Payment Network Server Standardizing E-Commerce Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current e-commerce transaction authentication methods, such as 3D Secure protocols, are unreliable and inconsistent across different websites and issuer institutions, leading to a poor customer experience and increased complexity for merchants due to the need for multiple issuer institution interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A payment network server processes e-commerce transactions by generating and verifying authentication codes and indications, allowing merchants to create standardized authentication webpages and eliminating the need for 3D Secure authentication pages, thereby simplifying authentication and enhancing customer experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If 3D Secure authentication pages are used for e-commerce transactions, then authentication security is improved, but reliability and consistency across different websites and issuer institutions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a payment network server as an intermediary between the merchant server and the access control server. This intermediary generates authentication codes and manages the authentication process, eliminating the need for merchants to directly interface with multiple issuer institutions' ACS servers. The payment network server standardizes the authentication process across different websites and issuer institutions, improving reliability while reducing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The payment network server provides a universal authentication solution that works across multiple websites and issuer institutions. Instead of requiring separate authentication implementations for each issuer, the system uses a single standardized authentication code generation and verification mechanism that can be applied universally, thereby improving consistency and reducing the complexity of dealing with multiple different authentication processes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple issuer institution authentication interfaces are implemented, then authentication coverage is improved, but merchant complexity and implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The payment network server acts as a mediator that absorbs the complexity of multiple issuer institution interfaces. Merchants only need to integrate with the payment network server once, and the server handles the complexity of communicating with different ACS servers from various issuer institutions. This maintains broad authentication coverage while significantly reducing merchant implementation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the authentication system into distinct components: the payment network server that handles merchant interactions, and the access control servers that handle issuer-specific authentication logic. This segmentation allows the system to maintain support for multiple issuer institutions while isolating the complexity within the payment network server, protecting merchants from having to implement multiple different interfaces.
3Reliability
If 3D Secure protocols are used for authentication, then security is improved, but customer experience deteriorates due to inconsistent authentication pages
Solution Approach 1:
The payment network server serves as an intermediary that standardizes the customer authentication experience. Instead of customers encountering different authentication pages for different issuers, the payment network server ensures a consistent user interface and process. The server generates authentication codes that are presented to customers in a standardized manner, improving ease of operation while maintaining security through the underlying 3D Secure protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
A payment network server for processing an electronic commerce (e-commerce) transaction initiated by a customer is described. The server comprises at least a computer processor and a data storage device, where the data storage device comprises instructions operative by the processor to: (i) receive, from a merchant server, an authentication request, the authentication request comprising at least a payment card identifier associated with a payment card; (ii) generate an authentication code associated with the e-commerce transaction for authenticating the customer; (iii) store, in a payment network database, the authentication code as a stored authentication code; (iv) transmit, the authentication code for transmission to the customer and an indication of the payment card to an issuer server; (v) receive, from the merchant server, a customer entered authentication code which was entered by the customer into a merchant website associated with the merchant server; (vi) determine if the customer entered authentication code matches the stored authentication code; if the customer entered authentication code matches the stored authentication code: (vii) generate an authentication indication; (viii) store, in the payment network database, the authentication indication as a stored authentication indication; and (ix) transmit, to the merchant server, an authentication response comprising the authentication indication.