Method and system for authenticating a party to a transaction

• US 8,156,543 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa USA, Inc. (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wentker, David, Lindelsee, Michael, Brand, Olivier, Dimmick, James, Singh Grewal, Tribhuwan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chai, Longbit
• Application Number:
  US12/104,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 726/3
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method including receiving an alias identifier associated with an account associated with a presenter, determining an associated trusted party using the alias identifier, sending a verification request message to the trusted party after determining the associated trusted party, and receiving a verification response message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) receiving, at a directory server, an alias identifier, wherein the alias identifier is associated with an account identifier for an account of a presenter;

b) determining, by the directory server, an associated trusted party using the alias identifier;

c) sending, by the directory server, a verification request message to the trusted party after receiving the verification request message from a merchant plug-in and determining the associated trusted party, where the verification request message requests information regarding whether the trusted party or the presenter participates in an authentication program;

d) receiving, at the directory server, a verification response message, wherein the verification response message indicates whether the trusted party or the presenter participates in the authentication program to indicate an authentication availability for the presenter; and

e) sending a first authentication request message to an access control server operated by the trusted party, from the directory server, after receiving the verification response message from the access control server, wherein the access control server subsequently sends a second authentication request message to the presenter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the alias identifier is a number.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the trusted party is a financial institution that maintains the account.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to receiving the alias identifier, the presenter sends the alias identifier using a communication device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the trusted party is an issuer that issued the account identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenter is presented with a list of account numbers to select from.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising:

a) code for receiving an alias identifier, wherein the alias identifier is associated with an account identifier for an account of a presenter;

b) code for determining an associated trusted party using the alias identifier;

c) code for sending a verification request message to the trusted party after receiving the verification request message from a merchant plug-in and determining the associated trusted party, where the verification request message requests information regarding whether the trusted party or the presenter participates in a authentication program;

d) code for receiving a verification response message, wherein the verification response message indicates whether the trusted party or the presenter participates in the authentication program to indicate an authentication availability for the presenter; and

e) code for sending a first authentication request message to an access control server operated by the trusted party after receiving the verification response message from the access control server, wherein the access control server subsequently sends a second authentication request message to the presenter.

8. A directory server comprising:

a processor; and

the computer readable medium system of claim 7 coupled to the processor.

9. A method comprising:

a) providing an alias identifier associated with an account identifier associated with an account of a presenter, using a communication device, to a directory server;

b) receiving an authentication request message, using the communication device, after providing the alias identifier, wherein the authentication request message is received from an access control server operated by a trusted party after the directory server receives a verification request message from a merchant plug-in and determines that the trusted party participates in an authentication program by receiving a verification response message indicating an authentication availability for the presenter; and

c) sending an authentication response message, using the communication device, after receiving the authentication request message.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the alias identifier is a number.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the alias identifier is provided using the presenter'"'"'s voice.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the authentication request message is received at a communication device operated by the presenter.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the authentication response message comprises a password or a pin number.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the alias identifier is provided to a merchant in a face-to-face transaction.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the alias identifier is provided to a merchant using a communication device that is remotely located with respect to the merchant.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the authentication response message includes at least one of a shipping address, contact information, or preference of the presenter.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising:

a) code for providing an alias identifier associated with an account identifier associated with an account of a presenter, to a directory server;

b) code for receiving an authentication request message after providing the alias identifier, wherein the authentication request message is received from an access control server operated by a trusted party after the directory server receives a verification request message from a merchant plug-in and determines that the trusted party participates in an authentication program by receiving a verification response message indicating an authentication availability for the presenter; and

c) code for sending an authentication response message after receiving the authentication request message.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the alias identifier is provided to a merchant in a face-to-face transaction.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the alias identifier is provided to a merchant using a communication device that is remotely located with respect to the merchant.

20. A communication device comprising a processor, coupled to the non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17.