Cross-media notifications for e-commerce

• US 6,330,550 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Brisebois, Michel A., Weisskopf, Michael, Roberts, Jobe
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROSEN, NICHOLAS D
• Application Number:
  US09/222,926
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/53, 705/56, 705/75, 705/26, 705/40, 705/44, 709/229, 713/155, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• 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 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Systems and methods consistent with the present invention facilitate a transaction between a user and a party represented by a server on a network. When the user agrees to enter a transaction with the party, the party'"'"'s server informs a profile server. The profile server stores a user profile tag corresponding to the user, including a unique user identification code, instructions, and user data. Using information in the user profile tag, the profile server confirms that the user wishes to engage in the transaction. After this confirmation, the profile server may complete the transaction.

Claims

1. A method for providing a secure electronic commerce transaction between a client and a server, comprising:

storing a plurality of at least one user profile tags, each user profile tag including a unique user identification code, as well as instructions and user data corresponding to that code;

receiving a user identification code from the server;

reading the instructions corresponding to the received user identification code; and

performing a confirmation operation in accordance with the instructions corresponding to the user identification code.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

denying the server access to the user data until successful completion of the confirmation operation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving from the server sufficient information regarding the transaction to complete the transaction.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising

forwarding the information regarding the transaction to a third billing party after successful completion of the confirmation operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a confirmation operation further comprises

sending the user a message to notify the user about the transaction.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein performing a confirmation operation further comprises receiving a response from the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a confirmation operation further comprises sending a cross-media notification of the transaction to the user associated with the received user identification code.

8. A method for providing a secure electronic commerce transaction between a user and a server in a network having a profile server that stores user profile data including user identification codes, as well as user data and user-specified instructions corresponding to those codes, comprising:

receiving a user identification code;

receiving an agreement to enter into a transaction from the user identified by the code;

providing to the profile server the user identification code; and

providing to the profile server sufficient details regarding the transaction to allow the profile server to complete the transaction.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

receiving a response from the profile server.

10. A profile server for facilitating a secure electronic commerce transaction between a user and a server in a network, comprising:

a database for storing one or more user profile tags, each tag including a unique user identification code, as well as instructions and user data corresponding to that code;

a network interface for receiving a user identification code from the server; and

a processor for retrieving from the database the instructions corresponding to the user identification code and performing a confirmation operation in accordance with the retrieved instructions, wherein the instructions include user-specified instructions.

11. The profile server of claim 10, wherein the interface further comprises means for receiving data regarding a transaction between the user and the server.

12. A profile server in accordance with claim 11, further comprising means for forwarding the transaction data to a billing party upon successful completion of the confirmation process.

13. A profile server in accordance with claim 10, wherein the processor further comprises means for notifying the user of the transaction.

14. A profile server in accordance with claim 13, wherein the confirmation means further comprises means for receiving a response from the user.

15. A profile server in accordance with claim 10, wherein the instructions include confirmation instructions and billing instructions.

16. A profile server in accordance with claim 15, wherein the confirmation instructions further include notification instructions.

17. A profile server in accordance with claim 10, wherein the processor further comprises means for sending a cross-media notification of the transaction to the user.

18. A network comprising:

a client operated by a user;

a server connected to the client; and

a profile server, connected to the client and the server, for effectuating an e-commerce transaction between the user and the server while limiting access to confidential user data, comprising

a database for storing a user profile tag, the user profile tag including a unique user identification code, as well as instructions and user data corresponding to that code

wherein the database stores at least one user profile tag including instructions specified by the user.

19. The network of claim 18, wherein the profile server further comprises:

means for forwarding the confidential user data to a third billing party to complete the e-commerce transaction between the user and the server.

20. The network of claim 18, wherein the profile server further comprises:

means for confirming that the user wants to engage in the e-commerce transaction with the server.

21. The network of claim 20, wherein the means for confirming further comprises means for sending a cross-media notification of the transaction to the user.

22. A server connected to a client and a profile server that stores user profile tags, each user profile tag including a user identification code, user specified instructions and user data, the server comprising:

means for receiving a user identification code from the client;

means for receiving, from the user corresponding to the received user identification code, an agreement to enter into a commercial transaction;

means for providing to the profile server the user identification code;

means for providing to the profile server sufficient details regarding the commercial transaction to allow the profile server to complete the commercial transaction.