Use of persona object in electronic transactions

• US 6,957,198 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US09/731,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705 26- 27, 705/64, 705 67- 70, 707 1- 6, 707 9- 10, 707100-104, 709201-203
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for controlling information gathered by data collection agencies in an electronic transaction. A persona facet may be selected by a user of a client in a network system where the selected persona facet comprises user selectable information, e.g., name, e-mail address, unique key, public key, private key, payment method, consumer resource data, that may be exposed in the electronic transaction. The user may then connect to a web site via a web browser. Upon initiating an electronic transaction, the user may send the selected persona facet to the web site. If the web site recognizes the persona facet, then the user may request the web site to send the information about the user stored in a database, e.g., consumer resource management database. If the web site sends the information, then the user may compare the received information with the user selectable information in the selected persona facet. If there are any differences between the received information and the user selectable information in the selected persona facet, then the database, e.g., consumer resource management database, may be updated to include only the user selectable information. By updating the database, e.g., consumer resource management database, the information gathered by data collection agencies and distributed to marketers may be more accurate as well as limited according to the user'"'"'s wishes.

Claims

1. A method for controlling information gathered by data collection agencies in an electronic transaction comprising the steps of:

selecting a persona facet by a user, wherein said persona facet selected comprises a user selectable information selected by the user to be exposed in said electronic transaction;

connecting to a web site by a web browser;

sending said selected persona facet to said web site by said web browser during said electronic transaction;

receiving information about said user stored in a database from said web site if said web site recognizes said persona facet; and

updating said information about said user stored in said database.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

comparing said user selectable information in said persona facet with said received information from said web site.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said comparing said user selectable information in said persona facet with said received information from said web site comprises the step of parsing said information received from said web site.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein if there are differences between said information received from said web site and said user selectable information in said persona facet from said comparison then said information about said user stored in said database is updated.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said web site determines if said web site recognizes said persona facet by searching a database for said persona facet.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

completing said electronic transaction.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said user selectable information comprises a particular payment method.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said electronic transaction is completed by initiating a method call to said web site from said web browser to expose said particular payment method.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said user selectable information comprises at least one of the following:

user name, electronic mail address, public key, private key, unique key, payment method, and customer resource data.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

determining whether said selected persona facet is recognized by said web site, wherein if said web site does not recognize said selected persona faucet then said user selectable information is stored in cookie data.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

determining whether said selected persona facet is recognized by said web site, wherein if said web site recognizes said selected persona facet then said user requests from said web site to send said information about said user stored in said database.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein if said web site does not send said information about said user stored in said database then the method further comprises the step of:

storing said user selectable information in cookie data.

13. A computer program product having computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for controlling information gathered by data collection agencies in an electronic transaction, comprising:

programming operable for selecting a persona facet by a user, wherein said persona facet selected comprises a user selectable information selected by the user to be exposed in said electronic transaction;

programming operable for connecting to a web site by a web browser;

programming operable for sending said selected persona facet to said web site by said web browser during said electronic transaction;

programming operable for receiving information about said user stored in a database from said web site if said web site recognizes said persona facet; and

programming operable for updating said information about said user stored in said database.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 13 further comprises:

programming operable for comparing said user selectable information in said persona facet with said received information from said web site.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein said comparing said user selectable information in said persona facet with said received information from said web site comprises:

programming operable for parsing said information received from said web site.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein if there are differences between said information received from said web site and said user selectable information in said persona facet from said comparison then said information about said user stored in said database is updated.

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 13, wherein said web site determines if said web site recognizes said persona facet by searching a database for said persona facet.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 13 further comprises:

programming operable for completing said electronic transaction.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 18, wherein said user selectable information comprises a particular payment method.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein said electronic transaction is completed by initiating a method call to said web site from said web browser to expose said particular payment method.

21. The computer program product as recited in claim 13, wherein said user selectable information comprises at least one of the following:

user name, electronic mail address, public key, private key, unique key, payment method, and customer resource data.

22. The computer program product as recited in claim 13 further comprises:

programming operable for determining whether said selected persona facet is recognized by said web site, wherein if said web site does not recognize said selected persona facet then said user selectable information is stored in cookie data.

23. The computer program product as recited in claim 13 further comprises:

programming operable for determining whether said selected persona facet is recognized by said web site, wherein if said web site recognizes said selected persona facet then said user requests from said web site to send said information about said user stored in said database.

24. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein if said web site does not send said information about said user stored in said database then the computer program product further comprises:

programming operable for storing said user selectable information in cookie data.

25. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory unit operable for storing a computer program operable for controlling information gathered by data collection agencies in an electronic transaction; and

a bus system coupling the processor to the memory, wherein the computer program is operable for performing the following programming steps;

selecting a persona facet by a user, wherein said persona facet selected comprises a user selectable information selected by the user to be exposed in said electronic transaction;

connecting to a web site by a web browser;

sending said selected persona facet to said web site by said web browser during said electronic transaction;

receiving information about said user stored in a database from said web site if said web site recognizes said persona facet; and

updating said information about said user stored in said database.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the computer program is further operable to perform the programming step:

comparing said user selectable information in said persona facet with said received information from said web site.

27. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein said comparing said user selectable information in said persona facet with said received information from said web site comprises the programming step:

parsing said information received from said web site.

28. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein if there are differences between said information received from said web site and said user selectable information in said persona facet from said comparison then said information about said user stored in said database is updated.

29. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein said web site determines if said web site recognizes said persona facet by searching a database for said persona facet.

30. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the computer program product is further operable to perform the programming step:

completing said electronic transaction.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein said user selectable information comprises a particular payment method.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein said electronic transaction is completed by initiating a method call to said web site firm said web browser to expose said particular payment method.

33. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein said user selectable information comprises at least one of the following:

user name, electronic mail address, public key, private key, unique key, payment method, and customer resource data.

34. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the computer program is further operable to perform the programming step:

determining whether said selected persona facet is recognized by said web site, wherein if said web site does not recognize said selected persona facet then said user selectable information is stored in cookie data.

35. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the computer program is further operable to perform the programming step:

determining whether said selected persona facet is recognized by said web site, wherein if said web site recognizes said selected persona facet then said user requests from said web site to send said information about said user stored in said database.

36. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein if said Web site does not send said information about said user stored in said database then the computer program is further operable to perform the programming step:

storing said user selectable information in cookie data.