Smartcard internet authorization system

• US 7,801,829 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Larkin, Carl, Gray, William J, Peart, Lee J, Hohle, William G
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer, Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coppola, Jacob C.
• Application Number:
  US11/954,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20080091602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 79
• US Class Current: 705/76
• 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 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• 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 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for conducting electronic commerce such as a virtual purchase transaction with an on-line merchant. A user is provided with an intelligent token, such as a smart card containing a digital certificate. The intelligent token suitably authenticates with a wallet server on a network that conducts all or portions of the transaction on behalf of the user with out requiring changes to the merchant'"'"'s server. The wallet server interacts with a security server of a selected financial service to provide authentication of the transaction. Upon authentication, the digital wallet pre-fills forms which are transmitted to the merchant who contacts the security server for validation of the forms and upon validation, completes the transaction with the user.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing a transaction, the method comprising:

receiving, at a wallet server and via a network, a payment authorization request sent by a user, wherein said wallet server comprises a hardware server, wherein said payment authorization request is associated with a transaction between a merchant and said user, and wherein said payment authorization request includes first transaction card information, and a selection of a financial institution;

prompting, by said wallet server, said user to initiate an interface between a card reader system and a transaction card,

wherein said card reader system reading said transaction card to acquire second transaction card information including a digital certificate uniquely identifying said transaction card;

receiving, by said wallet server, said second transaction card information from a computer communicating with said card reader system;

sending, by said wallet server, an authentication request for said transaction to a security server of said financial institution, wherein said authentication request including said second transaction card information;

receiving, by said wallet server, an authentication for said transaction from said security server;

completing, by said wallet server, an authorization form for said transaction and transmitting said authorization form to a merchant server, wherein said merchant server is associated with said merchant,

wherein said merchant server requesting authorization of said authorization form from said security server,

wherein said security server authenticating said authorization form using at said second transaction card information,

wherein said merchant server receiving an authorization request authentication from said security server, and

wherein said merchant server completing said transaction and receiving value from an account of said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said request includes purchase information, charge information and transaction card identifying information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said wallet server further comprises a digital wallet server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said card reader system is a smart card reader system.

5. A server-based system for authorizing a transaction, said server-based system comprising:

a network communications interface in communication with a wallet hardware server, said network communications interface programmed to;

receive a payment authorization request over a network from a user, wherein said payment authorization request is associated with a transaction between a merchant and said user and said payment authorization request includes first transaction card information and a selection of a financial institution;

receive, from a card reader system, second transaction card information;

said wallet hardware server is programmed to;

prompt said user to initiate an interface between a transaction card and said card reader system, wherein said card reader system is programmed to receive second transaction card information via said interface between said transaction card and said card reader system, wherein said second transaction card information comprising a digital certificate uniquely configured to identify said transaction card;

create an authentication request for said transaction, wherein said authentication request includes said second transaction card information; and

,

complete an authorization form based upon an authentication for said transaction by a security server;

said network communications interface further programmed to;

receive smart card information from a computer communicating with a smart card system;

send said authentication request to said security server ;

receive an authentication for said transaction from said security server;

transmit said authorization form to said merchant server,

wherein said merchant server is programmed to request authorization of said authorization form from said security server,

wherein said security server is programmed to authenticate said authorization form using said second transaction card information,

wherein said merchant server is programmed to receive an authentication request authorization form from said security server, and

wherein said merchant server is programmed to complete said transaction and is programmed to receive value from an account of said user.

6. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by at least one of a wallet server, a card reader system, a merchant server, or a security server, cause at least one of said wallet server, said card reader system, said merchant server, or said security server to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at said wallet server and via a network, a payment authorization request sent by a user, wherein said wallet server comprises a hardware server, wherein said payment authorization request is associated with a transaction between a merchant and said user, and wherein said payment authorization request includes first transaction card information and a selection of a financial institution;

prompting, by said wallet server, said user to initiate an interface between a card reader system and a transaction card,

reading, by said card reader system, said transaction card to acquire second transaction card information including a digital certificate uniquely identifying said transaction card;

receiving, by said wallet server, said second transaction card information from a computer communicating with said card reader system;

sending, by said wallet server, an authentication request for said transaction to a security server of said financial institution, wherein said authentication request including said second transaction card information;

receiving, by said wallet server, an authentication for said transaction from said security server;

completing, by said wallet server, an authorization form for said transaction and transmitting said authorization form to a merchant server, wherein said merchant server is associated with said merchant,

requesting, by said merchant server, authorization of said authorization form from said security server,

authenticating, by said security server, said authorization form using said second transaction card information, and

receiving, by said merchant server, wherein an authorization request authentication from said security server, and

completing, by said merchant server, said transaction and receiving, by said merchant server, value from an account of said user.