction from the particular user'"'"'s payment account;

means for contacting the particular user via an SMS or phone communication to confirm authorization for the transaction, wherein contacting the particular user comprises supplying the code for authenticating communications from the center to the particular user;

means for receiving a reply to said contacting from the particular user including the code for authenticating communications from the particular user to the center; and

means for performing the payment transaction if authorized.

2. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a transaction authorization service, an initiation of a transaction between an source entity and a target entity via a first communications channel;

sending a request for authorization of the transaction from the transaction authorization service to a communications device associated with the source entity, wherein said sending comprises sending the request for authorization via a second communications channel different from the first communication channel; and

receiving, at the transaction authorization service, a response to the request for authorization from the source entity, wherein the response includes information authorizing the transaction.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising informing the target entity of the authorized transaction.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising completing the transaction between the source entity and the target entity.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said completing the transaction between the source entity and the target entity comprises receiving, at the transaction authorization service, a response to said informing the target entity of the authorized transaction.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said completing the transaction between the source entity and the target entity comprises registering the target entity with the transaction authorization service to obtain an account for the target entity with the transaction authorization service.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said completing the transaction between the source entity and the target entity comprises transferring funds from an account of the source entity to an account of the target entity.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the account of the source entity and the account of the target entity are with the transaction authorization service.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the account of the source entity and the account of the target entity is with a financial institution separate from the transaction authorization service.

10. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the transaction authorization service informing the target entity of the authorized transaction.

11. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the source entity informing the target entity of the authorized transaction.

12. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the initiation of the transaction includes information identifying the source entity.

13. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the initiation of the transaction includes information identifying the target entity and a monetary amount to be transferred from the source entity to the target entity.

14. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the transaction is a transferal of funds from the source entity to the target entity.

15. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the information authorizing the transaction is an identifier associated with the source entity.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the identifier is a personal identification number (PIN).

17. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising registering the source entity with the transaction authorization service to obtain an account for the source entity with the transaction authorization service.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said registering comprises the source entity specifying an identifier to be included in responses to requests for authorization of transactions to authorize the transactions.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said registering comprises the source entity specifying a telephone number associated with the second communications channel used in authorizing transactions.

20. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the request for authorization of the transaction includes information identifying the request as being from the transaction authorization service.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the information identifying the request as being from the transaction authorization service includes a security phrase known by the source entity.

22. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the communications device associated with the source entity is a cellular telephone.

23. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the second communications channel is a voice communications channel.

24. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the second communications channel is a cellular telephone communications channel.

25. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the second communications channel is a text messaging communications channel.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the text messaging communications channel is implemented in accordance with Short Message Service (SMS) protocol.

27. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first communications channel is a voice communications channel.

28. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first communications channel is a cellular telephone communications channel.

29. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first communications channel is a text messaging communications channel.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the text messaging communications channel is implemented in accordance with Short Message Service (SMS) protocol.

31. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first communications channel is a text messaging communications channel, and wherein the second communications channel is a voice communications channel.

32. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications on the first communications channel are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.

33. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications on the second communications channel are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.

34. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications between the target entity and the transaction authorization service are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.

35. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to implement a transaction authorization service configured to;

receive an initiation of a transaction between an source entity and a target entity via a first communications channel;

send a request for authorization of the transaction from the transaction authorization service to a communications device associated with the source entity via a second communications channel different from the first communications channel; and

receive a response to the request for authorization from the source entity, wherein the response includes information authorizing the transaction.

36. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the transaction authorization service is further configured to inform the target entity of the authorized transaction.

37. The system as recited in claim 36, wherein the transaction authorization service is further configured to receive a response to said informing the target entity of the authorized transaction.

38. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the transaction authorization service is further configured to complete the transaction between the source entity and the target entity.

39. The system as recited in claim 38, wherein, to complete the transaction between the source entity and the target entity, the transaction authorization service is further configured to register the target entity with the transaction authorization service to generate an account for the target entity with the transaction authorization service.

