Method and system for authenticating users when conducting commercial transactions using a computer

• US 7,801,775 B1
• Filed: 03/29/1999
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Amazon.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Snodgrass, Ryan, Linden, Greg, Petersen, Josh, Roseman, Neil, Lopez, Gus
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisberger; Richard C
• Application Number:
  US09/280,292
• Time in Patent Office: 4,194 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 345/962
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A method and system for authenticating users while conducting an auction via a computer system. The system can automatically authenticate users who have previously registered with the auction system and who have enabled automatic authentication. When a user is registered, the system may store authentication information in a cookie on the user'"'"'s computer. When the user decides to perform a transaction (e.g., list item auction or place a bid for an item) that requires authentication, the system retrieves the stored authentication information. If automatic authentication is enabled, then the system allows the transaction to proceed without manual authentication. If, however, automatic authentication is not enabled or the system does not recognize the stored authentication information, then the system requests manual authentication. The use of automatic authentication allows a user to enter information relating to a transaction without manually entering any identification information. The system also defers manual authentication until a transaction is ready to proceed.

Claims

1. A method in an auction system comprising a server computer for bidding on an item being auctioned in a designated auction, the method comprising:

receiving from a client computer a submit bid request including a designated bid amount for a bid for the item and including information identifying the client computer;

determining by the server computer accessing a field in a user database that stores a setting whether automatic authentication has been previously enabled or disabled by a user associated with the information identifying the client computer;

in response to a determination that automatic authentication is enabled for the user;

automatically authenticating the user; and

placing the bid on behalf of the user; and

in response to a determination that automatic authentication is not enabled for the user;

determining whether the designated bid amount is acceptable for the designated auction;

in response to a determination that the bid amount is acceptable for the designated auction, manually authenticating the user; and

placing the bid on behalf of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the received submit bid request includes automatic authentication information from a cookie stored on the client computer.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising when the user cannot be manually authenticated, registering the user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising before receiving from the client computer a submit bid request for the item, sending to the client computer a display description identifying the item to be auctioned and a suggested bid amount for the item.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising before placing a bid on behalf of the user in response to the determination that automatic authentication is not enabled for the user, sending to the client computer a display description requesting confirmation to place the bid.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein manual authentication includes sending to the client computer a display description requesting authentication information, receiving from the client computer authentication information, and determining whether the user associated with the information identifying the client computer can be authenticated based on the received authentication information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein after manual authentication of the user, a subsequent bid is placed on behalf of the user using semi-automatic authentication.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the manual authentication expires after a fixed time.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the manual authentication expires based on when a bid was last placed by the user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the manual authentication expires based on when the client computer last interacted with the auction system.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the manual authentication expires after a time that is determined based on past interactions of the client computer with the auction system.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the user specifies conditions for expiration of the manual authentication.

36. The method of claim 2 wherein manual authentication includes sending to the client computer a display description requesting authentication information, receiving authentication information, and determining whether the client computer can be authenticated based on the received authentication information.

13. A computer-readable medium storing computer-readable program code comprising instructions for controlling a computer system to place a bid on an item being auctioned in a designated auction, the instructions comprising:

receiving from a client computer a submit bid request including a designated bid amount for a bid for the item and including information identifying the client computer;

determining by the server computer accessing a field in a user database that stores a setting whether automatic authentication has been previously enabled or disabled by a user associated with the information identifying the client computer;

in response to a determination that automatic authentication is enabled for the user, automatically authenticating the user;

in response to a determination that automatic authentication is not enabled for the user;

determining whether the designated bid amount is acceptable for the designated auction;

in response to a determination that the bid amount is acceptable for the designated auction, manually authenticating the user; and

after automatically or manually authenticating the user, placing the bid on behalf of the user.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the received submit bid request includes automatic authentication information from a cookie stored on the client computer.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 further comprising determining whether the bid is acceptable before manually authenticating the user.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 further comprising when the user is not manually authenticated, registering the user.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 further comprising before receiving from the client computer a submit bid request for the item, sending to the client computer a display description identifying the item to be auctioned and a suggested bid amount for the item.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 further comprising before placing a bid on behalf of the user in response to the determination that automatic authentication is not enabled for the user, requesting from the client computer confirmation to place the bid.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein manual authentication includes sending to the client computer a display description requesting authentication information, receiving from the client computer authentication information, and determining whether the user associated with the information identifying the client computer can be authenticated based on the received authentication information.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein after manual authentication of the user, a subsequent bid is placed on behalf of the user using semi-automatic authentication.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the manual authentication expires after a fixed period.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the manual authentication expires based on when a bid was last submitted by the user.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the manual authentication expires based on when the client computer last interacted with the auction system.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the manual authentication expires after a time period that is determined based on past interactions of the client computer with the auction system.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the user specifies conditions for expiration of the manual authentication.

26. A method in an auction system comprising a server computer for bidding on an item being auctioned in a designated auction, the method comprising:

receiving from a client computer a submit bid request including a designated bid amount for a bid for the item and including information identifying the client computer;

determining by the server computer accessing a field in a user database that stores a setting whether automatic authentication has been previously enabled or disabled by a user associated with the information identifying the client computer;

in response to a determination that automatic authentication is enabled for the user;

automatically authenticating the user; and

placing the bid on behalf of the user; and

in response to a determination that automatic authentication is not enabled for the user;

determining whether the designated bid amount is acceptable for the designated auction;

in response to a determination that the bid amount is acceptable for the designated auction, manually authenticating the user, comprising;

sending a request to client computer to provide authentication information;

receiving the authentication information provided by the client computer;

determining whether the user associated with the information identifying the client computer can be authenticated based on the received authentication information; and

placing the bid on behalf of the user.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the received submit bid request includes automatic authentication information from a cookie stored on the client computer.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising when the user can not be manually authenticated registering the user.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising before receiving from the client computer a submit bid request for the item, sending to the client computer a display description identifying the item to be auctioned and a suggested bid amount for the item.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising before placing a bid on behalf of the user in response to the determination that automatic authentication is not enabled for the user, sending to the client computer a display description requesting confirmation to place the bid.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein after manual authentication of the user, placing a subsequent bid on behalf of the user without the user providing additional authentication information.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the manual authentication expires after a fixed time.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein the manual authentication expires based on when a bid was last placed by the user.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein when the manual authentication expires based on when the client computer last interacted with the auction system.

35. The method of claim 26 wherein the manual authentication expires after a time that is determined based on past interactions of the client computer with the auction system.