WO2004046988A1

WO2004046988A1 - System for customer loyalty program implementation and system for member authentification

Info

Publication number: WO2004046988A1
Application number: PCT/SG2003/000244
Authority: WO
Inventors: Huan Khing Low
Original assignee: Innocreate Systems Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2002-11-15
Filing date: 2003-10-13
Publication date: 2004-06-03
Also published as: AU2003273207A1

Abstract

The invention provides a claim-code based customer loyalty program to reward member through a centralized system for accumulating credit incentive to settle payment over a network. Member may trade credit incentive and restore the used credit incentive by monetary payback. The invention also provides a centralized password management system to supply dynamic passwords to a plurality of login-stations to authenticate member identification over a network.[

Description

SYSTEM FOR CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AND SYSTEM FOR MEMBER AUTHENTICATION

FIE D OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the process of accumulating credit incentive issued to customers under customer loyalty program for customers to settle payment on credit. More particularly, the invention relates to a centralized system to collate claim-codes issued by merchants from customers for accumulation of credit incentive and to manage dynamic passwords for any login-station to authenticate identification of customers.

BACKGROUND OF THF INVENTION

Many customer loyalty programs have been developed over the years, ranging from simple programs like VIP discount card and coupon accumulation for redeeming free gift to the more sophisticated credit card loyalty program of allowing members to earn reward point from merchants to offset future purchases with the merchants. A frequent flyer program operated by airlines is another example of rewarding members by exchanging frequent flyer miles earned for service upgrade or free airline ticket. Generally, the prior art restricts member to redeeming reward point for products from merchants or converting reward point to cash equivalent to pay for future purchases. Typical examples of the prior art may be seen in U.S. Patent No. 5,937,391 , 5,774,870, 6,009,412, 5,025,372 and the US Patent Application 20010054003. There was no consideration of rewarding member the credit incentive to settle payment on credit, and allowing member to payback to restore the credit incentive used for settlement of payment. Furthermore being a backroom central system interacting with many login-stations, it is essential to have a secure and simple centralized password management system to supply passwords to login-stations to authenticate member identification. OB.IECTIVFS OF THF INVENTION

The invention has the first objective of providing a claim-code based centralized system for merchant to implement customer loyalty program with minimal effort.

The second objective of the invention is to make customer loyalty program more attractive by rewarding member with credit incentive to settle payment on credit.

The third objective of the invention is to provide a centralized password management system to supply dynamic passwords to a plurality of login-stations to authenticate member identification over a network.

SUMMARY QF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a claim-code based customer loyalty program to reward member through a centralized system for accumulating credit incentive to settle payment over a network. Member may trade credit incentive and restore the used credit incentive by monetary payback. The invention also provides a centralized password management system to supply dynamic passwords to a plurality of login-stations to authenticate member identification over a network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings which are incorporated into and constitute a part of the description of the invention, illustrate embodiments of the invention and serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only, and not as a definition of the limits of the invention for which reference should be made to the claims.

Figure 1 illustrates the general process of the present invention in executing settlement of payment.

Figure 2 illustrates a centralised password management system of the present invention in authenticating identification of member. Figure 3 illustrates a centralised password management system of the present invention in using pseudo identification assigned by login-station to link the issued dynamic-password to new member.

Figure 4 illustrates a centralised password management system of the present invention in using pseudo identification assigned by central-station to link the issued dynamic-password to new member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention describes a method and system universally applicable to the implementation of a centralized system to manage customer loyalty program under a secure password management environment in executing settlement of payment over a network. To facilitate better description of the present invention, the following definitions are defined: • Basic-share is the minimal amount of Credit-point receivable by Customer- account as determined by Claim-code.

• Bonus-share comprises General-bonus-share and Specific-bonus-share.

• Claim-code is a combination of machine-readable code (e.g. barcode and electronic code etc.) and human-readable code (e.g. alphanumeric characters and figures etc.) representing a predetermined amount of Credit- point to be issued to a commerce transaction executed under customer loyalty program of the present invention.

