Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for allocating resources between data centers in response to insufficient resources at one of the data centers. One example computer-implemented method includes determining by a first data center, in response to a request for resources, whether the resources exceed remaining resources of the first data center. In response to determining that the requested resources exceed the remaining resources of the first data center, the first data center reserves its remaining resources, appends an entry for the remaining resources to a ledger, and submits a request to a second data center to reserve a difference between the resources in the request and the remaining resources of the first data center. Then, in response to a time interval expiring without the reserved remaining resources being utilized, the reserved remaining resources identified in the entry in the ledger are refunded to the first data center.

Abstract: A communications device for implementing an electronic payment process, the communications device including a receiver unit operable to receive a secure limited use key (SLUK) from a financial institution that is generated by the financial institution using a first limited use key (LUK) generated using a first key associated with the financial institution, an identifier which identifies a user of the communications device, and a variable code, and a subset of the characters of a passcode associated with the user of the communications device, each character in the subset being identified by its character position in the passcode, and the character position in the passcode of each of the characters in the subset being determined by a predetermined algorithm on the basis of a second key associated with the user of the communications device, the identifier which identifies the user of the communications device and the variable code.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for delivering web content to a computer user where the computer user must provide data for verification. A control presented by a first web page provided by a requesting server of a requesting party may be selected to request a further web page where data may be entered that requires verification. The requesting server may redirect the computer user to a verifying server that may provide a second web page to fulfil the request for the further web page. The second web page may be presented as a foreground window positioned over a backdrop frame. The foreground window may be provided with fields for entering the data and the backdrop frame may be provided by the requesting party. The verifying server may verify data entered in the foreground window and may send the requesting server a notification as to whether the verification was successful.

Abstract: Methods and switches are provided for communicating electronic messages between financial institutions. One example method includes receiving, at a first switch of a plurality of switches, an electronic message for a transaction, where the electronic message includes a unique identifier for the transaction, and identifying, by the first switch, one of the plurality of switches to process the electronic message based on the unique identifier. The method also includes, in response to the first switch being the identified one of the plurality of switches, processing, by the first switch, the electronic message and, in response to a second switch of the plurality of switches being the identified one of the plurality of switches, forwarding, by the first switch, the electronic message to the second switch for processing.

Abstract: A method of tracing messages through a network of nodes is provided, the method comprising receiving message information corresponding to a first outbound message, the message information comprising a first source identifier and a first destination identifier and determining whether the first source identifier is associated with a set of messages in a storage unit, whereby when the first source identifier is associated with a set of messages, the method comprises producing a trace request, the trace request comprising the first destination identifier and an identifier identifying the set of messages associated with the first source identifier.

Abstract: A gateway is provided for controlling transfer of electronic messages between a financial institution and a transaction processing system comprising a plurality of switches. The gateway includes communication circuitry operable to receive an electronic message issued by the financial institution and processing circuitry operable to determine whether the electronic message includes enough information for a switch of the transaction processing system to process the electronic message. In response to the electronic message including enough information, the communication circuitry is further operable to transmit the electronic message over a data communications network for storage in a message queue unit associated with the transaction processing system for subsequent processing by the switch. In response to the electronic message not including enough information, the communication circuitry is operable to return the electronic message to the financial institution.

Abstract: A method of tracing messages through a network of nodes is provided, the method comprising receiving message information corresponding to a first outbound message, the message information comprising a first source identifier and a first destination identifier and determining whether the first source identifier is associated with a set of messages in a storage unit, whereby when the first source identifier is associated with a set of messages, the method comprises producing a trace request, the trace request comprising the first destination identifier and an identifier identifying the set of messages associated with the first source identifier.

Abstract: A method for verifying integrity of electronic messages, comprising the steps of: obtaining an input message digest for a source electronic message; adding the input message digest to an input accumulator that accumulates the input message digests over a predetermined period of time; obtaining an output message digest for a destination electronic message; adding the output message digest to an output accumulator that accumulates the output message digests over the predetermined period of time; comparing the value of the input accumulator with the value of the output accumulator at the expiration of the predetermined period of time; and verifying integrity in the source and destination electronic messages over the predetermined period of time when the value of the input accumulator is equivalent to the value of the output accumulator.

Abstract: A system for allowing electronic payments through use of a unique proxy includes a first server, a first registration database and a first lookup database. The first server receives an electronic registration request message, including registration information of a first user, from a financial institution of the first user. The first registration database then copies a subset of the registration information, including a unique proxy of the first user, to the first lookup database as the first user's lookup information. When the first server receives an electronic proxy payment request message, including the unique proxy of the first user, from a financial institution of a second user, the first server looks up the first user's lookup information in the first lookup database on the basis of the unique proxy of the first user and transmits the first user's lookup information to the financial institution of the second user.

Abstract: A method of generating a plurality of different one time tokens, the method including acquiring a first numerical value from a predetermined sequence of consecutive numerical values, applying format preserving encryption to the acquired first numerical value to generate a first numerical one time token; acquiring a second numerical value from the predetermined sequence of consecutive numerical values, the acquired second numerical value being different to the acquired first numerical value, and applying the format preserving encryption to the acquired second numerical value to generate a second numerical one time token.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device for processing electronic transaction request messages from financial institutions, each transaction request message instructing payment of funds from one financial account in a first financial institution to another financial account in a second financial institution, the device comprising: a plurality of switches located at a location, each switch being operable to receive a transaction request message from a financial institution; and a clustered database connected to the plurality of switches, the clustered database comprising a plurality of synchronised databases, wherein the clustered database is con figured to generate a transaction summary record on the basis of the received transaction request message that allows settlement of the funds between the financial accounts defined by the received transaction request message.

