WO2002026021A2

WO2002026021A2 - System and method for internet anonymous id transactions

Info

Publication number: WO2002026021A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/005801
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael T. Mcclorey
Original assignee: Catalina Marketing International, Inc.
Priority date: 2000-09-26
Filing date: 2001-03-12
Publication date: 2002-04-04
Also published as: CA2422543A1; AU2001250780A1; ITMI20010511A1; JP2004514200A; BE1014171A6; ZA200101940B

Description

System and Method for Internet Anonymous Id Transactions

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention:

This invention relates to transactions over the Internet.

Discussion of the Background:

Use of the Internet for transactions suffers due to the lack of privacy and lack of security. Privacy issues relate to the use of identifying information obtained from a user as a condition precedent to a transaction. Many people find the requirement to provide personal information as a condition precedent to a transaction over the Internet a sufficient disincentive to avoid transactions over the Internet. Security issues exist due to the indefinite multi-segment path that a signal may take between a client computer and a server computer. In addition, security issues exist due to the insecurity of user information stored in databases associated with a server. For example, it has been reported that credit card information and identity information have been stolen from databases associated with servers, that stolen credit card numbers have fraudulently been used to purchase over the Internet, and that the stolen credit information has been used improperly for other transactions. Credit card fraud of this type is currently a major concern. For the last few years, there has been a widely known need for improved privacy and security in order to more fully enable Internet transactions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is one object to this invention to provide privacy to the users of the Internet.

Another object of the invention is to provide privacy to users of the Internet for transactions over the Internet.

Yet another object to the invention is to provide increased security for transactions over the Internet.

These and other objects are provided by a system and method providing a means for enabling a transaction over the Internet involving a purchaser, a seller, and a third party, wherein the real identity of one party to the transaction (typically the purchaser) is known to the third party, but not to another party (typically the seller). In addition, enhanced transaction security may be provided by the third party requiring confirmation from the purchaser of the requested transaction, in which the confirmation signal path through the Internet is different from the purchaser's request signal path through the Internet. Other embodiments of the transaction involve a debit or credit account maintained by the third party to the transaction or by a fourth party (i.e., a bank) and means for confirming credit of the purchasing party with a bank or debit or credit organization with which the purchasing party maintains an account.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The sole figure is a schematic view of a novel network of computers and data structures of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 shows a user's computer 1. The user's computer 1 may be a conventional personal computer including a central processing unit, memory, and input and output devices such as a mouse, keyboard, and a video screen. Alternatively, the user's computer 1 may be a wireless, personal digital assistant in which the I/O device may consist merely of a numeric keypad or a wireless application protocol interface. Alternatively, the I/O device may consist of voice recognition and reproduction means. The actual structure of the user's computer 1 is not significant, so long as the user's computer 1 can function as a network client using, for example, TCP/IP protocal.

The network system also includes a merchant's computer 2 and associated merchant computer database 3. The merchant's computer 2 functions as a web server. The merchant's computer database 3 stores information regarding the merchant's wares and information regarding the merchant's customer. Specifically, the merchant's computei database 3 may store information about the merchant's customers such as an identification for each customer, customer's prior purchases (items purchased, dates of purchase, cost of purchases), the customer's e-mail address, the customer's postal address, the customer's telephone number, and the customer's purchasing preferences.

In addition, the merchant's computer database 3 may store an anonymous identification (provided to a customer by the anonymous identification computer 4) in association with products purchased or requested for purchase in association with the anonymous identification. Preferably, the merchant's computer database 3 does not store in association with the anonymous identification additional information identifying the customer, and does not store in association with the anonymous identification information providing means to contact the customer. In addition, the merchant's computer database 3 may store in association with the anonymous identification, an indication whether the anonymous identification computer 4 has transmitted a signal indication that the owner of the anonymous identification computer 4 has agreed to credit the merchant's account for the cost of the items for which purchase was requested in association with the anonymous identification.

The anonymous identification computer 4 preferably functions as a web server for communicating with the merchant's computer 2, the user's computer 1, and the bank's computer 6. The anonymous identification computer 4 is associated with and communicates with an identification database 5.