• Credit-point is the unit of measurement for the degree of credit incentive to be rewarded to Customer under customer loyalty program of the present invention to settle payment on credit over a Network.

• Customer refers to a person, business entity, company, institution, Internet shop operator or any other legal entity participating in customer loyalty program of the present invention to buy Product from Merchant over POS or Network or under a person-to-person arrangement. • Customer-account is a record of the Credit-point belonged to Customer under customer loyalty program of the present invention.

• Customer-data comprises at least the Customer-ID and the Claim-code. • Customer-ID is a code to identify the Customer under customer loyalty program of the present invention.

• Dynamic-password is the password with limited useful life in terms of frequency of use, frequency of use within a period, frequency of use after the first use, frequency of use before a date, frequency of use after a date, unlimited use within a period, unlimited use before a date or any other limitations.

• External-account is any financial instrument account such as but not limited to the account for credit card, debit card, demand deposit, stored value account and online digital wallet account etc.

• General-bonus-share is the amount of Credit-point receivable by Customer- account to be determined by the Basic-share in the Customer-account accumulated from at least one past commerce transaction executed with any Merchant within a period. • Issued-credit-point is the total amount of Credit-point issued to the present commerce transaction executed under customer loyalty program of the present invention.

• Merchant refers to a person, company, institution, Internet shop operator and any legal entity participating in customer loyalty program of the present invention to sell Product to Customer over POS or Network or under a person-to-person arrangement.

• Merchant-account is a record of the Credit-point belonged to a Merchant under customer loyalty program of the present invention.

• Network refers to a combination of the public communication systems (including but not limited to the Internet, mobile communication system and wired telephone system), the private communication systems (including but not limited to Intranet and Extranet), the delivery systems (including but not limited to the postal delivery system and courier delivery system) and the closed-user networks (including but not limited to network marketing organisations, multi-level marketing organisations).

• Payback-limit is the amount of Credit-point in Customer-account accumulated from a combination of the conversion of Reward-point and the execution of commerce transactions under customer loyalty program of the present invention.

• POS refers to Merchant's point-of-sale shop counter.

• Product refers to the tangible goods, intangible goods, information and services to be sold over POS or Network or as the person-to-person arrangement, including but not limited to lending of personal money.

• Reward-point is a unit of measurement for the benefit to be rewarded in completing a commerce transaction under other customer loyalty program not taught in the present invention. • Specific-bonus-share is the amount of Credit-point receivable by Customer- account to be determined by the Basic-share in the Customer-account accumulated from at least one past commerce transaction executed with a particular Merchant within a period.

The present invention to provide a centralized system to implement Claim-code based customer loyalty program with dynamic password management expressed as a method universally applicable to boosting retail sale requires to reward Customer with Credit-point to settle payment on credit over at least one Network environment. The Network environment comprises a plurality of claim- stations to receive Customer-data from Customer, a plurality of login-stations to authenticate Customer identification and at least one central-station to issue Claim-code to Merchant, to distribute Credit-point to Customer and Merchant, to execute settlement of payment and to supply dynamic passwords to login- stations. Customer applies membership directly to central-station or through Merchant. Central-station issues at least one Customer-ID and at least one Customer-account to each Customer, where Customer-ID is unique to each Customer or shared by multiple Customers depending on the type of membership and Customer-account is linked to Customer-ID. Depending on the type of membership, central-station issues to Customer: (1) a membership card (e.g. plastic card) capturing Customer-ID printed in machine-readable code (e.g. barcode) and/or human readable code (e.g. alphanumeric characters and figures etc.), and optionally storing Customer-ID in data storage means (e.g. magnetic stripe, integrated- circuit chip etc.); and (2) optionally issuing Credit-point to Customer-account.

