Automatic approval

• US 8,788,945 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jesensky, James, Oates, Isaac, Agarwal, Amit, Vaidya, Vinaiy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuyetlien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuang, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US12/165,102
• Time in Patent Office: 2,213 Days
• Field of Search: 715/745, 705/35, 705 37- 40, 705/49, 705/14.49
• US Class Current: 715/745
• 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

Abstract

Techniques for automatically approving transactions are described herein. These techniques may include determining whether a user who requested to conduct a transaction is the same user as a user that approves the transaction. If so, then the transaction may be approved. If not, then the approving user may be asked to provide authentication information in order to finish the approval process.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request to purchase an item, the request to purchase the item including;

an identification of a cookie stored on a computing device that sent the request to purchase the item; and

a transaction phrase token received via a text box populated by input from a user, wherein;

the transaction phrase token comprises words separated by a space having a secondary meaning to the user; and

the transaction phrase token is entered into the text box as a payment method to purchase the item;

responsive to the receiving of the request, providing an opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item;

receiving an indication that the user has approved the purchase, the indication including an identification of a cookie stored on a computing device operated by the user;

determining if the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user;

performing a hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user;

determining if the hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user matches a stored hash value of a cookie stored on a computing device associated with the transaction phrase token;

mapping the received cookie and the transaction phrase token to the user based at least in part on,

determining that the hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user matches the stored hash value; and

determining if one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token and defined by the user allow for automatic approval to purchase the item; and

approving the purchase of the item without authenticating the user based at least in part on;

determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user, or

determining that the one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token and defined by the user allow for automatic approval to purchase the item.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item provided in response to the request includes a link that references the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item, and wherein the indication comprises an indication that the user has selected the link.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item comprises sending the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item or making available the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item for sending to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item.

4. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein approving the request to purchase the item is based at least in part on the determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user.

5. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein approving the request to purchase the item is based at least in part on the determining that the one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token allow for automatic approval to purchase the item and the determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user.

6. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein authenticating comprises the user signing into an account using a user name or password.

7. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices configured to implement one or more services, wherein the one or more services are configured to perform acts including;

receiving a request to purchase an item, the request to purchase the item including;

an identification of a cookie stored on a computing device that sent the request to purchase the item; and

a transaction phrase token received via a text box populated by input from a user, wherein;

the transaction phrase token comprises words separated by a space having a secondary meaning to the user; and

the transaction phrase token is entered into the text box as a payment method to purchase the item;

responsive to the receiving of the request, providing an opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item;

receiving an indication that the user has approved the purchase, the indication including an identification of a cookie stored on a computing device operated by the user;

determining if the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user;

performing a hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user;

determining if the hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user matches a stored hash value of a cookie stored on a computing device associated with the transaction phrase token;

mapping the received cookie and the transaction phrase token to the user based at least in part on,

determining that the hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user matches the stored hash value;

determining if one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token and defined by the user allow for automatic approval to purchase the item; and

approving the purchase of the item without authenticating the user based at least in part on;

determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user, or

determining that the one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token and defined by the user allow for automatic approval to purchase the item.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item provided in response to the request includes a link that references the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item, and wherein the indication comprises an indication that the user has selected the link.

9. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein providing the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item comprises sending the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item or making available the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item for sending to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item.

10. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein approving the request to purchase the item is based at least in part on the determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user.

11. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein approving the request to purchase the item is based at least in part on the determining that the one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token allow for automatic approval to purchase the item and the determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user.

12. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein authenticating comprises the user signing into an account using a user name or password.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, perform acts comprising:

receiving a request to purchase an item, the request to purchase the item including;

an identification of a cookie stored on a computing device that sent the request to purchase the item; and

a transaction phrase token received via a text box populated by input from a user, wherein;

the transaction phrase token comprises words separated by a space having a secondary meaning to the user; and

the transaction phrase token is entered into the text box as a payment method to purchase the item;

responsive to the receiving of the request, providing an opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item;

receiving an indication that the user has approved the purchase, the indication including an identification of a cookie stored on a computing device operated by the user;

determining if the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user;

performing a hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user;

determining if the hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user matches a stored hash value of a cookie stored on a computing device associated with the transaction phrase token;

mapping the received cookie and the transaction phrase token to the user based at least in part on,

determining that the hash of the received cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user matches the stored hash value;

determining if one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token and defined by the user allow for automatic approval to purchase the item; and

approving the purchase of the item without authenticating the user based at least in part on;

determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user, or

determining that the one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token and defined by the user allow for automatic approval to purchase the item.

14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item provided in response to the request includes a link that references the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item, and wherein the indication comprises an indication that the user has selected the link.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein providing the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item comprises sending the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item or making available the opportunity to approve or decline the request to purchase the item for sending to the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein approving the request to purchase the item is based at least in part on the determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein approving the request to purchase the item is based at least in part on the determining that the one or more rules associated with the transaction phrase token allow for automatic approval to purchase the item and the determining that the cookie stored on the computing device that sent the request to purchase the item matches the cookie stored on the computing device operated by the user.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein authenticating comprises the user signing into an account using a user name or password.