Methods and Computer-Readable Media for Enabling Secure Online Transactions With Simplified User Experience

• US 20100223164A1
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Fagan, James Francis, Zlobec, Sanro, Bouchard, Jean, Murray, Sean MacLean, Fortier, Stéphane Maxime François
• Granted Patent: US 10,180,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• 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 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A method, which comprises determining a logical identifier used for communication over a network portion managed by a service provider and transmitting to a computing apparatus adapted to effect online transactions involving a payer and a payee an indication of the service provider having agreed to act as the payer for at least one online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses the logical identifier. Also, a method, which comprises determining a logical identifier used to identify a device during a request for an online transaction; identifying, based on the logical identifier, a third party that has agreed to act as a payer for the online transaction; providing a user of the device with an opportunity to confirm the third party as the payer for the online transaction; and completing the online transaction based on input from the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a logical identifier used for communication over a network portion managed by a service provider; and

transmitting to a computing apparatus adapted to effect online transactions involving a payer and a payee an indication of said service provider having agreed to act as the payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses said logical identifier.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises monitoring data exchanged between the requesting device and the computing apparatus.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said data is exchanged during a precursor phase to a specific future online transaction requested by the requesting device.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said indication is transmitted in the form of a message that also specifies said logical identifier.

5. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the computing apparatus an indication of validity of a time period during which said service provider has agreed to act as the payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses said logical identifier.

6. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a customer associated with said logical identifier; and

determining whether said customer is a premium customer;

wherein said transmitting is effected only if said customer is a premium customer.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said computing apparatus is associated with a merchant, said method further comprising:

determining whether said merchant is a trusted merchant;

wherein said transmitting is effected only if said merchant is a trusted merchant.

8. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a customer associated with said logical identifier; and

determining at least one restriction associated with transactions involving said customer.

9. The method defined in claim 8, further comprising transmitting to said computing apparatus an indication of said at least one restriction.

10. The method defined in claim 9, wherein said at least one restriction indicates a maximum dollar amount per transaction.

11. The method defined in claim 9, wherein said at least one restriction further comprises a temporal restriction.

12. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises receiving an indication of said logical identifier sent by said computing apparatus during a precursor phase to a specific future potential online transaction requested by the requesting device.

16. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises determining that the requesting device has gained access to a data network to which access is controlled by the service provider.

17. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said computing apparatus is associated with a specific trusted merchant from a plurality of trusted merchants.

18. The method defined in claim 17, further comprising transmitting to other computing apparatuses associated with other trusted merchants an indication of said service provider entity having agreed to act as the payer for at least one online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses said logical identifier.

19. The method defined in claim 18, wherein said transmitting is effected prior to an online transaction involving any of the trusted merchants and a device that uses said logical identifier.

20. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said logical identifier is an Internet Protocol address.

21. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising completing a specific future online transaction requested by the requesting device.

22. The method defined in claim 21, further comprising:

identifying a customer associated with said logical identifier;

querying a user of the requesting device to elicit user-submitted authorization information; and

comparing said user-submitted authorization information to a priori authorization information associated with said customer;

wherein said completing is effected or not effected in dependence upon an outcome of said comparing.

23. The method defined in claim 21, wherein completing the specific future online transaction comprises providing payment information to said computing apparatus to allow said service provider to be charged for the specific future online transaction.

24. The method defined in claim 23, wherein said computing apparatus is associated with a merchant, and wherein providing payment information comprises identifying an account established by said merchant for said service provider.

25. The method defined in claim 21, further comprising:

identifying a customer associated with said logical identifier; and

charging said customer after the specific future online transaction has been completed.

26. The method defined in claim 25, wherein charging said customer comprises debiting an account for said customer by an amount relating to the specific future online transaction.

27. The method defined in claim 26, wherein charging said customer comprises charging an amount relating to the specific future online transaction to a payment instrument provisioned for said customer.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

28. A network entity, comprising:

an interface configured to communicate over a network portion managed by a service provider; and

a processing unit configured to determine a logical identifier used for communication over said network portion and to transmit to a computing apparatus adapted to effect online transactions involving a payer and a payee an indication of said service provider having agreed to act as the payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses said logical identifier.

29. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a network entity, causes the network entity to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:

first computer-readable program code for causing the network entity to determine a logical identifier used for communication over a network portion managed by a service provider; and

second computer-readable program code for causing the network entity to transmit to a computing apparatus adapted to effect online transactions involving a payer and a payee an indication of said service provider having agreed to act as the payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses said logical identifier.

30. A network entity, comprising:

means for determining a logical identifier used for communication over a network portion managed by a service provider;

means for transmitting to a computing apparatus adapted to effect online transactions involving a payer and a payee an indication of said service provider having agreed to act as the payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses said logical identifier.

31. A method, comprising:

obtaining an indication that a third party has agreed to act as a payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses a particular logical identifier;

when a specific future online transaction is requested by a requesting device that uses the particular logical identifier, completing said transaction by requesting payment from the third party.

32. The method defined in claim 55, said method implemented by a network server, said method further comprising monitoring data exchanged with the network server to determine the particular logical identifier.

33. The method defined in claim 55, further comprising receiving an electronic voucher containing said indication.

34. The method defined in claim 33, wherein said electronic voucher conveys information indicative of a time-out period associated with a validity of said electronic voucher.

35. The method defined in claim 33, wherein the third party is a service provider that manages a network portion over which the requesting device requests the specific future online transaction.

36. The method defined in claim 35, wherein said electronic voucher is received from an entity associated with said service provider.

37. The method defined in claim 36, further comprising sending a message to said entity associated with said service provider, said message indicative of the particular logical identifier.

38. The method defined in claim 37, wherein said electronic voucher is received in response to sending said message to said entity associated with said service provider.

39. The method defined in claim 35, wherein said electronic voucher is received from a clearinghouse entity that maintains an association between a set of service providers and, for each given service provider in the set, a respective set of logical identifiers for which the given service provider has agreed to act as a payer for online transactions requested by devices using those logical identifiers.

40. The method defined in claim 39, further comprising sending a message to said clearinghouse entity, said message indicative of the particular logical identifier.

41. The method defined in claim 40, wherein said electronic voucher is received in response to sending said message to said clearinghouse entity.

42. The method defined in claim 56, wherein providing the user with an opportunity to confirm the third party as the payer for said specific future online transaction comprises interacting with the user via a graphical user interface.

43. The method defined in claim 42, further comprising presenting via said graphical user interface a graphical conveyance mechanism enabling the user to supply said user input.

44. The method defined in claim 43, wherein said graphical conveyance mechanism enables the user to make a selection regarding the method of payment for said specific future online transaction between (I) the third party and (II) an alternate source of funds.

45. The method defined in claim 31, wherein completing said transaction comprises debiting an account established for the third party if the user has confirmed the third party as the payer for said specific future online transaction.

46. The method defined in claim 31, wherein completing said transaction comprises invoicing the third party if the user has confirmed the third party as the payer for said specific future online transaction.

47. The method defined in claim 31, wherein completing said transaction comprises obtaining an identification of a payment instrument provisioned for the third party if the user has confirmed the third party as the payer for said specific future online transaction.

48. The method defined in claim 31, further comprising completing said specific future online transaction by obtaining a credit or debit account number from the user if the user has not confirmed the third party as the payer for said specific future online transaction.

53. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said obtaining is in response to determining that the requesting device is susceptible of requesting the specific future online transaction.

54. The method defined in claim 31, wherein said obtaining occurs before the requesting device requests the specific future online transaction.

55. The method defined in claim 31, further comprising determining the particular logical identifier.

56. The method defined in claim 31, further comprising providing a user of the requesting device with an opportunity to confirm the third party as the payer for said specific future online transaction.

57. The method defined in claim 56, wherein requesting payment from the third party as the payer for said transaction is carried out only if the user confirms the third party as the payer for said transaction.

49. A network entity, comprising:

an interface configured to communicate with devices requesting online transactions; and

a processing unit configured to;

obtain an indication that a third party has agreed to act as a payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses a particular logical identifier;

complete said transaction by requesting payment from the third party when a specific future online transaction is requested by a requesting device that uses the particular logical identifier.

50. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a network entity, causes the network entity to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:

first computer-readable program code for causing the network entity to obtain an indication that a third party has agreed to act as a payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses a particular logical identifier;

second computer-readable program code for causing the network entity to complete said transaction by requesting payment from the third party when a specific future online transaction is requested by a requesting device that uses the particular logical identifier.

