Anonymous electronic transactions
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsRobert Sullivan, David Aucsmith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for protecting privacy of parties to electronic transactions, such as transactions conducted through a GSM network. An anonymity service provider receives orders directed from its subscriber to a recipient for goods or services, along with information about its subscriber. The anonymity service provider relays the order to the recipient but withholds information about the subscriber, as the subscriber directs. The recipient receives payment for the good or service by way of a voucher from the anonymity service provider.
Claims24
A method of operating an anonymizer, comprising:
- receiving, over a network, an electronic order to be placed with a subscriber, the electronic order including
- subscriber information identifying the subscriber with whom the electronic order is to be placed,
- order information describing the item or service ordered, and
- identity information regarding an entity placing the electronic order;
- removing at least some of the identity information from the electronic order;
- and
- transmitting, over the network, the electronic order without the removed identity information to the subscriber identified in the subscriber information.
A method comprising:
- receiving, from a first party, an electronic order for at least one good or service, the electronic order including identity information about the identity of the first party;
- anonymizing the electronic order and transmitting the anonymized electronic order to a second party;
- and
- transmitting a voucher to the second party.
An article comprising one or more computer-readable media which store computer-executable instructions for receiving and transmitting information, the instructions operable to cause a machine to perform operations, the operation comprising:
- receiving, from a first party, an electronic order for at least one good or service, the electronic order including identity information about the identity of the first party;
- anonymizing the electronic order and transmitting the anonymized electronic order to a second party;
- and
- transmitting a voucher to the second party.
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a database,
- wherein the processor is configured to
- receive information about a first party,
- receive an electronic transactional order from the first party,
- use the database to anonymize said electronic transactional order, and
- transmit anonymized information to a second party;
- and
- wherein the database includes information about the first party and directives describing the information about the first party to be transmitted to the second party.
A method comprising:
- placing an electronic order with a second party on behalf of a first party, wherein placing the order includes
- negotiating an amount of personal information regarding the first party to be included with the electronic order, and
- providing the negotiated amount of identity information to the second party with the electronic order.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.