The identification database 5 contains an identification of a user in association with an anonymous identification assigned to the user. The identification computer 4 or another computer may assign the anonymous identification to the user. Alternatively, the user may transmit a requested anonymous identification to the identification computer 4. In addition, associated with the identification of the user in identification database 5 may by the user's address, telephone number, e-mail address, work address, work e-mail address, credit card number, bank issuing the credit card number, credit rating, credit limit, purchase preferences, goods and/or service categories for which the anonymous identification may be used for transactions, prior transaction data including what goods and services were purchased, universal product codes identifying what was purchased, the dates associated with each item purchased, the amounts of each purchase, the identity of the other party involved in each purchase, contact information such as e-mail address and postal address for the other party involved in each purchase, and bank or credit information for the other party involved in each purchase.

In addition, the identification database 5 may store data indicating the timeliness of each merchant's provision of goods and services purchased by one of the users of the service provided by the identification computer 4, which service is further discussed below. The timeliness data may be analyzed by the identification computer 4 to rate the responsiveness of each merchant. The responsiveness rating of each or all merchants may be supplied to the one or more users of the anonymous identification service (1) periodically, (2) from time to time, or (3) when the user requests, and based upon which merchants for which the user wants information.

The organization owning and controlling the anonymous identification computer 4 may maintain a debit and/or a credit account for some or all of the users of the service provided by the anonymous identification computer 4, such as the user of client computer 1. That is, the entity owning the anonymous identification computer 4 may act as a bank.

Alternatively to the entity owning the identification computer 4 acting as a bank, that entity may employ the services of a bank owning and controlling bank computer 6. Bank computer 6 is owned by a bank or debit or credit organization maintaining a debit or credit account for the user of client computer 1. Bank computer 6 is associated with and communicates with bank database 7. Bank database 7 maintains account information for those people and legal entities having an account with the bank.

The client computer 1 may connect to the Internet 22 over connection means 8, such as a wire or a wireless transmission. The merchant computer 2 may connect to the Internet over a communication means 9 such as a wire or wireless transmission. The identification computer 4 may connect to the Internet 22 using a communication means 11 such as a wire or wireless transmission. The merchant computer 2 and the identification computer 4 may communicate via communication means 10, such as a direct line transmission or a dial up line, which do not involve the Internet. The identification computer 4 and the bank computer 6 may communicate via a communication line 12, such as a direct connection or a dial up line, which do not involve the Internet.

In a transaction in which the user of client computer 1 wishes to purchase a product from the merchant owning merchant computer 2, the user typically enters information in a form provided in a web page provided by the merchant's computer 2. This information includes identification of the products and services requested and may include a requested means for delivering the products or services, e.g., electronically, via courier, etc. However, the user need not provide personal information, i.e., need not have to provide the user's name, address, e-mail address, or any other information providing means for the merchant to contact the user, except for the user's anonymous identification. The information provided by the user, typically via a web page form, is transmitted to the merchant computer 2. Thus, the information entered into the form by the user and transmitted back to the merchant computer 2 contains a purchase request including identification of a product or a service and an anonymous identification. Upon receipt of the purchase request from the client computer 1, the merchant computer 2 may store the anonymous identification and the product or service for which purchase is requested in database 3. The merchant computer 2 transmits to the anonymous identification computer 4 the price required for purchase of the products or services requested in the transmission from the client computer 1 and the associated anonymous identification.

The anonymous identification computer 4 determines from the anonymous identification, it receives from the merchant's computer 2 the real identification of the user using client computer 1, and determines whether to provide credit to the merchant owning merchant computer 2 in the amount required to complete the transaction between the merchant and to the user or to authorize the transaction. Once the anonymous identification computer 4 has made the determination of whether to extend credit, it transmits an indication of that determination back to the merchant computer 2. It may be that the amount required to complete the transaction is discounted from the merchant's retail price or includes a fee payable to the owner of the anonymous identification computer 4.

The determination whether to extend credit includes one of the following alternative set of steps.

First, the identification of computer 4 may determine to provide credit, if there is an anonymous identification associated with the corresponding actual identification of a user in database 5. This may be the only step required for extension of credit.

Alternatively, additional sets of steps may be required for provision of credit to the merchant operating merchant computer 2.

In one set of steps, the anonymous identification computer 4 determines the identity corresponding to the anonymous identification received from the merchant computer 2, transmits to the bank computer 6 one or both of the actual identity and a bank account number associated with that actual identification and request that the bank computer 6 extend credit to the anonymous identification computer 4 based upon the identity, dollar amount, and bank account information for the user of client computer 1. If the bank computer 6 authorizes credit to the identification computer 4, the identification computer 4 can in turn extend credit to the merchant owning merchant computer 2, thereby enabling the merchant computer 2 to accept the user's request to purchase goods or services, even though the merchant computer 2 may have no record of means to contact the user. The bank computer 6, in response to an inquiry from the identification computer 4, may determine from database 7 whether the identity received from the identification computer 4 corresponded to a bank customer that had either sufficient credit or funds available in their account to pay for the dollar value of the goods or services requested from the merchant by the user of the client computer 1.

