Authenticated payment

Abstract

A buyer ( 110 ) wishes to use a payment instrument as part of an online commerce transaction with a seller ( 120 ) and it is desired to authenticate that the buyer ( 110 ) has authority to use the payment instrument. A separate authentication service ( 130 ) determines whether the buyer ( 110 ) has access to certain secret information without revealing the secret information to the seller ( 120 ). Access to the secret information would verify that the buyer ( 110 ) has authority to use the payment instrument. The authentication service ( 130 ) informs the seller ( 120 ) whether the buyer ( 110 ) is authorized to use the payment instrument.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method for authenticating a buyer over an electronic communications network, comprising:
 associating an encryption key with a buyer; and   subsequent to associating the encryption key with the buyer:
 receiving a request over an electronic communications network to authenticate a buyer's identity and to authorize the buyer to use a payment instrument identified by the buyer in an electronic payment transaction; 
 sending a challenge request to the buyer over the network; 
 receiving a challenge response from the buyer over the network, the challenge response proving that the buyer has access to the encryption key; 
 in response to receiving the challenge response, determining that the buyer's identity is authenticated and that the buyer is authorized to use the payment instrument; and 
 notifying a seller that the buyer's identity is authenticated. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the request to authenticate the buyer's identity is received from the seller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the request to authenticate the buyer's identity is received from the buyer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of determining that the buyer's identity is authenticated comprises decrypting a portion of the received challenge response using the encryption key. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed on a processor, perform a method comprising:
 associating an encryption key with a buyer; and   subsequent to associating the encryption key with the buyer:
 receiving a request over an electronic communications network to authenticate a buyer's identity and to authorize the buyer to use a payment instrument identified by the buyer in an electronic payment transaction; 
 sending a challenge request to the buyer over the network; 
 receiving a challenge response from the buyer over the network, the challenge response proving that the buyer has access to the encryption key; 
 in response to receiving the challenge response, determining that the buyer's identity is authenticated and that the buyer is authorized to use the payment instrument; and 
 notifying a seller that the buyer's identity is authenticated. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the request to authenticate the buyer's identity is received from the seller. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the request to authenticate the buyer's identity is received from the buyer. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the step of determining that the buyer's identity is authenticated comprises decrypting a portion of the received challenge response using the encryption key. 
     
     
         22 . A system for authenticating a buyer's identity over a network, comprising:
 a non-transitory memory storing instructions;   an interface to an electronic communications network; and   a processor executing the instructions to cause the system to perform a method comprising:
 associating an encryption key with a buyer; and 
 subsequent to associating the encryption key with the buyer:
 receiving a request over an electronic communications network to authenticate a buyer's identity and to authorize the buyer to use a payment instrument identified by the buyer in an electronic payment transaction; 
 sending a challenge request to the buyer over the network; 
 receiving a challenge response from the buyer over the network, the challenge response proving that the buyer has access to the encryption key; 
 in response to receiving the challenge response, determining that the buyer's identity is authenticated and that the buyer is authorized to use the payment instrument; and 
 notifying a seller that the buyer's identity is authenticated. 
 
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the request to authenticate the buyer's identity is received from the seller. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the request to authenticate the buyer's identity is received from the buyer. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the step of determining that the buyer's identity is authenticated comprises decrypting a portion of the received challenge response using the encryption key.