Central-station issues a plurality of Claim-code to Merchant prior to execution of commerce transaction. Each Claim-code entitles Customer and Merchant (optional) to receiving Credit-point from central-station. Central-station stores the issued Claim-code and the entitled Credit-point for distribution to Customer and Merchant. On completion of a commerce transaction between Customer and Merchant, Merchant rewards Customer with at least one Claim-code to claim Credit-point from central-station. Since Claim-code is issued to Merchant in advance, central-station may bill Merchant for the issued Claim-code prior to distribution of Credit-point to Customer. For Network based commerce transaction, central-station may issue Claim-code to Merchant for onward issuance to Customer during the time of executing commerce transaction or after completion of commerce transaction. Alternatively central-station may issue Credit-point directly to Customer and Merchant, instead of issuing Claim- code, to simplify the claiming process.

Commerce transactions are executed over Network or POS or under person-to- person arrangement e.g. Internet auction. In the embodiment of POS commerce transaction, central-station issues a plurality of coupons to each Merchant for onward issuance to Customer to claim Credit-point from central-station based on the Claim-code printed on each coupon. Coupon is printed with entitled Credit- point, advertising messages and survey questionnaire etc. Central-station uses Claim-code to identify the Merchant who issued the coupon to Customer for the purpose of using coupon to conduct survey for particular Merchant and to verify fraudulent coupon etc. Customer may mail the coupon printed with Customer-ID to central-station, or submit the claim via a plurality of claim-stations installed at strategic locations (e.g. Merchant shops) as follows:

(a) To drop the coupon printed with Customer-ID in collection box located at claim-station for onward delivery to central-station and retrieval of Customer- data, (b) To submit coupon and membership card for the device installed at claim- station to retrieve Claim-code from coupon and Customer-ID from membership card for onward transmission to central-station. The device also displays general information like advertising messages and survey questionnaire etc. or displays the customized information based on Customer's demography identified by Customer-ID. Customer is required to drop the coupon in collection box located at claim-station for verifying Customer-data received through claim-station. (c) Merchant's point-of-sale cashier machine issues Claim-code to a commerce transaction and receive Customer-ID from Customer for onward transmission of Customer-data to central-station, (d) In Network based commerce transaction, central-station issues a plurality of Claim-code in electronic form (e.g. digital signal) to virtual shop of Merchant. On completion of a Network based commerce transaction, virtual shop issues Claim-code to each transaction and receives Customer-ID from Customer for onward transmission of Customer-data to central-station.

Central-station uses the received Claim-code to retrieve the entitled Issued-credit- point for distribution of Basic-share and Bonus-share to Customer-account

(identified by the received Customer-ID) and the balance of Issued-credit-point to Merchant-account. Bonus-share is determined by the target achieved by Customer-account. A target is a prefixed amount of Credit-point in Customer- account accumulated from past commerce transactions executed within a period (e.g. a year or a month from a specific date), where such Credit-point comprises a combination of the Basic-share received from any Merchant and/or particular Merchant and the Bonus-share. Usually multiple targets are set to reward Customer, the higher the target achieved the higher the Bonus-share rewarded. After a period lapses, target may be modified to reflect new requirements and market conditions and the counter for accumulating Credit-point in Customer- account is reset to zero or a prefixed value. Central-station compares the value of counter with target to determine the Bonus-share for Customer-account. As such, Customers are motivated by the desire to achieve the targets and eager to earn more Bonus-share after achieving a target. Thereafter Central-station distributes to Merchant-account the balance of Issued-credit-point, if there is any. Since a Credit-point is worth a monetary value or entitled to certain benefits, Merchant will get back part of the discount given out as Credit-point if Customer fails to achieve the target. Upon achieving the target set according to the prefixed volume of transaction measured by Credit-point accumulated in Customer-account, Customer-account will receive larger proportion or all of the Issued-credit-point. As such, Merchant is encouraged to give more Credit-point to attract Customer and Customer is motivated to achieve the targets for receiving higher proportion or all of the Issued-credit-point.

