Method and apparatus for electronic commerce

• US 5,903,878 A
• Filed: 08/20/1997
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Appage Corporation
• Original Assignee: Appage Corporation
• Inventors: Jani, Yashvant, Talati, Kirit K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US08/915,436
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/40, 380/23, 380/24, 395/226, 395/200.33, 395/186, 395/187, 395/188
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• 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 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A method for providing validated electronic commerce transactions is disclosed. A transaction order generated by a purchaser has a unique transaction identifier associated therewith and the purchase order is transmitted to a merchant and then to a transaction administrator. The transaction administrator contacts the original purchaser and provides the generated unique transaction identifier to confirm whether or not the transaction order was initially provided by the purchaser. Upon verification of origination of the transaction order by the purchaser and other transaction information, the transaction administrator notifies the merchant and the transaction may be completed.

Claims

1. A method for providing a validated electronic commerce transaction between an originator, a recipient and a transaction administrator, comprising the steps of:

generating an electronic commerce transaction including at least a unique transaction identifier associated therewith;

transmitting the electronic commerce transaction from the originator to the transaction administrator through the recipient;

transmitting the electronic commerce transaction from the transaction administrator to the originator for validation;

validating the electronic commerce transaction at the originator based on the unique transaction identifier;

notifying the transaction administrator of a validation status of the electronic commerce transaction based on the validation; and

completing the electronic commerce transaction based on the validation status.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic commerce transaction further includes an originator identification associated with the originator and further including the step of authenticating the originator based on the originator identification.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of transmitting further includes the step of transmitting the electronic commerce transaction to the authenticated originator.

4. The method of claim 2 further including the step of authenticating the originator based on the originator identification at the transaction administrator.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

providing a recipient identifier; and

authenticating an identity of the recipient at the transaction administrator based on the recipient identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of completing further comprises the steps of:

transmitting the validation status to the recipient; and

completing the transaction with the originator based on the transmitted validation status.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic commerce transaction further includes an originator identifier and the step of validating further includes the step of validating the electronic commerce transaction at the transaction administrator based on the originator identifier.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the originator identifier further includes a transaction data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the validation is further based on a transaction data.

10. The method of claim 1 where the electronic commerce transaction includes a plurality of transactions.

11. A method for providing a validated electronic commerce transactions between an originator, a recipient and a transaction administrator, comprising the steps of:

requesting an electronic commerce transaction from the originator to the recipient, the electronic commerce transaction including a unique transaction identifier, an originator identifier and transaction data;

requesting validation of the originator identifier and the transaction data from the transaction administrator;

requesting validation of the unique transaction identifier and the transaction data from the originator;

completing the electronic commerce transaction if the unique transaction identifier, the originator identifier and the translation data are validated by both the originator and the transaction administrator.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the step of validating the originator identifier and the transaction data at the transaction administrator.

13. The method of claim 11 further includes the step of validating the unique transaction identifier and the transaction data at the originator.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of validating further comprises the step of comparing the unique transaction identifier and transaction data with a list including all unique transaction identifiers and associated transaction data at the originator.

15. A method for providing electronic commerce, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a payment transaction for items from an originator to a recipient, said request including at least an originator identifier;

transmitting a first verification request from the recipient to a transaction administrator to verify the originator identifier;

verifying the identifier for the originator at the transaction administrator;

transmitting a second verification request from the transaction administrator to the originator to determine if the originator generated the payment transaction;

verifying if the originator generated the payment transaction; and

completing the payment transaction in response to answers on the first and the second verification requests.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of completing further comprises the steps of:

transmitting from the originator to the transaction administrator, a response to the second verification request indicating if the originator generated the payment transaction

transmitting from the transaction administrator to the recipient, a response to the first verification request verifying the identifier of the originator; and

transferring the item to the originator.

17. The method of claim 15 further including the step of encrypting transmissions between the originator and the transaction administrator.

18. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

generating a unique identifier associated with the payment transaction and

attaching the unique identifier with the transaction order, the first verification request and the second verification request.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the unique identifier further includes a transaction amount.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of verifying further includes the step of comparing the unique identifier attached to the second verification request to a unique identifier list of the client to determine if the originator generated the request.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of transmitting further includes the step of transmitting via e-mail messages over a computer network.

22. The method of claim 15 further including the step of querying the originator from the transaction administrator with randomly generated questions relating to the originator.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein the identifier for the originator comprises an account number.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein the identifier for the originator comprises a credit card number.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein the electronic commerce transaction further includes an originator identifier and the step of validating further includes the step of validating the electronic commerce transaction at the transaction administrator based on the originator identifier.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the originator identifier further includes transaction amount.

