Apparatus and method for routing encrypted transaction card identifying data through a public telephone network

• US 6,598,031 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2000
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diosa Cortes, IP Vault LLC
• Original Assignee: Edi Secure Lllp
• Inventors: Ice, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E.
• Application Number:
  US09/628,533
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 705/77, 705/50, 705/64, 705/67, 705/80, 380/239, 380/240, 713/200, 713/160, 713/201, 713/162, 709/229
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02

Abstract

A personal computer transmits encrypted information identifying a transaction card, together with a serial number of an encryption unit in which the information way encrypted, over a public network to a payment server. The payment server generates a single-use credit card number, which is returned to the personal computer over the public network, and stores the single-use credit card number together with the serial number and the encrypted information. The personal computer then transmits the single-use credit card number to a merchant'"'"'s server through which a transaction is to be made. The single-use credit card number is transmitted to the payment server, which is identified according to a portion of the single-use credit card number. The payment server then decodes a portion of the encoded information according to a cryptogram located within a data base according to the serial number stored with the single-use credit card number. The payment server then transmits decoded information allowing the transaction to proceed.

Claims

1. A method for decoding an encrypted transaction card identifying number transmitted from a first computing system across a public network and for transmitting said transaction card identifying number to a second computing system, wherein said transaction card identifying number is encrypted within an encryption unit identified by a serial number, and wherein said method comprises steps of:

(a) receiving said encrypted transaction card identifying number and said serial number from said public network;

(b) generating a single-use number;

(c) storing said single-use number, said serial number, and said encrypted transaction card identifying number in a first data structure, wherein said serial number and said encrypted transaction card identifying number are found by locating said single-use number;

(d) receiving a number;

(e) second second number is stored within said first data structure as a single-use number;

(f) second second number is determined to be stored within said first data structure as said single-use number, finding a cryptogram in a second data structure;

wherein said cryptogram is found by locating said serial number in said second data structure equal to said serial number in said first data structure found by locating said single-use number in said first data structure;

(g) decoding a first portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with said cryptogram to generate a transaction card identifying number; and

(h) transmitting said transaction card identifying number to said second computing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, preceding step (a), said method additionally comprises steps of:

(i) receiving said serial number and said cryptogram; and

(j) storing said serial number and said cryptogram in said second data structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second computing system is identified to receive said transaction card identifying number in step (g) as a computing system from which said number is received in step (d).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein all of said encrypted transaction card identifying information is decoded within step (g).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second computing system is identified to receive said transaction card identifying number in step (g) by a part of said first portion of said transaction card identifying number.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, following step (g), said method additionally comprises steps of:

(k) decoding a second portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with said cryptogram; and

(l) re-encoding said second portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with a key.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, between steps (g) and (k), said method additionally comprises a step of finding said key in a third data structure, wherein said key is found by locating a location identifying code matching said part of said first portion of said transaction card identifying information.

8. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising, after step (f), a step of setting a flag within said first data structure, wherein said flag prevents said single-use number from being used again in a purchase, and wherein said flag allows said single-use number to be used again to access data concerning an initial transaction.

9. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising steps of:

receiving said encrypted transaction card identifying number and said serial number from said first computing system within said second computing system;

generating said single-use number within said second computing system, wherein said single-use number includes said first portion identifying said second computing system;

storing said single-use number, said serial number, and said encrypted transaction card identifying number in a first data structure, within a data base accessed by said second computing system, wherein said serial number and said encrypted transaction card identifying number are found by locating said single-use number;

following step (c), receiving said single-use number from said first computing system;

identifying said second computing system by said first portion of said single-use number;

transmitting said single-use number to said second computing system;

within said second computing system, finding said cryptogram in said second data structure in said data base accessed by said second computing system, wherein said cryptogram is found by locating a serial number in said second data structure equal to said serial number in said first data structure found by locating said single-use number in said first data structure;

within said second computing system, decoding said first portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with said cryptogram to generate said transaction card identifying number; and

transmitting said transaction card identifying number from said second computing system to a third computing system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein

transmitting said single-use number to a fourth computing system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said fourth computing system is said third computing system.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein, said method additionally comprises steps of:

receiving said serial number and said cryptogram within said second computing system; and

storing said serial number and said cryptogram in said second data structure.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said third computing system is identified to receive said transaction card identifying number as a computing system from which said number is transmitted.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein all of said encrypted transaction card identifying information is decoded.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said third computing system is identified to receive said transaction card identifying number by a part of said first portion of said transaction card identifying number.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, said method additionally comprises steps of:

decoding a second portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with said cryptogram; and

re-encoding said second portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with a key.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, said method additionally comprises a step of finding said key in a third data structure, wherein said key is found by locating a location identifying code matching said part of said first portion of said transaction card identifying information.

18. The method of claim 9, additionally comprising, a step of setting a flag within said first data structure, wherein said flag prevents said single-use number from being used again in a purchase, and wherein said flag allows said single-use number to be used again to access data concerning an initial transaction.

