Patent ID: 7043452

Claim:
A method for providing a consumer billing data protection capability comprising the steps of: storing in a computer system a plurality of consumer records, each of which includes consumer identification information and encrypted partial billing information comprising a predetermined set of p alphanumeric characters of the billing information of said consumer; processing at said computer system an order received from a consumer, comprising: receiving an input indicative that a consumer, corresponding to said consumer identification information stored in one of said plurality of consumer records, desires to purchase a product or service, said input including a key received from said consumer, comprising the remaining m alphanumeric characters of the billing information of said consumer, and wherein m+p is epual to the total number of alphanumeric characters in the billing information of said consumer; decrypting, using said key received from said consumer, said encrypted partial billing information stored in said one of said plurality of consumer records; and processing an order for said product or service and billing for said order using the decrypted partial billing information stored in said one of the plurality of consumer records, and said key.