1. A method for securing a transaction in order to prevent fraudulent transactions, said method comprising:
receiving prior to the transaction a secret master key from a third party, wherein the master key remains unchanged and is kept secret, and is not altered after the transaction, the third party storing a copy of the master key;
receiving a request for a digest from a requestor;
retrieving the master key;
retrieving unique client information;
the client information being associated with the master key;
creating the digest by hashing the unique client information and the master key;
returning the digest and the unique client information to the requester, wherein the digest and the unique client information will be used for transacting with the third party;
wherein the request further comprises unique requester information and creating the digest further comprises hashing the unique requester information; and
wherein the transaction is a credit card transaction, the third party is a credit card issuer and the requestor is a merchant, further wherein the unique requester information includes information describing a merchant identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer, a transaction identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer and purchase information which is specific to a purchase initiated by the client.
2. The method recited in claim 1 above, wherein the request includes unique merchant information which is used to access the master key.
3. The method recited in claim 1 above, wherein the unique client information includes a reference number, the reference number being one of a plurality of reference numbers provided to the client by the third party.
4. The method recited in claim 1 above, wherein creating the digest by hashing is performed by a smart card.
5. The method recited in claim 1 above further comprises encrypting the unique client information prior to retrieving the unique client information.
6. A method for securing a transaction in order to prevent fraudulent transactions, said method comprising:
receiving, prior to the transaction, a secret master key from a third party, wherein the master key remains unchanged, and is not altered after the transaction, the third party storing a copy of the master key within the third party, the master key being kept secret;
receiving, by the third party, a transaction request from a requestor, wherein the transaction request includes a digest and unique client information, the unique client information being associated with the master key;
accessing the copy of the master key based on the unique client information;
creating an authorization digest by hashing the unique client information and the copy of the master key;
comparing, by the third party, the authorization digest with the digest from the requestor;
returning a response to the requester from the third party, the content of the response being based on an outcome of the comparison of the authorization digest with the digest from the requestor;
wherein the request includes unique requestor information and creating the authorization digest further comprises hashing the unique requestor information; and
wherein the third party is a credit card issuer, the transaction is a credit card transaction and the requester is a merchant, further wherein the requestor information includes information describing a merchant identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer, a transaction identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer and purchase information which is specific to a purchase initiated by the client.
7. The method recited in claim 6 above, wherein the unique client information includes a reference number, the reference number being one of a plurality of reference numbers provided to the client by the third party.
8. The method recited in claim 7 above further comprises:
accessing all previously used reference numbers associated with the unique client information;
comparing the previously used reference numbers with the reference number contained in the unique client information; and
returning a response to the requester, the content of the response being based on the outcome of the comparison of the previously used reference numbers with the reference number contained in the unique client information.
9. The method recited in claim 6 above, wherein creating the authentication digest by hashing is performed by a smart card.
10. The method recited in claim 6 above further comprises decrypting the unique client information prior accessing the copy of the master key.
11. A system for securing a transaction in order to prevent fraudulent transactions comprising:
receiving means for receiving a secret master key from a third partition prior to the transaction, the master key remaining unchanged after the transaction, the master key being kept secret;
receiving means for receiving a request for a digest from a requester;
retrieving means for retrieving the master key;
retrieving means for retrieving unique client information;
the client information being associated with the master key;
creating means for creating the digest by hashing the unique client information and the master key;
returning means for returning the digest and the unique client information to the requester, wherein the digest and the unique client information will be used for transacting with the third party;
wherein the request further comprises unique requester information and creating the digest further comprises hashing the unique requestor information; and
wherein the transaction is a credit card transaction, the third party is a credit card issuer, and the requester is a merchant, further wherein the unique requester information includes information describing a merchant identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer, a transaction identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer and transaction data which is specific to a transaction initiated by the client.
12. The system recited in claim 11 above, wherein the request includes unique merchant information which is used to access the master key.
13. The system recited in claim 11 above, wherein the unique client information includes a reference number, the reference number being one of a plurality of reference numbers provided to the client by the third party.
14. The system recited in claim 11 above, wherein the creating means for creating the digest by bashing is performed by a smart card.
15. The system recited in claim 11 above farther comprises encrypting means for encrypting the unique client information prior to returning the unique client information.
16. The system recited in claim 11 above further comprises:
fingerprint reading and identification means for reading a fingerprint and authorizing a client based on an identity of a client’s fingerprint.