In another alternative set of steps, the entity owning the anonymous identification computer 4 maintains a bank account and/or a credit account for the user or legal entity whose identity is associated with the anonymous identification received from merchant computer 2. Data for the account may be stored in database 5. In this alternative, after confirming that the anonymous identification received from merchant computer 2 corresponds to an identity of a user or legal entity stored in database 4, the identification computer 4 determines whether the account associated with the user having the anonymous identification received from the merchant computer 2 has sufficient funds available or sufficient credit in the user's account data stored in datebase 5. Assuming the anonymous identification computer 4 determines that sufficient funds or credit to pay for the goods or services requested by the user of client computer 1 from the merchant computer 2 exist in the account, the anonymous identification computer 4 transmits a signal to the merchant computer 2 indicating that the owner of the anonymous identification computer 4 is extending credit for the purchase requested in the amount required to complete the purchase between the user of client computer 1 and the merchant owning merchant computer 2.

In the foregoing computer implementing methods of completing the transaction between the user of client computer 1 and the merchant owning merchant computer 2, the merchants is never provided with the identity of the user of client computer 1. The merchant preferably is also not provided with a means to contact the user of client computer 1. In order to transmit to the user the goods or services purchased in such a transaction, the merchant may be instructed by the anonymous computer 4 where to transmit goods or services, and may be instructed to transmit goods and services to an address of the entity owning the anonymous identification computer 4, a fourth party's distribution center, or to an address for the purchaser. If the goods or services are electronic data, such as a computer program, graphic, or data file, the transaction may be completed by the merchant computer 2 transmitting the data to the anonymous identification computer 4 or another computer other than client computer 1 along with information identifying the transaction, and the anonymous identification computer 4 may then forward the electronic data to the client computer 1, preferably also along with information identifying the transaction. The merchant computer 2 may also be instructed to transmit the data directly to client computer 1. If the goods or services purchased by the user of the client computer 1 are physical goods, the merchant owning merchant computer 2 may be instructed by the anonymous identification computer 4 to ship the goods along with information identifying the transaction to an address of the owner of anonymous identification of computer 4. The owner of the anonymous identification computer 4 may then have the goods for the transaction shipped to the postal address associated in database 5 with the identity of the user having anonymous ID for the transaction, that is, to the user of client computer 1.

If the subject matter of the purchase from the merchant computer 2 corresponds to services to be provided by a fourth party, the anonymous identification computer 4 may transmit a request to the fourth party service provider requesting the specified services, and then forward the specified services to the user of client computer 1. Alternatively, the anonymous identification computer 4 may identify to the fourth party service provider the identity and contact information (e-mail and postal address, telephone, facsimile number, etc.) for the user associated with the anonymous identification used to purchase the services from the merchant computer 4.

The information exchanged between the merchant computer 2, the anonymous identification computer 4, and the bank computer 6 each may be via direct connection (closed or private network) or via a connection over the Internet 22.

The foregoing computer implemented methods prevent the merchant from identifying the user and are intended inter alia to prevent the merchant from contacting the user, for example, by transmitting unwanted e-mail or postal solicitations to the user. However, the foregoing computer implemented methods do not increase the security of the transaction. Specifically, the foregoing computer implemented methods do not prevent a thief who has obtained the anonymous identification from a user from using that anonymous identification to make a purchase. The embodiments below help to prevent that type of theft.

In addition to determining whether credit is available, the identification computer 4 may transmit a message to the e-mail address associated in database 5 associated with the user of the anonymous identification received from the merchant computer 2. The e-mail may request confirmation that it is in fact the user of client computer 1 requesting the purchase from the merchant, and may request a code (e.g., a user's password) confirming that it is the user of the anonymous identification service requesting the purchase from the merchant. The additional check with the client computer 1 prevents a thief operating from a computer other than client computer 1 from improperly using a stolen, anonymous identification, and the requirement of a password prevents a thief operating client computer 1 from improperly using a stolen anonymous identification.

