Method and System for Establishing and Managing Trust Metrics for Service Providers in a Federated Service Provider Network

Abstract

A system for issuing, validating, and managing trust between two or more entities authenticated to operate in a federated network includes one or more servers for issuing trust certificates based on one or more trust metrics, and one or more servers for validating issued trust certificates. Entities operating through a communications interface may be issued trust certificates pursuant to evaluation relative to certain trust metrics, the certificates accompanying communications between entities the certificates subject to validation at communication end points of interaction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention is in the field of federated service networks and pertains particularly to a system and methods for providing trust certification metrics for service entities and users and managing data according to established trust metrics in communication between parties interacting in a federated network.[0003]2. Discussion of the State of the Art[0004]A federated service network is a network including multiple service entities including systems that cooperate in providing services to a base of consumers, typically customers of one or more of the member companies. Federated networks typically involve major product and service companies and may include entities providing banking and investment services, retail services, insurance services, and other types of major consumer-oriented business services. The computer network set up between federated entities allows communication across multiple interfaces and betwe...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]In another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for enabling consumers to select service providers from a federated network of providers based on trust rating relative to one or more trust metrics. The system includes a trust authority for rating service providers and issuing trust certificates to those providers, a trust validation service for validating trust certificates used in communication to convey trust, and an interface accessible to consumers for presenting a list of trusted service providers rated by the trust authority. The system is characterized in that the service provider information provided in the listing includes trust rating, pricing for services, and a trust certificate summary visible to the consumer to help the consumer decide which service provider to contact.

Problems solved by technology

The problem stated above is that being able to trust an authenticated network user is desirable in a federated network environment, but many of the conventional means for authenticating users do not address particular issues of trust that might be based on trust metrics, such as skill levels, honesty, timely service, and the like.

Most business relationships move forward under the assumption of trust only to disintegrate or become strained when some implied trust is violated by one of the parties.

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