Automated application programming interface (API) system and method

• US 9,495,679 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swoop IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: @Pay IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Kassemi, James, Holcomb, Lawrence Glen, Walz-Burkett, Dave, Killoran, John P. Jr., Zulick, Nora, Cassio, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Agwumezie, Charles C
• Application Number:
  US14/216,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 705/67
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0279 Fundraising management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

A method for leveraging email to complete an online transaction from a third party vendor, the method comprising: storing customer information, the customer information including a customer name, customer email address, customer shipping address, and customer billing information. The method further comprises receiving an authorization request from an application programming interface associated with a third party vendor requesting access to a portion of the customer information and receiving confirmation from a customer to allow the third party vendor to access the portion of the customer information. The method further comprising transmitting an access code to the third party vendor and receiving a request message from the third party vendor, wherein the request message comprises the access code, and wherein the request message requests an authorization token. The method may further comprise confirming the received access code and transmitting an authorization token to the third party vendor.

Claims

1. A method for leveraging email to complete an online transaction from a third party vendor, the method comprising:

storing, by a computer memory, customer information, the customer information including a customer name, customer email address, customer shipping address, and customer billing information;

receiving, by a receiving device, an authorization request from an application programming interface associated with a third party vendor requesting access to a portion of the customer information;

receiving, by the receiving device, confirmation from a customer to allow the third party vendor to access the portion of the customer information;

transmitting, by a transmitting device, an access code to the third party vendor;

receiving, by the receiving device, a request message from the third party vendor, wherein the request message comprises the access code, and the request message comprises a request for an authorization token;

confirming, by the processor of the receiving device, the received access code; and

transmitting, by the transmitting device, an authorization token corresponding to the request for an authorization token to the third party vendor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the transmitting device, transmitting a request to process a purchase from the customer, wherein the request includes the authorization token.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the token is an encrypted string and is embedded in a message body of the second email.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the third party vendor is an online retail website.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the third party vendor is a non-profit organization and the at least one item to be purchased is a donation to the non-profit organization.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the customer information includes a first name, last name and an email address.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by an application programming interface (API) dashboard, instructions to update the customer information.

8. A system for leveraging email to complete an online transaction from a third party vendor, the system comprising:

computer memory configured to store customer information, the customer information including a customer name, customer email address, customer shipping address, and customer billing information;

a receiving device, configured to receive an authorization request from an application programming interface associated with a third party vendor requesting access to a portion of the customer information;

the receiving device, further configured to receive confirmation from a customer to allow the third party vendor to access the portion of the customer information;

a transmitting device, configured to transmit an access code to the third party vendor;

the receiving device, further configured to receive a request message from the third party vendor, wherein the request message comprises the access code, and the request message comprises a request for an authorization token;

a processor of the receiving device, configured to confirm the received access code; and

the transmitting device, further configured to transmit an authorization token corresponding to the request for an authorization token to the third party vendor.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising transmitting, by the transmitting device, a request to process a purchase from the customer, wherein the request includes the authorization token.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the token is an encrypted string and is embedded in a message body of the second email.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the third party vendor is an online retail website.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the third party vendor is a non-profit organization and the at least one item to be purchased is a donation to the non-profit organization.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the portion of the customer information includes a first name, last name and an email address.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising an application programming interface (API) dashboard configured to receive instructions to update the customer information.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method for leveraging email to complete an online transaction from a third party vendor, the method comprising:

storing customer information in a computer memory, the customer information including a customer name, customer email address, customer shipping address, and customer billing information;

receiving an authorization request from an application programming interface associated with a third party vendor requesting access to a portion of the customer information;

receiving confirmation, via a receiving device, from a customer to allow the third party vendor to access the portion of the customer information;

transmitting, by a transmitting device, an access code to the third party vendor;

receiving, via the receiving device, a request message from the third party vendor, wherein the request message comprises the access code, and the request message comprises a request for an authorization token;

confirming, by a processor of the receiving device, the received access code; and

transmitting, by the transmitting device, an authorization token corresponding to the request for an authorization token to the third party vendor.