27. A method for providing electronic commerce, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a transaction for an item from an originator to a recipient, the purchase order including an originator identifier;

associating a unique transaction identifier with the transaction order;

transmitting a first verification request including the unique transaction identifier from the recipient to a transaction administrator to verify the originator identifier;

transmitting the unique transaction number from the transaction administrator to the originator;

comparing the unique transaction identifier to other unique transaction identifiers generated by the originator to determine if the originator generated the unique transaction identifier; and

completing the transaction if the originator generated the unique transaction identifier.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the step of completing further comprises:

notifying the transaction administrator if the originator generated the unique transaction number based on the results of the comparison;

generating a response to the first verification request from the transaction administrator to the recipient, the response indicating if the originator identifier is valid; and

transferring the item to the originator.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the steps of transmitting further includes the step of transmitting via e-mail messages over a computer network.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the electronic commerce transaction further includes an originator identifier and the step of validating further includes the step of validating the electronic commerce transaction at the transaction administrator based on the originator identifier.

31. A method for providing electronic commerce transactions over a computer network between an interconnected originator, recipient, and a transaction administrator, comprising the steps of:

generating a first e-mail message from the originator to the recipient containing a transaction order for an item, the transaction order containing a unique transaction identifier, an originator identifier and transaction data;

generating in response to the first e-mail message a second e-mail message from the recipient to the transaction administrator requesting validation of the originator identifier, the second e-mail message including the unique transaction identifier and the originator identifier;

generating in response to the second e-mail message a third e-mail message from the transaction administrator to the originator requesting validation of the unique transaction identifier, the third e-mail message including the unique transaction identifier;

comparing the unique transaction number from the third e-mail message to other unique transaction numbers generated by the originator to determine if the originator generated the transaction order; and

completing the transaction order based upon the results of the comparison.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of completing further comprises the steps of:

notifying the transaction administrator if the originator generated the unique transaction number based on the results of the comparison;

generating a response to the authorization request from the transaction administrator to the recipient, the response indicating if the originator is valid; and

transferring the item to the originator.

33. The method of claim 32 further including the step of encrypting transmissions between the originator and the transaction administrator.

34. The method of claim 32 further including the step of querying the originator from the transaction administrator with randomly generated questions relating to the originator.

35. The method of claim 31 further including the step of extracting the unique transaction identifier from the third e-mail message prior to the comparison.

36. The method of claim 31 further including the step of extracting the originator identifier from the second e-mail message.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the unique transaction identifier further includes the transaction data.

38. The method of claim 31 wherein the originator identifier further includes the transaction data.

39. A system for providing secure electronic commerce transactions between an originator, a recipient and a transaction administrator, comprising:

first processing means associated with the originator for generating an electronic commerce transaction having a unique transaction identifier and an originator identifier, associated therewith;

second processing means associated with the recipient responsive electronic commerce transaction from the originator for generating validation requests on the originator identifier to the transaction administrator;

third processing means associated with the transaction administrator for forwarding the unique transaction identifier to the originator to determine the validity of the electronic commerce transaction and

fourth processing means for comparing a unique transaction identifier received from the transaction administration to the unique transaction identifier generated by the second processing means to determine the validity of the transaction order.

40. The system of claim 39 further including a delivery system interconnecting the originator, the recipient, and the transaction administrator to enable transmission of information therebetween.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the delivery system comprises a computer network.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

43. The system of claim 41 further including an e-mail delivery system to enable communications between the originator, the recipient and the transaction administrator.

44. The system of claim 39, further including means for encrypting transmissions between the purchaser and the transaction administrator.

45. The system of claim 39 wherein the means associated with the transaction administrator further includes means for generating random queries to the purchasers, said queries only concerning questions of which the purchaser has knowledge.

46. The system of claim 39 wherein the means for generating transaction orders and the means for comparing are incorporated within at least one processor to automatically perform processes associated with the transaction order.

47. The system of claim 39 wherein the third processing means further validates the originator identifier responsive to the request from the second processing means.

48. The system of claim 42 wherein the origination identifier further includes transaction information.

49. The system of claim 39 wherein the transaction identifier further includes transaction data.

50. A method for enabling electronic commerce transactions between a first party, a second party and a transaction administrator, comprising the steps of:

generating a request for processing of an electronic commerce transaction;

associating a unique transaction identifier with the electronic commerce transaction, the unique transaction identifier indicating a valid transaction;

determining the validity of the electronic commerce transaction by comparison of the unique transaction identifier with a list of valid unique transaction identifiers; and

completing the electronic commerce transaction based upon the results of the determination of the validity of the unique transaction identifier.

51. The method of claim 50 further including the steps of:

associating an originator identifier with the electronic commerce transaction; and

validating an identity of the originator based on the originator identifier at the transaction administrator.

52. The method of claim 51 further including the step of validating transaction data at the transaction administrator.