MULTI-WAY TRANSACTION RELATED DATA EXCHANGE APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20110035321A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter N. Ching
• Original Assignee: Peter N. Ching
• Inventors: Ching, Peter N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of 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 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for conducting electronic transactions such as commerce transactions or purchases and exchanging related information. In one aspect, a robust and integrated apparatus and associated method is provided whereby a purchaser can securely provide transaction data and/or information in an electronic format to another party such as a vendor. In one exemplary embodiment, the purchaser can authenticate his or her right to use the billing information contained therein to complete a purchase without actually having to disclose the billing information in a human readable format, thereby enabling the vendor to obtain and authenticate the purchaser'"'"'s identity and billing information while still protecting the purchaser'"'"'s privacy, and without requiring disclosure of the purchaser'"'"'s billing information to the vendor'"'"'s employees or any other parties. In another aspect, the vendor can provide information about the transaction in an electronic form that can be authenticated and verified for accuracy.

Claims

1-41. -41. (canceled)

42. Apparatus adapted to securely provide transaction information in an electronic format to a first party, comprising:

a data transfer element configured for communication with a point of sale device either directly or through a data networking hub, said data transfer device configured to provide said transaction information to said point of sale device; and

wherein said apparatus is configured to allow a second party to authenticate a right of a user of said apparatus to use said transaction information to complete a transaction without disclosing any data used in authentication in human-cognizable form.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said apparatus is configured to provide said authentication using at least dual key encryption.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein said apparatus is further configured to provide validation of at least a portion of said information using at least a one-way hash algorithm.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said authentication requires said second party to physically possess said data transfer device.

46. The apparatus of claim 42,

wherein upon completion of said transaction, said data transfer device configured to receive from said point of sale device at least one encrypted data structure comprising information relating to said completion of said transaction;

and

wherein said at least one encrypted data structure further comprises a plurality of annotations relating to said transaction.

47. A method of processing a transaction, comprising:

generating an electronic file comprising data relating to said transaction;

processing said file to create a first indicator of at least the content of said file;

encrypting said first indicator to produce at least one encrypted indicator;

combining said encrypted indicator and said file to form a data structure; and

transferring said data structure from a point-of sale device to a user device in communication therewith;

wherein said act of processing is performed substantially by said point-of-sale device disposed at a seller'"'"'s premises.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

providing billing information from said data transfer device to said point of sale device; and

utilizing said billing information to process a transaction at said point of sale device;

wherein said act of utilizing said billing information to process said transaction comprises authenticating a user of said data transfer device as having a right to access said transaction information to complete a transaction.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said act of authenticating occurs without disclosing any data used in authentication in human-cognizable form.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein said act of encrypting comprises encrypting said first indicator such that it may only be decrypted with a decryption key designated by an entity performing said act of encrypting.

51. The method of claim 47, further comprising generating at least one additional file comprising second data.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said second data comprises electronically readable notations to the data, said notations being selected from the group consisting of:

(i) instructions relating to decryption of said at least one file; and

(ii) information relating to the content of said at least one file.

53. Apparatus adapted to process data selected from the group consisting of:

(i) billing data, (ii) personal data;

(iii) health care data, and (iv) equipment performance or diagnostics data, the apparatus comprising;

an input apparatus adapted to receive said data from at least one source;

a computer apparatus operatively coupled to said input apparatus and adapted to;

generate at least one electronic file comprising said data;

process said at least one file to create a first indicator of at least the content of said at least one file at a first time;

encrypt said first indicator to produce an encrypted indicator;

combine said encrypted indicator and said at least one electronic file to form a data structure; and

transmit said data structure from said apparatus to a point of sale device directly or through a data networking hub;

wherein said data structure is utilized by said point of sale device in the completion of a transaction relating thereto.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said computer apparatus comprises a digital processor and at least one software application running thereon, said distributed application being in logical communication with a software process at least one of said source and another device.

55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said computer apparatus is configured to support (i) authentication using at least dual key encryption;

and (ii) validation of at least a portion of said data using at least a one way hash algorithm, by a recipient of said data structure.

56. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said computer apparatus is configured to support authentication of said data structure without disclosing said data in a human-cognizable form.

57. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said transmission of said data structure occurs via at least one of the Internet, a local area network, or a wide area network.

58. The apparatus of claim 53, further comprising storing said data structure in a data file that is part of one or more independent distributed databases.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein at least a portion of said data file is periodically synchronized with a second data file that is also part of said one or more distributed databases.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said second data file is located on a data transfer device, and after said synchronization, information in said data file and said second data file are substantially identical.