Abstract: A method of performing a redirect in a browser viewing a page in a first-party domain is provided. The method includes the steps of checking for the presence of a cookie in the browser associated with a third-party domain, and in the absence of the third-party cookie, the method includes redirecting the browser from the first-party domain to the third-party domain and, in response, returning from the third-party domain, a fixed value cookie for storage in the browser.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of facilitating a transaction between a payer and a payee using a push payment. The payee sends a request for a payment identification code to a payment agent with payment information. The payment agent generates a unique payment identification code and stores the code along with the associated payment information, and sends the payment identification code to the payee who provides the code to the payer. The payer sends the payment identification code to a financial institution that forwards the code to the payment agent, which uses the code to retrieve the previously stored payment information, and sends the information to the financial institution who forwards the information to the payer. The payer may review information and send a request to pay message including the code to the financial institution, which then arranges for a push payment from the payer to the payee.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a secure method of providing a delivery address during a tokenized payment transaction scheme. A consumer places an order with a merchant without providing a delivery address. A distributor that collects payments due to the merchant requests a payment identification code and a delivery address from a payment agent. The request includes payment information. The payment agent generates and stores a payment identification code along with the payment information, and sends the code to the consumer via the distributor. The consumer forwards the code to a financial institution for forwarding to the payment agent who returns the payment information along with a request for a delivery address. The consumer may respond by authorizing the payment and by providing a delivery address. The financial institution then arranges the payment to the merchant and sees that the merchant receives the delivery address.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for receiving electronic messages from a financial institution, the system comprising a plurality of switches configured to communicate with one another and to process the received electronic messages, wherein each switch includes processing circuitry that is configured to receive an electronic message that includes a unique identifier and, in dependence upon the unique identifier, either process the electronic message or forward the electronic message to another one of the switches for processing.

Abstract: An interface is provided for controlling transfer of electronic transaction messages between a financial institution and switches distributed amongst a plurality of switch sites. The financial institution and the switches are connected via a data communications network. Communication circuitry is operable to transmit a test message to one of the switch sites over the data network if no transaction message is received from that switch site for a predetermined time. And, in response to the test message, the communication circuitry is operable to receive an echo of the test message from the switch site. If the echo is received within a defined time, processing circuitry is operable to then set the operational status of the switch site as operational, and if the echo is not received within the defined time, the operational status of the switch site is set as not operational.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for receiving transaction requests from a financial institution, the system comprising i) a plurality of servers connected over a network, wherein each server comprises a storage unit configured to store a settlement risk position which is the sum of the value of previously processed transaction requests over a period of time, a debit cap value associated with the financial institution, an adjustment value and a new transaction request having a transaction value, wherein the debit cap value stored in each server is determined in accordance with the total debit cap attributed to the financial institution and the number of servers in the system; ii) communication circuitry configured to receive the adjustment value over the network, the adjustment value being determined as the average, value of the settlement risk position across the plurality of servers; and iii) control circuitry configured to determine whether the debit cap has been exceeded by comparing tire debit cap

Abstract: A method of building a set of traceable messages through a network of nodes is provided, the method comprising receiving message information corresponding to a first message, the message information comprising a first source identifier and a first destination identifier and determining whether the source identifier is associated with a set of previous messages, whereby when the first source identifier is associated with a set of previous messages, the method comprises identifying the first message as also belonging to the set of previous messages and when the first source identifier is not associated with a set of previous messages, the method comprises identifying the first message as belonging to a new set of messages, the method further comprising associating the first destination identifier with the set of messages to which the first message belongs, such that if a second message is sent from that destination, the second message will be identified as belonging to that set of messages.

Abstract: A system for allowing electronic payments through use of a unique proxy includes a first server, a first registration database and a first lookup database. The first server receives an electronic registration request message, including registration information of a first user, from a financial institution of the first user. The first registration database then copies a subset of the registration information, including a unique proxy of the first user, to the first lookup database as the first user's lookup information. When the first server receives an electronic proxy payment request message, including the unique proxy of the first user, from a financial institution of a second user, the first server looks up the first user's lookup information in the first lookup database on the basis of the unique proxy of the first user and transmits the first user's lookup information to the financial institution of the second user.

Abstract: The present invention provides an interface for controlling the transfer of electronic transaction messages between a first financial institution and a plurality of switches distributed amongst a plurality of switch sites, wherein the first financial institution and the plurality of switches are connected via a data communications network, the interface comprising communication circuitry, processing circuitry and memory storing the operational status of each switch site, wherein the communication circuitry is operable to transmit a test message to one of the switch sites over the data network if no transaction message has been received from that switch site for a predetermined time, and in response to the test message, the communication circuitry is operable to receive an echo of the test message from the switch site; wherein the processing circuitry is operable such that if the echo is received within a defined time then the operational status of the switch site is set as operational and if the echo is not r