Method and apparatus for secure online transactions
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for performing secure online transactions provides a user interface that is intuitive and easily to understand. The invention integrates an online wallet service with credit card issuers that provide online credit card authentication services. The method provides a keypad interface for PIN entry, or an interface that resembles an offline transaction receipt. The apparatus that stores personal information and credit card information uses a level-two authentication password to protect the user's credit card information. The invention integrates with the credit card issuer when a personal identification number is required for the user to perform online transactions by the credit card issuer. The embodiments include integrations when the level-two authentication password is equivalent to the personal identification number and that when they or not equivalent.
1. An online transaction method comprising the steps of:
registering, by a user, to a merchant through a wallet service by providing said user's personal and credit card information, wherein said step of registering at a site of said merchant further comprises the steps of:
starting, by said user, to add a credit card to said wallet;
said wallet contacting a credit card issuer over a network and checking whether said credit card issuer provides online enrollment of additional online authentication;
said wallet asking said user to opt into online credit card authentication from said credit card issuer;
performing a step from a group of steps consisting of:
storing said credit card into said wallet when said user does not opt in; and
notifying said credit card issuer when the user does opt in;
the user providing a first level authentication to said merchant when said user logs on to start a transaction;
shopping, by said user, at a site of said merchant;
starting check out from said site of said merchant;
entering, by said user, a level-two authentication password;
authenticating, by said wallet, said user using said level-two authentication password; and
completing check out at said site of said merchant using a credit card enrolled in said wallet.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
notifying said credit card issuer if said user opts in online credit card authentication.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of registering at a site of said credit card issuer further comprises the steps of:
navigating, by said user, to said site of said credit card issuer;
asking, by said issuer, said user to login using said wallet service; and
enrolling said credit card without need to create any PIN if said user has already registered to said wallet and has already created said level-two authentication password.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
creating said level-two authentication password if said user has not yet created said level-two authentication password; and
using said level-two authentication password as personal identification number to enroll said credit card with said credit card issuer.
5. An online transaction method comprising the steps of:
registering, by a user, to a merchant through a wallet service by providing his personal and credit card information;
said user adding a credit card to said wallet:
said wallet contacting a credit card issuer over a network and checking whether said credit card issuer provides online enrollment of additional online authentication:
said wallet asking said user to opt into online credit card authentication from said credit card issuer:
performing a step from a group of steps consisting of:
storing said credit card into said wallet when said user does not opt in; and
notifying said credit card issuer when the user does opt in:
the user providing a first level authentication to said merchant when said user logs on to start a transaction;
shopping, by said user, at a site of said merchant;
starting, by said user, check out from said site of said merchant;
entering, by said user, a level-two authentication password;
selecting, by said user, a credit card from said wallet;
figuring out, by said wallet, whether said credit card authentication by a credit card issuer can be performed;
authenticating, by said wallet, said user using said level-two authentication password if said credit card authentication by said credit card issuer can not be performed; and
completing, by said user, check out at said site of said merchant.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:
entering, by said user, a personal identification number; and
redirecting, by said wallet, said user to said credit card issuer for authentication using said personal identification number.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the steps of:
redirecting said user to said credit card issuer for creation of said personal identification number if said user opts in online credit card authentication.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein said step of registering at a site of said credit card issuer further comprising the steps of:
navigating, by said user, to said site of said credit card issuer;
creating, by said user, said personal identification number to enroll said credit card; and
enrolling, by said user, into said wallet and creating said level-two authentication password if he has not yet enrolled into said wallet.
9. An apparatus for performing online transactions comprising:
means for registering a user to a merchant;
means for providing personal information and credit card information of the user;
means for providing a level-one authentication password;
means for providing a level-two authentication password;
wherein said level-two authentication password is equivalent to said personal identification number,
means for storing said personal information and said credit card information of the user;
means for creating said level-one authentication password;
means for creating said level-two authentication password;
a first level authentication means for authenticating the user to said merchant to access said personal information by the user, wherein the user provides authentication information to said merchant;
a second level authentication means for authenticating the user to said merchant using said level-two authentication password to access said credit card information; and
means for determining whether a credit card issuer requires a personal identification number for online use of said credit card information; and
means for using use said level-two authentication password as personal identification number to enroll said credit card with said credit card issuer.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said level-two authentication password is not equivalent to said personal identification number.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said personal identification number is required to authenticate online use of said credit card information by said credit card issuer, further comprising:
a graphical interface for said user to provide said personal identification number; and
a module for redirecting said user to said credit card issuer for authentication using said personal identification number.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a module for redirecting said user to said credit card issuer for personal identification number creation if said user opts in online credit card authentication.