Secure authentication and payment system

Abstract

The present invention provides a service for allowing secure financial transactions to be carried out, the service involving authenticating a user's identity and/or status as part of a financial transaction with another party and in the event that the user is authenticated arranging for the transaction to be completed without revealing the user's financial details and/or other personal details to that other party. Authentication data and transaction data may be communicated over any suitable communications channel(s). The invention provides a trusted authentication and payment environment that protects a user's financial details, but allows them to be securely authenticated and arranges for transactions to be fulfilled, whilst providing other parties with reassurance that transactions will be completed. In this way, fraud and theft due to misappropriation of financial details can be minimized.

1 . A processor-based identity authentication system for authenticating one or more users, comprising:
 an authentication processor configured to create and implement a user-specific identity validity indication useable to authenticate the identity of a first user in a non-predictable manner, wherein said user-specific identity validity indication includes at least one dynamically controllable and selectable authentication method selected from a plurality of authentication methods.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one dynamically controllable and selectable authentication method includes at least one user-defined authentication method. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one dynamically controllable and selectable authentication method further includes at least one pre-defined authentication method. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said user-specific identity validation indication further comprises at least one service interaction option. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said user-specific identity validation indication further comprises at least one transaction channel. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said user-specific identity validation indication further comprises at least one user-selected payment method. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a transaction processor configured to, in combination with the at least one dynamically controllable and selected authentication method, arrange and securely route at least one financial transaction using said at least one user-selected payment method.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said transaction processor is configured to arrange and securely route multiple financial transactions between said first user and multiple other users, using a single identity authentication by said authentication processor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said user-specific identity validity indication further includes at least one pre-defined authentication method. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said user-specific identity validation indication further comprises at least one service interaction option. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said user-specific identity validation indication further comprises at least one transaction channel. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said user-specific identity validation indication further comprises at least one user-selected payment method. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transaction processor configured to, in combination with the at least one dynamically controllable and selected authentication method, arrange and securely route at least one financial transaction using said at least one user-selected payment method.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said transaction processor is configured to arrange and securely route multiple financial transactions between said first user and multiple other users, using a single identity authentication by said authentication processor.