19. A computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program, wherein said computer program, when executed within a processor of a computer server, causes said computer server to perform a method for decoding an encrypted transaction card identifying number transmitted from a first computing system across a public network and for transmitting said transaction card identifying number to a second computing system, wherein said transaction card identifying number is encrypted within an encryption unit identified by a serial number, and wherein said method comprises steps of:

(a) receiving said encrypted transaction card identifying number and said serial number from said public network;

(b) generating a single-use number;

(c) storing said single-use number, said serial number, and said encrypted transaction card identifying number in a first data structure, wherein said serial number and said encrypted transaction card identifying number are found by locating said single-use number;

(d) receiving a number;

(e) determining if said number is stored within said first data structure as said single-use number;

(f) when said number is determined to be stored within said first data structure as said single-use number, finding a cryptogram in a second data structure, wherein said cryptogram is found by locating said serial number in said second data structure equal to said serial number in said first data structure found by locating said single-use number in said first data structure;

(g) decoding a first portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with said cryptogram to generate a transaction card identifying number; and

(h) transmitting said transaction card identifying number to said second computing system.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein, preceding step (a), said method additionally comprises steps of:

(i) receiving said serial number and said cryptogram; and

(j) storing said serial number and said cryptogram in said second data structure.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein said second computing system is identified to receive said transaction card identifying number in step (g) as a computing system from which said number is received in step (d).

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein all of said encrypted transaction card identifying information is decoded within step (g).

23. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein said second computing system is identified to receive said transaction card identifying number in step (g) by a part of said first portion of said transaction card identifying number.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein, following step (g), said method additionally comprises steps of:

(k) decoding a second portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with said cryptogram; and

(l) re-encoding said second portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying information with a key.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein, between steps (g) and (k), said method additionally comprises a step of finding said key in a third data structure, wherein said key is found by locating a location identifying code matching said part of said first portion of said transaction card identifying information.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 19, additionally comprising, after step (f), a step of setting a flag within said first data structure, wherein said flag prevents said single-use number from being used again in a purchase, and wherein said flag allows said single-use number to be used again to access data concerning an initial transaction.

27. Apparatus for sending an encrypted transaction card identifying number across a public network, comprising:

a first computing system connected to said public network, including an encryption unit, identified by a serial number, for encrypting said transaction card identifying number;

a processor within said first computing system executing a program for transmitting said serial number of said encryption unit with said encrypted transaction card identifying number along said public network;

a second computing system connected to said public network;

a third computing system connected to communicate with said second computing system;

a data base, accessed by said second computing system, storing a first data structure, including a first plurality of single-use credit card numbers, a serial number of said encryption unit associated with each single-use credit card number in said plurality of single-use credit card numbers and found by locating said single-use credit card number in said plurality of single-use credit card numbers, and an encrypted transaction card identifying number transmitted with each single-use credit card number in said plurality of single-use credit card numbers, and a second data structure, including a second plurality of serial numbers identifying encryption units and a cryptogram associated with each serial number in said second plurality of serial numbers, wherein said cryptogram is found by locating said serial number in said second plurality of serial numbers, and wherein said cryptogram decodes data encoded by said encryption unit identified by said serial number in said second plurality of serial numbers;

a processor within said second computing system executing a program including a first routine for receiving from said public network said serial number of said encryption unit with said encrypted transaction card identifying number from said public network, for calculating said single-use credit card number, and for storing said single-use credit card number with serial number of said encryption unit and said encrypted transaction card identifying number from said public network in said first data structure, and a second routine for receiving said single-use credit card number from said third computing system, for locating said single-use credit card number within said first data structure, for locating said serial number within said second data structure identical to a serial number found in said first data structure by locating said single-use credit card number therein, for decoding said encrypted transaction card number with said cryptogram found by locating said serial number within said second data structure to generate said transaction card number, and for transmitting said transaction card number.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein

said single-use credit card number includes a first portion identifying said second computing system; and

said third computing system transmits said single-use credit card number to said second computing system in accordance with said first portion.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, additionally comprising a fourth computing system receiving said single-use credit card number and transmitting said single-use credit card number to said third computing system.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said transaction card number is transmitted from said second computing system to said third computing system.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said transaction card number is transmitted from said second computing system to a computing system identified by a first portion of said transaction card number.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein

said second routine additionally determines whether said transaction card number is a credit card number or a debit card number;

said data base additionally includes a third data structure including a third plurality of bank-identifying numbers and a bank key, associated with each bank-identifying number in said plurality of bank-identifying numbers, found by locating said bank-identifying number, and encoding information in a manner readable by a bank computer reached by said bank-identifying number; and

if said second routine determines that said transaction card number is said card number, said second routine additionally causes a PIN block portion of said encrypted transaction card identifying number to be re-encoded using said bank-key found by locating, within said third data structure, a bank-identifying number forming a portion of said transaction card number.

33. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein

said first data structure additionally includes a flag bit associated with said single-use credit card number;

said flag bit is set when said single-use credit card number is found to match said single-use credit card number received by said second computing system;

said flag bit when set prevents said single-use credit card number from being used for an additional purchase transaction; and

said flag bit when set allows said single-use credit card number to be used for processing a refund.