Payment HSM Interface Layer for Vendor-Agnostic Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lack of a standard interface for payment hardware security modules (HSMs) necessitates the development of separate connectors for each vendor, leading to increased development and maintenance efforts in integrating payment applications with different HSMs.
Innovation Solution
A payment system interface (PSI) that implements a vendor-agnostic standard API, enabling communication between payment applications and HSMs, allowing for standardized application calls without requiring knowledge of individual HSM native APIs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate connectors are developed for each HSM vendor, then integration with specific HSMs is achieved, but development and maintenance efforts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal connector that can interface with multiple HSM vendors through a single standardized interface. This universal connector translates between the standardized interface and various vendor-specific HSM interfaces, eliminating the need to develop separate connectors for each vendor and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary standardized interface layer between the payment application and different HSM vendors. This intermediary layer acts as a mediator that handles the translation and communication protocols, allowing the payment application to interact with any HSM vendor through a common interface without direct integration with each vendor's proprietary interface
2Reliability
If vendor-specific connectors are used, then HSM integration is achieved, but migration between vendors becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The universal connector maintains reliable integration with HSMs while enabling easy vendor migration by implementing a vendor-agnostic standardized interface. The connector's ability to work with multiple vendors through a common interface ensures that switching HSM vendors does not require developing new connectors, thus facilitating seamless migration while maintaining integration reliability
3Ease of manufacture
If custom connectors are developed for each vendor, then specific HSM functionality is accessed, but development time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The universal connector enables easy implementation of HSM integration by providing a single standardized interface that works with multiple vendors. This eliminates the need to develop separate connectors for each vendor, significantly reducing development time while maintaining full access to HSM functionality through the standardized interface
Data Source
AI summary
A system and corresponding method integrate a payment application and at least one payment hardware system module (HSM). The system comprises a payment system interface (PSI) interposed between a payment application and at least one payment hardware system module (HSM). The PSI implements a standard, payment HSM application programming interface (API) that is payment HSM vendor-agnostic. The PSI enables communication between the payment application and the at least one payment HSM based on the standard, payment HSM API implemented. Since the standard, HSM payment API is payment HSM vendor-agnostic, development effort otherwise expended to develop a connector for each vendor payment HSM integration is avoided.