Soverain Software LLC v. eBay, Inc. et al

Filing 1

***FILED IN ERROR. PLEASE IGNORE.*** COMPLAINT against GSI Commerce, Inc., PayPal, Inc., Radioshack Corporation, eBay, Inc. ( Filing fee $ 350 receipt number 0540-3491095.), filed by Soverain Software LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - US 5,715,314, # 2 Exhibit B - Reexamination Certificate - US 5,715,314, # 3 Exhibit C - US 5,909,492, # 4 Exhibit D - Reexamination Certificate - US 5,909,492 CI, # 5 Civil Cover Sheet)(Ward, Thomas) Modified on 3/14/2012 (gsg).

EXHIBIT A

II
United States Patent

Ill] Patent Number:
(45) Date of Patcnt:

[19)

Payne et at

WO 91116691 1{V1991
wO 95116971 611995

(54) NE'IWORK SALES SYSTEM
(75J

Inventors: Andrew C. Payne. lincoln: LaWrellct'

AppL No.: 328,133

(22]

File d:

Rivest. R.L. el a1.. "A Method foc Obl&ining Digital Signa·
IIlrC:S and Public-Key Cryptosystems." Laboratory ror Computer Scie~. Mlssadluselts Institute orTochnology. C&m.
bridge. Massachusetts. 11.0 dale.
BeUcore Intemal E-Mail. NO.Y. 24. 1993.
Sirbu. Marvi n A.; "Internet BiWos Sel'\'ice Design and
Prototype Implementation"; An Irllemet Billing Server, pp.
1- 19. no date.
Paymerlt SyJtems. "United States": pp. 115-135. no dale.
National westminster Bank Groop Brochure; pp. 1-29. no

Assignee: Open Mart:d. loc:•• C&mbridge. Mass.

(211

(51]
{52)

[58 )

Oct. 14, 1994
6

In.. CL

................................................
HNL9/Ot
U.s. CI.................................. 380/24: 380123: 38on5:
H

••••••

380149: 380150
•'eld ofSnnil .................................... 38(V4, 21. 23.
380124.25.49.50: 364/401. 406. 408.

date .
(Ust co ntinu ed o n next page.)

284.4: 2351379. 380; 395nOO.OI. 200.02.

Primar}' Examirler-Bcmarr E. Gregory
Anome): Agent, or- Firm-Fish & Richardson P.C.

200.09, 925

u.s. PATENT DOCUMe.'TS

4;)."'"

4.578.530
4,7)4,853

4.155.940
4.775.935
4.795.890
4,199. 156
4,812.621
4,827.508

4.922.521
4.935,870
4 .941.028

4.m.s9S

12/198'
311916
Jll988
7/1988
1011988
1/1989
111989
3/1989
511989
SlI990
611990
811990
1211990
1/1991

4,982.}46
4.992,940 211991
5,025.373 611991
5,060,15) 1011991
5,001#17 1211991

8eD1Oa •••• _. ___ .• _.... _..• 34Or'IZS.33
Zeidler .
Sc:hldy ••
J641403
Brachd et aI . .. _...................... J641403
Yowick .......................
3641401
Goldman ........... _.. _.... _. __ ..... lJ5I)AO
Shavit et aI . ...... _............ _ ..... 3641401
BostoD et aI. . ..
23lIJSO
Sbev .........
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Krildr:e et aI ..... _._._ .... _._ .. __ 379/95
Bllrt.. Jr. et aI..
2JSIJ8 I
Obta et aI .........
3~4
Girouanl et aI. M._._.. __ ......_. J64IS5()
Dwodiu ._.... _.... _ .. _. __ ........ 364140 1
Keyser, Jr. et aI ........ _.. ___ ... J641403
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ABSTRACT

[57]

Rd'ertDctS Clkd

[56J

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..........

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...._

...

Goro, ._...__.___.._._._.M.....
_M .... _

.....__ M

WIPO ................. .............. (;()7F 7/10
WIPO .

OTHER PUBuCAnONS

C. Stewart. Burlington: David J.
Macldt. Cambridge. aU of Mass,
(73)

5,715,314
Feb. 3, 1998

...

M ... _. __........

A network·based 5ales sys tem includes It least ODe buyer
computer roc operation by I user des iring to buy I producl,
It least one machanl computer. Ind It least one payment
computer. The buyer computer. the merchant computer. and
Ihe payment COmptllc:r are interconnected by a oompuler
network. The buyer computer is programmed to receive a
user request for purchlsing a product a nd to cause a
payment message: to be sent 10 the payment computer that
comprises I product identifier identifying the product. The
payment computer is programmed to receive the payment
message. to cause I n access message to be created thal
comprises the product identifier aDd ao access message
luthenticatCl' based 011 I aypographic key. and 10 cause the
ICCCS! message to be seD 10 the mermant computer. The
I
mc:rdtanl. computer is programmed 10 receive dte IcceSS
mess.age, to verify the IcceSS message auibe nticator 10
e nsure that the access messlge luthenticator WIS created
us ing the a)'plognphk key. and 10 cause the product to be
se nt to the user desiring to buy the prtN1uct.

(U s t continued on nellt page.)

48 Claims, 15 Drawina: Sb«t.s

FOREIGN PATENT D<XUMENTS
0-S42-29S-A2
2102606

511993
2119&3

Ew-opeaa PII. 01". .
Ullilcd KiaacSom ..
M

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.......

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Microfiche ApptDdU Included
( I Microfiche. 34 PlgeS)

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(;()7F 7110

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mcrctuonl CUDpIIIC1 14

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"

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boo) .. comp~ltI'

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mn c ~,

comp.n..

"

5,715,314
Page 2

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
S.220,so1
5,247,S7S

5,30:5.19S
5,))6,370

5 .341.429
S347.632

S.3SI.l a6
S,)S I ,293

5.333.] 13
S.414.JD

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SJ'lf1lJlle el aI . ..
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Hopes; __ .H_ .... _.........._ .... 2351)79
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)8()(23
Filepp et 111. •••••
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BuDock do" . ..............
364/40 1
Micbeller et aI ....................... _ 33012 1
Kight et aL ............................. 364/401
Slim Henhey do 111.. .... __ .............. 3951S7S

6(199)
9/199)
411994
111994
&11994
9/1994
911994
911994
111m

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H

•• H

•••• H

.......

H

•••••• •••

OTHER PUBUCATIONS
Even et at.; "E1ectron.ic Wallet"; pp. 383-386; 1983.
Okamoto et al.; "Universal Electronic C.sh"; pp. 324-337;
1991.
Pfilzmanll et 1I.: " How to Break and Repair. 'Provably
Secure' Unlraceable Payment System": pp. 338-350: 1991.
Intuit CO£p Quicken User's Guide: "Paying B iUs E1ectroni·
cally"; pp. 17 1-192. no date.
Compuserve lntcrnatiODal; Compuserve Information Service Users Guide; pp. 109-114: 1986.
Gifford. David; "Notes on Community Information Sys.
terns" M rr lCS TM-419; Dec.. 1989.
Vinal. 1. "Active Message Processillg: Messages IS Messengers": pp. 175-195: 1981.
80s et al.; "SmanC.sh: A Practical Electronic Payment
System": pp. 1-8; Aug. 1990.
American National Standard: "Ftnallcial Institution Retail
Message AutheDtiClition": ANSI X9.19: 1986.
American Natio nal Standard; "Intermange Message Specification for Debit and Credit Card Message Excha nge
Among Fin.ncial Institutions"; ANSI X9.2; 1988.
Chaum et aL. "Achieving Elcctronic Privacy": Scietltific
American; pp. 319-327; 1988.
BUrket aI.; "Value ExdJange Systems En.bliog Security and
Unobservability": Ct.mIputeN cl &curity. 9; pp. 7 1S-nl;

1990.
Cbawn et a1.: "Unlraceable Electronic Cash"; AdvanceJ in
Cl'}pt()l()gy; pp. 319-327; 1988.
Schamilller-BichJ. t ; "IC-Cards in High-Security Applications"; Selected P'pers from the StJW1 Card 2000 Conference; Spmagtr Verlng; pp. 177-199; 1991.
Newman. B.C. ; "'Proxy-Based AUthoritatiOD and AlXOUnting for Distribuled Systems"; Proc. 131 ItII. C()fIf ()fI Dill.
h
C(Imp. SyJ.; M.y. 1993.
Medvinsky et a!.: "Electronic CurrellCY for the In ternet";
EJ~Clrotljc MarkttJ : pp. 30-31. Scp.. 1993.
Andenoo. Ros s J.; "UEPS-A Sccond Geoeration Electronic Willet"; Pcoc. of the Second European Symposiwn on
Research in Computet Security (ESORICS): Tooluse.
France: pp. 411-4 18. no date.
Anderson. Ross: " Why OypI:osySlem.s Fail"; Proc. lSI Con!.
Computet and Comru. Security; pp. 2 15-227: Nov" 1993.
Dukach. Semyoo: "SNPP: A Simple Network P.yment
Protocol~; MIT LAboratory for Computet Science: Cammdge. Massamusens: 1993.
Medvinsky et al.; "NetCash: A Design fO£ Practical Electronic Currency 0 1'1 the Intenet": Proc. 1st ACM Cnn!. on
Compo and Corom. Security: Nov.• 1993.
Society for Worldwide Interbank Finaocial Telecommunications S.C.:"A S.W.LF.T. Overview". DO dale.
Case Study: The CIRRUS B.nking Nerwork; Comm. ACM
8.28' pp. 797-8078: Aug .. 1985.

