Object-based on-line transaction infrastructure

• US 6,757,710 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Onename Corporation
• Original Assignee: Onename Corporation
• Inventors: Reed, Drummond Shattuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US10/068,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20020095454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200-203, 709/212, 709/216-219, 709/227-229, 709/232, 709/242, 709/244, 707/1, 707/9-10, 707/100-104, 707/200-204, 705/14, 705/26-27, 705/44, 713/200-201
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2876 Pairs of inter-processing entities at each side of the network, e.g. split proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An automated communications system operates to transfer data, metadata and methods from a provider computer to a consumer computer through a communications network. The transferred information controls the communications relationship, including responses by the consumer computer, updating of information, and processes for future communications. Information which changes in the provider computer is automatically updated in the consumer computer through the communications system in order to maintain continuity of the relationship. Transfer of metadata and methods permits intelligent processing of information by the consumer computer and combined control by the provider and consumer of the types and content of information subsequently transferred. Object oriented processing is used for storage and transfer of information. The use of metadata and methods further allows for automating may of the actions underlying the communications, including communication acknowledgements and archiving of information. Service objects and partner servers provide specialized data, metadata, and methods to providers and consumers to automate many common communications services and transactions useful to both providers and consumers. A combination of the provider and consumer programs and databases allows for additional functionality, including coordination of multiple users for a single database.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

providing a customer data storing information for a customer usable to automatically complete an on-line purchase of an item from a seller;

providing the customer with information from the seller with respect to an item;

receiving from the customer an indication to initiate a purchase transaction for purchasing the item including metadata associating said customer data with said transaction;

in response to the received indication, automatically completing the purchase of an item from the seller by by processing said metadata associating said customer data so as to complete the purchase transaction.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the customer data is maintained as an object.

3. The method of claim 1 processing said metadata includes processing said metadata to retrieve at least a portion of said customer data from an associated data store for use in completing the transaction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer data is retrieved from a computer of the customer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer data is retrieved from a computer of the seller.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer data is retrieved from a third party'"'"'s computer.

7. A computer implemented method comprising:

providing an information provider data storing information for an information provider usable to automatically complete a proposed on-line transaction, including metadata associating said information with said transaction;

providing the information provider with information from an information consumer with respect to a proposed transaction;

receiving from the information provider an indication to complete the proposed transaction;

in response to the received indication, automatically completing the purchase of an item from the information consumer by accessing the information provider data to retrieve the information and process the retrieved information by processing said metadata associating said information with the proposed transaction so as to complete the proposed transaction.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the information provider data is stored in a computer of the information consumer.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the information provider data is maintained as an object.