Managing account database in ABDS system

• US 6,789,189 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2003
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wheeler, Lynn Henry, Wheeler, Anne M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrón, Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US10/248,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 584 Days
• Field of Search: 713/160, 713/168, 713/169, 713/170, 713/176, 713/180, 713/182, 713/153, 713/155-159, 713/167, 713/175, 713/201-202, 713/186, 705/76, 705/57, 705/58, 705/59, 705/71, 705/74, 705/64, 705/77, 705/78, 380/28, 380/287, 380/205, 380/30
• US Class Current: 713/156
• 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 20/02 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 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/388 using mutual authentication without cards, e.g. challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

A method of managing accounts in a database in an ABDS system includes recording information pertaining to each of the accounts in the database, (b) assigning a respective unique identifier to each account such that information pertaining to each respective account is retrievable from the database based on its unique identifier, and associating the same public key of a public-private key pair with a plurality of unique identifiers.

Claims

1. A method of managing in a database, by an account authority, a plurality of accounts, comprising the steps of:

(a) recording information pertaining to each of the accounts in the database;

(b) assigning a respective unique identifier to each account such that information pertaining to each respective account is retrievable from the database based on its unique identifier;

(c) associating the same public key of a public-private key pair with a plurality of unique identifiers such that the public key is retrievable based on any one of the plurality of unique identifiers, but not associating the private key of the public-private key pair with the plurality of unique identifiers, whereby the private key is not retrievable, the private key residing within a device used to generate a digital signature of an electronic message;

(d) receiving, by the account authority, one of the plurality of unique identifiers; and

(e) retrieving from the database, by the account authority, said recorded information and said associated public key based on said received unique identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a unique identifier comprises an associated public key.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a unique identifier comprises an account number of an account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes an account number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a current balance for an account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes an available credit for an account.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a list of associated accounts.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the name of an account holder.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the address of an account holder.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the social security number of an account holder.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the tax identification number of an account holder.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regards the device possessing the private key used to generate the digital signature of the electronic message.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes security characteristics of the device possessing the private key used to generate the digital signature of the electronic message.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a said step of associating a public key with a unique identifier comprises recording the public key with the information retrievable based on the unique identifier.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a said step of associating a public key with a unique identifier comprises indexing the information retrievable based on the unique identifier with the public key.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message includes no account-identifying information other than a unique identifier of an account.