System and Method for Verification, Authentication, and Notification of Transactions

Abstract

A system and method are provided for verifying, authenticating, and providing notification of a transaction such as a commercial or financial transaction, with and/or to at least one party identified as engaging in the transaction and/or identified as having a potential interest in the transaction or type of transaction.

1 - 135 . (canceled) 
     
     
         136 . A computer-implemented system for verifying a transaction, the system comprising:
 a transaction processing module configured to process a transaction, to communicate via the Internet, and to communicate via SMS,   wherein the transaction processing module is configured to:
 receive from a first communication device, incoming information associated with the transaction, the incoming information having been communicated at least partially via the Internet, 
 identify at least one party associated with the transaction, the at least one party being authorized to verify the transaction, 
 identify a communications address of a second communications device that is associated with the at least one party authorized to verify the transaction, 
 determine a verification code, 
 transmit, via SMS, the verification code to the second communications device, 
 determine authenticity of the transaction based on receiving the verification code from the at least one party in a communication at least partially communicated via the Internet, and 
 responsive to a positive determination of authenticity, process the transaction. 
   
     
     
         137 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the verification code is generated by the transaction processing module. 
     
     
         138 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the verification code is predefined and stored in a central system. 
     
     
         139 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the transaction processing module is configured to carry out the actions of identifying at least one party associated with the transaction, identifying a communications address, determining a verification code, transmitting the verification code, and determining authenticity of the transaction are conducted only if a value of the transaction exceeds a predefined threshold. 
     
     
         140 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the transaction processing module is configured to carry out the actions of identifying at least one party associated with the transaction, identifying a communications address, determining a verification code, transmitting the verification code, and determining authenticity of the transaction are conducted only for one or more predetermined transaction types. 
     
     
         141 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the incoming information was communicated at least partially using HTTP. 
     
     
         142 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the incoming information was communicated at least partially using HTTPS. 
     
     
         143 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the incoming information was communicated at least partially using XML. 
     
     
         144 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the incoming information was communicated at least partially using WAP. 
     
     
         145 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the transaction is initiated by an application on the first communication device. 
     
     
         146 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the first communications device is a mobile device. 
     
     
         147 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the incoming information includes information about the first communication device. 
     
     
         148 . A computer-implemented method for verifying a transaction, the method comprising:
 receiving by a transaction processing portion of an automated data processor from a first communication device, incoming information associated with the transaction, the incoming information having been communicated at least partially via the Internet;   identifying at least one party associated with the transaction, the at least one party being authorized to verify the transaction;   identifying a communications address of a second communications device that is associated with the at least one party authorized to verify the transaction;   determining a verification code;   transmitting, by the transaction processing portion via SMS, the verification code to the second communications device,   determining authenticity of the transaction by the transaction processing portion based on receiving the verification code from the at least one party in a communication at least partially communicated via the Internet, and   responsive to a positive determination of authenticity, processing the transaction by the transaction processing portion.   
     
     
         149 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the action of determining a verification code includes:
 generating the verification code by the transaction processing portion.   
     
     
         150 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the verification code is predetermined and stored in a data storage module and the action of determining a verification code includes:
 retrieving the verification code from the data storage module.   
     
     
         151 . The method of  claim 148  further comprising:
 determining whether a value of the transaction exceeds a predefined threshold, 
 wherein the actions of identifying at least one party associated with the transaction, identifying a communications address, determining a verification code, transmitting the verification code, and determining authenticity of the transaction are conducted only in response to a determination that the value of the transaction exceeds the predefined threshold. 
 
     
     
         152 . The method of  claim 148  further comprising:
 determining whether the transaction is one of a set of predetermined transaction types, 
 wherein the actions of identifying at least one party associated with the transaction, identifying a communications address, determining a verification code, transmitting the verification code, and determining authenticity of the transaction are conducted only in response to a determination that the transaction is one of the set of predetermined transaction types. 
 
     
     
         153 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the incoming information was communicated at least partially using HTTP. 
     
     
         154 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the incoming information was communicated at least partially using HTTPS. 
     
     
         155 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the incoming information was communicated at least partially using XML. 
     
     
         156 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the incoming information was communicated at least partially using WAP. 
     
     
         157 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the transaction is initiated by an application on the first communication device. 
     
     
         158 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the first communications device is a mobile device. 
     
     
         159 . The method of  claim 148 , wherein the incoming information includes information about the first communication device. 
     
     
         160 . A computer-implemented system for verifying a transaction, the system comprising:
 an automated data processor including
 transaction processing means for processing a transaction, 
 first communication means for communicating via the Internet, 
 second communication means for communicating via SMS, 
 information receiving means for receiving from a first communication device, incoming information associated with the transaction, the incoming information having been communicated at least partially via the Internet, 
 party identification means for identifying at least one party associated with the transaction, the at least one party being authorized to verify the transaction, 
 address identification means for identifying a communications address of a second communications device that is associated with the at least one party authorized to verify the transaction, 
 code determination means for determining a verification code, 
 code transmitting means for transmitting, via SMS, the verification code to the second communications device, 
 authenticity determination means for determining authenticity of the transaction based on receiving the verification code from the at least one party in a communication at least partially communicated via the Internet, 
 wherein the means for processing the transaction will process the transaction only in response to a positive determination of authenticity. 
   
     
     
         161 . The system of  claim 160 , wherein the code determination means includes:
 generating means for generating the verification code.   
     
     
         162 . The system of  claim 160 , wherein the code determination means includes:
 means for retrieving the verification code from a data storage module.   
     
     
         163 . The system of  claim 160 , wherein the first communications device is a mobile device. 
     
     
         164 . The system of  claim 160 , wherein the incoming information includes information about the first communication device.