Automatic generation of temporary credit card information

• US 7,664,699 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gen Digital Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Powell, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell; James P
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREGG, MARY M
• Application Number:
  US11/315,508
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/351 Virtual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

Temporary credit card information is automatically obtained and input to online credit card purchases allowing users to protect their actual credit card information from interception while shopping online.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

intercepting a credit card transmission on a computer system to prevent release of said credit card transmission from said computer system to a network, wherein said credit card transmission is created by a user entering actual credit card information into a web browser and transmitting said actual credit card information from said web browser to be output to a vendor computer system connected to said computer system by said network;

automatically obtaining temporary credit card information from a temporary credit card information supplier;

automatically inputting some or all of said temporary credit card information to said credit card transmission to generate a modified credit card transmission comprising replacing some or all of said actual credit card information with some or all of said temporary credit card information; and

releasing said modified credit card transmission.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a transmission confirmation including at least said temporary credit card information.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said credit card transmission is intercepted at a network level on said computer system.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said credit card transmission is intercepted at a web browser level on said computer system prior to submission to a network level of said computer system.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein said automatically obtaining temporary credit card information from a temporary credit card information supplier occurs over said network.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

querying said user for said actual credit card information; and

storing said actual credit card information.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said automatically obtaining temporary credit card information from a temporary credit card information supplier comprises:

automatically accessing a temporary credit card information supplier computer system;

automatically requesting said temporary credit card information from said temporary credit card information supplier computer system; and

automatically receiving said temporary credit card information from said temporary credit card information supplier.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7 further comprising:

automatically providing some or all of said actual credit card information to said temporary credit card information supplier.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said credit card transmission includes at least one field for input of credit card information;

and

further wherein said automatically inputting some or all of said temporary credit card information to said credit card transmission to generate a modified credit card transmission, includes inputting some or all of said temporary credit card information to said at least one field for input of credit card information.

10. A computer implemented method comprising:

hooking a credit card transmission on a computer system;

querying a user for actual credit card information;

receiving said actual credit card information;

storing said actual credit card information;

intercepting said credit card transmission to prevent release of said credit card transmission from said computer system to a network, wherein said credit card transmission is created by a user entering said actual credit card information into a web browser and transmitting said actual credit card information from said web browser to be output to a vendor computer system connected to said computer system by said network;

automatically obtaining temporary credit card information over said network;

automatically inputting some or all of said temporary credit card information to said credit card transmission to generate a modified credit card transmission comprising replacing some or all of said actual credit card information with some or all of said temporary credit card information; and

releasing said modified credit card transmission.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining whether said received actual credit card information is complete; and

wherein upon a determination that said received actual credit card information is not complete, querying said user for said actual credit card information not received.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining whether said user wants to provide actual credit card information for another credit card; and

upon a determination that said user wants to provide actual credit card information for another credit card, querying said user for actual credit card information associated with said another credit card.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein prior to said automatically obtaining said temporary credit card information said method further comprises:

querying said user whether to automatically obtain said temporary credit card information for said credit card transmission;

wherein upon an input from said user not to automatically obtain said temporary credit card information, releasing said credit card transmission; and

wherein upon an input from said user to automatically obtain said temporary credit card information, proceeding to said automatically obtaining said temporary credit card information.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a transmission confirmation to said user.

15. A computer-program product comprising a computer readable storage medium containing computer program code comprising:

an automatic temporary credit card information generation application for intercepting a credit card transmission on a computer system to prevent release of said credit card transmission from said computer system to a network, wherein said credit card transmission is created by a user entering actual credit card information into a web browser and transmitting said actual credit card information from said web browser to be output to a vendor computer system connected to said computer system by said network;

said automatic temporary credit card information generation application further for automatically obtaining temporary credit card information from a temporary credit card information supplier;

said automatic temporary credit card information generation application further for automatically inputting some or all of said temporary credit card information to said credit card transmission to generate a modified credit card transmission comprising replacing some or all of said actual credit card information with some or all of said temporary credit card information; and

said automatic temporary credit card information generation application further for releasing said modified credit card transmission.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein said automatically obtaining temporary credit card information from a temporary credit card information supplier comprises:

automatically accessing a temporary credit card information supplier computer system;

automatically requesting said temporary credit card information from said temporary credit card information supplier computer system; and

automatically receiving said temporary credit card information from said temporary credit card information supplier.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said automatic temporary credit card information generation application is further

for automatically providing some or all of said actual credit card information to said temporary credit card information supplier.

18. A computer system comprising:

a memory having stored therein an automatic temporary credit card information generation application; and

a processor coupled to said memory, wherein execution of said automatic temporary credit card information generation application generates a method comprising;

intercepting a credit card transmission on a computer system to prevent release of said credit card transmission from said computer system to a network, wherein said credit card transmission is created by a user entering actual credit card information into a web browser and transmitting said actual credit card information from said web browser to be output to a vendor computer system connected to said computer system by said network;

automatically obtaining temporary credit card information from a temporary credit card information supplier for use in said credit card transmission;

automatically inputting some or all of said temporary credit card information to said credit card transmission to generate a modified credit card transmission comprising replacing some or all of said actual credit card information with some or all of said temporary credit card information; and

releasing said modified credit card transmission.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

querying said user for said actual credit card information; and

storing said actual credit card information.