Computational systems and methods for verifying personal information during transactions

• US 10,606,989 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Davis, Marc E., Dyor, Matthew G., Gates, William, Huang, Xuedong, Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Kare, Jordin T., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Lu, Qi, Malamud, Mark A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Nadella, Satya, Reed, Daniel, Shum, Harry, Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wasel, Mohamed A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McLeod, Marshall M
• Application Number:
  US13/374,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,014 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709217, 709225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, computer program products, devices and systems are described that carry out accessing at least one persona that includes a unique identifier that is at least partly based on a first user'"'"'s device-identifier data and the first user'"'"'s network-participation data; verifying the persona by comparing the first user'"'"'s device-identifier data and the first user'"'"'s network-participation data of the unique identifier to a second user'"'"'s device-identifier data and the second user'"'"'s network-participation data; and presenting the persona in response to a request for personal information.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

circuitry for accepting a request for personal information, the request for personal information accepted in association with an online transaction initiated by a user;

circuitry for evaluating a total cost of the online transaction, including at least circuitry for parsing at least some markup language code representing a checkout page of the online transaction to identify, via the parsing, a symbol associated with currency and to retrieve a value associated with and displayable adjacent to the symbol associated with currency, the value presumed to represent the total cost associated with the online transaction;

circuitry for determining a number of elements of personal information relating to the user to expose at least partly based on the circuitry for evaluating the total cost;

circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost associated with the online transaction; and

circuitry for presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost associated with the online transaction comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one billing account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one billing account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some credit card account data associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one billing account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one bank account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one billing account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one electronic payment account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one electronic payment account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one of a Google Checkout account, an Amazon Payments account, a PayPal account, a mobile PayPal account, or an Apple Pay account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one billing account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one cable telecommunications billing account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to at least one billing account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some data relating to one or more of at least one wireless telecommunications billing account or at least one satellite telecommunications billing account associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information comprises:

circuitry for presenting the persona responsive to the request for personal information, including at least presenting an indication that the persona is verified with respect to the user by at least one of a telecommunications carrier or a bank.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost associated with the online transaction comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent dissemination of more personal information than would be sufficient for completion of the online transaction.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost associated with the online transaction comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose including only that amount of personal information which is sufficient for completion.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information comprises:

circuitry for accessing a vendor-specific persona database relating to a sender of the request for personal information to obtain one or more XY coordinates referring to where on the checkout page personal information should go; and

circuitry for placing one or more elements of personal information from the persona into one or more corresponding fields of the checkout page of the online transaction at least partly based on the one or more XY coordinates obtained from the vendor-specific persona database.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information comprises:

circuitry for presenting the persona to an online vendor in the online transaction initiated by the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona to an online vendor in the online transaction initiated by the user comprises:

circuitry for presenting the persona to an online vendor in the online transaction initiated by the user for use by the online vendor in securing credit on behalf of the user for use in conjunction with the online transaction.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for determining a number of elements of personal information relating to the user to expose at least partly based on the circuitry for evaluating the total cost comprises:

circuitry for determining whether the circuitry for evaluating the total cost indicates that the total cost is above a monetary threshold requiring a particular element of personal information in the persona to complete the online transaction, including at least determining that a social security number of the user may be exposed responsive to the circuitry for evaluating the total cost indicating that the total cost is over one thousand dollars.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for determining a number of elements of personal information relating to the user to expose at least partly based on the circuitry for evaluating the total cost comprises:

circuitry for comparing the total cost with a ruleset defining one or more monetary amount thresholds for exposing one or more particular elements of personal information corresponding to the one or more monetary amount thresholds.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein circuitry for comparing the total cost with a ruleset defining one or more monetary amount thresholds for exposing one or more particular elements of personal information corresponding to the one or more monetary amount thresholds comprises:

circuitry for comparing the total cost with a ruleset defining one or more monetary amount thresholds for exposing one or more particular elements of personal information corresponding to the one or more monetary amount thresholds, the ruleset including at least a first rule permitting only a name and credit card information to be exposed when the total cost is below a first monetary threshold, the ruleset including at least a second rule permitting only a name, credit card information, and telephone number to be exposed when the total cost is above the a first monetary threshold and below a second monetary threshold, and the ruleset including at least a third rule permitting a name, credit card information, telephone number, and social security number to be exposed when the total cost is above the second monetary threshold.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for attempting to complete the online transaction initiated by the user subsequent to the presenting the persona responsive to the request for personal information;

circuitry for detecting whether the attempt to complete the online transaction initiated by the user subsequent to the presenting the persona responsive to the request for personal information was successful; and

circuitry for selecting a different persona from the one or more stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on at least one indication by the circuitry for detecting whether the attempt to complete the online transaction initiated by the user subsequent to the presenting the persona responsive to the request for personal information was successful that the attempt to complete the online transaction was not successful.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein circuitry for detecting whether the attempt to complete the online transaction initiated by the user subsequent to the presenting the persona responsive to the request for personal information was successful comprises:

circuitry for parsing at least one web page code received in response to the circuitry for attempting to complete the online transaction to locate, via the parsing, at least some markup language code within the at least one web page configured to display one or more labels corresponding to one or more fields requesting personal information in red type; and

