ID Token Payment Method for Secure Anonymous Transactions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing payment methods for e-commerce and e-government applications lack flexibility, security, and user anonymity, as they often require direct disclosure of payment information and identity to service providers.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented payment method utilizing an ID token with secure memory and communication interfaces, where payment information is stored and accessed via a user ID, ensuring end-to-end encryption and authentication of both the user and the ID provider computer system, allowing for secure and anonymous transactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If payment information is stored and accessed using traditional methods, then payment processing is straightforward, but user anonymity and security are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepayment securityVSAvoiduser anonymity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the payment process into distinct components: identity verification (via ID token attributes), payment authorization, and transaction execution. The ID token separates personal identification data from payment information, allowing verification of user identity without exposing sensitive payment details to merchants.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary system that mediates between the user's identity and payment information. The ID token acts as an intermediary credential that proves user identity to the payment system without directly linking personal identity to payment data, thereby preserving anonymity while enabling secure transactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple payment methods are supported, then user flexibility increases, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepayment method flexibilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ID token system serves as a universal authentication mechanism that works across multiple payment methods and service providers. Instead of implementing separate authentication systems for each payment method, the patent creates a single multi-functional ID token framework that can authenticate users for various payment types (credit card, debit card, electronic wallet, etc.), thereby reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If direct access to payment information is allowed, then payment processing is fast, but security and unauthorized access risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepayment processing speedVSAvoidpayment security
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary authentication and authorization actions before payment processing. The ID token is validated and user identity is verified in advance, establishing security credentials before the actual payment transaction occurs. This preliminary security check enables fast payment processing without compromising security, as the authentication is done once and then the transaction can proceed rapidly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2817758B1Computer-implemented payment method
Publication Date: 2018.04.04 BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH
  • EP2817758B1 patent drawingFigure 1~1a
  • EP2817758B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP2817758B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a computer-implemented payment method, wherein for each registered user (102) an item of payment information is saved in an electronic memory (182), wherein a user code is assigned to each of the users by means of an ID token (106) of the user in question and the item of payment information of a user can be retrieved using the user code thereof, comprising the following steps: creation of a session between an Internet browser of a user computer system (100) and a service computer system (150) via a network (116) for retrieving a website, wherein a session ID for the session is allocated by the service computer system; inputting of a selection of a service on the website by the user; saving of an assignment (180) of the inputted selection and the session ID by the service computer system; generating of a request (176) by the service computer system, wherein the request contains at least one payment amount for paying for the selected service, a payment recipient identifier for identifying the payment recipient and the session ID, and wherein the request is signed by the service computer system; transferring of the request from the service computer system to the user computer system, once the user has entered a confirmation in the user computer system; forwarding of the request from the user computer system to an ID provider computer system (136); effecting of a read access to the ID token of the user from the ID provider computer system via the network and the user computer system, in order to read out at least one attribute stored in the ID token from the ID token for determining the user code, once the user and the ID provider computer system have been authenticated against the ID token; transferring of the at least one attribute from the ID token to the ID provider computer system via the network and via the user computer system with end-to-end encryption; reading of the payment information of the user from the electronic memory using the user code by the ID provider computer system; initiating of the payment transaction using the payment information according to the payment amount to the payment recipient by the ID provider computer system; generating of a response (178) to the request by the ID provider computer system, wherein the response contains a confirmation that the payment transaction has been triggered and the session ID, and is signed by the ID provider computer system; transferring of the response from the ID provider computer system to the service computer system via the network.