# How Online Systems Verify Your Identity Using External Data > A system for verifying user identity and payment details in an online environment by pulling data from external sources and generating virtual payment tokens. - **Patent:** US 10212148 - **Original title:** Systems and methods for verifying attributes of users of online systems - **Owner:** Mbr Innovations LLC - **Granted:** 2019 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 1 - **Field:** ecommerce, finance, software, telecommunications ## What it does The patent describes a process for verifying user attributes, such as credit card details, within an online environment. When a user registers, they provide encrypted attribute data (like a name and credit card number) from their computer to a central server. The server then forwards this encrypted data to an external verification source, which confirms the information automatically without human intervention. Once verified, the server sends a 'virtual payment' token back to the user's device, which the user can then transmit to a merchant via a wireless signal to complete a transaction. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover verification methods that require human intervention or manual review. - Does not cover systems where the verification source is the user themselves or the user's own computer. - Does not cover non-encrypted transmission of credit card or name attribute values. - Does not cover transactions that do not involve the generation of virtual payment information. ## The clever bit The system offloads the trust burden by using external sources to verify data in an automated, encrypted loop, then replaces sensitive raw data with a 'virtual payment' token before the merchant ever sees it. ## Real-world examples 1. Digital wallet services like Apple Pay or Google Pay 2. Third-party identity verification services for e-commerce 3. Tokenized payment gateways used in mobile apps ## Why it matters This patent addresses the challenge of securely verifying user credentials in digital marketplaces without exposing raw financial data to merchants. By acting as a middleman that validates data against external sources and issues tokens, it aims to reduce fraud and improve privacy in online transactions. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Online Systems Verify Your Identity Using External Data cover? A system for verifying user identity and payment details in an online environment by pulling data from external sources and generating virtual payment tokens. ### Who owns patent US 10212148? Mbr Innovations LLC owns this patent, granted in 2019. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on February 19, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 10212148 cited by? This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? This patent addresses the challenge of securely verifying user credentials in digital marketplaces without exposing raw financial data to merchants. By acting as a middleman that validates data against external sources and issues tokens, it aims to reduce fraud and improve privacy in online transactions. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover verification methods that require human intervention or manual review. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10212148/touch-id **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10212148 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Digital Wallets Pull Data From Multiple Sources for Payments](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12100000/starship-mars-edl) — A system that lets a digital wallet gather and combine account information from different companies to help a user complete a payment transaction. - [How to Verify Anonymous Users Using Third-Party Identity Services](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8688813/kindle-fire-tablet) — A method for a system to identify and authorize a user it doesn't know by asking a different, trusted service that already has the user's information. - [How a Smart System Verifies and Updates Customer Data](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8285656/cortana-virtual-assistant) — This patent describes an automated system that uses artificial intelligence to pick the best ways to check and update information about people or businesses, choosing from methods like web searches, phone calls, or direct mail. - [How Wearable Devices Act as Secure Bridges for Transactions](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9699159/microsoft-teams) — A system where a wearable device acts as a secure middleman between your phone and a payment terminal or electronic lock to verify your identity and complete transactions. - [How a Centralized Broker Handles Online Shopping Transactions](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7865399/distributed-electronic-commerce-system-with-centralized-point-of-purchase) — A system where a third-party broker handles payments and shipping logistics for online merchants, allowing customers to checkout without entering payment details on every individual site.