circuitry for determining that the attempt to complete the online transaction was not successful responsive to a presence of the at least some markup language code within the at least one web page configured to display the one or more labels corresponding to the one or more fields requesting personal information in red type.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for evaluating a total cost of the online transaction, including at least circuitry for parsing at least some markup language code representing a checkout page of the online transaction to identify, via the parsing, a symbol associated with currency and to retrieve a value associated with and displayable adjacent to the symbol associated with currency, the value presumed to represent the total cost associated with the online transaction comprises:

circuitry for evaluating a total cost of the online transaction, including at least circuitry for parsing at least some markup language code representing a checkout page of the online transaction to identify, via the parsing, a symbol associated with one or more of dollars, yen, euros, or pesos and to retrieve a value associated with and displayable adjacent to the symbol associated with one or more of dollars, yen, euros, or pesos, the value presumed to represent the total cost associated with the online transaction.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information comprises:

circuitry for negotiating presentation of the persona at least partly based on the circuitry for evaluating the total cost.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein circuitry for negotiating presentation of the persona at least partly based on the circuitry for evaluating the total cost comprises:

circuitry for negotiating presentation of the persona at least partly based on the circuitry for evaluating the total cost, the negotiating concluded on the basis of a future condition.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein circuitry for negotiating presentation of the persona at least partly based on the circuitry for evaluating the total cost, the negotiating concluded on the basis of a future condition comprises:

circuitry for negotiating presentation of the persona at least partly based on the circuitry for evaluating the total cost, the negotiating concluded on the basis of a promise to pay the total cost within a defined time period after an object of the online transaction is delivered.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information comprises:

circuitry for presenting the persona on behalf of a trusted custodian of verified personal information associated with the user responsive to the request for personal information.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona on behalf of a trusted custodian of verified personal information associated with the user responsive to the request for personal information comprises:

circuitry for presenting the persona on behalf of a second user responsive to the request for personal information, the second user including a trusted custodian of verified personal information associated with the user, the trusted custodian vouching for integrity of the user.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona on behalf of a trusted custodian of verified personal information associated with the user responsive to the request for personal information comprises:

circuitry for presenting the persona on behalf of a second user responsive to the request for personal information, the second user including a trusted custodian of verified personal information associated with the user, the trusted custodian providing security for the online transaction.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein circuitry for presenting the persona on behalf of a trusted custodian of verified personal information associated with the user responsive to the request for personal information comprises:

circuitry for presenting the persona on behalf of a second user responsive to the request for personal information, the second user including a trusted custodian of verified personal information associated with the user, the trusted custodian enabling the user to maintain a personal information repository at the trusted custodian.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost associated with the online transaction comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona including at least some network-participation data associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, a network associated with the at least some network-participation data providing security for the transaction.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost a associated with the online transaction comprises:

circuitry for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the circuitry for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected in accordance with minimizing transmission of personal information of the user.

10. A computer program product, comprising:

at least one non-transitory signal-bearing medium including at least;

one or more instructions for accepting a request for personal information, the request for personal information accepted in association with an online transaction initiated by a user;

one or more instructions for evaluating a total cost of the online transaction, including at least one or more instructions for parsing at least some markup language code representing a checkout page of the online transaction to identify, via the parsing, a symbol associated with currency and to retrieve a value associated with and displayable adjacent to the symbol associated with currency, the value presumed to represent the total cost associated with the online transaction;

one or more instructions for determining a number of elements of personal information relating to the user to expose at least partly based on the one or more instructions for evaluating the total cost;

one or more instructions for selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the one or more instructions for determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost associated with the online transaction; and

one or more instructions for presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information.

11. A system, comprising:

a computing device; and

one or more instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform one or more operations including at least;

accepting a request for personal information, the request for personal information accepted in association with an online transaction initiated by a user;

evaluating a total cost of the online transaction, including at least parsing at least some markup language code representing a checkout page of the online transaction to identify, via the parsing, a symbol associated with currency and to retrieve a value associated with and displayable adjacent to the symbol associated with currency, the value presumed to represent the total cost associated with the online transaction;

determining a number of elements of personal information relating to the user to expose at least partly based on the evaluating the total cost;

selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost associated with the online transaction; and

presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information.

12. A method, comprising:

accepting a request for personal information, the request for personal information accepted in association with an online transaction initiated by a user;

evaluating a total cost of the online transaction, including at least parsing at least some markup language code representing a checkout page of the online transaction to identify, via the parsing, a symbol associated with currency and to retrieve a value associated with and displayable adjacent to the symbol associated with currency, the value presumed to represent the total cost associated with the online transaction;

determining a number of elements of personal information relating to the user to expose at least partly based on the evaluating the total cost;

selecting a persona from at least two stored personas associated with the user at least partly based on the determining the number of elements, the persona and the number of elements of personal information to expose selected to prevent gratuitous disclosure of at least some personal information relating to the user in view of the total cost associated with the online transaction; and

presenting the persona selected from the at least two stored personas responsive to the request for personal information,

wherein at least one of the accepting, evaluating, determining, selecting, or presenting is at least partly implemented using at least one processing device.