MERCHANT-BASED TOKEN SHARING

• US 20130191286A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shift4 Corporation (Shift4 Payments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Shift4 Corporation (Shift4 Payments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cronic, Kevin James, Sommers, Steven Mark, Oder, John David II, Oder, John David, Calandrelli, Steven, Fried, Jeremy B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,818,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions

Abstract

One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system and associated processes for sharing cardholder data (CHD) between a merchant that utilizes tokenization and a second merchant that may or may not utilize tokenization. In one embodiment, the merchant, or an employee of the merchant, can use the system and associated processes to reacquire CHD from a tokenization provider system. In one embodiment, the merchant identifies to the tokenization provider system a desire to share CHD, which is associated with a token, with a second merchant. The merchant and/or the tokenization provider system can then invite the second merchant to register with the tokenization provider system. Once registered with the tokenization provider system, the second merchant can access any CHD that the merchant associated with the second merchant.

Claims

1. A system for sharing cardholder data, the system comprising:

a token access system comprising computer hardware, the token access system associated with a first merchant, the token access system configured to;

obtain cardholder data (CHD) associated with a cardholder;

provide the CHD electronically to a tokenization provider system;

discard the CHD;

receive electronically a token from the tokenization provider system associated with the CHD, thereby enabling the token access system to maintain access to the CHD without storing the CHD;

receive identification of a second merchant from a user; and

store an association between the token and an identifier of the second merchant, thereby enabling the second merchant to perform a transaction with the CHD without obtaining a copy of the CHD.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the token access system is further configured to:

receive a request from the second merchant to access the token;

determine whether the second merchant is associated with the token; and

in response to determining that the second merchant is associated with the token, provide the second merchant with access to the token.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein providing the second merchant with access to the token comprises providing a copy of the token to the second merchant, thereby enabling the second merchant to obtain access to the CHD from the tokenization provider system.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein providing the second merchant with access to the token comprises providing the second merchant with authorization to use the token, and wherein the token access system is further configured to:

receive transaction information from the second merchant; and

initiate a transaction with the tokenization provider system on behalf of the second merchant based, at least in part, on the transaction information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the token access system is further configured to:

generate an authorization factor;

associate the authorization factor with the token; and

provide the authorization factor to the second merchant.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the token access system is further configured to:

receive a request from the second merchant to access the token, wherein the request comprises the authorization factor;

determine if the authorization factor is associated with the token; and

in response to determining that the authorization factor is associated with the token, provide the second merchant with access to the token.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein providing the second merchant with access to the token comprises providing a copy of the token to the second merchant, thereby enabling the second merchant to obtain access to the CHD from the tokenization provider system.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein providing the second merchant with access to the token comprises providing the second merchant with authorization to use the token, and wherein the token access system is further configured to:

receive transaction information from the second merchant; and

initiate a transaction with the tokenization provider system on behalf of the second merchant based, at least in part, on the transaction information.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the token access system includes the tokenization provider system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the token access system communicates with the tokenization provider system over a network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the token access system comprises an interactive voice response (IVR) system configured to obtain the CHD and to present the token to the second merchant.

12. A method of sharing cardholder data, the method comprising:

by a token access system implemented in a computing system comprising one or more processors, the token access system associated with a first merchant;

obtaining cardholder data (CHD) associated with a cardholder;

providing the CHD electronically to a tokenization provider system;

receiving electronically a token from the tokenization provider system associated with the CHD, thereby enabling access to the CHD without storing the CHD;

receiving an identification of one or more additional merchants from the first merchant; and

storing an association between the token and the one or more additional merchants, thereby enabling the one or more merchants to perform a transaction using the CHD without accessing a copy of the CHD.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising discarding the CHD.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a request from a second merchant to access the token;

determining whether the second merchant is one of the one or more additional merchants associated with the token; and

in response to determining that the second merchant is one of the one or more additional merchants associated with the token, providing the second merchant with access to the token.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the second merchant with access to the token comprises providing a copy of the token to the second merchant, thereby enabling the second merchant to obtain access to the CHD from the tokenization provider system.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the second merchant with access to the token comprises providing the second merchant with authorization to use the token, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving transaction information from the second merchant; and

initiating a transaction with the tokenization provider system on behalf of the second merchant based, at least in part, on the transaction information.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating an authorization factor for each merchant of the one or more additional merchants;

associating the authorization factor for each merchant of the one or more additional merchants with the token; and

providing the authorization factor for each merchant of the one or more additional merchants to the corresponding merchant.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request from a second merchant to access the token, wherein the request comprises a copy of an authorization factor;

determining if the copy of the authorization factor corresponds to one of the authorization factors associated with the token; and

in response to determining that the copy of the authorization factor corresponds to one of the authorization factors associated with the token, providing the second merchant with access to the token.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the second merchant with access to the token comprises providing a copy of the token to the second merchant, thereby enabling the second merchant to obtain access to the CHD from the tokenization provider system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the second merchant with access to the token comprises providing the second merchant with authorization to use the token, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving transaction information from the second merchant; and

initiating a transaction with the tokenization provider system on behalf of the second merchant based, at least in part, on the transaction information.