The criteria for distributing Bonus-share to Customer-account is determined by at least one of the following factors: • total amount of Basic-share, General-bonus-share and Specific-bonus-share accumulated in Customer-account within a period;

• monetary value of the present commerce transaction;

• accumulated monetary value of the past commerce transactions executed within a period with any Merchant or with particular Merchant; and • the period.

Distribution of Issued-credit-point to Merchant-account is mainly determined by the relationship between Customer and the Merchant of the Merchant-account e.g. the Merchant issued the Claim-code, the Merchant registered the Customer under customer loyalty program of the present invention etc.

Since central-station distributes Credit-point to Customer-account and Merchant- account, Customer and Merchant may use Credit-point to settle payment on credit over a Network. When a Merchant buys Product from another Merchant, the former is the Customer of the later. As such, Merchant is also issued with Merchant Identification to link to Merchant-account and both Merchant and Customer are issued with Dynamic-password for authentication of identification (note: Dynamic-password management is disclosed in the subsequent embodiment). Customer-account and Merchant-account may also be linked to External-account for executing fund transfer.

In executing settlement of payment over a Network, Customer transmits

Customer-ID and password to central-station through a communication session with login-station that is usually managed by Merchant. Authentication of identification of Customer is executed by matching the received Customer-ID and password with the stored contents. Alternatively it is executed between central- station and at least one card possessed by Customer and this card is a smart card or a card equipped with a combination of magnetic stripe, barcode and integrated-circuit chip.

In detail now and referring to Figure 1 it describes the present invention in using Credit-point to settle payment on credit. Step 101 converts Claim-code to Credit- point to be stored in Customer-account as explained in the previous embodiments. Step 102 converts Reward-point to Credit-point to be stored in Customer-account. Step 103 converts monetary value contributed by Merchant, Customer or any other party to Credit-point to be stored in Customer-account. Subsequently step 104 invokes a computerized process to verify Customer- account having sufficient Credit-point required for executing the requested settlement of payment. If the required amount of Credit-point is sufficient, payment is settled by transferring the required Credit-point from Customer- account to Merchant-account. Thereafter Merchant may keep the transferred Credit-point in Merchant-account, or in step 105 to covert some or all of the Credit- point in Merchant-account to Reward-point, or in step 106 to convert to any monetary value. At this stage, execution of settlement of payment is completed and confirmation of the transaction is sent to Customer and Merchant. A charge for the settlement of payment transaction is imposed on Customer and/or Merchant by deducting the required Credit-point from Customer-account and/or Merchant-account respectively. Other embodiment is to convert Credit-point in Customer-account directly to monetary value for paying Merchant through any conventional financial services without having to execute step 104.

Conversion from Reward-point to Credit-point is based on at least one of the following factors: • conversion rate; and • source of Reward-point.

Additional step may be required to configure a plurality of customer loyalty program databases to support conversion of Reward-point to Credit-point, and vice versa.

Conversion from monetary contribution to Credit-point is based on at least one of the following factors:

• Payback-limit of Customer-account;

• source of monetary contribution; • currency of monetary contribution;

• amount of monetary contribution involved in the conversion;

• type of membership of Customer-account; and

• existing Credit-point in Customer-account. where monetary contribution comes from the following sources: • Merchant's cash rebate or cash discount etc.;

• membership fee paid by Customer for enjoying certain benefits; and

• Customer's payback to restore Credit-point used to settle past payment

Customer and Merchant may use Credit-point to settle payment for Network based or POS commerce transaction. Customer may convert Credit-point to Reward-point and/or monetary value to settle payment based on at least one of the following factors:

• rate of conversion;

• currency for the monetary value; • type of Reward-point;

• type of membership of Customer-account; and

• monetary value in the system available for executing the conversion. Customer may payback to restore Credit-point used for settlement of past payments on credit. Since this is not monetary deposit from Customer, the settlement of payment of the present invention is not subject to banking license or monetary regulatory control imposed by the local authorities. The amount of payback is restricted to Payback-limit of Customer-account. Customer who requires Credit-point beyond existing Payback-limit may buy some Payback-limit from other Customer to raise own Payback-limit in order to increase Credit-point through monetary contribution.

