CHECK VERIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20030128866A1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biometric Payment Solutions LLP
• Original Assignee: Joan Tibor Mcneal
• Inventors: MCNEAL, JOAN TIBOR
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/30 Writer recognition; Reading and verifying signatures

Abstract

A verification system for negotiable instruments, such as checks, that gathers and transmits information about the negotiable instrument and biometric data. The system preferably has the ability to scan the magnetic number off of checks, digitally encode fingerprints, scan driver'"'"'s licenses or other identification cards, and take a signature of a customer, all at a point of sale for purposes of fund verification. The check verification system preferably digitizes various indicia of the check, preferably the magnetic ink on the check, at the point of sale and transmits the check information data to a remotely located main system whereby the main system compares the inputted data with an existing database of information to determine if the customer at the point of sale is in fact authorized to use the account, and if the account is in satisfactory condition for check approval. The check verification system alternatively includes a biometric data device for recording and/or transmitting biometric data, such as the fingerprint of the customer, taken at the point of sale, and the device alternately prints the biometric data on the check, either in actual or digitally encoded form, such that the biometric data can be later checked against a database at the time the check is processed at a bank. The system alternately includes a device for scanning an information card which contains biometric data such as a proper fingerprint and/or a signature, and the remotely gathered data can alternatively be compared to the recorded data on the card, in addition to or instead of, transmission of the gathered data to the database(s).

Claims

1. A negotiable instrument verification system, comprising:

a negotiable instrument scanning device for gathering and storing negotiable instrument information data;

a biometric data device for gathering and storing biometric data;

a biometric database;

a negotiable instrument information database;

said biometric data device selectively transmitting gathered biometric data to said biometric database for comparison and/or storage;

said negotiable instrument scanning device selectively transmitting, either together with or separately from said gathered biometric data, gathered check data to said check information database for comparison and/or storage.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a signature scanning device for gathering and storing signature data;

a signature database; and

said signature scanning device selectively transmitting gathered signature data to said signature database for comparison and/or storage.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said negotiable instrument is a check.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said biometric data is fingerprint data.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said information data is the check number written in magnetic ink on the check.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said negotiable instrument verification system selectively returns a report on customer usages.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said biometric data device further selectively records gathered biometric data device on the negotiable instrument.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the gathered biometric data is one or more fingerprints.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said negotiable instrument scanning device and said biometric data device are located remotely from said biometric database and said negotiable instrument information database.

10. A negotiable instrument verification system, comprising:

negotiable instrument information means for gathering and storing negotiable instrument information data;

biometric data means for gathering and storing biometric data;

a biometric database;

a negotiable instrument information database;

said negotiable instrument information means selectively transmitting gathered negotiable instrument information data to said negotiable instrument information database for comparison and/or storage; and

said biometric data means selectively transmitting, either together with or separate from said gathered negotiable instrument information data, gathered biometric data to said biometric database for comparison and/or storage.

11. The system of claim 10, further including:

signature scanning means for gathering and storing signature data;

a signature database; and

said signature scanning device selectively transmitting, either together with or separately from said negotiable instrument information data and said biometric data, gathered signature data to said signature database for comparison and/or storage.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said negotiable instrument is a check.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said negotiable instrument information data is a check number written in magnetic ink on the check.

14. The system of claim 10, further including report means for transmitting a report detailing customer usage of said system.

15. The system of claim 10, further including means for selectively printing the gathered biometric data from said biometric data means in a readable medium on said negotiable instrument.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said biometric data is one or more fingerprints;

and

said biometric data of said readable medium on the negotiable instrument is selectively transmitted, either together with or separately from said negotiable instrument information data and other scanned biometric data, to said biometric database for comparison and/or storage.

17. A method of verifying the identity of a person attempting to tender a negotiable instrument, and the condition of the account against which the negotiable instrument is drafted, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining information from the negotiable instrument;

obtaining biometric data from the person tendering the negotiable instrument;

selectively transmitting the negotiable instrument information to a negotiable instrument information database;

comparing the transmitted negotiable instrument information with information in the negotiable instrument information database to determine if the account against which the negotiable instrument is drafted is in condition to satisfy the negotiable instrument;

selectively transmitting the biometric data, either together with or separately from the negotiable instrument information data, to a biometric database;

comparing the transmitted biometric data with information on the biometric database, either separately from or in parallel with the step of comparing the transmitted negotiable instrument information with information in the negotiable instrument information database, to determine if the person tendering the negotiable instrument is authorized to use the account against which the negotiable instrument is drafted.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the steps of:

obtaining the signature of the person tendering the negotiable instrument;

selectively transmitting the signature information, either together with or separately from the negotiable instrument information and the biometric data, to a signature database;

comparing the transmitted signature information with information in the signature database, either separately from or parallel with the step of comparing the negotiable instrument information with information in the negotiable instrument information database and comparing the biometric data with information in the biometric database, to determine if the signature is that of an authorized user for the account against which the negotiable instrument is drafted.

19. The method of claim 17, further including the step of printing the obtained biometric data on the negotiable instrument in a human and/or machine readable medium.

20. The method of claim 19, further including the step of transmitting data to the location where the negotiable instrument information and biometric data are obtained.