System, Method, and Computer Program Product for Maintaining Transaction Integrity Over Public Networks

Abstract

A method for maintaining transaction integrity for transactions performed over a public network includes: receiving a transaction message corresponding to an original transaction, the transaction message including a unique, client-assigned, first identifier; in response to receiving the transaction message, assigning a unique, second identifier to the original transaction; generating a request to process the original transaction including at least a portion of the transaction message and the second identifier; transmitting the request to an issuer server to process the original transaction; receiving a first response from the issuer server in connection with the original transaction; in response to the first response, generating a second response corresponding to the original transaction including the first identifier and the second identifier; and transmitting the second response to the client. A system and computer program product for maintaining transaction integrity for transactions performed over a public network is also disclosed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 storing, in a database with a transaction processing server of a transaction service provider, first merchant data associated with a merchant, the first merchant data comprising at least one data entry that is constant for transactions involving the merchant;   receiving, with the transaction processing server, a transaction message from a merchant system of the merchant, the transaction message corresponding to a payment transaction, the transaction message comprising a client-assigned first identifier and first transaction data including data entries that are variable between transactions involving the merchant, wherein the transaction message does not include at least one data entry that is constant for transactions involving the merchant;   determining, with the transaction processing server, that the transaction message is a reduced transaction message that does not include the at least one data entry;   retrieving, with the transaction processing server, the at least one data entry;   augmenting, with the transaction processing server, the reduced transaction message by modifying the reduced transaction message by inserting the at least one data entry to form an augmented transaction message, the augmented transaction message comprising both the first transaction data and the at least one data entry;   processing, with the transaction processing server, the payment transaction by transmitting the augmented transaction message to an issuer server of an issuer;   receiving, with the transaction processing server, a follow-on message from the merchant system, the follow-on message comprising the first identifier, the follow-on message comprising a request and/or action associated with the payment transaction; and   executing, with the transaction processing server, the identified request and/or action associated with the payment transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction message and/or the follow-on message are received via a public internet connection. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing an application programming interface (API) to enable communication with the merchant system over the public internet connection to process payment transactions; and   receiving, from the merchant system via the API, the transaction message and/or the follow-on message corresponding to payment transaction via the public internet connection.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the request and/or action associated with the payment transaction comprises at least one of a reversal message and a completion message. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented of  claim 1 , wherein the follow-on message is received and associated with the payment transaction before the merchant system receives a response to the transaction message. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of transaction messages are received from the merchant system, wherein each of the plurality of transaction messages comprises a first identifier, and wherein the first identifier of each transaction message is different from the first identifier of the other transaction messages. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein each response generated and transmitted to the merchant system corresponding to the payment transaction comprises the first identifier contained in the transaction message corresponding to the payment transaction. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the augmented transaction message comprises an authorization request. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one data entry comprises at least one of: merchant name, merchant identifier, merchant classification, merchant contact data, location of sale data, point-of-sale data, and acquirer data. 
     
     
         10 . A system, comprising at least one server computer including at least one processor of a transaction processing server of a transaction service provider, the at least one server computer programmed and/or configured to:
 store first merchant data associated with a merchant, the first merchant data comprising at least one data entry that is constant for transactions involving the merchant;   receive a transaction message from a merchant system of the merchant, the transaction message corresponding to a payment transaction, the transaction message comprising a client-assigned first identifier and first transaction data including data entries that are variable between transactions involving the merchant, wherein the transaction message does not include at least one data entry that is constant for transactions involving the merchant;   determine that the transaction message is a reduced transaction message that does not include the at least one data entry;   retrieve the at least one data entry;   augment the reduced transaction message by modifying the reduced transaction message by inserting the at least one data entry to form an augmented transaction message, the augmented transaction message comprising both the first transaction data and the at least one data entry;   process the payment transaction by transmitting the augmented transaction message to an issuer server of an issuer;   receive a follow-on message from the merchant system, the follow-on message comprising the first identifier, the follow-on message comprising a request and/or action associated with the payment transaction; and   execute the identified request and/or action associated with the payment transaction.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the transaction message and/or the follow-on message are received via a public internet connection. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , the at least one server computer programmed and/or configured to:
 provide an application programming interface (API) to enable communication with the merchant system over the public internet connection to process payment transactions; and   receive, from the merchant system via the API, the transaction message and/or the follow-on message corresponding to payment transaction via the public internet connection.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the request and/or action associated with the payment transaction comprises at least one of a reversal message and a completion message. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  10 , wherein the follow-on message is received and associated with the payment transaction before the merchant system receives a response to the transaction message. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of transaction messages are received from the merchant system, wherein each of the plurality of transaction messages comprises a first identifier, and wherein the first identifier of each transaction message is different from the first identifier of the other transaction messages. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein each response generated and transmitted to the merchant system corresponding to the payment transaction comprises the first identifier contained in the transaction message corresponding to the payment transaction. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the augmented transaction message comprises an authorization request. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one data entry comprises at least one of: merchant name, merchant identifier, merchant classification, merchant contact data, location of sale data, point-of-sale data, and acquirer data. 
     
     
         19 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 store first merchant data associated with a merchant, the first merchant data comprising at least one data entry that is constant for transactions involving the merchant;   receive a transaction message from a merchant system of the merchant, the transaction message corresponding to a payment transaction, the transaction message comprising a client-assigned first identifier and first transaction data including data entries that are variable between transactions involving the merchant, wherein the transaction message does not include at least one data entry that is constant for transactions involving the merchant;   determine that the transaction message is a reduced transaction message that does not include the at least one data entry;   retrieve the at least one data entry;   augment the reduced transaction message by modifying the reduced transaction message by inserting the at least one data entry to form an augmented transaction message, the augmented transaction message comprising both the first transaction data and the at least one data entry;   process the payment transaction by transmitting the augmented transaction message to an issuer server of an issuer;   receive a follow-on message from the merchant system, the follow-on message comprising the first identifier, the follow-on message comprising a request and/or action associated with the payment transaction; and   execute the identified request and/or action associated with the payment transaction.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the transaction message and/or the follow-on message are received via a public internet connection.