In summary, the present invention teaches the following inventive steps of implementing customer loyalty program:

• To distribute Claim-code to Merchant for onward allocation to Customer to claim Credit-point from central-station. • To assign Claim-code with the highest Credit-point for central-station to distribute to Customer and Merchant according to the targets achieved by the Customer.

• To allow conversion of monetary value and Reward-point to Credit-point.

• To use Credit-point to settle payment on credit. . To payback for restoring Credit-point without exceeding Payback-limit of Customer-account.

• To allow trading of Payback-limit.

The present invention teaches the method of operating a centralized Dynamic- password management system for multiple login-stations to authenticate identification of members over a Network. A password comprises a static- password and a Dynamic-password. The static-password is optional, only known to Customer and login-station, and usually unchanged for a plurality of authentication operations until being changed by login-station or Customer. The Dynamic-password issued to Customer is usually unique for better security but in practice some of Dynamic-passwords are occasionally identical. Central- station randomly distributes to each Customer, without having Customer information, a plurality of Dynamic-passwords identified by a unique "batch- code". Both Dynamic-passwords and batch-code are: (a) stored in data storage means like magnetic stripe on plastic card, smart card, optical storage card etc.; or (b) printed on paper / plastic card and optionally firmly covered by a thin layer of non-transparent material to prevent disclosure to unauthorized person. Customer uses electronic means to retrieve Dynamic-password from data storage means or removes the covered non-transparent material to read the printed Dynamic-password. The data storage means or cards are randomly distributed to a plurality of outlets and subsequently picked up by Customer without supplying any personal information, just like the way a prepaid telephone card being sold over retail shop. Alternatively, central-station may transmit Dynamic-passwords and batch-code over Network to Customer without receiving any Customer information.

To further enhance security level, each Dynamic-password is divided into at least 2 parts. All the first parts identified by a unique batch-code are carried on one card or one data storage means for distribution to Customer or transmitted to Customer over Network, likewise for other parts. Customer has to obtain all the parts to construct a complete Dynamic-password.

In detail now and referring to Figure 2 it describes the present invention in using Dynamic-password to authenticate identification of Customer. In step 201 , Customer supplies Customer-ID and password (comprising a static-password and a Dynamic-password) to login-station through a secure transmission session with login-station. In step 202, login-station executes the usual verification process of using the received Customer-ID to retrieve the stored static-password for matching it with the received content and temporarily stores the received Dynamic-password for subsequent use. In step 203, login-station uses the received Customer-ID to retrieve Pseudo-ID for onward transmission to central-station, where Pseudo-ID is another unique identification code assigned to Customer without Customer's knowledge and is usual different from Customer-ID. In step 204, central-station uses the received Pseudo-ID to retrieve the stored Dynamic-password for onward transmission to login-station. In step 205, login-station matches the Dynamic-passwords received from Customer and central-station to confirm identification of Customer. In summary, identification of Customer is authenticated if both static-password and Dynamic-password supplied by Customer match with the static-password stored in login-station and the

Dynamic-password stored in central-station. Since Pseudo-ID is used instead of Customer-ID, central-station has no knowledge of Customer thus impossible for central-station to know the relationship between the stored Dynamic-password and Customer. Alternatively (not shown in the diagram) login-station transmits the stored Pseudo-ID and the Dynamic-password received from Customer to central-station for central-station to match with the stored Dynamic-password identified by Pseudo-ID in order to confirm identification of Customer. Yet another embodiment is login-station being part of central-station thus Customer-ID is same as Pseudo-ID.

