Method and apparatus for configuring and establishing a secure credential-based network link between a client and a service over a data-packet-network

• US 20050216824A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yodlee Incorporated (Envestnet Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Yodlee.com, Inc. (Envestnet Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ferguson, Hill, Hayward, Blake, Satyavolu, Ramakrishna
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers

Abstract

A system for establishing a direct network connection between a first and a second node over a data-packet-network includes a third network node having connection to the data-packet-network for providing an electronic interface accessible to the first node; a navigation agent directed by the third network node for navigating over the network to the second node to gather information; and at least one machine-readable instruction containing the instruction for directing and implementing the direct network connection. The electronic interface may be a Web page providing bill consolidation and payment services to a client operating the first node and wherein the connection established via the instruction enables transparent login payment of a bill at the second node, which may be a direct billing party interface of the client registered and listed on the Web page.

Claims

1. A system for establishing a direct network connection between a first node and a second node over a data-packet-network, comprising:

a third network node having connection to the data-packet-network providing an electronic information interface accessible to the first node;

a navigation agent directed by the third network node for navigating over the network to the second node to gather information; and

at least one machine-readable instruction containing the instruction for directing and implementing the direct network connection.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data-packet-network is the Internet network.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first node is a computing device enabled for network navigation and the second node is a server node.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the third node is a server node and the electronic interface is a Web page for consolidation of billing information.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the network connection is credential-based, the credentials available to the first and third node and used to access services provided at the third node.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the information gathered by the navigation agent is used to create the at least one machine-readable instruction.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one machine-readable instruction is packaged as a Java-based executable.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one machine-readable instruction contains navigation information and credentials comprising one or a combination of a user name, a password, and a personal identification number.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the navigation information is gathered by the navigation agent and prepared in the form of navigation instruction.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the machine-readable instruction includes instructions for initiating and completing at least one task.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the task is payment of a bill.

12. A method for enabling and causing a direct network connection to be established between a first and a second node over a data-packet-network comprising steps of:

(a) receiving a request from the first node, the request to access a resource of the second node; and

(b) sending to the first node at least one machine-readable instruction, the at least one instruction causing the first node to initiate and establish the connection to the second node.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the data-packet-network is the Internet network.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein in step (a) the request is received at a third node and the resource is a URL of a Web page.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein in step (a) the resource requires authentication credentials.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein in step (a) the first node is a computing device enabled for network navigation and the second node is a server node.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein in step (a) the third node is a server node and the Web page is for consolidating billing information.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein in step (b) the at least one machine-readable instruction is packaged as a Java-based executable.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein in step (b) the at least one machine readable instruction contains navigation instruction, instruction for completing at least one task, and credentials for gaining access to a URL served by the second node.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein in step (b) the at least one machine-readable instruction is executed by a software application running on the receiving node.

21. The method of claim 12 further comprising a step (c) for completing at least one task during the direct connection, the task performed by the first node transparently to the operator of the first node.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein in step (c) the at least one task comprises logging in to a URL served by the second node using credentials of an operator of the first node.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein step (c) further includes performing a task of populating an electronic form.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein step (c) further includes performing a task of submitting the populated form.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein in step (c) the accumulation of tasks completed comprises a process for payment of a bill.

26. A machine-readable instruction for causing a machine to perform a method comprising:

(a) initiating a connection to a second machine over a data-packet-network;

(b) navigating to a login interface served by the second machine;

(c) accessing the resource served by the second machine using login credentials; and

(d) performing at least one task at the resource accessed.

27. The machine-readable instruction of claim 26 wherein the machine is a computing device enabled for network navigation and in step (a) the second machine is a server node.

28. The machine-readable instruction of claim 26 wherein in step (a) the data-packet-network is the Internet network and in step (c) the resource is a URL of an electronic form.

29. The machine-readable instruction of claim 26 wherein in step (d) the at least one task comprises payment of a bill.

30. A network-based bill presentment and payment system comprising:

a server for managing information about a client and a direct billing service and for consolidating and presenting billing information managed by the service to the client;

a direct billing server connected to the network and accessible to the server; and

a client node connected to the network, the client node able to access both the server and the direct billing server using the network;

characterized in that the client operating from the client node establishes a connection to the server and performs an action to pay a specific bill related to an account managed by the direct billing server, whereupon the action causes automated browser navigation via hypertext transfer protocol to the direct billing server on behalf of the client, the navigation including logging into the client account and managing the transaction.

31. The bill presentment and payment system of claim 30, wherein the automated browser navigation occurs from the server during a session between the server and the direct billing server.

32. The bill presentment and payment system of claim 31, wherein the action performed is a mouse click on a bill-pay button associated with a direct billing service account and specific bill from that account.

33. The bill presentment and payment system of claim 30, wherein the payment funds for paying the bill are released from an account maintained separately by the client and transferred to the direct billing service directly from that account.

34. The bill presentment and payment system of claim 31, wherein transacting includes some or all of, navigating to the Web page of the specific bill, populating the specified payment amount into a provided Web form for accepting payment, submitting the payment, and retrieving confirmation data related to payment acceptance or non-acceptance from a Web page generated by the direct billing server.

35. The bill presentment and payment system of claim 30, wherein the automated browser navigation occurs from the client node during a session between the client node and the direct billing server.

36. The bill presentment and payment system of claim 35, wherein the action performed is a mouse click on a bill-pay button associated with a direct billing service account and specific bill from that account.

37. The bill presentment and payment system of claim 35, wherein transacting includes some or all of, navigating to the Web page of the specific bill, populating the specified payment amount into a provided Web form for accepting payment, submitting the payment, and retrieving confirmation data related to payment acceptance or non-acceptance from a Web page generated by the direct billing server.