Method and system to prevent fraudulent payment in credit/debit card transactions, and terminals therefor

• US 20040004117A1
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 6,913,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4037 Remote solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 : Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention enables secure, valid card payments in credit transactions to be performed, preventing fraudulent card use even in cases of loss or theft of a card or of information theft. During a transaction authorization process using a transaction terminal disposed in a credit transaction member store and connected with a host computer, user validation or credit administration is carried out by using a portable communication terminal to input to the host computer identity information which has been previously registered in the portable communication terminal and/or location information for the portable communication terminal.

Claims

1. A method of payment for credit transactions, for making payment using a transaction terminal in a credit card member store, comprising the steps of:

storing information for recognizing a credit card user in a database capable of being accessed by a host computer to which the transaction terminal is connectable;

sending information relating to the credit transaction from the transaction terminal to a portable communication terminal containing information relating to the identity of the credit card user registered therein;

inputting the identity information and the information relating to the credit transaction to the host computer through the portable communication terminal; and

recognizing the credit card user as an authentic cardholder on the basis of the information for validating the credit card user and the identity information.

2. A method of payment for credit transactions, for making payments using a transaction terminal in a credit card member store, comprising the steps of:

storing location information of the transaction terminal in a database capable of being accessed by a host computer to which the transaction terminal is connectable;

sending information relating to the credit transaction from the transaction terminal to a portable communication terminal containing information relating to the identity of the credit card user;

inputting information relating to the current location of the portable communication terminal to the host computer; and

recognizing the credit card user as an authentic cardholder when the location of the portable communication terminal is within a predetermined range from the location of the transaction terminal.

3. A method of payment for credit transactions, for making payments using a transaction terminal in a credit card member store, comprising the steps of;

storing information for validating a credit card user and location information of the transaction terminal in a database capable of being accessed by a host computer to which the transaction terminal is connectable;

sending information relating to the credit transaction from the transaction terminal to a portable communication terminal containing information relating to the identity of the credit card user;

inputting the identity information and information relating to payment of the credit transaction to the host computer through the portable communication terminal; and

validating the credit card user as an authentic cardholder on the basis of the information for distinguishing the credit card user and the identity information;

inputting information relating to the current location of the portable communication terminal relative to the host computer; and

authorizing the credit card settlement when the location of the portable communication terminal is within a predetermined range from the location of the settlement terminal.

4. A payment system for credit transactions, for making payments using a transaction terminal in a credit card member store, comprising a host computer capable of communicating with the transaction terminal and capable of carrying out transaction processing on the basis of information sent from the transaction terminal;

wherein the host computer is capable of accessing a database storing information for validating a credit card user; and

the host computer identifies the credit card user as an authentic cardholder on the basis of information for validating the credit card user and identity information, when information relating to the identity of the credit card user and the information relating to the credit transaction are inputted from a portable communication terminal having the identity information registered therein.

6. The payment system in a credit transaction according to claim 4, wherein the transaction terminal is able to send transaction information including at least one of member store code, product name, product price, and authorization code to the portable communication terminal.

8. The settlement system in a credit transaction according to claim 4, wherein point information is stored in the database, and when the user is validated as an authentic cardholder on the basis of information sent through the portable terminal, the host computer overwrites the point information so as to add a predetermined number of points to the point information stored in the database.

5. A payment system in credit transactions, for making payments using a transaction terminal in a credit card member store, comprising a host computer being capable of communicating with the transaction terminal and carrying out the transaction process based on information sent from the transaction terminal;

wherein the host computer is able to access a database in which location information for the settlement terminal has been registered in advance; and

the host computer identifies the credit card user as an authentic cardholder on the basis of the location information of the portable communication terminal and the location information of the transaction terminal, when information relating to the identity of the credit card user and the information relating to the credit transaction are inputted from the portable communication terminal, in which the identity information has been registered in advance.

7. The payment system in a credit transaction according to claim 5, wherein the transaction terminal is able to send transaction information including at least one of member store code, product name, product price, and authorization code to the portable communication terminal.

9. The settlement system in a credit transaction according to claim 5, wherein point information is stored in the database, and the user is validated as an authentic cardholder on the basis of information sent through the portable terminal, the host computer overwrites the point information so as to add a predetermined number of points to the point information stored in the database.

10. A portable communication terminal device capable of being used for credit card transactions, comprising:

a wireless communication component for sending and receiving wireless signals for transmitting information through a public communication network;

a main controller connected to this wireless communication component;

a key input component for inputting data and connected to the main controller;

a display screen connected to the main controller;

a memory, for storing information relating to the credit card therein and connected to the main controller; and

a transaction terminal communicating component connected to the main controller;

wherein the transaction terminal communicating component is constituted to be able to receive information relating to the transaction from the transaction terminal in the credit card member store; and

the main controller is constituted to be able to control the sending of the information for validating that the credit card user is the bona fide cardholder, along with the information relating to the transaction, through the wireless communication component.

11. A transaction terminal for carrying out credit transactions at a credit card member store and comprising:

a card reader for reading credit card information;

a main controller connected with the card reader;

a first communication component, connected with the main controller, for communicating with a host computer;

a second communication component, connected with the main controller, for establishing a wireless connection with a portable terminal device in which the cardholder'"'"'s identity information is stored;

wherein the controller is able to send the credit card information read by the card reader to the host computer and receive the code for authorizing the transaction from the host computer through the first communication component, and to send the code thus received through the second communication component.

12. A terminal for carrying out credit transactions at a credit card member store and comprising:

a terminal controller with which data input operations are performed;

a main controller connected with the terminal controller;

a first communication component, connected with the main controller, for communicating with a host computer;

a second communication component, connected with the main controller, for establishing a wireless connection with a portable terminal device in which the cardholder'"'"'s identity information is stored;

wherein the controller is able to send, to the cellular phone, transaction price data corresponding to the product information input from the terminal controller and a code for specifying the member store where the transaction terminal is located, and to receive, from the cellular phone, a code specifying authorization of the transaction and a code specifying transaction completion, both through the second communication component, and is able to send the received code specifying transaction completion from the first communication component to the host computer.