Figure 3 explains the initialization process for new Customer based on the approach of login-station to assign Pseudo-ID to Customer. In step 301 , Login- station issues Customer with Customer-ID, static-password and Pseudo-ID, where Pseudo-ID is linked to Customer-ID. In step 302, central-station distributes randomly a plurality of Dynamic-passwords identified by a batch-code to each Customer without having information about the Customer. In step 303, Customer supplies Customer-ID and batch-code to login-station. In step 304, login-station uses the received Customer-ID to retrieve the stored Pseudo-ID for onward transmission of the retrieved Pseudo-ID and the received batch-code to central-station. Finally in step 305, central-station completes the initialization process by storing the received Pseudo-ID and linking it to the stored Dynamic- passwords identified by the received batch-code.

Figure 4 explains another initialization process for new Customer based on the approach of central-station to issue Pseudo-ID. In step 401, login-station issues Customer with Customer-ID and static-password. In step 402, central-station distributes randomly to each Customer a plurality of Dynamic-passwords identified by batch-code without having information about the Customer. In step

403, Customer transmits Customer-ID and batch-code to login-station. In step

404, login-station transmits the received batch-code to central-station. In step

405, central-station determines whether the received batch-code has been assigned with Pseudo-ID. In step 406, if the batch-code is assigned with

Pseudo-ID, central-station transmits the assigned Pseudo-ID to login-station. In step 407, if the batch-code is not assigned with Pseudo-ID, central-station assigns Pseudo-ID to the Dynamic-passwords identified by the batch-code thereafter transmits the assigned Pseudo-ID to login-station. Finally in step 408, login-station completes the initialization process by linking the received Pseudo- ID to Customer-ID.

After successful authentication of Customer identification, Customer can repeat the methods taught in Figure 3 or Figure 4 to initialise another set of Dynamic- passwords as standby. If the Dynamic-passwords on standby are lost, Customer can simply initialise another set of Dynamic-passwords as the replacement. If the Dynamic-passwords currently in use are lost, Customer has to firstly go through the authentication process established by login-station (not taught in the present invention) then uses the methods taught in Figure 3 or Figure 4 to initialise new set of Dynamic-passwords as the replacement.

Claims

CLAIMSWe claim:

1. In a system for executing customer loyalty program over at least one Network environment, said Network environment comprising at least one Customer being issued with at least one Customer-account, at least one Merchant being issued with at least one Merchant-account and at least one central- station, said system comprising:

said Customer executing commerce transaction with said Merchant for said central-station to distribute Issued-credit-point to at least said Customer- account;

executing first conversion to convert Reward-point to first Credit-point;

executing second conversion to convert monetary contribution to second Credit-point;

storing said first Credit-point and said second Credit-point in said Customer- account; and

using Credit-point in said Customer-account to execute settlement of payment on credit;

characterised by accomplishment of execution of customer loyalty program over said Network environment.

2. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said commerce transaction is executed over a combination of POS and Network.

3. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said Credit-point represents entitlement to receiving certain amount of credit for settlement of payment.

4. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said central-station also distributing said Issued-credit-point to said

Merchant-account.

5. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said settlement of payment is executed by transferring Credit-point in said Customer-account to at least one other account.

6. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said settlement of payment is executed by converting Credit-point in said Customer-account to a combination of monetary value and Reward-point as the payment.

7. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said execution of settlement of payment comprises the steps of verifying said Customer-account having sufficient Credit-point available for settlement of payment and providing confirmation of said settlement of payment to the relevant parties.

8. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said execution of settlement of payment comprises the step of posting a charge to at least one of the relevant parties.

9. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said Customer-account is linked to at least one External-account for execution of fund transfer.

10. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said monetary contribution comprises a combination of cash payment, check payment, prepaid card payment, electronic fund transfer, telegraphic fund transfer and credit card payment.

11. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said monetary contribution is made by said Customer as the payback for any amount of past payments settled by Credit-point.

12. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 11 wherein said payback is restricted to not exceeding Payback-limit.

13. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 12 wherein said Payback-limit is tradable.

14. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said monetary contribution is made by said Merchant.

15. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said monetary contribution comprises a portion of monetary value paid by said Customer for enjoying certain benefit.

16. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said first conversion is optional.

17. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said first conversion involves configuration of a plurality of customer loyalty program databases associated with said Reward-point.

18. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said second conversion is optional.

19. In a system for executing customer loyalty program as in claim 1 wherein said second conversion is based on at least one of the following factors: • Payback-limit of said Customer-account;

• source of said monetary contribution;

• currency of said monetary contribution;

• amount of said monetary contribution; • type of membership of said Customer-account; and

• existing Credit-point in said Customer-account.

20. In a system for authentication of Customer identification over at least one Network environment, said Network environment comprising at least one Customer, at least one login-station and at least one central-station, said system comprising:

said login-station issuing at least one Customer-ID to said Customer;

said login-station linking said Customer-ID to at least one Pseudo-ID;

said central-station issuing at least one Dynamic-password to said Customer;

said central-station linking said Dynamic-password to said Pseudo-ID;

said Customer providing said Customer-ID and password to said login- station;

said login-station using said Customer-ID to retrieve said Pseudo-ID for said central-station to retrieve said Dynamic-password; and

said retrieved Dynamic-password being compared with said password;

characterised by accomplishment of authentication of Customer identification over said Network environment.

21. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein said password is said Dynamic-password.

22. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein said password comprises said Dynamic-password and at least one static-password.

23. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 22 wherein said static-password is provided by said Customer and stored with said Customer and said login-station.

24. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 22 wherein said static-password is provided by said login-station and stored with said Customer and said login-station.

25. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein said central-station provides said retrieved Dynamic-password to said login-station for comparing with said password to confirm identification of said Customer.

26. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein said login-station provides said password to said central-station for comparing with said retrieved Dynamic-password to confirm identification of said Customer.

27. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein at least one said Dynamic-password is linked to at least one batch- code.

28. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 27 wherein said Dynamic-password and said batch-code are printed on at least one card and optionally concealed by layer of non-transparent material for distribution to said Customer.

29. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 27 wherein said Dynamic-password and said batch-code are stored in at least one data storage means for distribution to said Customer.

30. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 27 wherein said Dynamic-password and said batch-code are transmitted over a Network to said Customer.

31. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein said Dynamic-password is divided into a plurality of parts and said parts being printed on different cards to be distributed to said Customer for retrieving all said parts to form said Dynamic-password.

32. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein said Dynamic-password is divided into a plurality of parts and said parts being stored in different data storage means to be distributed to said Customer for retrieving all said parts to form said Dynamic-password.

33. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein the steps to link said Customer-ID and said Dynamic-password to said Pseudo-ID comprises:

• said login-station issuing and providing said Customer-ID to said Customer; • said central-station issuing at least one batch-code to link to said Dynamic- password and providing said batch-code and said Dynamic-password to said Customer;

• said Customer providing said batch-code and said Customer-ID to said login-station; • said login-station providing said batch-code to said central-station;

• said central-station issuing and linking said Pseudo-ID to said Dynamic- password associated with said batch-code; and • said central-station providing said Pseudo-ID and said batch-code to said login-station to link said Pseudo-ID to said Customer-ID associated with said batch-code.

34. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein the steps to link said Customer-ID and said Dynamic-password to said Pseudo-ID comprises:

• said login-station issuing said Pseudo-ID to link to said Customer-ID and providing said Customer-ID to said Customer; • said central-station issuing at least one batch-code to link to said Dynamic- password and providing said batch-code and said Dynamic-password to said Customer;

• said Customer providing said batch-code and said Customer-ID to said login-station; • said login-station using said Customer-ID to retrieve said Pseudo-ID and providing said Pseudo-ID and said batch-code to said central-station; and

• said central-station linking said Pseudo-ID to said Dynamic-password associated with said batch-code.

35. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein said Customer-ID is same as said Pseudo-ID.

36. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein said Customer-ID is different from said Pseudo-ID.

37. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein at least two of said Dynamic-passwords are identical.

38. In a system for authentication of Customer identification as in claim 20 wherein all of said Dynamic-passwords are different.