The present invention relates to self-service kiosks and more specifically to a private data protection method for a network kiosk.
Retailers have a desire to sell their products over networks, such as global networks which are a part of the World Wide Web (WWW or “web”) and which use the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP protocol). These retailers wish to provide Internet server web sites which offer the same features as Internet server web sites available to home shoppers who use their computers to connect to the Internet server web sites.
Kiosks provide a publicly-accessible computing platform for displaying web pages from retailer web sites. Kiosks may be located within a retailer's transaction establishment or elsewhere, such as in shopping malls. Kiosks may be easily networked to retailer web sites using the TCP/IP protocol. Web pages from web sites may be displayed using known and available web software, such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer software.
One problem with public use of a network kiosk is that private information may be compromised to others in the vicinity of the kiosk. For example, during the purchase of an item using the kiosk, a user must enter a credit card number to complete payment. Others near the kiosk may see the credit card number.
One solution to the problem is to put a private cubicle or other structure around the kiosk. Such structures can be costly. They can also diminish the kiosk's ability to attract people to use it.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method of protecting private data, such as credit card numbers, for a network kiosk which obviates the need for a shielding structure.