Method and apparatus using digital credentials and other electronic certificates for electronic transactions

• US 7,577,609 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maher, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trotter, Scott S
• Application Number:
  US11/326,067
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 705/44, 705/53, 705/56, 705/76, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/39
• 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 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• 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 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/128 Check-book balancing, updating or printing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

A method for performing electronic transactions, comprising receiving a long-term certificate, authenticating a user associated with the long-term certificate, and then sending a short-term certificate to the authenticated user. In addition, risk associated with the user can be evaluated, and this risk information, as well as other information, can be included in the short-term certificate.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computer system on behalf of a guarantor of payment for purchases, the method comprising

the computer system receiving from a user a request to send to said user at least one certificate, said request containing at least information that verifies the identity of said user,

the computer system, responsive to said request, and upon authenticating said user, determining a maximum amount and a period of time during which said guarantor is willing to guarantee payment for purchases by said user,

the computer system sending to said user a certificate guaranteeing payment up to said maximum amount for a purchase by said user from a supplier in a transaction carried out over a network, so that said user is enabled to enter into said transaction using said certificate as a form of payment that will be accepted by said supplier, said certificate including expiration information corresponding to said period of time,

the computer system receiving said certificate and an electronic record of said transaction from said supplier, said electronic record including at least the type of said purchase and the price,

the computer system, after receiving said certificate and said electronic record of said transaction from said supplier, making payment to said supplier for said purchase a) without having received from said supplier any request for assurance relative to said certificate or relative to said guarantor'"'"'s guarantee to make said payment, and b) without providing any such assurance to said supplier, and

the computer system, after receiving said certificate and said electronic record of said transaction from said supplier, billing said user for the amount of said purchase in a billing statement that indicates at least said type of said purchase and said price,

the computer system including one or more processors.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said certificate further includes an assertion of at least one entitlement for said user in addition to the ability to use said certificate to pay for purchases.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said certificate further includes an indication that said user is entitled to a discount to the cost of said purchase.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said certificate further includes an indication that said user is entitled to use a form of payment other than money.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said certificate further includes an indication that said user is entitled to use loyalty points to pay for said purchase.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said certificate further includes at least one marketing offer from at least one market partner of said guarantor.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said at least one marketing offer is a discount to the cost of said purchase.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said at least one marketing offer is loyalty points to pay for said purchase.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said electronic record includes a bill of sale that includes at least said type of said purchase and said price.

10. A method performed by a computer on behalf of supplier of goods or services, the method comprising

the computer receiving a certificate from a customer, said certificate specifying a maximum amount and information indicative of a period of time during which a guarantor is willing to guarantee payment for purchases by said customer,

the computer consummating a purchase transaction with said customer, goods or services over a network including acceptance of said certificate as payment for the purchase without seeking any assurances relative to said certificate or relative to said guarantor'"'"'s guarantee to make said payment, other than any assurances contained in said certificate itself, and

the computer sending said certificate and an electronic record of said transaction to a billing system for payment from said guarantor, said electronic record including at least the type of said purchase and the price.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein certificate further includes an indication that said customer is entitled to a discount to the cost of the purchase, wherein said consummating the purchase transaction includes charging the discounted cost to said customer.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said certificate further includes an indication that said customer is entitled to use loyalty points to pay for the purchase, wherein said consummating the purchase transaction includes accepting said loyalty points in payment for said purchase, and wherein said payment from said guarantor includes cash remuneration.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said certificate accepted by said supplier had been received by said customer from said guarantor in response to a long-term certificate that had been sent from said customer to said guarantor, said long-term certificate having contained at least information verifying the identity of said customer.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said electronic record includes a bill of sale that includes at least said type of said purchase and said price.