Electronic authorization system and method

1. An electronic authorization system comprising:

a data source system operating on a first processor and configured to transmit transaction data;

a secure data system operating on a second processor and coupled to the data source system over an open network, the secure data system is configured to receive the transaction data from the data source system, generate a unique encrypted identifier for the transaction data and to transmit the unique encrypted identifier to the data source system;

wherein the data source system is configured to receive the unique encrypted identifier and replace payment card data associated with the transaction data in a database with the unique encrypted identifier.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data source system is configured to store the unique encrypted identifier until a predetermined period of time has elapsed after settlement data is received from the secure data network.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the data source system is configured to transmit a settlement request and the unique encrypted identifier to the secure data system and to receive a settlement confirmation and the unique encrypted identifier from the secure data system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the data source system is configured to receive exception data and the unique identifier from the secure data system and to transmit exception response data to the secure data system in response to the exception data.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the data source system is configured to receive a transaction identifier, exception category data and the unique identifier from the secure data system and to transmit biometric data to the secure data system in response to the transaction identifier, the exception category data and the unique identifier.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the data source system and the secure data network interface system are configured to utilize spare data fields in a standardized messaging format to communicate using the unique encrypted identifier.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the data source system configured to transmit unique transaction data identifying a unique transaction; and

the secure data system configured to receive the unique transaction data from the data source system, generate the unique encrypted identifier for the unique transaction data and to transmit the unique encrypted identifier to the data source system.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the data source system comprises a merchant transaction system and the transaction data comprises payment card data and transaction data that identifies a unique transaction between the merchant transaction system and a payment card owner.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the data source system comprises a merchant transaction system configured to receive the payment card data and to store the payment card data in the database at the merchant transaction system, and the transaction data comprises the payment card data and transaction data that identifies a unique transaction between the merchant transaction system and a payment card owner.

10. A method for electronic authorization comprising:

receiving transaction data from a data source system over an open network at a secure data network;

generating a unique encrypted identifier for the transaction data at the secure data network using a processor;

storing the transaction data and the unique encrypted identifier at the secure data network in a non-volatile memory device; and

transmitting the unique encrypted identifier to the data source system in a message format that causes the data source system to replace stored payment card data with the unique encrypted identifier.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising storing the unique encrypted identifier at the data source system until a predetermined period of time has elapsed after additional data is received from the secure data network.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting a settlement request and the unique encrypted identifier to the secure data network and receiving a settlement confirmation and the unique encrypted identifier from the secure data network.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving exception data and the unique encrypted identifier from the secure data network and transmitting exception response data to the secure data network in response to the exception data.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a transaction identifier, exception category data and the unique encrypted identifier from the secure data network and transmitting biometric data to the secure data network in response to the transaction identifier, the exception category data and the unique identifier.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising storing the unique encrypted identifier in non-message payload fields in a messaging format to communicate using the unique encrypted identifier.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the transaction data from the data source system over the open network at the secure data network comprises receiving unique transaction data from the data source system over the open network at the secure data network that identifies a unique transaction.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein generating the unique encrypted identifier for the transaction data at the secure data network comprises generating the unique encrypted identifier for the unique transaction data at the secure data network.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving transaction data from the data source system over the open network at the secure data network comprises receiving the payment card data and unique transaction data that identifies a unique transaction over the open network at the secure data network.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving transaction data from the data source system over the open network at the secure data network comprises receiving the payment card data and unique transaction data that identifies a unique transaction over the open network at the secure data network in an encrypted format.