Inlcl Ccq,oration: Power TechnoloiY: Marketig Brochure.
DO date.
Bender. M .: "EFTS; Electronic Funds Transfer Systtmli":
Ke ll nw( Press; PorI WasltillgtoD. New York: pp. 43-46;
1975.
Abadi. M. el aI.; "Authenticatioo .nd Delegation with
Sman-Cards" Report 61: Systems Research Center: Digital
Equipment Corporation: Palo Alto. California: Oct. 22.
1990. revised Jul. 30. 1992.
lnforrwu ion Network I.nSlirute. Carnegie Mellon Univeriity:
lIIternet Billing Server: PrOCOl)'pC Scope Docwuent; Oct. 14.
1993.
Krajewski. M.; "Cnncepl for a Sroan Card Kerberos": 15th
National Computer Security Conference; Ott.. 1992.
Krajewski. M .; "Smar Card Augmentation of K.c:rbero$";
Privacy and Security Research Group Workshop on Network and Distributed System Security : Feb.. 1993.
Krajewski. M. et 11.: "Applicability of Smart C..ds In
NetWork User Authentication": C~ring SY$unrs; vo l. 7,
No. L 1994.
Harty et at. ; "Case Study; The V15A Transaction Processing
Sys tem"; 1988.
International Organization for Sw dardiz.ation: ~lIIterna­
tional Standard: B.an.k Card Origin.ted Messages-lIIterch. nge Message Specificatioll5-Colltent for Financial
Transactions": ISO 8583; 1987.
Rivest. R.: ' The M D5 Message- Digest Algorithm"; MIT
Laboratory for Compuler Scieoce .nd RSA Data Security.
Inc.: AJ:'".. 1992.
Voydock.. VICtor et 11.; "Serurity Mochanisms in
High-Level Nerwork Protocols": Computer Surveys: vol.
IS. No. 2; Jun .. 1981.
Needham. Roger M .. "Adding Capabili ty Access to Conve ntional File Servers": Xerox Palo Alto Research Centet:
Palo Alto. California; no date.
Gligor. VugiI D. c( at.: "Object Migration and Authentica·
tiOD": IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering; vol.
SB-S. No.6: Nov., 1979.
Chaum. D.L. el at.; "Impleme nting Cap.!lbility- Based Pr~
tection Using Encryption"; Flectronics Research Labor.tory. College of Enaineering. University of Califontla. Berk:eley. California; Jut 17. 1978.
Gift"ud. David K.. : "Cryptographic Sealing for Iofonnatlon
Secrecy and Autheoticatioll~: Stanford University and
Xerox Palo Alto Research Celller: Communications of the
ACM: vol. 25. No. 4 : Apr.. 1982.
Mosaic Communications Corp. prcss release; "Mosaic Com·
mullieatioos Unveils Nerwc.k Navigat(Jf and Server Software for the lJltcrnet": Scp. 12. 1994.
Rcscorla. E. and Schiffman. A; 'Ihc: Secure lIypc:tTex t
Transfer Protocol"; Entcrprise In tegration Technologies:
Ju n.. 1994.
Tene nbaum. l ay M . and Sch.iffma.n.Allan M .: "Devclopment
of Network Infrastructure . nd Services lor Rapid Acquis.ition" : adapted from. white paper submitted to DARPA by
MCC in collaboralion with EIT and lSI.
Cohe n. Dan ny; "Computerized Commerce"; lS I Reprint
Serics lSIRS-89-243: Del.. 1989; Reprinted from Information Process.ing 89. Proceedings of the If1P World Computet
Congress. held Aug. 2&-sqJ. 1 1989.
Cohen. Dan ny: "Elearonic Commerce"; University 0{
Southern Califoruia Information Sciences Insti tute.
Research Report tsURR-89-244; Del. 1989.

e
buyer computer 12

merchant computer 14

payment computer 16

c-n

•

~

(

p

buyer computer

10

r

r

(

16

,

payment computer

network

22

~ettlement

a

databas;,

~

21

.w

(

shopping can database

14

merchant computer

(

(' 15

20

creation computer

advertising
document
database

~
.,.
It

en

...
I<.

L
~

(

.' .

'"

18

.

)

VI

':....
...!
VI

't..
~

U.S. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

buyer computer 12

Sheet 2 of 25

merchant computer 14

5,715,314

payment computer 16

r2:~

\ usc: r requests advenisements [

,26
buyer computer sends
advenising document URL
to merchant computer

,28
merchants computer fetches
advertising document from
advenising document data base

)0,
merchant computer sends
advertising document
to buycr comouter
) 2~

!user requests a product I
,34
buyer computer sends payment URL A to payment
computer: payment URL A includes product
identifier. domain identifier. payment amount,
merchant computer identifier. merchant account
identifier. duration time. expiration time. payment
URL authenticator. and a buyer network address

r

36

payment computer verifies
whether payment URL

authenticator was created from
contents of payment URL A
using cryptographic key

,38

..

End

payment computer sends docwnent
10 buyer computer indicating that
access the to the ne[Woric sales
system is denied.

f\

OR

4{)

FIG.2A

U.S. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

buyer computer 12

5,715,314

Sheet 3 of 25

payment computer 16

merchant computer 14

36

"- II
r

40

payment computer checks
whether expiration time
has past

,41

"'-

payment computer sends document

OR

to buyer computer indicating that

End

expiration time has past

,42

payment computer checks to
see if buyer network address in
payment URL matches buyec·s
computer network address

OR
,4l

End

payment computer sends
document indicating that
access to nerwork

payment system is denied

44

FIG. 28

U.S. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

payment computer 16

merchant computer 14

buyer computer 12

5,715,314

Sheet 4 of 25

42
\

,44

V

payment computer sends payment
confirmation document to buyer

computer. payment confirmation
document includes open link (UR!. C)

[
,

and conlinue link (URL B)

OR

46

I user opens new account

/

--

58

,...60
User continues with payment
(user already has an account)

,62

buyer computer sends payment URL B to
payment computer; payment URL B is similar t
payment URL A but also indicates thaI an
account docs exist

buyer computer sends payment URL C to payment
com pUler: payment URL C is similar to payment
URL A bUi also indicates that an account does not
yet exist

"-48

,50
paymcn! computer creates
new account document

t

,52
payment computer sends new account
doc ument 10 buyer compuler

54

FIG.2C

J

u.s. Patent

Feb, 3, 1998

5,715,314

Sheet 5 of 25

merchant computer 14

buyer computer 12

payment computer 16

,-

61

"- V

"- V

"

(,54

user enters new account name.
account password credit card
number. security infonnation and
expiration date of credit card and
presses a "submit"' button

(' 56

buyer computer sends new account
infonnation to payment computer

~

('"58

payment computer

enters new account

64

"('"66

('"68

I

user enters account
name and password

I

payment computer creates
account name and password
request message

1

payment computer sends
account name and password
request message to buyer
computer

r

70

buyer computer sends account
name and password to payment
computer
('"

72

payment computer verifies whether
user name and password are correct

End

payment computer sends document to
buyer computer indicating that access

/
OR

to the networks sales system is denied

FIG. 20

n

U.S. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

buyer computer 12

5,715,314

Sbeet 6 of 25

payment computer 16
72

merchant computer 14

"- /
73

"-

payment computer determines
whether additional security is
warranted. based on. c.g. whether
the payment amount exceeds a
threshold

A
OR

(77

75

"-

user enters security
information

buyer computer sends (
security information 10

if additional
security is
warranted. payment
computer creates a
chaJlenge form
docwncnt and sends
it to buyer computer

(" 81

79

payment computer
determines whether
secwity information is

payment computer

correct

(8J
payment computer
sends docwnent to
buyer computer

End

"OR

indicating that access
to the network sales
system is denied

82

FIG.2E

82

U.S. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

buyer ,computer 12

payment computer 16
73 RBI

merchant computer 14

82

\......

84 \.....

5,715,314

Sbeet 7 of 25

payment computer checks
senh:menl database to
determine if user has
unexpired access to the
domain idc:ntiHer contained in
the pay-meRi URl.

0";;:

I

payment computer sends to buyer
computer option to repurchase. or to

use previously purchased access

Ir
l)OR
"

buyer selects to

~=="=P="'=h=as'=i='=m===:
C= t
buyer selects previously
pUTchased access

I
~ 8S

(

87

payment computer caJcuiales an
acruaJ payment amount that may
differ from the payment amount
contained in the payment URL

76

92

FIG.2F

76

U.S. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

buyer computer 12

5,715,314

Sheet 8 of 2S

merchant computer 14

payment computer 16
81. 87

85

"- It
76

\...

r

paymem computer
verifies whether user
accouni has sufficient
funds or credit

78

payment computer sends document to
buyer computer indicating that user
account does not have sufficient funds

End

80

'-.

OR

payment computer creates
access URL which includes
merchant computer identifier.
domain identifier. product
identifier. end of dlU'alion

time, buyer networic. address.
and access URL authenticator

88

'-.

payment computer records product identifier. domain.
user account. merchant accounL end of duration time.
and acrual payment amount in settlement database

f

r-

92

90

payment computer sends redirect to
access URL to buyer computer

91

FIG.2G

buyer computer 12
~5

merchant compuler 14

o

CiJ
•

payment computer 16

~

90

[

\V'V
buyer computer sends
access URL to
merchant computer

r--

92

merchant computer verifies
whether access URL authenticator
was created from contents of
access URL using a cryptographic

key
,96

94

A

merchant computer sends
document to buyer computer
indicating that access to the
product is denied

-

~

OR

,98

~

100

l-

~

.l"

merchant computer venlles
whether the duration time
has expired

r
merchant computer

--...,

gl

~

'"
s,
'"
'"

se~<1s acumen!
to buyer computer indicating that the
duration time has expired

-

FIG.2H

Ul

101

'!....
...!
Ul
c.H

~

....

"'"

u.s. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

Sbeet 10 of 2S

payment computer 16

merc:haut computer 14

buyer computer 12

5,715,314

98

\

V

, - 101

merchant computer verifies that the buyer
computer netwOrk address matches the
network. address specified in the access URL

End

...

r

10J

merchant computer sends document
to buyer computer that access is nOl
allowed

merchant computer sends
fulfillment document to
buyer computer
\. 102

buyer computer displays
fulfillment document

•

\.

104

End

FIG. 21

~
OR

buyer computer 12

payment computer 16

merchant computer 14

~

From 32

a

108
buyer computer sends shopping cart
URL to payment compUler;
shopping can URL includes product
identifier. domain identifier,
payment amount. merchant
computer identifier. merchant
account identifier. duration time.
expiration lime, and shopping cart
URL authenticator

(

"' v

payment computer verifies whelhe
shopping can URL authenticator
was created from contenlS coment
of shopping cart URL using a
cryptographic key

:i'
?"

-

.'-'

~
(

End

c:
00
•

112

gl
~

c:

payment computer sends document
to buyer computer indicating that
access to network sales system is
denied

(
113

~
co

10,

payment computer and buyer
computer perform steps analogous
10 steps 40-81

Ul

~
114

....
....
Ul

~

~

"'"

U.S. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

merchant computer 14

buyer computer 12

5,715,314

Sheet 12 of 25

payment computer 16
113

~.

"- V-

I'

payment computer creates or
updates payment URL f.')r shopping

(
114

"'"

1
/

I

OR

r

OR

user requests display
of shoppin cart

116 J
[L118

I

1

r

124

user requests

purchase of
contents of
shopping cart

126

buyer computer

sends fetch shopping
can request to
payment computer

buyer compUicr
causes payment
URL for shopping
can to be activated

to step 36

r l19

, "-

payment computer and
buyer computer perform
steps analogous 1 steps
0
64-81

r
r

122

buyer computer displays
shopping cart

/
~

FIG. 38

120

payment computer
returns contents of
shopping cart 10
buyer computer

U.S. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

buyer computer 12
(

5,715,314

Sheet 13 of 25

payment computer 16

merchant computer 14

118

user requests
sman statement
13 0

I

(Ill

buyer computer sends
sman statement L'RL 10
payment computer

payment computer
verifies whether smart
statement URL
3uthemicator was

created from contents of
smat1 statement URi.
using cryptographic key

134 \..

payment computet
sends document to
buyer compluer
indicati ng !:hat access
is denied

End

payment computer checks to detennine
136

\....

whether buyer network address in
smart statement URL matches buyer"'
computer network address

End

138

I payment computer sends document

\... [ indicating that access is denied

140

\..

payment computer and buyer computer
perform steps analogous to steps 64-81

FIG.4A

142

u.s. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

merchant computer 14

buyer computer 12

5,715,314

Sheet 14 of 25

payment computer 16
1.0

t

164. 110

payment computer retrieves
142

1 '44

'-

buyer compute r displays
rtteived document

r--"" OR

OR-,

(

senlement data (rom senlement
database OU\d creates sman
statement document for buyer and
sends smart statement document
to buyer computer

146

User requests payment detaIls for
a panicular Iransac\Jon

r
buyer computer sends payment
detail URL to payment compUiu

r
1.8

./

152

"-

payment campUier and buyer
computer pnfonn steps analogous
to steps 132-140

payment computer retrieves from
settlement database data
c~ponding to the payment
transaction specifi~ in the
payment detail URL. creates detail
document. and sends it 10 buyer
computer

I

154. 166

150

FIG. 48

f\

u.s. Patent

Feb. 3, 1998

buyer computer 12
144

5,715,314

Sbeet 15 of 25

payment computer 16

merchant computer 14

144

144

,

(154
user requests
customer service

I

buyer computer
sends customer

1

156

service VRL to
payment computer

.J

,158

payment computer creates
customer service fonn and
sends it to bUyer computer

160,

! user tYpes conunenlS
I
buyer computer sends

user"s comments to
payment computer

.!J2

,166

L-

user requests display
of a product

I

164

~

payment computer posts
user comments and sends
thank yOll document to
buyer computer

,168

buyer computer sends
access VRL to merchant
computer

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FIG. 4C

170

buyer computer and
merchant computer
perform steps analogous
to steps 94-104

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VERONICA: A GOPHER NAVIGATIONAL TOOL ON THE
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5,715.314

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2

NETWORK SALES SYSTEM

key. and 1 cause the product to be sen t to the user desiring
0
10 buy the product.
'The invcntion provides a simple deSign architecture for
the networt sales system that allows the merchan t computer
to respond to paymenl orders from the buyer computer
without Ihe merchant computer having 10 communicate
directly with th e payment compuler \0 ensure that the user
is au thorized to purchase the p£oduct and without the
merchlDl computa having to store information in a database
regarding which buyers are authorized 1 ptJJcha.se wh..ich
0
products. Rather. w hen the merchant cornputer receives an
access message from the buyer computer identifying a
produa to be purchased. the merchant computer need olliy
check \he access message 10 ensure that it was aeated by the
payment cort1pJ ter (thereby establishin& for th e mermaDl
computer that the buyer is authorized 10 purchase the
produa). and then the merchant computer can cause the
product to be senl to the buyer complller who Ills been
authorized to purchase the product.
III another aspect. !he invention features a network-based
sales system that indudes at least one buyer computer (or
operation by a user desiring to buy p-oducts. Il least one
shopping cart computer. and a shoppi ng cart database con·
nected to the shopping cart ClOmputc:r. The buyer computer
and th e shopping cart computer are interconnected by a
computer network. The buyer compuler is p-ogrammod to
receive a plutality of requests from a user to add a plurality
of respective products to a shopping cart in the shopping cart
database. and. in response 10 the r«juests to add th e
products. to send a plurality of respectJve shopping cart
messages 10 the shopping cart computer cadi of which
includes a padua identifier identifying ooe of the plurality
of products. The shopping eart compuler is programmed to
receive the plurality of shopping cart messages. to modify
the shopping cll1 in the shopping can database 10 reflect the
plurality of requests to add the plurality of p-oduas 10 the
shopping can. and to cause a payment message associated
with the shopping cart to be aeated. The buyer computer is
programmed 1 receive a request from the user 10 purchase
0
the plurality of products added to the shopping cart and to
cause the paymenl m essage 10 be activated to initiate a
paymeot transaction for the plurality of products added to
the shopping cart.
III another aspccL the in vention features a network-based
Iin1:: message system thai includes at least one client computer for opentioo by a client user and at leasl o ne server
computer for operation by a server user. The client computer
and the server computer are intercoonedod by a computer
networir::. The client computer is progrl.l1U'Oed 10 send an
initial Lin.lr.: message to the server compuler. 'The server
computer Is programmed 10 re<:eive the initial link message
from the cUent computer and to aeate. based on information
contained in the initial Lin.lr.: IDessage. a session link message
that encodes a state of interaction between the clie nt computet and the server computer. The session Lin.lr.: IDessage
Includes a session Unk authenlicalor. computed by a ayptographic function of th e sessioo Iin1:: coatenlS. for authenticating th e session Iin1:: message. The server computer is
programmed 10 cause the session link message 10 be sent to
the client compu ter. The client computer is programmed to
cause the sessioo Iin1:: message to be sent to a computer in
the network that Is p:ogrammed 10 authenticale the session
l.i.n.k message by examinin& the session l.i.n.k authentiClto£
and that is programmed to respond to th e session link
m essage based on the state of the interactioo between the
cUent computer and the server computer.
In aoother aspect. the invention features a nerworlr.-bascd
sales system that includes a mermant database having I

REFEREN'CES TO APPENDICES
Microfiche appendices A-G. 4 shec:u of 192 images total.

.s
are being submined with the ~cseot awlication.
A ctailn of copyright is hereby made by Open MaruI.
Incorporated with respect to the software code contained in
Ihe microfiche appendices. as d the date of first issuance of
II U.s. patent basal 011 this application. The copyright OWDct" 10
has no obj«tion 10 the facsimile reproduaion by anyone of
the microfich e appendices as th ey appear in the Patent and
Trademark office patcnt file or records. but reserves all other
copyright rights whatsoevCJ".
This invention relates to user·interactive: netwc.-k. sales

systems far implementing aD open marulplace for goods ex' I'

serviccs over computer networks such as me Internet
U.s. pate nt application Sa. No. 081168.519. filed Dec. 16.
1993 by David K. Gi1rord IlIId endUed "Digital Active
Advertis.iDg.~ the entire disclosure of which is hereby incor·
porated herein in its entirety by reierell(:c. now abandoned.
describes a network: sl.les sys tem that includes II plurality of
buyer computers. II plurality of merchant computers. and a
payment computcr. A user at a buycr computer asks to have
adVertiSClllCllts displayed. and the buyer computer requests
advertise ments from a merchant computer. which sends the
advertise meDts to th e buyc:r computer. The user then
requests purchase of an advertised product. aDd the buyer
computer seDds a purchase message 10 the merchant computer. The merchant computa coDSlnlcts a paymcDt order
that it sends to the payroeDt computer. which authorizes the
pur<:hase and se nds an authoriutio n message 10 the merchant computer. 'Whe n the merchant computer receives the
authorization message it sends the product to the buyer
computer.
The above-mentioned patent appUcation also describes an
alternative implementation of the networir:: sales system in
which. when !he user requests putchase of an advertised
p:oduct. the buyer compu ter seods a paymcot ocdc:r directly
10 the payment computer. wbkh scllds an authariza[io o
message back to the buyer computer thai iDCludes an
unforgcable CCltm.cate that the payment onler is valid. The
buyer computer then co nstructs a purchase message that
includes the uoforgeable certificate and seoos il to !he
merchant computer. When the merchant computer receives
!he pw-ch.ase request it sends the product 10 the buyer
computer. based upon lhe pre-authorized payment order.

:20

II

lO

),

40

o

SUMMARY OF TIlE INVENTION
III one aspect. the illve ntion p-ovides a netwott-based
sales $ystem thai indudes at least oae buyer computer for
operation by a user desiring to buy a product. at least one
merdlaDI computer. ud alleast one payment compuler. The
buyer computer. the merchant computtt. and the payment
computer are intercOnnected by a computer network. The
buyer compuler is programmed 10 receive a user- request for
purchasing a p-oduct. and 10 cause a paymenl message to be
sent 10 the payment computer that comprises a product
identifier identifying the p-oduCl. The payment computer is
progrll'lllOCd to receive the paymenl message. 10 cllWie an
access message tn be created that comprises the produa
identifier and an access message authenticator based on a
ayptographic key. and to cause the access message to be
sent 10 the merchant computer. The mcn':hant computa is
p-ogrammed to receive the access message. to verify the
access message authenticator to ensure that the access
message authenticalor was created using the cryptOgraphic

50

'5

60

6S

5.715.314

3

4

plurality of digilal adverti sements and a plurality of respec-

F1G. 4 (4· A through 4-C) is a ftowchan diagram illus-

tive: product fulfillment items, at least noe creation computer

trating the operltion of a smart statement in the netwoek.
sales system of 1-10. 1.
FlG. 5 is I screen snapshot of an advertising documenl
that the merchant computer sends to the buyer computer in

foraeatina the merchant database, aod at least one merchant
rompula for causing the digital advc:rtisements 10 be transmitted 10 a usec and for causin g advertisoc:l products to be
transmitted to th e user. The aealion comPJter and the
merdlan! computer are interconnected by a computer network. The acaLioa computer is programmed 10 create th e
merchant dalabue. and to trall.'lmit th e digital advertisements and the product f'ulfil1meot items 10 the merchant
computer. The merchant computer is ~ to receive
the digital advertisementS and product fulfillmcnt items, to
receive a request for I digital advO'tisemeot from I user. to
cause the digital advertisement 10 be seot 10 the user. 10
receive from the user I.lI access mesSige identifying ao
advertised product. and to cause the p-oduct to be scot 10 the
usa in accordance with I product fu1fillmellt item corresponding to the product.
In anolhcr aspect. dle Invention fealUreS a hypertext
statement syste m that includes a clie nt computer for opc:ration by a clie nt user and ooc or more server computers for
operation by a server user. The client computer and Ihe
server computers are interconnected by a computer network.
At least one of Ihe server compulers is programmed 10
record purchase transaction reCttds in a database. Each of
Ihe purchase transaction I"CCU'ds lncludes a prodUCI description. The server computer is prosrammed to transmil a
statement document that includes Ihe purchase transaction
records to the client computer. 1be dieot computer is
programmed 10 display the product desaiptions. to r«eive
a request from the client user to display a product corresponding to a product description displayed by the client
compula. and to cause a product hypertext linkderived from
a purchase transaction record 10 be activated. AI least one of
the server compulers is programmed totespood to activation
of the product hypenext !..ink by ca uslng the product 10 be
sent 10 Ih e cUenl compula.
In another aspect. th e lnvention fellUres a network paymenl system thai iAcludes at least ooe buyer computer fDr
operation by a user desiring to buy a product and I t least one
payment computer for processing payme.nt messages from
Ihe buyer computer. The buyer ccmputer and !he paymenl
computer are interconnected by a computer network. The
buyer computer is p ogrammed to cause a payment message
to be sent to the payme nt colOputer. 1be payment message
includes a product identifier identifyiog the product thai the
usa desires to buy_ The payment computer is programmed
to receive the paymenl message. to cause an access messlge
10 be created 10 enable the user to access the product. and to
record a purchase transaction record In the 5ettI.emeDl database. The buyer computer is programmed 10 cause a request
for purchase transaction records to be senl 10 the payment
computer. The payment computer is progrlllllllOd to receive
the request for purchase InlRsaction records aDd to cause a
document derived from the parchase traDuction rerords to
be sent 10 the buyer compula .

~

FlO.l.
F1G. Ci is a saeen snapshot of a confirmation docuIDCnt
th.t Ihe payment computer sends to the buyer computer In
FIG. l.
10
F1G. 1 is a saeen snapshot of a new account document
that the payment computer sends 10 the bu yer computer in
F1G. l.
F1G. 8 is a scree n snapshot of an accou nt lWDe prompt
IS that Ihe buyer computer creates In F1G. l.
FIG. 9 is I screen snapshot of a doaunent that the
payment computer sends to the buyer computer in flG . 1
I nd th at provides an optioo either to repurchase oe to use a
previously pw-dtased acce.ss.
20
FIG. 1& is a saeen snapshot of a fultillmcDl document that
the merchant computer sends to the buyer computer in F1G.

2.

FIG. 11 is a saeen snapshot of a smart statement document thai the payment computer sends to the buyer com2!1
puter In F1G. 4.
FIGS. 11 I nd 13 are saeen snapshots of a tran saction
detail document that the payment computer seods 10 the
buyer computer In flG . 4.
FlG. 14 is a saeen snapshot of I customer service foem
JO
that the payment computer se nds to th e buyer computer In
FIG. 4.
DETAR..ED DESCRlYllON
))

40

l'

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55

BRIEF DESCRlYllON OF 1lIE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network sales system in
aCCOl"dancc with the present invention...
60
FlG. 1 (Z-A tbroogh 2-1) is a fl owchart diagram illustrating the operation of a purchase transaction io the netwOft.
sales system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 (3-A through 3-B) is a flowchart diagram illustrating the use of a shopping can foe !he purchase of 65
podUdS in CODneclioo wilh the network. sales system of

AG. l .

With reference 10 FlG. 1. a networ:k: sales system in
accordance with the pesent lnvention includes a buyer
computer 12 operated by a user desiring to buy a product. a
mercltaot computer 14. which may be opented by a 1OCrchant willing 10 seU products to the buyer or by a manager
of the network sales system. I paYIDCnt computer 16 typi cally operated by a manager of the network: sales system.
and a creation computer
t)'pieally opaattd by the m erchant The buyer. merchant. payment. and creation computers are all inter-connected by a computer networt
such as
the lnteJllet.
Creation cornputer It is p-oarammed to build a "store" of
products for the merchant. A prinlOl.ll. of. computer program
for use In creating such a "store" io accordance with the
presept lnventiOIl is pro vided as Appendix F.
The poducts advertised by merchant computcf 14 may
be. for exunple. newspaper or newslelter articles available
for purchase by buyers. Creation computer 20 creates a
digital advertisement database 18 that stoces advertislng
documenlS (which may for exampl e be In \be form of
summaries o r DCWSpapO' or newsletter articles.lccompanied
by prices) and p-odud fl,l llillmenl items (whidJ may be the
produds themselves if th e products can be transmitted over
the network. or which may be hard goods identifiers if the
products are hard goods. i.e .. durabl e products as opposed to
information products). Creatioo computer 20 transmits CODleDts of the advatising document database IS to m erchant
computer 14 to enable the merchant col1lP'lter to calISe
adverti sements and products to be sent to buyers. McrdJanl
computer 14 maintains advertis.ing documents locally in
Idvertising documenl databa se IS. In I D alternative
embodime nt. !he mation computer does IlOl. have a local
digitaJ advertisement database. but instead updates a remote

I'

5,7 15.314

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6

advertising document database on a merchant computer.
These updates can be accomplished usi ng IITML rams or
other remote dalabasc technologies IS is understood by
JrKtitioncn of the an.
Payment computer 16 his access 10 a settltJDcnt database
22 in which payment computer 16 can record details of
purchase transactions. The products may be organized into
various "domai ns" of products. and payment computer 16
can access settlemeot database 22 10 reooro and retrieve
records of purdlases of products falling within the various
domains. Payment computer 16 also has access [0 • shopping can database 21 in which . "shoppiog cart" of products
thai • user wishes to purchase can be maintaioed as the usashops pioc to acb.Ial purcbase d the contents of the shopping cart.
With reference to AG. 2, • purchase traDSactiOIl begins
when a user at buyer computer 12 requests advertisements
(step 24) and buyer oomputc:r 12 accordingly sends an
advertising document URL (u niversal resoorce locator) to
m erchant oomputc:r 14 (step 16). The merm an! computer
fetches an advcnising documeol from lhe advertising documen l database (step 28) and sends it 10 the buyer compU.cr
(step JI). A n example of an advertising document is shown
in A G. 5. Details of URl...s and hO'N they are used are found
in the microfiche Appendix G.
The user browses through the advertising docume nt and
eventuall y requests a product (step 31). This resuhs in the
buyer computer sending payment URL A to Ihc: paymenl
computer (step 34). Payment URL A indudes .a prod uct
identifier that rqresc nlS the product the user wishes to bu y.
a domain identifier that represents a domain of J*'oducts to
which the desired product belo ngs. a payment amOllnt that
rqresenls the price of the product. a merchant computer
identifier that represents merchant computer 14. a merchant
account identifier that rtp'esc nt s the particular merchant
acCOUllt 10 be credited with the payment amount. a duntion
time that relIescots the length of time for which acce1S 10
the produl1 is 10 be granted 10 the user after completion of
the purchase tr.ansaction. an expiratioD time th at repre sents
a deadlioe beyond which thi s particular paymeDt URL
canDO( be used. a buyer network address. and a payment
URL authenticator that is a digital signature based o n a
cryptographic key. 1be paymeol URLauthenticator ls a bash
of other Infcnnation in the payment URL. the hash beiog
defined by a key shared by the merdwJt and the opttat Ol" of
the payment computer.
In an alternative embodiment. step 34 consists oC the
buyer computer seDd..ing a purchase product message to the
merchant computer. and the merchant compuler provides
payment VRL A to the buyer compuler in re sponse to the
purcbase Pfoduct message. In this ahClllative embodiment.
payment URL A contains the same contents as above. The
buyer computer then sends [he payment URL A it has
received from the men:::hoant computer 10 the payment computer.
When the payment computer receives the payment URL
it verifies whether the payment URL authenticator was
crealed from the conlents of the payment URL using Ihe
cryptographic :tty (step 36). H not. the payment computer
sends a document to th e buyer compu ter indicating that
access to the networt: sales SYSlem ls denied (step 38).
Otherwise. the payment computer dete:nnines whether the
expiratio n timc: has past (step 40). H it has. the paymeDi
computer sends I dOC\Jment to the buyer compute:r ind;eating that the time bas expired (step 41). Othuwise. the
payment compu ter checks the buyer computer network

address 10 sec if it matches the o ne specified in the payment
URL (step 42). If it OOes not match. the payment computer
sends a document to the buyer compu ter ind;catiDg th at
aca:1S to the network payment system is denied (step 43).
Qthcnvise. the payment computer sends a payment confir·
mation document to the buyer oomp.!lc:r. the payment COfI·
firmation document including an "open" link and a "coo·
tinue" linIr:: (slep 44 ).
An example of. oonfumation document is shown in A G.
6. The confirmation docwnent asks the user to click OQ a
"cootinue" button if the user already has an account with the
payment computer. or to dick on an "open" button if the
user does nOC already bave an account and wishes to open
one.
Hthe user clicb on the "open" button (step 46). the buyer
computer sends payment URL C to the pa yment compuler
(step 48). payment URL C being similar to payment URL A
but also indicating that the user docs no t yet have an accounl
The payment computer O'ealeS a new IOCOUnl docUment
(step 5.) and sends it to the buyer computer (Slep 52). An
example of a new account cSocument is shown in A G. 7.
When the uscr receives the new account document he enten
the new aooount name. an account password. a credit card
number. the credit card expiration date. and security informatio n such as the maiden name of th e user's mother (step
54). and presses a "SUbmit" burton (not shown in FIG. 1).
The buyer computer sends the new account information to
the payment computer (step 56). which enters the new
account in the settlement database (step 58).
If the user clicks o n the "COfItinue" bullon (step it). the
buyer computer sends payment URL B to !be payment
computer (slep 62). payment URL B being similar to payment URL A but also indicating that the u ser already has an
account. The payment computer then instructs the buyer
computer to IIovide the accounl name and password (stcps
64 and 66). and the buyer computer prompts th e user for this
information by creating an accounl name Ill'ompt (cumple
sboIIIn in AG. 8) and a similar password prompt. The user
enten the infonnation (step 68) and the buyer computer
sends the account name and password to the payment
computer (step 7').
The payment computer verifies whether the user name
and password are cared (step 11). If they are nOl COlTect.
the pIIymtnl computer se nds a document to the buyer
coffiP'lter indicating that acce1S to the network sales syslem
is denied (step 14). Otherwise. the paymcnt computer ~er­
mines whether additional security is wamlnted. based o n.
c.g.. whether the payment amoont exceeds a threshold (step
73). U additional security is warranted. the payment compUler crealeS a challenge form document and se nds it to th e
buyer computer (step 75). The user ente.rt the security
information (step 77). the buyer oomputer se nds the secwi ty
lllformation 10 the payme nt computer (step 7'). and the
payment compuler detamines whether the security information is corred (slep 81). U it is Pot COITect. the payment
computer sends a document to the buy« C()mputer iDd..ieat_
ing that access to the netWork sales system is denied (step
83).
U the security infonnation is correct. or if addition al
security was not warranted. the payme nt oomputer cbeclr::s
the settlement database to determine wbethc:r Ihe user bas
unexpired access to the domain identifier contained in the
payment URL (step 82). If so. the pIIyrnenl computer sends
to the buyer comptlter a document providing an option either
to repurchase or 10 usc the previously purcbased access (Slep
84). An example of such a document is shown in flG. , . The

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user CAD respond to the recent purchase query documeot by
a key shared by the merchant and the operalor of the
choosiag 10 access the previously purcltasc:d document (step
payment computer.
85) or 10 go ahead Ind buy the currently s elected product
The payment computer vc:rifi.es whethCl" the shopping cart
(step 86).
URL authenticator was crealed from the contents o( the
If the user chooses to access the previously purchased S shopping cart URI.. using a cryptographic key (step 11t). If
document. the buyer computer skips 10 step !J2 (sc:c below).
not. the payment computer sends I docwnenl to the buyer
IT the user chooses to buy the currently seleac:d product. the
computer indicating that access to the betwcrk w es system
payment computer calculates au actual payment amount that
is denied (step IU). Otherwise. before any modification to
a user·s shopping cart is allowed. user auth entication is
may dilfer from the paymeot amount contained ill the
payment URL (step 87). foe example. the: purchase of I 10 perf<rmed (step Il3) in a maDDer analogous to steps 4t-81.
product in I certain domain may entitle the user to access
Onot the user is authenticated. the payment computer aeother products in the domain for free or for a reduced price
ates <r upd&les a payment URL for the shopping can (step

Cor .

given period of time.

114).

The payment computer thea verifies whether the user
The user then either requests more advertisements (step
account has sufficie nt funds or credit (nep 76). If nOC. the IS 24 in FIG. 2) and possibly adds another product 1 the
0
payment computer sends a document to the buyer computer
shopping cart.. requests displ&y of the shopping cart (step
indicatiog that the: user account has insufficient funds (step
116). or requests purchase of the entiTe contents of the
78). Otherwise. the payment computer creales an access
Shopping cart (step U4). If the user requests display of the
shopping cart (step 116). the buyer computer sends a fetch
URL (stcp Sf) thai iocludes a merchant computer ideDtilier.
0
a domain identifier. a product identifier. an indicatio n of the 10 shopping cart reque$ 1 the payment computer (step 118).
end of the duration time for which access 10 the jX'oduct is
and the payment computer and buyer oort1p\lter (step 119)
to be ifLOled. the buyer nttwor-k address. and an access URL
perform steps analogous 10 steps 64-81. The payment comauthenticator that is a digital signature based on I aypIoputer rerurns the contents of the shopping cart 10 the buyer
graph.ic key. The access URL authenticator is a hash of other
computer (uep Ut). which displ&ys th e co ntents of the
information in the access URL. the hash being defined by a l.'l shopping cart (step 122). If the user requests that the entire
contents of the shopping cart be purchased (step 124) the
key shared by the merchant and the operator of the payment
COmpuIO". The paynxot computer then records the produa
buyer computer causes the payment URL foc the shoppina
identifier. the domain. the user account. the merchant
cart 10 be activated (step 126) and the payment URI.. is
account. the end of dlUation time. and the actual payment
processed in a manner analogous to th e processing of
amounl in the settlement database (step 88).
30 payment URLs for individual products (bc:ginning with step
36 in FIG. 2).
The PJyment computer then sends I redirect to loceSS
Wilh reference now 1 FIG. 4. a user can request display
0
URL 10 the buyc:r computer (Sl:cp 9t). which sends the accc:ss
URL to the merchant computc:r (step 92). TIle mcrchant
of a ··sman statemenl" that lists purchase transactions foe a
computer verifies wheth t rthe access URL authenticator was 35 given month (step 128). When the buyer computer receives
such a request. it sends a smart $l..ll.em ent URL to the
aeated from the contents of the access URL using the
payment computer (s tep 130).
C)'ptognpbic key (slep 94 ). If Dot. the merchant computer
sends a document to the buyc:r computer indicating that
When the paymcot computer receives the sman statement
leotSS to the product is denied (step ~.
URL. il verifies whether the smart statement URL authenOtherwise. the merchant compuler verifies whether the 40 ticalor was created from the contents of the smart statement
URL using a ayptographlc key (step (32). If not. the
duration time for access 10 the p-odua hiSexpired (step 98).
paymeol computer sends a document to the buyer computer
This is done because the buyer computer (:III request access
indicating that access is denied (step 134). Otherwise. the
10 a purchased product repeatedly. If the duration time has
payment computer cnecks 10 detennine whether the buyer
expired. the merchant computer seods a document to the
buyO" computer indicating that the time has upu-ed (step 4) oelWor.lt address in the sman statement URL matches the
buyO" computa's actual nerNork address (step 136). If nOI.
IN). Otherwise the merd\anl computo" verities that the
the payment computer sends a dOct.lment to the buyer
buyer computer network address is the same as the buya
computer indicating that acotss is denied (step 138). OthnerNork address in the access URL (step 101). IlId if so.
erwise (step 148). the payment computer and buyer comsends a fulfillment document to the buyer computer (step
102). which is displayed by the buyer computa (slql 104). 30 puter perform a set or steps analogous 10 steps 64-31 in AG.
2 (payment computer requests account name and password.
An exampl.e of a fu1lillmcnt document [s shown In flO. 10.
user provides the requested information, and payment comOtherwise. the merchant computer sends I docwnent to the
puter veri1ies the information) .
buya computer indicating that accc:ss is not allowed (slql
It3).
1fI an alleJnative embodiment steps 131-138 are omitted.
With refaence nD'llr' to AG. 3. whCII the mercha.llt com- ~s
Alto" verification of accoont inrormation is complete. the
puter sends the Idvertising document 10 the buyCl" computer.
payment computeJ" retrieves the requested settlemc:nt data
the user ruay request that I product be added to a shopping
from the settlement database. mates a smart statement
cart in the $h.oppi.ng cart database rather than request that the
document ror the buyer. and sends the smart statemeot
product be purdllsed immediately. The buyer computer
document to the buyer computer (step 142). An example of
sends a shoppina cart URI.. to the payment computer (step (,0 a sman statement docuIDCnl is shown in MG. 11. Each
ItS). the shopping cart URI.. including a product identifier.
purchase Inns.action record in the smart statementdocumeot
I domain identifier. a payment amount. a merchant computer
includes the dat.1 of the transaction. the name of the
identifier. a merchant account identifier. a duration lime. an
mClellant. an identification of the product. and the paymeQt
expiration time. and a shopping Cllt URI.. authenticator that
amount for the product. The smart st.1tement docwnent also
is a digital signaMe based 01'1 a ayptograJilic key. The 6~ includes a transaction detail URL (or each purchase transshopping cart URL authenticator is a hash of OIhet infor·
actioo (these URLs. or hypertextlin.lt.s. are discussed below
mation in the shopping cart URL. the ha$h. being defined by
and are not shown in FlG. 11). The sman statement docu-

5.715,314

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10

meol also identifies previous statements that the user may
wish 10 have displayed.
The buyer computer displays the retrieved document (step
144). and the user may request transaction details (or a
panicular transaction listed on the smart statement (step
146). If so. the buyer computer sends a transaction detail
URL (or "paYlllCnt detail URL to me payment compllttf
(step 148). The transaction detail URLincludes a transactioll
identifier. a buyer nerwork address. aad a transaction detail
URI. aumenticaloc. ""hen the payment compmQ receives
the transaclio.n delail URL. it paforms (step lSI) I sci of
steps analogous to Steps 131-1441 (verification of URL
authenticator. buyer network address. and account
infonnation). The payment computer then retrieves from the
settlement database data correspondi ng to the payment
transaction specified in the transaction detail URL creates a
transaction detail doc ument and sends it to the buyer
computer (step 152).
An example of a tratuactioo deWl document is shown in
AGS. 12 and 13. The document displays a number of itt.ms
of iDfonnatiOD about the tnosaaioD. indudillg Che inDUCtion dale. end of the duration time ("expiration").. desaip.
lion of the poduct. the ~yrnent MKlUnt the domain corresponding 10 the product. UI ide:ntificatioo of the mochUlt
U1d the merchant" s .ddress.
The smart statement document and the transaction detail
document both include cuslOmer service URLs (hypertext
links) that allow the user to request customer service (i.e .• 10
se nd comments and suggestions 10 the payment computer).
When the usa requests customer service (step 154). the
buyer computer se nds the custOlllO' service URL to the
payment compUlO' (step 156). whim creates I customer
service fonn and sends it 10 the buyer COmputCf (step 158).
An curople of a customer service term is shown in FlG. 14.
The user types comments inlO the customer service form
(step 161). U1d the ooyer computer sends the user' s com·
ments 10 the pa.ymenl computer (step 16l). 1be ~yment
computer then posts the user comments and sends a thank
you document to the buyer computer (step 164).
A user may request display of a poduct included In the
smart statement. When the user requests thai the product be
displayed (step 166). the buyer computer sends the access
URL contained in the smart statement document 10 the
merchant computer (step 168). and the buya computer and
merchant computer perform a set of steps analogous to steps
94-114 in FlG. 2 (Iuthentication of KCCSS URL verification
whether duration time has expired. verification of buya
laCtwork. address. and transmission of fulfillment document
10 buyer computer).
Whenc:verthe pesent application ru,tes that one computer
sends a URL to another computer. it should be understood
that in preferred embodiments the URL is sentm a swdard
IflTP request message. unl ess a URL message is specified
as a redirection In the present application. The request
message illCludes components of the URL as described by
the standard H'ITP protocol definition. 1bcse URL compo.
nents in the request message allow the server 10 provide: a
response appropriate 10 the URL The tenn "URL" as used
the present application is an oample or a "Un.k.... which is a
pointer to another document or feno (including multimedia
documents. bypertext documents including other links. or
audiolvideo documents).
When the present application states that ODe compuler
sends a document 10 another COI1lplIter. it should be understood thai. in preferred embOdiments the document is a
success IfITP response message with the docume:nt in the

body of the message. Wben the pesent application states
that a server sends an account name and password request
message to the client. it should be understood that in
preferred embodiments the account name and password
request message is an unauthorized tfITPrcsponse. A client
computer sends accoullt name and password information 10
a server IS part of I request message with an aulhocization
fi eld.
1bc software architectute underlying the partinliar prefem:d embodimc:DI is based upon the hypa1ext conventions
of the World Wide Web. Appendix Adescribes the Hypertext
Markup Language (~) document format used 10 represenl digital advertisements, Appendix B describes the
lITML fonus fill out support in Moslie 2.0. Appendix C is
a description of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (H'JTP)
between buyer and merchant computers. Appendix D
describes how documents are named with Uniform Resource
l..ocaton (URLs) in the netwcrk of computers. and Appen·
dix E desaibes the authentication of URLs using digital
signatures.
A prinlOUl of a computer pogram for use in creating and
operating such a "store" in accordancc with the jX'csent
invention is povided as Appendix F. A pinloul of a computer program for use in operating other aspects of the
network sales system in accordance with the present invenlio n is p-ovided in the microfiche appemUx O.
There has been desaibc:d a new and useful network-based
sales system. It is apparentlhat those skilled m the an may
make numerous modifications and departures from the specffic embodiments described herein without departing from
the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.
What is claimed is:
1. A DCtwork-based sales system. compismg:
al least one buyer computer for operatioo by a user
desiring 10 buy a product ;
at least one roe:rchant computer; and
at least one payment computer;
said buyer computer. s.a..id merchant computer. and said
payment comput.er being inte.rconnected by a computer
network.;
s.a..id buyer computer being I%ogrammed to receive a uscr
request for purchasi ng I product and to cause a payment message to be sent to said payment computer that
compiscs a product identifier identifying said product;
s.a..id payme.nt computer being programmed torecdve said
payment mesSlige. 10 cause In access message 10 be
created that comprises said product identifier and an
ICceSS mesSlige l uthenti cator bad on a ayptographic
key. and to cause said Iccess me5S11ge to be sent to said
merchant computer; and
said merchant computer bein& programmed tl) receive
said access mesSlige. to verify said access message
authenticator to ensure that said access message
authenticator was created using said CJ)1lI:ograptUc key,
and to cause said product to be sent to s.a..id user desiring
10 buy said product.
2. A network-based sales sys tem in acc:ordallCe with claim
1. wherein said payment mesSlige and said acccss message
each comprises a universal resource locator.
3. A network-based sales system in aOC()f(j.ance with daim
1. wherein said payment computer is programmed to identify said merchant computer upon receip( of said payment
mess-ge from said buyer computer.
4. A network·based sales system in accordance with claim
I . wherein s.a..id access mesSlige comprises a buyer network
address.

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11
S. A networt·based sales system in acrordallcc with claim
4. whcrt.in;
said product can be transmitted from o ne computer to

12

19. A network-based sales system in accordance with
claim 18. wherein said payment computer is programmed 10
determioe an actual payffiCnt amount for said product identified by said p£oouct ickntifiu in said paymeot message
anochc:r. and
nid merchant oomput17 causes said product to be KDt to j based on whether said user account has p£eviously purchased a p-oduet associated with said domain identifier.
said usa by trallsmitting said product to said buyer
20. A network-based sales system in aCC01'dance with
network address only.
daim 1. wherein said buyer COmputcf is programmed to
6 . A netwcdr-based sales system in accordance with claim
transmit a user authenticator to said payment computer and
4. wherein said merman! oompUler is fWOIflmDlCd to verify
whether said buyer netwQfir: address in said access mesuge 10 said payment computer is prog:rammed to verify said user
aulhcnticat<r.
matche s the aClual network address of wd buyer COl'DPJIU.
21. A network-based sales system in accOl'dance with
7. A network-based sales system in accorda nce with claim
claim 2•. wherein said user authenticator coJDFrises a pass1. whereio said payment message compises a buyer DCtW"'~
werk addcc:s$.
l2. A network-based sales system In accordance with
B. A netwod:-based w e! system in accordaJlce with daim
7. whcreia said paytrlCDI computer is programmed to verify IS claim 21. wherein:
said buyer computer is p£ograrwned to transmit security
whether said buyer network address io said payment message matches the actual Dctwcd: address of said buyer
infonnatiOD to said payment compurer;
computer.
said payment computer is programmed to transmit a
9. A nelWod:-ba.sed sales system in . cconl.nce with claim
challenge form to said buyer computer under a prcdeI. wherein said access mesugc luthcnlicalor comprises I 20
tcrmilled coodition. said dlallenge form aski ng for said
cryptOgnphic function 0{ conleJ).1S of said access message
security information previously Iransmitted by said
based on said crypIographic key.
buyer computer to said payment compu ter:
It. A network-based sales sySlcm ill accordaDte with
said payment compuler is programmed 10 respond 10 said
claim 1. wherein said payment computer is programmed to
challenge form by querying said user for uid security
verify said payment message authenticat<r to ensure !hat 25
iafonnation and tran smitting said security infcwmation
said paymellt message authenticat<r was created using said
10 said payment computer: aAd
cryptographic key.
said payment computer is programmed to verify authen 11. A nerwod(-based w es system in accordance with
ticity of said $CCU!ity information.
claim II. wherein said paymeot message authenticat/KCOmprises a cryptographic function or conte nts of said payment )()
Z3. A network-based sales system io accordance with
message based on said cryptographic key.
claim 22. whcrcin:
12. A netwO£k-based sales system in accordance with
said payment mes$lge comprises a payment amnulll; and
claim 1. wherein said paymenl message comprises a paysaid prcdctennined condition comprises receipt of a payment amount
ment amount in said payment message that exceeds a
13. A nCIWcd.-based sales system ill accordance with
threshold.
claim 1_ wha'Cin said payment message comprises a mer- l'
lA. A network-based sales system in accordance with
chant accoullt identifier that idclltifies a merchant account.
daim 1. whercin said payment message comprises a mer14. A nttw<rk-blsed sales system in accordance with
chant computer ideotifier that identifies said merchant comclaim 1. whcrcin said buyer computer is p£ogram.med to
puOtt.
transmit a user account identifier to said payment computa
25. A network- based sales system in a ccordaoce with
thll identifies a user accou nt
<10
claim lA. whaein said access mes.sage comprises said
IS_ A nctwO'k-based sales system in accontancc with
machant computer identifier.
claim 14. wherein:
26. A network·based sales system in accordance with
said paymellt meSSAge compises a paymtllt amount; and
claim 1. wherein said payment message comprises a durasaid paymcnt computer is programmed to eosl1fe that said .~ lion time that specifies a length of time for wrud!. access to
user accou nt has sut!icieal funds O£ credit to cover said
said product: is to be granted.
payment amount.
27. A network-based ulcs system in accordance with
Hi. A ntlwO'k-based sales system in accordance with
claim 26. wherein said payment computer i s programmed to
claim 14. wherein:
use said duration time to compute an eod of duIation time
said payment message comprises. payment amouDt and 50 and to cause said end of duration time to be induded i.n said
a merchant account identifier that identifies a merchant
access message.
account; and
28. A Ilttwork-based sales system in accordaocc with
said payment computer is programmed to record said
elaim 27, wherein slid merchant computer is p£ogrammcd to
payment amount. said usa account and said merchant
verify. upon receipt of said access J'DC$Slge. that said end of
account in a settlement database.
~s duratioo time ""5 not ptiL
17. A nctwO£k-based we! system in accordance with
29. A network-based sales system ill aOCOfdance with
claim 16. wherein:
claim 1. wherein said paymeot message compises an expisaid payment ffiCssage comprises a domain identifier; and
ration time after wruch said payment message can no longer
be used.
said payment computer is programmed to record said
30. A network-based sales system in acconlaocc: with
domain identifier and said user account in a seltlemellt 60
claim l!t. whcrcin said paymellt computet' is ptogrammed to
"""""verify. upon receipt of said payment message, that said
18. A nttwc:rk-based wes system In accordance with
expiration time has not pasL
claim 17. wherein said payment computer is programmed to
31. A network-based sales syste m ill accordance with
check said settlement database. upon receipt of said payment
message. to detcnnine whether said user account has p£e- 6S claim 1. wherein:
viously purdlased a product asS«:dted with said domain
said paymcut computer is programmed to cause said
identifier.
a<xcss message to be sent to said buyer computer; and

5.715.314

13

14

said buyer computer is ~ograrnmed to cause: said aoeeu
message receiYc:d from said payment COmpulU to be
sent to said roo-manl computer.
32. A network-based sales system, compising;
al leasl one buyer computer for operation by a user S

desiring to buy

I

JX'oduct:

at least ooe merchant computer. and

at least one payment COlllpt.llcr;
said buyer computer. said mcrchlill computer. and said
payment computer being interco.nncaed by I computer 10
nctwork;
said buyer compu ter being programmed 10 receive a user
request for purchasing a product. and to cause a payment URL 10 be sent to said payment computCl" that
comprises a product identifier identifying said product. u
a payment amount. and a payment URI.. authenticate.'
comprising. cryptoaraphic functioo of contents of said

paymcnt URL based

OD

a c:rypIograpb..ic key:

said payment oomputer being programmed to receive said
payment tlRL. to verify said payment URL authenticalor to ensure that said payment URl. authenticator
was created using said cryptog:rapbic key. to ensure that
said user his sufficient funds or credit 10 COVCl" said
payment amount. Ie> ideality said merchant romputer
operated by said merchant willing to sell said produce
to said buytt.to cause an access URL to be aeated that
comprises said product identifier and ao IlCCCU URL
authenticate.- comprising a cryptographic functioD of
conlents of said access URL based o n a cryptographic
key. and 10 cause said access URL 10 be seol 10 said
buyer computer.
said buyer computet being programmed to cause said
access URLr eu;ived from said paymeol computer 10 be
sent 10 said merdlant computer: ud
said merchanl computer being prognmrned to receive
said access URL. to verify said access URL authenticator 10 ensure that SAid access URL authenticalOr was
created using said Cl)'plograph.ic key. and to cause said
produce to be sent 10 said user desiring to buy said
prodUd_
33. A method of operating a payment computer io a
computer network comprising al leasl ODe buyer computer
for operation by a um desiring to buy a product. at least one
merchant computer. and alleast one payment compuler. the
method comprisiog the steps of:
recciviDg. at said payment computer. a paymenl message
that said buyer COmpulCl" has caused 10 be sent 10 said
payment COmpulU in response to a user reque" fOl
purchasing a produce. said payment message comprising a product identifier identifying said product:
causing an access message 10 be outed that compises
said product identifier and an access message authenticator based OD a cryptographic key; and
causing said access message 10 be sent to said merchant
computer. said merchant computer being programmed
to receive said access message. 10 verify said access
message authenticator to ensure !hat said access message authenticau.. was O'eated using said cryptographic
key. and to cause said product to be senl to said user
duiring to buy said product.
34. A network-based sales syslem. comprisina:
at least one buyer computer for operation by a user
desiring 10 buy p"oducts;
al least one shoppi ng cart computer; and
a shopplllg cart database colloected 10 said shoppmg cart
compu ter;

