Anonymized Digital Transaction System with Optical Code Mediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing online shopping methods expose consumers to security risks by requiring the entry of personally identifiable information (PII), which can lead to data breaches and unwanted advertising, and lack adequate options for secure PII transmission.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a browser extension to encode and anonymize PII, generating an optical code for secure transmission during digital transactions, ensuring that even if databases are hacked, PII remains protected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If consumers provide personally identifiable information (PII) to web merchants for online shopping, then the convenience of online shopping is enabled, but security risks increase and user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that acts as a mediator between consumers and web merchants. This system generates and manages pseudonymous identifiers that allow consumers to conduct online transactions without directly exposing their PII to merchants, thereby maintaining shopping convenience while reducing security risks associated with PII exposure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy or representation of consumer identity in the form of pseudonymous identifiers. These identifiers replicate the functional need for identification and transaction tracking without containing actual sensitive PII, thus enabling online shopping operations while protecting consumer privacy and security
2Productivity
If web merchants collect and store consumer PII for transaction processing, then transaction functionality is maintained, but vulnerability to data breaches increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary layer that manages the connection between consumers and merchants. This intermediary handles PII storage and management separately from the merchant's transaction processing system, allowing merchants to maintain full transaction functionality while reducing their direct exposure to PII and associated breach risks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts sensitive PII from the merchant's transaction processing environment and places it in a separate, dedicated PII management system. This extraction removes the vulnerability source from the merchant's database while preserving the ability to process transactions using pseudonymous identifiers
3Ease of operation
If consumers share personal information with third-party shipping entities, then delivery services are enabled, but privacy protection is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary PII management system that acts as a controlled gateway between consumers and third-party shipping entities. This intermediary releases PII to shipping entities only under controlled conditions and through secure channels, enabling delivery services while maintaining privacy protection through centralized PII management rather than direct consumer-to-merchant exposure
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are methods and systems for anonymizing and securing digital transactions. These methods and systems describe a server that monitors web applications executing on a user device. Responsive to the web application displaying an input element requesting personally identifiable information of a user, the server inputs encoded user data corresponding to the input element, whereby a web application server hosting the web application does not receive the personally identifiable information of the user. The server then generate an optical code representing the personally identifiable information. Responsive to receiving a request for the personally identifiable information from a shipping entity computing device that scanned the optical code, the server first verifies the shipping entity computing device and then presents the personally identifiable information for display on the shipping entity computing device.