System and method for providing secured electronic transactions

• US 20090119512A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Bullard, James C. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/180
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• 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 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a secured electronic communication in a network that includes a verification station, a registration station, and a authentication station. At the registration station, a request for a digital certificate is received from a user. The registration station instructs the verification station to forward to the user a message associated with the request. The message is compared against the user at the authentication station to determine whether the message properly identifies the user. A first signal indicating the result of the comparison is sent to the verification station. If the first signal indicates that the message properly identifies the user, a second signal is sent to the registration station. Based on the second signal, the registration system then generates a digital certificate.

Claims

1. A method for a secured electronic communication in a network, that includes a verification station, a registration station, and a authentication station, said method comprising:

receiving at the registration station a request for a digital certificate from a user;

the registration station instructing the verification station to forward to the user a message associated with the request,

comparing the message against the user at the authentication station to determine-whether the message properly identifies the user;

sending to the verification station a first signal indicating the result of the comparison;

sending a second signal to the registration station if the first signal indicates that the message properly identifies the user; and

generating a digital certificate at the registration station based on the second signal.

2. A system for a secured electronic communication, said system comprising:

a verification station;

a registration station configured to communicate with the verification station, receive a request for a digital certificate from a user, and to instruct the verification station to forward to the user a message associated with the request; and

an authentication station configured to communicate with the verification station, compare the message against information about the user, and to send to the verification station a first signal indicating the result of the comparison;

wherein the verification station sends a second signal to the registration station if the first signal indicates that the message properly identifies the user such that the digital certificate is generated based on the second signal.