SMARTCARD INTERNET AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM

• US 20080091602A1
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• 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, Hohle, William, Gray, William, Larkin, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• 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 authorizing a transaction, the method comprising:

initiating a transaction by receiving a request over a network at a wallet server, from said user, for payment authorization, wherein said request includes transaction card information and a selection of a financial institution;

prompting said user to cause a card reader system to read said transaction card, wherein said transaction card comprises transaction card information including a digital certificate uniquely identifying said transaction card;

receiving said transaction card information from a computer communicating with said card reader system;

sending an authentication request for said transaction to a security server of said selected financial institution and said transaction card information by said wallet server to a security server of said selected financial institution;

receiving , by said wallet server, an authentication for said transaction from said security server;

completing an authorization request for said transaction and transmitting said authorization request to said merchant server;

requesting authorization of said authentication request from said security server by said merchant server;

authenticating said authorization request by said security server using said transaction card information; and

,

receiving authorization request authentication from said security server by said merchant server, and said merchant server completing said transaction and receiving value from an account of said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said request includes purchase information, charge information and transaction card identifying information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said wallet server is a digital wallet server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said card reader system is a smart card reader system.

5. A system for authorizing a transaction, said system comprising:

a wallet server comprising;

a first hardware interface receiving an authorization request over a network from a user, for payment authorization, wherein said authorization request includes transaction card information from a transaction card and a selection of a financial institution;

a second hardware interface prompting said user to physically interface a transaction card with a card reader system, wherein said transaction card comprises transaction card information including a digital certificate uniquely identifying said transaction card;

storage device receiving said smart card information from a computer communicating with said smart card system;

a processor sending an authentication request for said transaction to a security server of said selected financial institution and said transaction card information to a security server of said financial institution;

a first hardware module receiving an authentication for said transaction from said security server;

a second hardware module completing an authorization request for said transaction and transmitting said authorization request to said merchant server;

said security server comprising;

a hardware module authenticating said authorization request by using said transaction card information;

said merchant server comprising;

a first processor requesting authorization of the authentication request from the security server;

a second processor receiving authorization request authentication from said security server by said merchant server, and said merchant server completing said transaction and receiving value from an account of said user.

6. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer, wherein said set of instructions when executed by the general purpose computer cause the computer to perform the steps of:

initiating a transaction based on said shopping by receiving a request over a network at a wallet server, from a said user, for payment authorization, wherein said request includes transaction card information and a selection of a financial institution;

prompting said user to physically interface a transaction card with a card reader system, wherein said transaction card comprises transaction card information including a digital certificate uniquely identifying said transaction card;

receiving said transaction card information from a computer communicating with said card reader system;

sending an authentication request for said transaction to a security server of said selected financial institution and said transaction card information by said wallet server to a security server of said selected financial institution;

receiving, by said wallet server, an authentication for said transaction from said security server;

completing an authorization request for said transaction, by said wallet server, and transmitting said authorization request to said merchant server;

requesting authorization of said authentication request from said security server by said merchant server;

authenticating said authorization request by said security server using said transaction card information; and

, receiving authorization request authentication from said security server by said merchant server, and said merchant server completing said transaction and receiving value from an account of said user.