If identification computer 4 receives a response from client computer 1 (either an e- mail or a query received from client computer 1 by the web server of identification computer 4), the identification computer 4 may extend credit for the purchase requested by client computer 1 to the owner of merchant computer 2, and the owner of merchant computers 2 should in turn comply with instructions for delivering purchased goods or services, which will ultimately be delivered to the user using the anonymous identification.

Moreover, the users of the service provided by identification computer 4 may have instructed anonymous identification computer 4 to limit the types or classes of goods and services for which the anonymous identification may be used in a purchase transaction. A thief attempting to improperly use a stolen anonymous identification for a transaction outside the classes of goods and services defined by the owner of the rightful anonymous identification, that is, the user of client computer 1 will be prevented from completing the theft because identification of computer 4 will not extend credit to merchant computer 2 to complete the transaction for goods and services outside the predefined classes.

It should be noted that a request from the user of client computer 1 to the merchant's computer 2 may enter the Internet at the user's Internet Service Provider (ISP) point 14 and be transmitted over a path including at least computer node 18 before arriving at the ISP Internet point of entry 15 for the merchant computer 2. Similarly, a transmission from the merchant computer 2 to the identification computer 4 over the Internet may travel over a path between computer nodes 15, 19, and 16. Similarly, an Internet transmission from the identification computer 4 to the client computer 1 may pass through nodes 16, 20 and 14. Similarly, transmission from the identification computer 4 to the bank computer 6 may pass through nodes 16, 21, and 17. Since it is likely that the only common node for Internet transmission to and from the client computer 1 (to and from merchant computer 2 and anonymous identification computer 4) is node 14, a thief transmitting a signal from anywhere else in the Internet will not be able to both (1) transmit a purchase request to merchant computer 2 and (2) receive an e-mail request for authorization for that purchase addressed to the user's e-mail address or client computer 1. Hence, such a thief would not be able to confirm the transaction to the anonymous identification computer 4 in response to a e-mail confirmation request from the anonymous identification computer 4. Accordingly, the invention uses the multi-path nature of the Internet to prevent a thief from both requesting and confirming a purchase.

In alternative embodiments, the buyer does not know the identity of the seller, and the buyer's offers to buy are available over the Internet from a buyer's computer. For example, in such embodiment, a seller requests to sell to the buyer what the buyer has asked for and transmits that offer to sell from the seller's computer to the buyer's computer in association with an anonymous identification provided to the seller by the anonymous identification computer 4. In this embodiment, it is the buyer's computer that transmits a signal to the anonymous identification computer 4 containing the anonymous identification, and the anonymous identification computer 4 transmits a signal back to the buyer's computer after determining whether to authorize or credit the transaction based upon the seller's anonymous identification.

The determination to authorize or credit may be based upon an indication of credit or an account amount for either the purchaser or seller in any of the foregoing embodiments.

In an additional alternative embodiment, client's ISP is the anonymous identification computer or (anonymous identification computer system of more than one computer) 4, the anonymous identification computer acts to scramble the user's identification information prior to transmitting the information to another address on the Internet, such as the address for the merchant's computer 2, so that the merchant's computer 2 can not maintain a record identifying the client computer 1 or the email or physical address of the user of the client computer 1. In this embodiment, the anonymous identification computer 4 may provide any or all of the transaction features mentioned above, including the forward shipping of electronic data and of goods and services, to the user of client computer 1.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A computer network implemented method for an anonymous transaction comprising the steps of: receiving at a merchant's computer a request for purchase of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; transmitting from the merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for purchase of said at least one good or service; determining at said anonymous identification computer whether there exists identification of a user associated with said anonymous identification; and determining whether to credit or authorize said merchant for said dollar value based at least in part upon said determination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining whether to credit or authorize comprises the steps of transmitting to a bank's computer a first signal containing at least one of said actual identification and an account number associated with said actual identification; and receiving from said bank's computer a second signal in response to said first signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining whether to credit or authorize comprises the step of determining credit associated with an account associated with said user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting a signal from said anonymous identification computer to said merchant's computer indicating crediting an account of the merchant by a reduced dollar amount.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said reduced dollar amount is less than said dollar value.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting to said merchant's computer a signal authorizing the merchant accepting said request for purchase.