61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein conflicts in said synchronization are identified and resolved according to at least one predefined criterion.

62. A method for processing healthcare data, comprising:

securely storing said healthcare data in electronic form;

authenticating a user of a portable data storage device;

if said user is authenticated, transferring said healthcare data to said portable data storage device at a first location;

transferring said portable data storage device to a second location;

transferring said healthcare data from said portable data storage device to a device managed by a healthcare facility, said transfer being performed substantially at a healthcare facility.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein said act of storing the data comprises storing said data in a first data file that is part of one or more independent distributed databases.

64. The method of claim 63, further comprising periodically synchronizing said first data file with another data file residing on said data transfer device that is also part of said distributed database.

65. The method of claim 64, further comprising subsequently synchronizing said another data file with at least one other data file that is also part of an independent distributed database.

66. The method of claim 62, further comprising periodically synchronizing said first data file with a second data file residing on a remote computer device accessible via a local or wide area connection established between a first device hosting said first data file and said remote computer device.

67. A method of conducting logically related transactions between a retail point of sale device and a user portable storage data entity, comprising:

conducting a sales transaction at a first time;

storing data relating to said sales transaction at said retail point of sale device;

processing said stored data to generate a data structure;

placing said user portable data storage entity in wired or wireless data communication with said point of sale device on which said data structure is resident; and

transferring said data structure to said user portable data storage entity;

wherein said act of processing is performed substantially by said point of sale device disposed at a seller'"'"'s premises, and said user portable data storage entity is configured for data communication with said point of sale device.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein said processing comprises:

generating via said point of sale device at least one electronic file comprising said data relating to said sales transaction;

processing said at least one file to create a first indicator of at least the content of said at least one file at a first time;

encrypting said first indicator to produce an encrypted indicator; and

combining said encrypted indicator and said at least one file to form said data structure.

69. The method of claim 67, wherein said user portable data storage entity comprises a cellular telephone, wherein said cellular telephone is adapted to store transaction specific data in encrypted form.

70. An apparatus adapted to securely provide transaction information in an electronic format to a point of sales entity, comprising:

a data transfer element adapted to;

communicate with said point of sales entity either directly or through a data networking hub;

store transaction specific data in encrypted form; and

store biometric data relating to a user of said data transfer element;

wherein said apparatus is configured to allow said user of said data transfer element to authenticate his or her right to use said transaction specific data to complete a transaction with said point of sales entity via said user providing said biometric data to said apparatus.

71. A method of processing user-specific billing data, comprising:

generating an encrypted electronic file comprising user-specific billing data;

placing a universal serial bus (USB) device in removable communication with a device on which said encrypted user-specific billing data is resident, said USB device being adapted to store said encrypted user-specific billing data;

authenticating a user of said USB device; and

if said user is authenticated, transferring said encrypted user-specific billing to said USB device;

wherein said act of processing is performed substantially by a point-of-sale device disposed at a seller'"'"'s premises.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein said authenticating obviates paper or other tangible records of said user-specific billing data.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein said act of generating said encrypted electronic file comprises encrypting said user-specific billing data such that it may only be decrypted with a decryption key designated by an entity performing said act of encrypting.

74. The method of claim 71, further comprising:

processing the data structure to identify an encrypted indicator;

using said designated decryption key to decrypt the identified encrypted indicator; and

using said decrypted indicator to confirm that at least a portion of said user-specific billing data is unchanged.

75. The method of claim 71, further comprising:

verifying that the contents of the data structure are in their original form based at least in part on said content; and

authenticating an identity of a creator of said content.

76. The method of claim 71, wherein said electronic file comprises at least one of (i) healthcare records, and (iii) healthcare expenditure records, corresponding to one or more patients.

77. The method of claim 71, wherein if said user is not authenticated, the method comprises failing to transfer said encrypted user-specific billing to said USB device.

78. Apparatus adapted to securely provide billing information associated with a customer in an electronic format to a seller, comprising:

a first element adapted to generate an encrypted file comprising said billing information associated with said customer;

a second element adapted to store authentication information associated with said customer, said authentication information being utilized to verify the identity of said customer; and

a third element adapted to communicate with an electronic device associated with said seller, said communication comprising at least transmission of said encrypted file to said electronic device upon said verification of said customer for decryption thereof via said authentication information;

wherein no part of said billing information is disclosed in any human cognizable form.

79. The apparatus of claim 78, wherein physical possession of said apparatus is required for said verification of said customer.