System and method for providing a secure network on another secure network

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for providing a closed or secure network” on another closed or secure network. The system enables linking at least one acquirer network operating a closed network to at least one operator by a central server. The acquirer network includes one or more terminals and optionally an acquirer server. The central server is linked to the acquirer network and to the operator. The central server is configurable to communicate with at least a subset of the one or more terminals, and also with the operator, and to establish one or more serve; communication links between the operator and the one or more terminals. The central server acts as a trusted intermediary between the acquirer network and the operator for enabling the operator to communicate with the one or more terminals via the closed acquirer network.

1 . A system for linking at least one acquirer network operating a closed network to at least one operator, the acquirer network including one or more terminals and optionally an acquirer server, the system characterized by a central server linked to the acquirer network and to the operator, the central server configurable to communicate with at least a subset of the one or more terminals, and also with the operator, and to establish one or more communication links between the operator and the one or more terminals, wherein the central server acts as a trusted intermediary between the acquirer network and the operator for enabling the operator to communicate with the one or more terminals via the closed acquirer network. 
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the operator is a closed network and includes an operator server, and the central server enables communications between the operator server and the one or more terminals via the closed acquirer network. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the acquirer server provides data and/or device authentication for authenticating the one or more terminals to the acquirer network, thereby enabling communication between the operator server and the one or more terminals via the acquirer network requiring data and/or device authentication. 
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , characterized in that the central server further includes or is linked to a security services utility enabling entity authentication initiated at the authenticated terminal for creating a communication link between the authenticated terminal to the operator network. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that a plurality of acquirer networks are linked to the central server for enabling communications between the operator and multiple acquirer networks, or a subset of terminals associated with one or more of the multiple acquirer networks. 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the central server is operable to enable the one or more terminals to create, or facilitate the creation of, one or more messages, the contents of which comply with the security requirements of the associated acquirer network and thereby can be communicated over the associated acquirer network, but the content of which may only be extracted from the message by the operator and/or the trusted intermediary on the operator's behalf. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 1  characterized in that one or more of the communications between the operator and the one or more terminals enable one or more transaction between (a) the one or more terminals, or a customer of a merchant associated with the one or more terminals, and (b) the operator, via the acquirer network. 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the central server includes means for the operator to provide it with business data relating to the one or more transactions of operator, or one or more offerings sold by operator in one or more related transactions, the central server being further operable to transform the business data into one or more business documents established by determining the one or more communications between the operator and the one or more terminals required for implementation of the transaction to the system, the business documents being operable to provide, or be used by developers to provide, to the one or more terminals one or more transaction sets that enable the one or more terminals to initiate the one more communications for implementation of the transaction. 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that the business data is in a first format, the business documents are in a second format and the transaction sets are in a third format. 
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that the transforming of the business documents to transaction sets is initiated by the terminal, or a request processed by the terminal. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-network-implementable method for linking at least one acquirer network operating a closed network to at least one operator, the acquirer network including one or more terminals and optionally an acquirer server, the method characterized by:
 a. linking a central server to the acquirer network and to the operator; and   b. configuring, or facilitating the configuring, by one or more computer processors, the central server to communicate with at least a subset of the one or more terminals, and also with the operator, and to establish one or more communication links between the operator and the one or more terminals, so as to enable the central server to act as a trusted intermediary between the acquirer network and the operator for enabling the operator to communicate with the one or more terminals via the closed acquirer network.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the operator is a closed network and includes an operator server, and the central server enables communications between the operator server and the one or more terminals via the closed acquirer network. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , characterized in that the method comprises the further step of the acquirer server authenticating the one or more terminals to the acquirer network by data and/or device authentication, thereby enabling communication between the operator server and the one or more terminals via the acquirer network requiring data and/or device authentication. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , characterized in that the central server further includes or is linked to a security services utility enabling entity authentication initiated at the authenticated terminal for creating a communication link between the authenticated terminal to the operator network. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that a plurality of acquirer networks are linked to the central server for enabling communications between the operator and multiple acquirer networks, or a subset of terminals associated with one or more of the multiple acquirer networks. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the central server is operable to enable the one or more terminals to create, or facilitate the creation of, one or more messages, the contents of which comply with the security requirements of the associated acquirer network and thereby can be communicated over the associated acquirer network, but the content of which may only be extracted from the message by the operator and/or the trusted intermediary on the operator's behalf. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that one or more of the communications between the operator and the one or more terminals enable one or more transaction between (a) the one or more terminals, or a customer of a merchant associated with the one or more terminals, and (b) the operator, via the acquirer network. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the central server includes means for the operator to provide it with business data relating to the one or more transactions of operator, or one or more offerings sold by operator in one or more related transactions, the central server being further operable to transform the business data into one or more business documents established by determining the one or more communications between the operator and the one or more terminals required for implementation of the transaction to the system, the business documents being operable to provide, or be used by developers to provide, to the one or more terminals one or more transaction sets that enable the one or more terminals to initiate the one more communications for implementation of the transaction. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , characterized in that the business data is in a first format, the business documents are in a second format and the transaction sets are in a third format. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , characterized in that the transforming of the business documents to transaction sets is initiated by the terminal, or a request processed by the terminal.