System and method for conducting secure internet transactions

• US 6,477,578 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1998
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hankey Mhoon
• Original Assignee: Hankey Mhoon
• Inventors: Mhoon, Hankey
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/208,943
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/219, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 709/239, 705/1, 705/8, 705/34, 705/35, 705/42, 705/44, 705/27, 705/38, 705/39
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• 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 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/16 Implementing security features at a particular protocol layer

Abstract

A system and method for conducting secure electronic transactions via the Internet uses a second secure communication link for the transmission of sensitive information. Transactions are split so that non-sensitive information is transmitted to a merchant'"'"'s computer via the Internet and sensitive information is transmitted to a third party processing center, as needed, on a second secure communication link that uses switched telephone circuits. The third party processing center provides authorization codes to the customer, via the secure link, that are used to complete purchase transactions with the merchant via the Internet link. Transactions are conducted so that the merchant never receives sensitive customer information.

Claims

1. A method of communicating electronic transaction information, comprising:

establishing a first communication link between a customer computer and a telephone network switching center;

establishing a second communication link between the telephone network switching center and a merchant computer via an internet service provider and an internet;

idling the second communication link;

establishing a third communication link between a credit processing center computer and one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider via a circuit switching network while the second communication link is idling;

determining whether the electronic transaction information is sensitive;

controlling a switching function within the one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider to send the electronic transaction information from the customer computer via the first communication link to the merchant computer via the second communication link if the electronic transaction information is not sensitive; and

controlling the switching function within the one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider to send the electronic transaction information from the customer computer via the first communication link to the credit processing center computer via the third communication link if the electronic transaction information is sensitive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the electronic transaction information is sensitive includes determining whether the electronic transaction information is one of credit/debit card information and account access information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the switching function within the one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider includes controlling one of a conference calling function and an outbound dialing server switching function.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the first communication link between the customer computer and the telephone network switching center includes using a modem within the customer computer to establish the first communication link.

5. The method of claim 1, further including establishing a fourth communication link between the credit processing center computer and a national credit clearing center computer.

6. A system for communicating electronic transaction information, comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

software stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by a processor to;

establish a first communication link between a customer computer and a telephone network switching center;

cause a telephone network switching center to establish a second communication link between the telephone network switching center and a merchant computer via an internet service provider and an internet;

cause the telephone network switching center to idle the second communication link;

cause the telephone network switching center to establish a third communication link between a credit processing center computer and one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider via a circuit switching network while the second communication link is idling;

determine whether the electronic transaction information is sensitive; and

control a switching function within the one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider to send the electronic transaction information from the customer computer via the first communication link to the merchant computer via the second communication link if the electronic transaction information is not sensitive; and

control the switching function within the one of the telephone network switching center to send the electronic transaction information from the customer computer via the first communication link to the credit processing center via the third communication link if the electronic transaction information is sensitive.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the software is further adapted to be executed by the processor to determine whether the electronic transaction information is sensitive by determining whether the electronic transaction information is one of credit/debit card information and account access information.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the software is further adapted to be executed by the processor to control the switching function within the one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider by controlling one of a conference calling function and an outbound dialing server switching function.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the software is further adapted to establish the first communication link between the customer computer and the telephone network switching center by using a modem within the customer computer to establish the first communication link.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the software is further adapted to be executed by the processor to establish a fourth communication link between the credit processing computer and a national credit clearing center computer.

11. A method of communicating electronic transaction information, comprising:

communicating non-sensitive electronic transaction information between a customer computer and a merchant computer via a telephone network switching center, an internet service provider and an internet;

communicating sensitive electronic transaction information between the customer computer and a credit processing computer via the telephone network switching center and a circuit switching network; and

coupling a communication link associated with the customer computer to one of the internet and the circuit switching network by using a switching function within one of the internet service provider and the telephone network switching center while idling a communication link associated with one of the merchant computer and the credit processing computer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein communicating the sensitive electronic transaction information between the customer computer and the credit processing computer includes communicating one of credit/debit card information and account access information.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein using the switching function within the one of the internet service provider and the telephone network switching center includes using one of a conference calling function and an outbound dialing server switching function.

14. A system for communicating electronic transaction information, comprising:

a computer programmed to;

communicate non-sensitive electronic transaction information between the computer and a merchant computer via a telephone network switching center, an internet service provider and an internet;

communicate sensitive electronic transaction information between the computer and a credit processing computer via the telephone network switching center and a circuit switching network; and

cause a communication link associated with the computer to be coupled to one of the internet and the circuit switching network by using a switching function within one of the internet service provider and the telephone network switching center while idling a communication link associated with one of the merchant computer and the credit processing computer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the switching function is one of a conference calling function and an outbound dialing server switching function.

16. A method of communicating electronic transaction information, comprising:

establishing a first communication link between a customer computer and a telephone network switching center;

establishing a second communication link between the telephone network switching center and a merchant computer via an internet service provider and an internet;

generating non-sensitive electronic transaction information based on inputs from a user and information derived from the internet;

transmitting, via the first communication link, the non-sensitive electronic transaction information between the customer computer and the merchant computer;

idling the second communication link;

establishing a third communication link between a credit processing center computer and one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider via a circuit switching network while the second communication link is idling;

controlling a switching function within the one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider to send at some of the non-sensitive electronic transaction information from the customer computer via the first communication link to the merchant computer via the second communication link;

controlling the switching function within the one of the telephone network switching center and the internet service provider to send sensitive electronic transaction information from the customer computer via the first communication link to the credit processing center computer via the third communication link;

processing at least some of the sensitive electronic transaction information and at least some of the non-sensitive electronic transaction information to produce authorization information; and

relaying the authorization information to the merchant computer via the customer computer.