Technique for securely communicating information

• US 8,145,189 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Power, Michael J., Cassanego, Dante, Mo, See Yew, Subramanian, Harish K. K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US11/769,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,735 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/44, 705/13
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3215 using a plurality of channels network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18

Abstract

A system that communicates information is described. During operation, this system receives an encryption key through a first wireless communication technique, wherein the first wireless communication technique includes near field communication. Then, the system communicates a document through a second wireless communication technique, where the document is associated with a financial transaction being conducted with a commercial establishment. Next, the system receives encrypted information through the second wireless communication technique, where the encrypted information is, at least in part, encrypted using the encryption key, and where the second wireless communication technique includes a technique other than near field communication.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information securely between a client device and a computer, comprising:

receiving one or more encryption keys at the computer through a first wireless communication technique that includes near field communication, wherein the first wireless communication technique operates over a first distance;

communicating a document to the client device from the computer through a second wireless communication technique that includes a technique other than near field communication, wherein the second wireless communication technique operates over a second distance which is greater than the first distance, and wherein the document is associated with a financial transaction conducted with a commercial establishment;

receiving the document at the client device through the second wireless communication technique;

authorizing the document by a consumer at the client device to generate an authorized document, wherein the authorized document includes an authorization by the consumer for the financial transaction, and wherein the authorized document is, at least in part, encrypted using the one or more encryption keys;

communicating the authorized document from the client device to the computer through the second wireless communication technique; and

receiving the authorized document at the computer through the second wireless communication technique,

wherein the authorized document is used to authenticate the consumer and to approve the financial transaction by a financial institution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the document includes an invoice for purchasing an item associated with the commercial establishment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the financial transaction occurs, at least in part, online.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer includes a computer in the commercial establishment;

wherein the one or more encryption keys and the authorized document are received from, and the document and the authorization are communicated to, a computer located remotely from the commercial establishment; and

wherein the computer in the commercial establishment and the remotely located computer exchange the one or more encryption keys, the authorized document, the document, and the authorization through another communication channel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the client device includes a cellular telephone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving of the one or more encryption keys, communicating the document, and receiving of the authorized document occur between a wireless device associated with the consumer and a point-of-sale terminal associated with the commercial establishment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless device includes a cellular telephone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorized document includes one or more identifiers associated with the consumer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more identifiers include at least a portion of an account associated with the consumer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more identifiers include a proxy for an account associated with the consumer.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising decrypting the authorized document using the one or more encryption keys.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing authorization for the financial transaction by the commercial establishment;

submitting the document, the decrypted authorized document, and the authorization by the commercial establishment to a financial institution; and

receiving approval for the financial transaction from the financial institution.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing authorization for the financial transaction by the commercial establishment;

submitting the document, the authorized document, the one or more encryption keys, and the authorization by the commercial establishment to a financial institution; and

receiving approval for the financial transaction from the financial institution.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication technique operates over a distance which is less than a pre-defined distance.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pre-defined distance is approximately 50 cm.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the document is communicated and the authorized document is received over a distance which is greater than the pre-defined distance.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless communication technique is compatible with the Bluetooth®

protocol.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless communication technique includes cellular communication.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second wireless communication technique is compatible with an IEEE 802.11 communication standard.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption key is a public key used in a public-key/private-key cryptography technique.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more encryption keys are valid during a pre-defined time interval.

22. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a program module, wherein the program module is stored in the memory and configurable to be executed by the processor, the program module including;

instructions for receiving one or more encryption keys at a computer through a first wireless communication technique that includes near field communication, wherein the first wireless communication technique operates over a first distance;

instructions for communicating a document to a client device from the computer through a second wireless communication technique that includes a technique other than near field communication, wherein the second wireless communication technique operates over a second distance which is greater than the first distance, and wherein the document is associated with a financial transaction conducted with a commercial establishment;

instructions for receiving the document at the client device through the second wireless communication technique;

instructions for authorizing the document by a consumer at the client device to generate an authorized document, wherein the authorized document includes an authorization by the consumer for the financial transaction, and wherein the authorized document is, at least in part, encrypted using the one or more encryption keys;

instructions for communicating the authorized document from the client device to the computer through the second wireless communication technique; and

instructions for receiving the authorized document at the computer through the second wireless communication technique,

wherein the authorized document is used to authenticate the consumer and to approve the financial transaction by a financial institution.

23. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein communicating information, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for receiving one or more encryption keys at a computer through a first wireless communication technique that includes near field communication, wherein the first wireless communication technique operates over a first distance;

instructions for communicating a document to a client device from the computer through a second wireless communication technique that includes a technique other than near field communication, wherein the second wireless communication technique operates over a second distance which is greater than the first distance, and wherein the document is associated with a financial transaction conducted with a commercial establishment;

instructions for receiving the document at the client device through the second wireless communication technique;

instructions for authorizing the document by a consumer at the client device to generate an authorized document, wherein the authorized document includes an authorization by the consumer for the financial transaction, and wherein the authorized document is, at least in part, encrypted using the one or more encryption keys;

instructions for communicating the authorized document from the client device to the computer through the second wireless communication technique; and

instructions for receiving the authorized document at the computer through the second wireless communication technique,

wherein the authorized document is used to authenticate the consumer and to approve the financial transaction by a financial institution.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer includes a computer in the commercial establishment;

wherein the one or more encryption keys and the authorized document are received from, and the document and the authorization are communicated to, a computer located remotely from the commercial establishment; and

wherein the computer in the commercial establishment and the remotely located computer exchange the one or more encryption keys, the authorized document, the document, and the authorization through another communication channel.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein receiving of the one or more encryption keys, communicating the document, and receiving of the authorized document occur between a wireless device associated with the consumer and a point-of-sale terminal associated with the commercial establishment.

26. A wireless device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate information;

a processor;

a memory configured to store one or more encryption keys and encrypted information; and

a program module, wherein the program module is stored in the memory and configurable to be executed by the processor, the program module including;

instructions for initiating a session by communicating the one or more encryption keys between the wireless device and a computer through a first wireless communication technique that includes near field communication, wherein the first wireless communication technique operates over a first distance;

instructions for receiving a document at the wireless device from the computer through a second wireless communication technique that includes a technique other than near field communication, wherein the second wireless communication technique operates over a second distance which is greater than the first distance, and wherein the document is associated with a financial transaction conducted with a commercial establishment;

instructions for requesting a token from a consumer conducting the financial transaction;

instructions for receiving the token;

instructions for receiving the document at the wireless device through the second wireless communication technique;

instructions for authorizing the document by the consumer at the wireless device to generate an authorized document, wherein the authorized document includes an authorization by the consumer for the financial transaction, and wherein the authorized document is, at least in part, encrypted using the one or more encryption keys;

instructions for communicating the authorized document from the wireless device to the computer through the second wireless communication technique; and

instructions for providing the authorized document through the second wireless communication technique after the token is received,

wherein the authorized document is used to authenticate the consumer and to approve the financial transaction by a financial institution.