7. A computer network implemented method for purchasing comprising the steps of: receiving at a merchant's computer a request for purchase of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; transmitting from said merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for purchase of said at least one good or service; determining at said anonymous identification computer a user's Internet address associated with a user entitled to said anonymous identification; transmitting to said user's Internet address a signal indicating said request for purchase; and receiving at said anonymous identification computer a signal from said Internet address confirming said request for purchase.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said signal from said Internet address contains a password associated with said user.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of determining whether said signal from said Internet address contains a password associated with said user.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of transmitting from said anonymous identification computer to said merchant's computer a signal indicating crediting the merchant said dollar value.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of transmitting from said anonymous identification computer to said merchant's computer a signal indicating crediting the merchant an amount.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of crediting the merchant by an amount.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of transmitting from said anonymous computer to said merchant's computer a signal authorizing the merchant accepting said request for purchase.

14. A computer network system for anonymous transactions comprising: means for receiving at a merchant's computer a request for purchase of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; means for transmitting from the merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for purchase of said at least one good or service; means for determining at said anonymous identification computer whether there exists identification of a user associated with said anonymous identification; and means for determining whether to credit or authorize said merchant for said dollar value based at least in part upon said determination.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for determining whether to credit or authorize further comprises: means for transmitting to a bank's computer a first signal containing at least one of said actual identification and an account number associated with said actual identification; and means for receiving from said bank's computer a second signal in response to said first signal.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for determining whether to credit or authorize comprises means for determining credit associated with an account associated with said user.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for transmitting a signal from said anonymous identification computer to said merchant's computer indicating crediting an account of the merchant by a reduced dollar amount.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said reduced dollar amount is less than said dollar value.

19. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for transmitting to said merchant's computer a signal authorizing the merchant accepting said request for purchase.

20. A computer network system for purchasing comprising: means for receiving at a merchant's computer a request for purchase of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; means for transmitting from said merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for purchase of said at least one good or service; means for determining at said anonymous identification computer a user's Internet address associated with a user entitled to said anonymous identification; means for transmitting to said user's Internet address a signal indicating said request for purchase; and means for receiving at said anonymous identification computer a signal from said Internet address confirming said request for purchase.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said signal from said Internet address contains a password associated with said user.

22. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for determining whether said signal from said Internet address contains a password associated with said user.

23. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for transmitting from said anonymous identification computer to said merchant's computer a signal indicating crediting the merchant said dollar value.

24. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for transmitting from said anonymous identification computer to said merchant's computer a signal indicating crediting the merchant an amount.

25. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for crediting the merchant by an amount.

26. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for transmitting from said anonymous computer to said merchant's computer a signal authorizing the merchant accepting said request for purchase.

27. A computer network implemented method for an anonymous transaction comprising the steps of: receiving at a merchant's computer a request for sale of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; transmitting from the merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for sale of said at least one good or service; determining at said anonymous identification computer whether there exists identification of a user associated with said anonymous identification; and determining whether to credit or authorize said merchant for said dollar value based at least in part upon said determination.

28. A computer network implemented method for selling comprising the steps of: receiving at a merchant's computer a request for sale of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; transmitting from said merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for sale of said at least one good or service; determining at said anonymous identification computer a user's Internet address associated with a user entitled to said anonymous identification; transmitting to said user's Internet address a signal indicating said request for sale; and receiving at said anonymous identification computer a signal from said Internet address confirming said request for sale.

29. A computer network implemented method for selling comprising the steps of: receiving at a merchant's computer a request for sale of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; transmitting from said merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for sale of said at least one good or service; determining at said anonymous identification computer a user's Internet address associated with a user entitled to said anonymous identification; transmitting to said user's Internet address a signal indicating said request for sale; and receiving at said anonymous identification computer a signal from said Internet address confirming said request for sale.

30. A computer network system for anonymous transactions comprising: means for receiving at a merchant's computer a request for sale of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; means for transmitting from the merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for sale of said at least one good or service; means for determining at said anonymous identification computer whether there exists identification of a user associated with said anonymous identification; and means for determining whether to credit or authorize said merchant for said dollar value based at least in part upon said determination.

31. A computer network system for selling comprising: means for receiving at a merchant's computer a request for sale of at least one good or service in association with an anonymous identification transmitted over the Internet; means for transmitting from said merchant's computer to an anonymous identification computer said anonymous identification and a dollar value for sale of said at least one good or service; means for determining at said anonymous identification computer a user's Internet address associated with a user entitled to said anonymous identification; means for transmitting to said user's Internet address a signal indicating said request for sale; and means for receiving at said anonymous identification computer a signal from said Internet address confirming said request for sale.