Method and apparatus for communicating state information in an electronic transaction message
First Claim
1. A method of communicating state information in an electronic message, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- a transaction processor receiving a first request message of a transaction;
the transaction processor encoding first data representing a state of the transaction to result in creating an encoded message element that is impractical for a recipient to decode;
the transaction processor sending the encoded message element as part of a first response message associated with the transaction;
the transaction processor receiving a second request message associated with the transaction and responsive to the first response message, wherein the second request message includes the encoded message element; and
the transaction processor recovering the state of the transaction by decoding the encoded message element,wherein the encoding step comprises steganographically encoding the first data in second data, andwherein the first response message is a credit card authorization response, and the second request message is a credit card billing request associated with the credit card authorization response.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for communicating state information in an electronic message. First data representing a state of an electronic transaction is encoded, to result in creating an encoded message element that is impractical for a recipient to decode. For example, steganographic invisibility encoding may be used. The encoded message element is sent as part of a first message associated with the transaction. A second message associated with the transaction is received, and the third message includes the encoded message element. The encoded message element is decoded, to result in recovering the state of the transaction, which is used in processing the second message. As a result, large volumes of state information are sent to clients for local, transitory storage, precluding the need for a large state data store on the server side.
57 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of communicating state information in an electronic message, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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a transaction processor receiving a first request message of a transaction; the transaction processor encoding first data representing a state of the transaction to result in creating an encoded message element that is impractical for a recipient to decode; the transaction processor sending the encoded message element as part of a first response message associated with the transaction; the transaction processor receiving a second request message associated with the transaction and responsive to the first response message, wherein the second request message includes the encoded message element; and the transaction processor recovering the state of the transaction by decoding the encoded message element, wherein the encoding step comprises steganographically encoding the first data in second data, and wherein the first response message is a credit card authorization response, and the second request message is a credit card billing request associated with the credit card authorization response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of communicating state information relating to an electronic commerce transaction that is performed among a merchant and a transaction processor, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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a transaction processor receiving a first request message associated with the electronic commerce transaction from a merchant; the transaction processor creating and storing first data representing a state of the electronic commerce transaction; the transaction processor steganographically encoding the first data in second data to result in creating an encoded message element; the transaction processor communicating the encoded message element to the merchant as part of a second response message associated with the electronic commerce transaction; the transaction processor receiving a third request message from the merchant associated with the electronic commerce transaction and responsive to the second response message, wherein the third request message includes the encoded message element; the transaction processor recovering the state of the electronic commerce transaction by decoding the encoded message element; and the transaction processor using the recovered state in processing the third request message, wherein the second response message is a credit card authorization response, and the third request message is a credit card billing request associated with the credit card authorization response.
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15. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for communicating state information in an electronic message, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out:
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encoding first data representing a state of an electronic commerce transaction to result in creating an encoded message element that is impractical for a recipient to decode; sending the encoded message element as part of a first response message associated with the electronic commerce transaction; receiving a second request message associated with the electronic commerce transaction and responsive to the first response message, wherein the second request message includes the encoded message element; and recovering the state of the electronic commerce transaction by decoding the encoded message element, wherein the encoding step comprises steganographically encoding the first data in second data, and wherein the first response message is a credit card authorization response, and the second request message is a credit card billing request associated with the credit card authorization response.
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16. An apparatus for communicating state information in an electronic message, comprising:
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a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom; a processor; one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out; encoding first data representing a state of an electronic customer-merchant transaction to result in creating an encoded message element that is impractical for a recipient to decode; sending the encoded message element as part of a first response message associated with the transaction; receiving a second request message associated with the same transaction and responsive to the first response message, wherein the second request message includes the encoded message element; and recovering the state of the transaction by decoding the encoded message element, wherein the encoding step comprises steganographically encoding the first data in second data, and wherein the first response message is a credit card authorization response, and the second request message is a credit card billing request associated with the credit card authorization response. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification