Providing information without authentication

• US 9,704,161 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oates, Isaac, Lo, Sherman, Ebel, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Obeid, Mamon
• Application Number:
  US12/147,876
• Time in Patent Office: 3,301 Days
• Field of Search: 705 25, 705 26, 705 64
• 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 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/08 Payment architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38 Payment protocols; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Techniques for providing information to a user without requiring the user to authenticate are described herein. In some instances, a user enters a payment identifier for the purpose of determining a fully-landed cost of one or more items. In response, a transaction processing service compares item details with information associated with the payment identifier and/or information about the owner of the identifier. The service may then provide this identifier-specific fully-landed cost to the user without requiring the user to authenticate or prove that she is the owner of the payment identifier.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first server system that operates in a first network domain, wherein the first server system stores a database that maintains a plurality of payment identifier profiles associated with an owner, and a plurality of service provider profiles, individual payment identifier profiles of the plurality of payment identifier profiles including transaction account information of the owner; and

a second server system that operates in a second network domain that is distinct from the first network domain, wherein the second server system hosts a service provider site of a service provider, the service provider site being configured to serve a page to a user device, the page including first content served by the first server system and second content served by the second server system, wherein the second content pertains to an item available for purchase via the service provider site in response to the site being accessed by the user device, and wherein the first content comprises a widget that allows a user of the user device to engage in a transaction with the service provider to consume or obtain the item;

wherein the first server system is configured with computer-executable instructions that are executable on one or more processors to;

provide a service for enabling users to engage in transactions on service provider sites outside the first network domain without having to create accounts with, and without having to supply the transaction account information to the service provider site;

respond to a browser request from the user device for the first content by returning the widget to the user device;

receive, from the second server system, information about the item;

receive, from the user device, a payment identifier associated with a payment identifier profile of the plurality of payment identifier profiles;

access, from the database and without authenticating the user, the payment identifier profile to determine a shipping option, a billing address, and a purchase history associated with the payment identifier;

access, from the database, a service provider profile of the plurality of service provider profiles that is associated with the service provider to determine a cost of the item, a shipping cost associated with the shipping option, a tax rate associated with the billing address, and promotion information;

determine broken-out costs associated with the payment identifier, the broken-out costs including;

the shipping cost;

a sales tax based at least in part on the tax rate and the cost of the item; and

a promotional discount based at least in part on the promotion information and the purchase history;

determine a fully-landed cost of the item based at least in part on the cost of the item and the broken-out costs;

respond to a browser request from the user device by returning to the user device, via the widget, an indication of the fully-landed cost of the item, the indication being made available without authenticating that the user of the user device is the owner of the payment identifier; and

in response to returning, to the user device, the indication of the fully-landed cost and in response to receiving an indication from the user device that approves a purchase of the item using the payment identifier, authenticate the user by determining that the user is the owner of the payment identifier.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein returning the indication of the fully-landed cost further comprises providing the indication to a computing device of the service provider.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the payment identifier comprises a transaction phrase token associated with a payment instrument specified in the transaction account information, the transaction phrase token comprising a set of characters that has a secondary meaning to the owner.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the broken-out costs including the promotional discount comprises comparing (i) the purchase history associated with the payment identifier to (ii) the promotion information to determine whether the purchase history satisfies criteria specified in the promotion information.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first server system is further configured to:

determine, from the payment identifier profile, rules associated with the payment identifier; and

determine that the payment identifier is useable to acquire the item based at least in part on a comparison of the rules with the information about the item.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first server system is further configured to:

determine, from the payment identifier profile, rules associated with the payment identifier;

determining that the payment identifier is useable to acquire the item based at least in part on a comparison of the rules with the information about the item; and

providing, to the user device, an indication that the payment identifier is useable to acquire the item.

7. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of the rules limits an amount to be charged to a payment instrument specified in the transaction account information.

8. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of the rules limits purchases made with the payment identifier to one or more specified item categories.

9. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of the rules specifies a time range during which the payment identifier is useable.

10. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of the rules specifies the service provider or a class of service providers with which the payment identifier is useable to conduct transactions.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the fully-landed cost is further based on a gift wrapping cost for the items.

13. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the payment identifier comprises a token identifier associated with the payment instrument, the token identifier comprising a sound.

12. A system comprising:

a first server system that operates in a first network domain, wherein the first server system stores a database that maintains a plurality of payment identifier profiles associated with an owner, and a plurality of service provider profiles, individual payment identifier profiles of the plurality of payment identifier profiles including transaction account information of the owner; and

a second server system that operates in a second network domain that is distinct from the first network domain, wherein the second server system hosts a service provider site of a service provider, the service provider site being configured to serve a page to a user device, the page including first content served by the first server system and second content served by the second server system, wherein the second content pertains to an item available for purchase via the service provider site in response to the site being accessed by the user device, and wherein the first content comprises a widget that allows a user of the user device to engage in a transaction with the service provider to consume or obtain the item;

wherein the first server system comprises one or more processors and one or more computer-readable media storing;

the database; and

computer-executable instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, are operable to;

provide a service for enabling users to engage in transactions on service provider sites outside the first network domain without having to create accounts with, and without having to supply the transaction account information to the service provider site;

respond to a browser request from the user device for the first content by returning the widget to the user device;

