System and method for controlling transmission of stored information to internet websites

• US 6,421,729 B1
• Filed: 04/14/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citicorp Credit Services Incorporated (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citicorp Development Center Incorporated (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ezrol, Lisa, Paltenghe, Cris T.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILEY, DAVID ARMAND
• Application Number:
  US09/291,295
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 709/213, 709/223, 709/229, 345/335, 705/26, 395/200.57
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• 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 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the transmission of information known as “cookies” stored on electronic media to Internet websites accessed by PC users utilizes a “cookie jar” in a server-based virtual wallet for the user. When a website server sends a “cookie” to the user'"'"'s PC, the virtual wallet stores the cookie only after requesting and receiving the user'"'"'s permission. When the user accesses the website server again, and the server requests return of the cookie, the virtual wallet sends the cookie only after requesting and receiving the user'"'"'s permission. Alternatively, the user can preconfigure the virtual wallet with predefined parameters for withholding or sending the cookie when requested by the website server.

Claims

1. A method for controlling transmission of stored data to an Internet website server, comprising:

storing the data in the form of cookie information for the website server in a secure data store of a virtual wallet application via a browser application in communication with the website server;

receiving a subsequent request by the virtual wallet application from the website server via the browser application for transmission of the stored data to the website server;

forming a decision by the virtual wallet application regarding a response to the request according to a set of predefined criteria for releasing the stored data based at least in part on one of a content of the data within the stored cookie information and an identification of the website server storing and requesting the data in the stored cookie information; and

automatically executing the decision by the virtual wallet application to release the stored data via the browser application if the predefined criteria are met and refusing the request upon failure to meet the predefined criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the data further comprises accessing the website server by a user at a terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the terminal further comprises a personal computer running the browser application.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein accessing the website server further comprises accessing the website server over a network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the network further comprises the Internet.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein accessing the website server further comprises sending the data by the website server.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein sending the data by the website server further comprises sending the data to the browser application.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein sending the data to the browser application further comprises forwarding the data by the browser application to the virtual wallet application for the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual wallet application further comprises a server-based virtual wallet application.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein forwarding the data to the virtual wallet application further comprises requesting permission of the user by the virtual wallet application to store the data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein requesting the permission of the user further comprises automatically prompting the user at the terminal for the permission by the virtual wallet application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein prompting the user for permission further comprises entering a decision by the user at the terminal regarding the request for permission to store the data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein entering the decision by the user further comprises entering the decision by the user granting the permission.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein entering the decision granting the permission further comprises storing the data by the virtual wallet application.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request for transmission of the stored data further comprises accessing the website server by a user at a terminal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein accessing the website server further comprises accessing the website server over a network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the network further comprises the Internet.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein accessing the website server by the user further comprises sending the request for transmission by the website server.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein sending the request by the website server further comprises receiving the request by the virtual wallet application via the browser application for the user.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the decision regarding the response to the request further comprises receiving the request by the virtual wallet application via the browser application for a user.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the decision by the virtual wallet application to release the stored data via the browser application if the predefined criteria are met further comprises automatically prompting the user at a terminal by the virtual wallet application for permission to execute the decision for releasing the stored data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the terminal further comprises a personal computer.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the decision further comprises automatically generating the decision by the virtual wallet application for the user denying the request based on the predefined criteria relating to the content of the data within the stored cookie information.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the decision further comprises automatically generating the decision by the virtual wallet application for the user denying the request based on the predefined criteria relating to the identification of the website server storing and requesting transmission of the stored data.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the decision further comprises automatically generating the decision by the virtual wallet application for the user granting the request based on the predefined criteria relating to the content of the data within the stored cookie information.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the decision further comprises automatically generating the decision by the virtual wallet application for the user granting the request based on the predefined criteria relating to the identification of the website server storing and requesting transmission of the stored data.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically executing the decision further comprises automatically sending the stored data to the website server by the virtual wallet application for a user via the browser application if the predefined criteria are met.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising a terminal communicating with the virtual wallet application.

31. The system of claim 28, further comprising the terminal communicating with the website server.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the virtual wallet application further comprises a server-based virtual wallet application.

29. A system for controlling transmission of stored data to an Internet website server, comprising:

a virtual wallet application with a secure data store capable of storing the data in the form of cookie information for the website server via a browser application in communication with the website server;

wherein the virtual wallet application is preprogrammed, upon receiving a request for transmission of the stored data to the website server, for forming a decision regarding a response to the request according to a set of predefined criteria for releasing the stored data based on at least one of a content of the data within the stored cookie information and an identification of the website server storing and requesting the data in the stored cookie information and for automatically executing the decision to release the stored data via the browser application if the predefined criteria are met and refusing the request upon failure to meet the predefined criteria.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the virtual wallet application further comprises a server-based virtual wallet application.