40. The system as recited in claim 38, wherein, to complete the transaction between the source entity and the target entity, the transaction authorization service is further configured to initiate the transferal of funds from an account of the source entity to an account of the target entity.

41. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein the account of the source entity and the account of the target entity are with the transaction authorization service.

42. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein at least one of the account of the source entity and the account of the target entity is with a financial institution separate from the transaction authorization service.

43. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the initiation of the transaction includes one or more of information identifying the source entity, information identifying the target entity, and a monetary amount to be transferred from the source entity to the target entity.

44. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the transaction is a transferal of funds from the source entity to the target entity.

45. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the information authorizing the transaction is an identifier associated with the source entity.

46. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the transaction authorization service is further configured to register the source entity with the transaction authorization service to obtain an account for the source entity with the transaction authorization service, wherein said registering comprises:

generating an identifier for the source entity to be included in responses to requests for authorization of transactions to authorize the transactions; and

obtaining a telephone number associated with the second communications channel used in authorizing transactions from the source entity.

47. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the request for authorization of the transaction includes information identifying the request as being from the transaction authorization service.

48. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the second communications channel is a cellular telephone communications channel, and wherein the communications device associated with the source entity is a cellular telephone.

49. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the second communications channel is one of a voice communications channel and a text messaging communications channel.

50. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the second communications channel is a text messaging communications channel.

51. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the first communications channel is one of a voice communications channel and a text messaging communications channel.

52. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the first communications channel is a text messaging communications channel, and wherein the second communications channel is a voice communications channel.

53. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications on the first communications channel are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.

54. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications on the second communications channel are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.

55. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications between the target entity and the transaction authorization service are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.

56. A computer-accessible storage medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement a transaction authorization service configured to:

receive an initiation of a transaction between an source entity and a target entity via a first communications channel;

send a request for authorization of the transaction from the transaction authorization service to a communications device associated with the source entity via a second communications channel different from the first communications channel; and

receive a response to the request for authorization from the source entity, wherein the response includes information authorizing the transaction.

57. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the transaction authorization service is further configured to inform the target entity of the authorized transaction.

58. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 57, wherein the transaction authorization service is further configured to receive a response to said informing the target entity of the authorized transaction.

59. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the transaction authorization service is further configured to complete the transaction between the source entity and the target entity.

60. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 59, wherein, to complete the transaction between the source entity and the target entity, the transaction authorization service is further configured to register the target entity with the transaction authorization service to generate an account for the target entity with the transaction authorization service.

61. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 59, wherein, to complete the transaction between the source entity and the target entity, the transaction authorization service is further configured to initiate the transferal of funds from an account of the source entity to an account of the target entity.

62. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 61, wherein the account of the source entity and the account of the target entity are with the transaction authorization service.

63. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the initiation of the transaction includes one or more of information identifying the source entity, information identifying the target entity, and a monetary amount to be transferred from the source entity to the target entity.

64. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the transaction is a transferal of funds from the source entity to the target entity.

65. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the information authorizing the transaction is an identifier associated with the source entity.

66. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the transaction authorization service is further configured to register the source entity with the transaction authorization service to obtain an account for the source entity with the transaction authorization service, wherein said registering comprises:

generating an identifier for the source entity to be included in responses to requests for authorization of transactions to authorize the transactions; and

obtaining a telephone number associated with the second communications channel used in authorizing transactions from the source entity.

67. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the request for authorization of the transaction includes information identifying the request as being from the transaction authorization service.

68. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the second communications channel is a cellular telephone communications channel, and wherein the communications device associated with the source entity is a cellular telephone.

69. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the second communications channel is one of a voice communications channel and a text messaging communications channel.

70. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the second communications channel is a text messaging communications channel.

71. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the first communications channel is one of a voice communications channel and a text messaging communications channel.

72. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the first communications channel is a text messaging communications channel, and wherein the second communications channel is a voice communications channel.

73. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications on the first communications channel are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.

74. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications on the second communications channel are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.

75. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the transaction authorization service is implemented as a web service, and wherein communications between the target entity and the transaction authorization service are in accordance with a web services interface to the transaction authorization service.