Encryption and tokenization architectures

• US 8,549,279 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sahasranaman, Mahesh, Plumer, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Darren B
• Application Number:
  US12/203,415
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 713/150, 713/153, 713/155, 713/168, 713/176, 713/180, 705/50, 705 64- 67, 705 74- 76, 726/1, 726/26
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for transmitting a character string. Such embodiments provide systems and methods to: (1) store a character string in storage devices; (2) associate a unique token with the character string; (3) associate a sub-string of the character string to identify that the unique token is associated with the character string without revealing the character string; (4) access the character string by using the unique token; and (5) transmit the character string to a device or user requesting the string. In addition, various embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for transmitting a unique token associated with a character string. Such embodiments provide systems and methods to: (1) access the unique token by using the character string; and (2) provide the unique token to a computer device or user requesting the string.

Claims

1. A method for conducting an online transaction on a website involving sensitive information, the method comprising the steps of:

registering at least one entity with a gate keeper module, wherein registering comprises associating the at least one entity with a subscription level;

associating a unique token with a sub-string of a character string wherein a direct link does not exist between the unique token and the character string, the character string comprising the sensitive information and the sub-string being configured to identify the character string without revealing the sensitive information;

receiving a request to display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction, the request comprising the unique token;

using the unique token during the online transaction to access and retrieve the sub-string without accessing the character string;

displaying the sub-string on the website during the online transaction without revealing the sensitive information; and

after the sub-string is selected to facilitate the online transaction;

saving a record for the online transaction comprising information for the online transaction and the unique token; and

during processing of the online transaction;

using the unique token for intermediate steps during the processing of the online transaction; and

only accessing the character string in storage memory using the unique token and the sub-string to retrieve the sensitive information and to complete the online transaction using the information for the online transaction and the sensitive information after receiving a request for the sensitive information from at least one of the at least one registered entity associated with a subscription level associated with a privilege to receive the requested sensitive information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the online transaction is a purchase on the website and the character string is a credit card number for use to make the purchase.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the sub-string comprises a last four digits of the credit card number for use to make the purchase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage memory is remote from where the record is saved.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of verifying that a computer device or a user retrieving the sensitive information is authorized to access the character string.

6. A system for conducting an online transaction on a website involving sensitive information, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more storage devices coupled to the one or more processors and adapted for storing a character string;

wherein the one or more processors execute a gatekeeper module to;

register at least one entity with the gatekeeper module wherein registering comprises associating the at least one entity with a subscription level;

associate a unique token with a sub-string of a character string wherein a direct link does not exist between the unique token and the character string, the character string comprising the sensitive information and the sub-string being configured to identify the character string without revealing the sensitive information;

receive a request to display the sub-string on the website during the online transaction, the request comprising the unique token;

use the unique token during the online transaction to access and retrieve the sub-string without accessing the character string;

display the retrieved sub-string on the website during the online transaction without revealing the sensitive information; and

after the sub-string is selected to facilitate the online transaction;

save a record for the online transaction comprising information for the online transaction and the unique token; and

during processing of the online transaction;

use the unique token for intermediate steps during the processing of the online transaction; and

only access the character string in the one or more storage devices using the unique token and the sub-string to retrieve the sensitive information and to complete the online transaction using the information for the online transaction and the sensitive information after receiving a request for the sensitive information from at least one of the at least one registered entity associated with a subscription level associated with a privilege to receive the requested sensitive information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the online transaction is a purchase on the website and the character string is a credit card number for use to make the purchase.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sub-string comprises a last four digits of the credit card number for use to make the purchase.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more storage devices are remote from where the record is saved.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors further execute the gatekeeper module to verify that a computer device or a user retrieving the sensitive information is authorized to access the character string.