receive, from the second server system, information about the item in response to the service provider site being accessed by the user device;

receive a transaction phrase token from the user device, the transaction phrase token being associated with a payment identifier profile of the plurality of payment identifier profiles, the payment identifier profile including a payment instrument;

identify, in the payment identifier profile upon accessing the database, first information usable to determine a shipping cost, a sales tax, and a promotional discount;

identify, in a service provider profile of the plurality of service provider profiles that is associated with the service provider upon accessing the database, second information usable, in combination with the first information, to determine the shipping cost, the sales tax, and the promotional discount;

determine, based on the first information and the second information, the shipping cost, the sales tax and the promotional discount;

determine a fully-landed cost of the item based at least in part on a cost of the item, the shipping cost, the sales tax, and the promotional discount;

respond to a browser request from the user device by causing a display, via the widget, of an indication of the fully-landed cost of the item on the user device, the indication being displayed without authenticating that the user of the user device is the owner of the transaction phrase token; and

in response to causing the display, on the user device, of the indication of the fully-landed cost and in response to receiving an indication from the user device that approves a purchase of the item using the transaction phrase token, authenticate the user by determining that the user is the owner of the transaction phrase token.

14. A system as recited in claim 12, the computer-executable instructions, when executed on the one or more processors, are further operable to cause the indication of the fully-landed cost to be displayed on a computing device of the service provider.

15. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the transaction phrase token comprises a set of characters that has a secondary meaning to the owner.

16. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein determining the promotional discount comprises comparing (i) a purchase history in the first information from the payment identifier profile to (ii) promotion information in the second information from the service provider profile to determine whether the purchase history satisfies criteria specified in the promotion information.

17. A system as recited in claim 12, the computer-executable instructions, when executed on the one or more processors, are further operable to:

determine, from the payment identifier profile, rules associated with the transaction phrase token; and

determine that the transaction phrase token is useable to acquire the item based at least in part on a comparison of the rules with the information about the item.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein at least one of the rules specifies the service provider or a class of service providers with which the payment identifier is useable to conduct transactions.

19. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the fully-landed cost is further based on a gift wrapping cost for the item.

20. A method comprising:

operating a first server system in a first network domain to store a database that maintains a plurality of payment identifier profiles associated with an owner, and a plurality of service provider profiles, individual payment identifier profiles of the plurality of payment identifier profiles including transaction account information of the owner;

operating a second server system in a second network domain that is distinct from the first network domain, wherein the second server system hosts a service provider site of a service provider, the service provider site being configured to serve a page to a user device, the page including first content served by the first server system and second content served by the second server system, wherein the second content pertains to an item available for purchase via the service provider site in response to the site being accessed by the user device, and wherein the first content comprises a widget that allows a user of the user device to engage in a transaction with the service provider to consume or obtain the item;

providing, by the first server system, a service for enabling users to engage in transactions on service provider sites outside the first network domain without having to create accounts with, and without having to supply the transaction account information to the service provider site;

responding, by the first server system, to a browser request from the user device for the first content by returning the widget to the user device;

receiving, by the first server system from the second server system, information about the item accessed by the user device on the service provider site of the service provider;

receiving, by the first server system from the user device, a payment identifier that the user device provided via the site, the payment identifier being associated with a payment identifier profile of the plurality of payment identifier profiles;

accessing, by the first server system, the database to identify, from among the plurality of payment identifier profiles associated with the owner, the payment identifier profile;

identifying, by the first server system, in the payment identifier profile, first information usable to determine a shipping cost, a sales tax, and a promotional discount;

accessing, by the first server system, the database to identify, from among the plurality of service provider profiles, a service provider profile associated with the service provider;

identifying, by the first server system, in the service provider profile, second information usable, in combination with the first information, to determine the shipping cost, the sales tax, and the promotional discount;

determining, by the first server system, based on the first information and the second information, the shipping cost, the sales tax, and the promotional discount;

determining, by the first server system, a fully-landed cost of the item based at least in part on a cost of the item, the shipping cost, the sales tax, and the promotional discount;

responding, by the first server system, to a browser request from the user device by causing presentation, via the widget, of an indication of the fully-landed cost of the item on the user device, the indication being presented without authenticating that the user of the user device is the owner of the payment identifier; and

in response to causing the presentation, on the user device, of the indication of the fully-landed cost and in response to receiving an indication from the user device that approves a purchase of the item using the payment identifier, authenticating, by the first server system, the user by determining that the user is the owner of the payment identifier.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising causing the indication of the fully-landed cost to be displayed on a computing device of the service provider.

22. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the payment identifier comprises a transaction phrase token associated with a payment instrument, the transaction phrase token comprising a set of characters that has a secondary meaning to the owner.

23. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein determining the promotional discount comprises comparing (i) a purchase history in the first information from the payment identifier profile to (ii) promotion information in the second information from the service provider profile to determine whether the purchase history satisfies criteria specified in the promotion information.

24. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

determining, from the payment identifier profile, rules associated with the payment identifier; and

determining that the payment identifier is useable to acquire the item based at least in part on a comparison of the rules with the information about the item.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one of the rules specifies the service provider or a class of service providers with which the payment identifier is useable to conduct transactions.

26. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the fully-landed cost is further based on a gift wrapping cost for the item.