Ecommerce system with payment data division

Abstract

In at least one embodiment of an ecommerce system, payment data is divided into proper subsets and distributed among multiple data processing systems, and each of the data processing systems stores less than all of the subsets of the payment data after the subsets of payment data are distributed and until at least sending the payment data to a payment authorization system for processing. In at least one embodiment, distributing proper subsets of the payment data among multiple data processing systems enhances security of the payment data by limiting an amount of time and the locations in which a complete set of payment data is persisted.

1 . A method comprising:
 dividing payment data into multiple, proper subsets of the payment data; and   distributing the subsets of the payment data and sender identification data among a plurality of data processing systems so that each data processing system receives less than all of the subsets of the payment data, and at least two of the data processing systems are in separate networks.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a unique payment data identification code from one of the data processing systems; and 
 distributing the unique payment data identification code to the other data processing systems to associate each of the respective subsets of the payment data with a sender. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising encrypting the subsets of the payment data prior to distributing the subsets of the payment data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the payment data comprises multiple elements and the method further comprises subdividing the elements into sub-elements. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sender identification data comprises an access token. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the payment data comprises multiple payment data elements including at least two of a credit card number, a cardholder name, a cardholder billing address, a card security code, card issue month, card issue year, card expiration month, and card expiration year, and wherein dividing payment data into multiple, proper subsets comprises generating at least a first subset with at least one payment data element and a second subset with at least one different payment data element. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising aggregating the proper subsets of the payment data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising transmitting a request for payment authorization for the commercial transaction, the request including the aggregated proper subsets, a merchant credential, and a transaction amount. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a proper subset of the payment data; 
 generating a transaction identification code to associate the proper subset of payment data with the sender; and 
 sending the transaction identification code to a client system to identify one or more other subsets of the payment data with the sender. 
 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory, computer-readable storage device containing software that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
 divide payment data into multiple, proper subsets of the payment data; and   distribute the subsets of the payment data and sender identification data among a plurality of data processing systems so that each data processing system receives less than all of the subsets of the payment data, and at least two of the data processing systems are in separate networks.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 10  wherein the software further causes the processor to encrypt the subsets of the payment data prior to distributing the subsets of the payment data. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 10  wherein the payment data comprises multiple elements and the software causes the processor to subdivide the elements into sub-elements. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 10  wherein the sender identification data comprises an access token. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 10  wherein the payment data comprises multiple payment data elements including at least two of a credit card number, a cardholder name, a cardholder billing address, a card security code, card issue month, card issue year, card expiration month, and card expiration year, and wherein the software causes the processor to divide payment data into multiple, proper subsets by generating at least a first subset with at least one payment data element and a second subset with at least one different payment data element. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 10  wherein the software causes the processor to divide the payment data based on a receipt of an authorization command to complete a sales transaction. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 10  wherein each subset of the payment data includes a transaction identifier that associates the subset with a particular sales transaction. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory, computer-readable storage device containing software that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
 receive from a client system a first proper subset of payment data and identification data of a sender, wherein the first proper subset of payment data is one of a plurality of proper subsets of the payment data associated with a commercial transaction between a sender and a merchant;   aggregate proper subsets of the payment data from other data processing systems with the first proper subset; and   transmit a request for payment authorization for the commercial transaction, the request including the aggregated proper subsets, a merchant credential, and a transaction amount.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17  wherein the software cause the processor further to:
 generate a transaction identification code to associate the received proper subset of payment data with the sender; and 
 send the transaction identification code to the client system to identify one or more other subsets of the payment data with the sender. 
 
     
     
         19 . A system, comprising:
 a data aggregator; and   a plurality of data processing systems, at least one of the data processing systems to provide merchant transaction data to a client computer system;   wherein each of the data processing systems receives a portion, but not all, of payment data, the payment data usable to complete a sales transaction between a buyer and a seller, and each portion being insufficient to complete the transaction; and   wherein the data aggregator aggregates the portions of the payment data received by the other data processing systems and one of the data processing systems transmits a payment authorization request to a payment authorization system, the request containing the aggregated portions of the payment data, a merchant credential, and a transaction amount.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the data aggregator is implemented in one of the data processing systems. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the data aggregator is not implemented in any of the data processing systems and instead is implemented in the payment authorization system.