Systems, methods and devices for trusted transactions

• US 7,159,116 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistaria Trading Inc.
• Original Assignee: Blue Spike, Inc.
• Inventors: Moskowitz, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Callahan, Paul
• Application Number:
  US09/731,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,217 Days
• Field of Search: 380/231, 705 51- 54, 705/64, 705/77, 713/176, 713/200, 726/3
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/0711 Token
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/0737 Traceability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/582 Pseudo-random number generators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/588 Random number generators, i.e. based on natural stochastic processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• 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 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/42 Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 : Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 : applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• 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 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 : Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0618 : Block ciphers, i.e. encrypting groups of characters of a plain text message using fixed encryption transformation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0643 : Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 : using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/30 : Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3228 : One-time or temporary data, i.e. information which is sent for every authentication or authorization, e.g. one-time-password, one-time-token or one-time-key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 : Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 : involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

The invention discloses a system for enhancing trust in transactions, most particularly in remote transactions between a plurality of transactional parties, for instance a seller and buyer(s) of goods and/or services over a public computer network such as the internet. Trust is disclosed to be a multivalent commodity, in that the trust that is to be enhanced relates to information about the subject matter of the transactions (e.g., the suitability of the goods and services sold), the bona fides of the supplier of the goods and services, the appropriateness of a pricing structure for a particular transaction or series of transactions, a quantum of additional transactional value that may be imparted to the transactional relationship, security of information exchange, etc. An important contributor to trust for such aspects of the transaction is disclosed to be the use of highly-secure steganographic computer processing means for data identification, authentication, and transmission, such that confidence in the transaction components is enhanced. By providing an integrated multivalent system for enhancing trust across a variety of categories (for a variety of transaction species, including those in which the need for trust is greater on the part of one party than of another, as well as those in which both require substantial trust enhancement), the invention reduces barriers to forming and optimizing transactional relationships.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a trusted transaction between at least two parties, comprising:

establishing a steganographic cipher for identifying information, wherein the steganographic cipher is governed by at least the following elements;

a predetermined key, a predetermined message, and a predetermined carrier signal;

exchanging secondary value added information between the parties, wherein the secondary value added information is comprised of value adding components that can modify perceptibility, functionality or combinations thereof, of the primary value added information;

agreeing to at least one term for the exchange of primary value added information, wherein the term is associated with one of price, service, selection or combinations thereof; and

facilitating payment for the transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of facilitating payment for the transaction is accomplished in real-time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of facilitating payment for the transaction is based on the at least one term for the primary value added information exchange.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction is governed by at least an age and a geographical limitation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction is governed by at least legal restrictions which apply to at least one of the parties, a timing of the transaction, a geographic location of the transaction, and value added information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the value added information is represented physically.

7. A method for secure transaction, comprising:

receiving a request to process a transaction;

establishing a steganographic cipher, the steganographic cipher governed by at least the following elements;

a predetermined key, a predetermined message, and a predetermined carrier signal to identify information associated with the transaction;

uniquely identifying the source of the request;

uniquely identifying at least one term of the request, wherein the term is associated with one of price, service, selection or combinations thereof; and

storing the generated identification information for transaction negotiation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one term of the request includes at least one of a condition and a timing of the request.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the request may be received over at least one of a secure and an unsecure transmission line.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the source of the request is identified by at least one of a determinable origin of the source and a predetermined routing of the request by the seller.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one term of the request comprises a value adding component.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the transaction is noncontiguous with the request.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the transaction and the request are processed in real time.

14. A device for conducting a trusted transaction between at least two parties who have agreed to transact, comprising:

means for uniquely identifying information selected from the group consisting of a unique identification of one of the parties, a unique identification of the transaction, a unique identification of value added information to be transacted, a unique identification of a value adding component;

a steganographic cipher for generating said unique identification information, wherein the steganographic cipher is governed by at least the following elements;

a predetermined key, a predetermined message, and a predetermined carrier signal; and

a means for verifying an agreement to transact between the parties.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the unique identification information seeds the steganographic cipher.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the unique identification information is verifiable.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

means for transmitting value added information.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the means for transmitting value added information transmits the value added information by a method selected from the group consisting of electronic and physical.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the means for transmitting value added information transmits the value added information in a medium selected from the group consisting of a pre-determined file format and a predetermined carrier medium.

20. A device for conducting a trusted transaction between at least two parties who have agreed to transact, comprising:

means for agreeing on a steganographic cipher, the steganographic cipher governed by at least the following elements;

a predetermined key, a predetermined message, and a predetermined carrier signal;

means for uniquely identifying unique identification information selected from the group consisting of a unique identification of one of the parties, a unique identification of the transaction, a unique identification of value added information to be transacted, and a unique identification of a value adding component; and

means for enabling a subsequent mutually agreed to at least one term wherein the terms consists of one of price, service, selection or combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one subsequent term concerns at least one of equity, service, and recognition.