Method and apparatus enabling improved protection of consumer information in electronic transactions
First Claim
1. A payment confirmation service provider system for facilitating transactions between merchants and consumers, the payment confirmation service provider system comprising:
- at least one receiver configured to receive communications from consumer devices;
at least one transmitter configured to transmit communications to merchant systems; and
a computer system comprising at least one processor coupled to the at least one receiver and the at least one transmitter and configured to;
associate respective consumers with respective consumer devices;
receive transaction information from a particular consumer device, the transaction information identifying at least one particular transaction between a particular consumer and a particular merchant, and comprising an authorization by the particular consumer to pay the particular merchant for the particular transaction; and
transmit to a particular merchant system associated with the particular merchant information confirming that the particular consumer has authorized payment for the at least one particular transaction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to a commercial method of the present invention, a merchant forwards transaction data to a consumer. If the consumer accepts the transaction, a payment command is forwarded to a service provider. The service provider selectively applies authentication before approving payment. Once payment is approved, the service provider forwards a payment instruction, including consumer account information, to a payment service. The payment service forwards payment to the merchant and a payment confirmation is returned to the service provider and, through the service provider, to the consumer. The service provider stores information about each transaction performed by each subscriber. Consumer identity is protected because it is only exchanged between the service provider and the payment service, and is not made available to the merchant. In addition, the storage of the transaction information by various devices facilitates the return process and adds marketing capability to the service provider.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A payment confirmation service provider system for facilitating transactions between merchants and consumers, the payment confirmation service provider system comprising:
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at least one receiver configured to receive communications from consumer devices; at least one transmitter configured to transmit communications to merchant systems; and a computer system comprising at least one processor coupled to the at least one receiver and the at least one transmitter and configured to; associate respective consumers with respective consumer devices; receive transaction information from a particular consumer device, the transaction information identifying at least one particular transaction between a particular consumer and a particular merchant, and comprising an authorization by the particular consumer to pay the particular merchant for the particular transaction; and transmit to a particular merchant system associated with the particular merchant information confirming that the particular consumer has authorized payment for the at least one particular transaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification