Obtaining a signature from a remote user

One or more non-transitory computer storage media storing computer executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors perform a method for enabling a plurality of merchant computing systems to obtain user input from users of a plurality of client computing devices without communicating with the client computing devices, the method comprising:

• configuring the server computing system to function as an intermediary between a plurality of merchant computing systems and a plurality of client computing devices for the purpose of enabling the merchant computing systems to obtain user input from users of the client computing devices without communicating with the client computing devices, wherein configuring the server computing system to function as the intermediary includes configuring the server computing system to provide an interface to a first merchant computing system, the interface configured to receive communications from an application executing on the first merchant computing system;
• receiving, by the server computing system and via the interface, one or more first communications sent over the internet by the application executing on the first merchant computing system, the one or more first communications including:
• (1) a request to obtain user input to serve as authorization for the first merchant computing system to perform a transaction to an account of a user,
• (2) contact information for the user, and
• (3) information representing the transaction,
• wherein the server computing system receives the one or more first communications from the application executing on the first merchant computing system without the first merchant computing system communicating with any client computing device of the user;
• extracting, by the server computing system, the contact information and the information representing the transaction from the one or more first communications;
• generating, by the server computing system, a webpage that includes an input area for receiving the user input from the user;
• formatting, by the server computing system, the webpage to include the information representing the transaction that was provided in the one or more first communications;
• transmitting, by the server computing system and over a network, a second communication that targets a client computing device associated with the user based on the contact information that was provided in the one or more first communications, the server computing system transmitting the second communication without first communicating with the client computing device, the second communication including a link that the user can select, once the second communication is received by and displayed on the client computing device, to cause the webpage to be displayed on the client computing device;
• in response to the user selecting the link included in the second communication once the second communication is received by and displayed on the client computing device, communicating, by the server computing system, directly with the client computing device including transmitting the webpage to the client computing device such that the webpage is displayed to the user to allow the user to provide the user input into the input area;
• in response to the user providing the user input, further communicating, by the server computing system, directly with the client computing device including receiving, from the client computing device, one or more third communications that include the user input;
• and
• in response to receiving the one or more third communications, sending, by the server computing system, the user input to the first merchant computing system such that the first merchant computing system receives the user input without communicating with the client computing device, the receipt of the user input enabling the first merchant computing system to associate the user input with the account for the user on the first merchant computing system such that the user input can serve as authorization from the user to perform the transaction to the account.

In a server computing system, a method for enabling a plurality of merchant computing systems to obtain user input from users of a plurality of client computing devices without communicating with the client computing devices, the method comprising:

• configuring the server computing system to function as an intermediary between a plurality of merchant computing systems and a plurality of client computing devices for the purpose of enabling the merchant computing systems to obtain user input from users of the client computing devices without communicating with the client computing devices, wherein configuring the server computing system to function as the intermediary includes configuring the server computing system to provide an interface to the plurality of merchant computing systems, the interface configured to receive communications from an application executing on each of the plurality of merchant computing systems, the server computing system comprising memory that stores computer executable instructions defining the interface and a processor that executes the computer executable instructions to provide the interface;
• receiving, by the server computing system and via the interface, one or more first communications sent over the internet by the application executing on a first merchant computing system of the plurality of merchant computing systems, the one or more first communications including:
• (1) a request to obtain user input to serve as authorization for the first merchant computing system to perform a transaction to an account of a user,
• (2) contact information for the user, and
• (3) information representing the transaction;
• wherein the server computing system receives the one or more first communications from the application executing on the first merchant computing system without the first merchant computing system communicating with any client computing device of the user;
• extracting, by the server computing system, the contact information and the information representing the transaction from the one or more first communications;
• generating, by the server computing system, a webpage that includes an input area for receiving the user input from the user;
• formatting, by the server computing system, the webpage to include the information representing the transaction that was provided in the one or more first communications;
• transmitting, by the server computing system and over a network, a second communication that targets a client computing device associated with the user based on the contact information that was provided in the one or more first communications, the server computing system transmitting the second communication without first communicating with the client computing device, the second communication including a link that the user can select, once the second communication is received by and displayed on the client computing device, to cause the webpage to be displayed on the client computing device;
• in response to the user selecting the link included in the second communication once the second communication is received by and displayed on the client computing device, communicating, by the server computing system, directly with the client computing device including:
• presenting the user with a request to authenticate prior to providing the user input;
• and
• in conjunction with authenticating the user, transmitting the webpage to the client computing device such that the webpage is displayed to the user to allow the user to provide the user input into the input area;
• in response to the user providing the user input, further communicating, by the server computing system, directly with the client computing device including receiving, from the client computing device, one or more third communications that include the user input;
• and
• in response to receiving the one or more third communications, sending, by the server computing system, the user input to the first merchant computing system such that the first merchant computing system receives the user input without communicating with the client computing device, the receipt of the user input enabling the first merchant computing system to associate the user input with the account for the user on the first merchant computing system such that the user input can serve as authorization from the user to perform the transaction to the account.