20

1S

30

3'

40

.!i

$0

!is

60

"

said buyer computer and said shopping cart computer
being intercoODected by a comput.cr network;
said buyer computet being programmed to roccive a
plurality of requests from a user 10 add a plurality of
respective products to a shopping can in said shopping
cart database. and. in response to said requests to add
said p"oducts. to send a plurality of respective shopping
cut messages 10 said shoppmg cart ~Ier each of
wbich comprises a product identifie.r identifying one of
said plurality of products:
said shopping cart computet being p-ogrammed 1 receive
0
said plurality 0( shopping cart messages. 10modify said
shoppillg can in said shopping cart database to reOect
said plurality of requests to add said plurality of p-oduets to said shopping cart. and 10 cause I payment
me$$age associated with said shopping can to be created; and
said buyer computer being programmed to reccive a
request from wd user to purchase said plurality of
products added to said shopping cart and to cause said
payment message to be activaled to initiate: a paymenl
tBnsactio n for said plurality of products added to said
shopping can;
said $hopping cart being a stored representatioo of a
coUection of products. said shopping cart database
being a database of stored representations of collections
of products. and said shopping cart computer being a
computer that roodifies said stored representati ons of
coU
ections of pt"oduas in said database.
35. A networt:-based sales system in ac:corda.nce with
claim 34. whcrcill said shopping cart computer is pr0grammed 10 cause said payment message to be created
before said buyer computer causes said payment message to
be activated.
3'. A network-based sales system in ac:corda.oce with
claim 34. wherein said buyer computer is programmed to
receive a requesl from said user to display said plurality or
products added 10 said shopping cart.
37. A oetwork-bascd sales system i n aococdance with
claim 3'. wherein said buyer computer is programmed 10
tnnsmit a fetch shopping can request to said payment
computer in respoose 10 reccipi of said request from said
user.
38. A network-based sales system III accordance with
cWm 37. wherein:
said payment computer is programmed 10 respood 10 said
fdeb shopping cart request by transmitting a message
to said buyer computer indicating said plurality of
products added to said shopping cart: and
said buyer compuler is p"ogrammed 10 display said pluraJ..ity of producu added 10 said shopplllg cart.
39. A method of operating a shopping cart computer in a
computer oetwork comprisiDg al least one buyer computer
for operatioll by a user desiring 1 buy rrodud5. alleasl o ne
0
shopping cart computer. and a sbopping cart database connected 10 said shopping cart compute". said method comprising Ihe steps of:
receiving. at said shoppiDg cart computer. a plurlllity of
shopping cart messages sent to said shopping cart
compuler by said buyer computer in response to receipt
of. plurality of requests from a user to add a plurality
of respective products 10 a shopping cart in said shopping cart database. each fA said shopping can messages
compising a product identifier identifying one of said
pluraJ..ity of products:
modifying said shopping cart in said shopping cart database to reDect sa.id pluraJ..ity of requests to add said
plurality of products to said shopping cart: and

5.715.314
15

16

c.... using. payment message associated with said shopping
cart to be created;
said bu yer computer being programmed to receive I
requ est froro .said user 10 purchesc said plurality d
products added to said shopping cart and to cause said l
payment mCS$8.ge to be activ.tcd to initiate a payment
U3.Qsaaion for said plurality of p'ociua:s added to said

shopping cart;
said shopping cart being a stored represenlation of a
collectio n of products. said shopping cart database 10
being . datlbase of stored represelliations of ooUoctions
of products. and said shopping cart computer being •
computer thai modifies said stored t qrcsentatioll$ 01
oollectioos of prodltCts in .said database.
I~
40. A network-based link: me ssage system. comprising:
at least one: client computer for operation by a cJjent user;

"d
at kast one savl2" computer for ope.-atiO by a server user,
D
said client computer and said server computer being 20
inlCrCODoectcd by a computer netWork;
said client CXlmputer being p"ogrammed to seEld an initial
lin.k mesugc: to said server computer;
said server computer beillS progranuncd to receive said
ioitial link message from said client computer. to 2S
create. based OQ information co nlaioed in said initial
link m essage. a session link message that eDcodes a
state of iDteraction betwccn said dieD! computer aDd
said server computer. said scssioo lint message com·
prisiDg a sessio n link authenticatei'. computed by a JO
cryptographic functio n of said sessioa lintcootenu. for
autheoticating said scssion link message. and to cause
said sessio n link message to be sent 10 said dienl
computer;
J~
said client COlUp.ltcr being programmed 10 cause said
sessio n link message 10 be se nt to a computer in £aid
Detwel'k. WI is programmed 10 authenticate said session link message by exa.mining said sessio n lini
authenticatel' and that is prOgrammed to respond 10 said ..0
sessiOn link message based on said state of said inler·
action between said client computer and said server
cOmpYtcr.
41. A netWeI'k· based link message system in accordance
with daim 41. wbereiD:
said clienl computer comprises a buyer computer fel'
o peratio n by a usa desiring 10 buy a product;
said server cornp"ller compri ses a payment computer f«
operatio n by a manager (If said netwock· based link
m essage system; and
said netw«k·based link me ssage system fw1h er comprises a merchant computCl" foc operation by a mercflant
wil.Jitlg to seU said product to said buyer.
42. A netwak.·basod link m cssage syste m in accordance
with claim 41 , wherein said computer that is programmed to

.,
'"

authenticate said session link mess.ge compises said metchant computer.
43. A network-Nsed link message system in accocdance
with claim 41. wherein said initial li.n.Ir: me ssage comprises
a payment message 1 sud payment eomputer that com0
prises a produa. identifier identifying said product.
44. A network-based link mes sage system in accordance
with claim 43, wherein said session link message comprises
an access message that comFrises said p'oduct identifier 10
be created.
45. A oetwork-based link mesuge system in accordance
with claim 44. wherein said merchant computer is programmed to re spond to said aor;:css mesuge by causin g said
product 10 be senl to said user desiring to buy said product.
46. A oetwork.-based link message system in accordance
with claim 40. wherein said initial link message aod sud
session link message comprise univenal re source locators.
47. A network-based linIr: message system in accordance
with claim 41. whereiD:
said sessio n link. authenticator comprise s a ayptograph.ic
function of contents of said session link message based
00 a cryptographic key: aod
said eomptIter to which said client computer is pr0grammed to cause said session link message 10 be senl
is programmed to verify thai said session lint authenticator wu created using said cryptographic key.
48. A method of operating a server computtt in a networkbased link message system eomprising at least (lot client
compultt for opcratioa by a client user and at least oae
server computer ra optfaJ.ion by a SCJVer user. said dient
computer and said server computer being interconnected by
a computer network. said method comprising th e steps or:
receiving. I t said $C1'Ver computer. an initial liok message
sent to said server oomputer by said client computer:
aeal ing. based On illiormatioo contained in said initial
lint message. a sessio n link message that encodes a
state (If interaction betwccn said client computer and
said server computer. said scssio n link message cornprising a session !..ink authenticalel'. computed by a
cryptograph.ic functi(lD of said session link contenU. ror
authenticating said session link messag e: aod
causing said session link message to be sent to said clienl
computer:
said dient computer being pogrammcd 10 cause said
session link message 10 be senl 10 a e<>mpUter in said
network thaI is )lI"ogrammed to authenticate said session link message by examin.lng said session link
authenticator IlId that is programmed to respond to said
session link: me ssage based on said state of said inleractio n between said client compuler and said server
computer,

• • • • •

UNITEI) STATES I'ATE:NT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
Cer lificat~

Pate nt No. 5.7 15,3 14

Patented: Fcbruary 3, 1998

On petition request ing issuance of a cert ificate for correction of in vcnt ors hip pursuant to 35 U.s.c. 256, it
has been found that the above identified patent, through error and ..... ithout any dece pti ve intent. improperl y
setS forth the io\'c ntorshi p.
Accordingly. it is hercby certified th at the correct inve ntorship o f l hi ~ palent is: Andre ..... C. Payne. Lincoln.
MA ; L:l\~lre nce C. Stewan. Burlington. MA: and G. Winfield Treese, Wayland, MA .
Signed and Sealed this Si:>;lh Day of April 2004.
THOM AS H. TARCZA

Supervisory Patent Examiner
An Un it 3662