51. A network entity, comprising:

means for obtaining an indication that a third party has agreed to act as a payer for at least one future online transaction requested by a requesting device that uses a particular logical identifier;

means for completing said transaction by requesting payment from the third party when a specific future online transaction is requested by a requesting device that uses the particular logical identifier.

52. (canceled)

58. A method, comprising:

receiving from a party a message conveying a particular logical identifier used by a particular device in requesting an online transaction;

consulting a data structure based on the particular logical identifier to obtain information regarding a service provider having agreed to act as a payer for an online transaction requested by a device that uses the particular logical identifier;

providing a message to the party, said message conveying said information regarding the service provider.

59. The method defined in claim 58, wherein the information regarding the service provider comprises an identity of the service provider.

60. The method defined in claim 59, wherein the message further comprises a restriction associated with the online transaction.

61. The method defined in claim 60, wherein the restriction is at least one of a pecuniary and a temporal restriction associated with the online transaction.

62. The method defined in claim 58, wherein the party is an online merchant.

63. The method defined in claim 62, wherein the information regarding the service provider comprises account information created by the online merchant for the service provider.

64. The method defined in claim 63, wherein the message further comprises a restriction associated with the online transaction.

65. The method defined in claim 64, wherein the restriction is at least one of a pecuniary and a temporal restriction associated with the online transaction.

66. The method defined in claim 58, wherein the information regarding the service provider comprises identification of a payment instrument.

67. The method defined in claim 66, wherein the payment instrument is a credit card account or debit card account.

68. The method defined in claim 59, wherein the information regarding the service provider comprises a billing address for invoicing.

69. The method defined in claim 68, wherein the message further comprises a restriction associated with the online transaction.

70. The method defined in claim 69, wherein the restriction is at least one of a pecuniary and a temporal restriction associated with the online transaction.

71. A method, comprising:

monitoring data exchanged between a requesting device and a computing apparatus adapted to carry out online transactions involving a payer and a payee; and

based on a result of said monitoring, transmitting to the computing apparatus an indication that a service provider which manages a network portion used by the requesting device to exchange said data has agreed to act as the payer for at least one online transaction requested by the requesting device.

72. The method defined in claim 71, wherein the requesting device is identified by a logical identifier.

73. The method defined in claim 72, further comprising determining the logical identifier from said data.

74. The method defined in claim 71, wherein said monitoring comprises determining from said data that a specific online transaction is susceptible of being requested by the requesting device.

75. The method defined in claim 74, wherein said data is exchanged during a precursor phase to said specific online transaction.

76. The method defined in claim 74, wherein said data includes an indication that the specific online transaction has been requested.

77. The method defined in claim 74, wherein said determining comprises determining that the requesting device has gained access to a data network to which access is controlled by the service provider.

78. The method defined in claim 71, further comprising transmitting to the computing apparatus an indication of validity of a time period during which said service provider has agreed to act as the payer for at least one online transaction requested by the requesting device.

79. The method defined in claim 72, further comprising:

identifying a customer associated with said logical identifier; and

determining at least one restriction associated with transactions involving said customer.

80. The method defined in claim 79, further comprising transmitting to said computing apparatus an indication of said at least one restriction.

81. The method defined in claim 80, wherein said at least one restriction indicates a maximum dollar amount per transaction.

82. The method defined in claim 80, wherein said at least one restriction further comprises a temporal restriction.

83. A network entity, comprising:

an interface configured to communicate over a network portion managed by a service provider; and

a processing unit configured to monitor data exchanged over the network portion between a requesting device and a computing apparatus adapted to carry out online transactions involving a payer and a payee and, based on a result of the monitoring, to transmit to the computing apparatus an indication that the service provider has agreed to act as the payer for at least one online transaction requested by the requesting device.

84. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code which, when interpreted by a network entity, causes the network entity to execute a method, the computer-readable program code comprising:

first computer-readable program code for causing the network entity to monitor data exchanged between a requesting device and a computing apparatus adapted to carry out online transactions involving a payer and a payee; and

second computer-readable program code for causing the network entity to transmit to the computing apparatus, based on a result of the monitoring, an indication that a service provider which manages a network portion used by the requesting device to exchange said data has agreed to act as the payer for at least one online transaction requested by the requesting device.