Patent ID: 6351812
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
A method for obtaining and storing on an electronic commerce participant's network device digitally signed information that certifies the value of certain other information associated with the participant, including the validity of one or more of the participant's credentials for delivery by the participant to other parties to the electronic commerce, thereby enabling the other party to validate the other information without consulting a third party, comprising the steps of:receiving at a Validity Status Authority connected to a network an inquiry concerning the validity status of information associated with the participant; checking, by the Validity Status Authority, whether the information is valid; encoding a block of data (â€œa Cookieâ€ ) by the Validity Status Authority and transmitting the Cookie for embedding within the participant's device, the Cookie including a plurality of attributes for validating the participant information such that the Cookie, when transmitted to another party during electronic commerce, will allow that other party to determine the validity of the other information associated with the participant without consulting a third party.