Biometric payment in transit systems

• US 10,304,059 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Ho, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Akiba K
• Application Number:
  US14/823,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20160042357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 705 24, 705 75, 705 21, 705 11, 705 711, 455411
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection

Abstract

A method for conducting biometric transactions includes receiving an indication that a user'"'"'s media is within a detection range of a transaction device. The indication includes an identifier of the media. A list is populated with identifiers of media that are within the detection range. The list includes the identifier of the user'"'"'s media along with a subset of an overall population of identifiers of media that are each associated with a particular user and biometric identifier. A biometric identifier is received from the transaction device upon being received by the transaction device in an interaction with the user. The biometric identifier is compared to biometric identifiers of only users associated with identifiers on the list of media to identify the user and an account associated with the user. A transaction using the account associated with the identified user authorized and an authorization message is communicated to the transaction device.

Claims

1. A method for conducting biometric transactions within a transit system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless beacon of a transaction device of the transit system, an indication that a fare media of a user is within a detection range of the transaction device, the indication comprising an identifier of the fare media, wherein the detection range is defined by a signal range of a beacon of the transaction device;

populating a list, prior to completion of a transaction, with identifiers of only fare media that are presently within the detection range of the transaction device, wherein the list comprises a subset of an overall population of identifiers of fare media in which each identifier in the subset is presently detected within the detection range of the transaction device, wherein each identifier of the overall population of identifiers is associated with a particular user and biometric identifier stored on the transit system, and wherein the list comprises the identifier of the user'"'"'s fare media;

receiving a biometric identifier from the transaction device, the biometric identifier having been received by the transaction device from the user of the fare media in an interaction with the transaction device;

comparing the biometric identifier to biometric identifiers of only users associated with identifiers that are on the list of fare media to identify the user and a transit account associated with the user;

authorizing the transaction using the transit account associated with the identified user; and

communicating an authorization message to the transaction device.

2. The method for conducting biometric transactions within a transit system of claim 1, wherein:

the transaction device comprises a fare media vending machine; and

the transaction comprises a purchase of a transit fare.

3. The method for conducting biometric transactions within a transit system of claim 1, wherein:

the transaction device comprises a transit system access point; and

the transaction comprises a request for the user to access the transit system.

4. The method for conducting biometric transactions within a transit system of claim 1, wherein:

the authorization message causes a physical barrier of the transaction device to move to allow the user to access the transit system.

5. The method for conducting biometric transactions within a transit system of claim 1, wherein:

the authorization message causes an approval message to be produced on a display of the transaction device.

6. The method for conducting biometric transactions within a transit system of claim 1, wherein:

the indication is received from the fare media upon the fare media detecting a signal from the transaction device when the fare media is within the detection range.

7. The method for conducting biometric transactions within a transit system of claim 1, wherein:

the indication is received from the transaction device upon the transaction device detecting a signal indicating the presence of the fare media within the detection range.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for conducting biometric transactions within a transit system, the instructions comprising computer code for causing a computing device to:

receive, by a wireless beacon of a transaction device of the transit system, an indication that a fare media of a user is within a detection range of the transaction device, the indication comprising an identifier of the fare media, wherein the detection range is defined by a signal range of a beacon of the transaction device;

populate a list, prior to completion of a transaction, with identifiers of only fare media that are presently within the detection range of the transaction device, wherein the list comprises a subset of an overall population of identifiers of fare media in which each identifier in the subset is presently detected within the detection range of the transaction device, wherein each identifier of the overall population of identifiers is associated with a particular user and biometric identifier stored on the transit system, and wherein the list comprises the identifier of the user'"'"'s fare media;

receive a biometric identifier from the transaction device, the biometric identifier having been received by the transaction device from the user of the fare media in an interaction with the transaction device;

compare the biometric identifier to biometric identifiers of only users associated with identifiers that are on the list of fare media to identify the user and a transit account associated with the user;

authorize the transaction using the transit account associated with the identified user; and

communicate an authorization message to the transaction device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein:

the transaction device comprises a fare media vending machine; and

the transaction comprises a purchase of a transit fare.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein:

the transaction device comprises a transit system access point; and

the transaction comprises a request for the user to access the transit system.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein:

the biometric identifier comprises one or more of facial scan, a fingerprint, a retinal scan, an iris scan, a voice sample, a photograph, or a hand geometry scan.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for causing the computing device to:

update the list by removing identifiers of fare media no longer within the detection range and by adding identifiers of fare media newly detected within the detection range.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein:

the indication is received from the fare media upon the fare media detecting a signal from the transaction device when the fare media is within the detection range.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein:

the indication is received from the transaction device upon the transaction device detecting a signal indicating the presence of the fare media within the detection range.

15. A system for conducting biometric transactions, the system comprising:

a communications interface configured to send and receive data;

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

receive, using the communications interface, an indication that a media of a user is within a detection range of a transaction device, the indication comprising an identifier of the media, wherein the detection range is defined by a signal range of a beacon of the communications interface;

populate a list, prior to completion of a transaction, with identifiers of only media that are presently within the detection range of the transaction device, wherein the list comprises a subset of an overall population of identifiers of media in which each identifier in the subset is presently detected within the detection range of the transaction device, wherein each identifier of the overall population of identifiers is associated with a particular user and biometric identifier stored on the memory, and wherein the list comprises the identifier of the user'"'"'s media;

receive, using the communications interface, a biometric identifier from the transaction device, the biometric identifier having been received by the transaction device from the user of the media in an interaction with the transaction device;

compare the biometric identifier to biometric identifiers of only users associated with identifiers that are on the list of media to identify the user and an account associated with the user;

authorize the transaction using the account associated with the identified user; and

communicate, using the communications interface, an authorization message to the transaction device.

16. The system for conducting biometric transactions of claim 15, wherein:

the transaction device comprises a fare media vending machine; and

the transaction comprises a purchase of a transit fare.

17. The system for conducting biometric transactions of claim 15, wherein:

the transaction device comprises a transit system access point; and

the transaction comprises a request for the user to access the transit system.

18. The system for conducting biometric transactions of claim 15, wherein:

the biometric identifier comprises one or more of facial scan, a fingerprint, a retinal scan, an iris scan, a voice sample, a photograph, or a hand geometry scan.

19. The system for conducting biometric transactions of claim 15, wherein:

the indication is received from the media upon the media detecting a signal from the transaction device when the media is within the detection range.

20. The system for conducting biometric transactions of claim 15, wherein:

the indication is received from the transaction device upon the transaction device detecting a signal indicating the presence of the media within the detection range.