17. A system for securing a transaction in order to prevent fraudulent transactions comprising:
providing means for providing from a third party a secret master key to a client, the master key remaining unchanged after the transaction;
receiving means for receiving a transaction request from a requestor, wherein the transaction request includes a digest and unique client information, the digest being created utilizing the master key provided to the client and the unique client information, the unique client information being associated with the master key;
accessing means for accessing, by the third party, a master key stored within the third party based on the unique client information;
creating means for creating an authorization digest by hashing the unique client information and the master key;
comparing means for comparing the authorization digest with the digest from the requester;
returning means for returning a response to the requester, the content of the response being based on the outcome of the comparison of the authorization digest with the digest from the requestor;
wherein the request includes unique requester information and creating the authorization digest further comprises hashing the unique requester information; and
wherein the transaction is a credit card transaction, the third party is a credit card issuer and the requester is a merchant, further wherein the requester information includes information describing a merchant identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer, a transaction identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer and transaction data which is specific to a transaction initiated by the client.
18. The system recited in claim 17 above, wherein the unique client information includes a reference number, the reference number being one of a plurality of reference numbers provided to the client by the third party.
19. The system recited in claim 18 above further, comprises:
accessing means for accessing all previously used reference numbers associated with the unique client information;
comparing means for comparing the previously used reference numbers with the reference number contained in the unique client information; and
returning means for returning a response to the requester, the content of the response being based on the outcome of the comparison of the previously used reference numbers with the reference number contained in the unique client information.
20. The system recited in claim 17 above, wherein creating the authentication digest by hashing is performed by a smart card.
21. The system recited in claim 17 above further comprises decrypting the unique client information prior accessing the copy of the master key.
22. A computer program product for securing a transaction in order to prevent fraudulent transactions embodied on a computer readable medium comprising:
providing instructions for providing from a third party a secret master key, the master key remaining unchanged after the transaction;
receiving instructions for receiving a request for a digest from a requester;
retrieving instructions for retrieving the master key;
retrieving instructions for retrieving unique client information;
the master key being associated with the client information;
creating instructions for creating the digest by hashing the unique client information and the master key;
returning instructions for returning the digest and the unique client information to the requester, wherein the digest and the unique client information will be used for transacting with the third party;
wherein the request includes unique requester information and creating the authorization digest further comprises hashing the unique requester information; and
wherein the transaction is a credit card transaction, the third party is a credit card issuer and the requester is a merchant, further wherein the requester information includes information describing a merchant identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer, a transaction identifier which is specific to the credit card issuer and transaction data which is specific to a transaction initiated by the client.
23. The method recited in claim 22 above, wherein the request includes unique merchant information which is used to access the master key.
24. The method recited in claim 22 above, wherein the unique client information includes a reference number, the reference number being one of a plurality of reference numbers provided to the client by the third party.
25. The method recited in claim 22 above, wherein creating the digest by hashing is performed by a smart card.
26. The method recited in claim 22 above further comprises encrypting the unique client information prior to retrieving the unique client information.
27. The system recited in claim 22 above further comprises:
fingerprint reading and identification means for reading a fingerprint and authorizing a client based on an identity of a client’s fingerprint.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
We claim:
1. A method of removing multi-valent water hardness cations from a water stream comprising passing said water stream in contact with a static bed of water softening material, said water softening material comprising macrocrystalline aggregates consisting essentially of microscopic aluminosilicate zeolite crystals, said macroscopic aggregates having an average size of greater than 5 microns.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said macroscopic aggregates have a size range of at least 20 microns and said microcrystalline aluminosilicate zeolite crystals are submicron in size.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said microcrystalline aluminosilicate zeolite crystals have a size range of from 0.05 to 0.5 micron.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said macroscopic aggregates consisting essentially of said microcrystalline aluminosilicate zeolite crystals are formed in-situ.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said macroscopic aggregates have a size of at least 50 microns.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said macroscopic aggregates have an average size of at least 100 microns.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said microcrystalline aluminosilicate zeolite crystals have an average size range of from 0.05 to 0.5 microns.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite is a high aluminium zeolite having a SiAl of less than or equal to 1.1.
9. The method of claim 1 comprising periodically regenerating said water softening material by contacting said static bed of macroscopic aggregates with a salt solution which displaces multi-valent water hardness cations from said zeolite.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said macroscopic aggregates are periodically contacted with a sodium chloride solution to displace multi-valent water hardness cations from said zeolite.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite is zeolite A.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite crystals contain up to 40% by weight relative to the total SiO2 content of the zeolite as occluded silicate which is not part of the framework of said zeolite crystals.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said occluded silicate is present in amounts of up to 20% by weight based on the total SiO2 content of the zeolite crystals.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said occluded silicate is present in amounts of 0 to less than 5 weight % of the total SiO2 content of said zeolite crystals.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein said water stream includes a household water supply.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein said water stream comprises an industrial water supply.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite is a high aluminum analog of gismondine.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite is zeolite B or zeolite P.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein said aggregates are disposed of after repeated contact with said water source, said aggregates being substantially incapable of being regenerated by displacement of multi-valent water hardness cations with a separate salt solution.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein said aluminosilicate zeolite is a high aluminum analog of zeolite X.