Technique for account authentication

• US 20040019568A1
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Checkfree Services Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Checkfree Services Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lyda, Paul J., Moenickheim, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,177,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A technique for confirming an association between a deposit account and an account holder is provided. The technique includes receiving information identifying the deposit account and identifying the account holder. Other information associated with multiple deposit accounts, each maintained at one of multiple financial institutions, is accessed. The received information and the accessed information are then processed to authenticate the association between the account holder and the deposit account.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating an association between a deposit account and an account holder, comprising:

receiving first information identifying a first deposit account and an account holder;

accessing second information associated with a plurality of deposit accounts, each one of the plurality of deposit account maintained at one of a plurality of financial institutions; and

processing the received first information and the accessed second information to authenticate an association between the first deposit account and the account holder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second information is maintained by a check printing service.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to accessing the second information, accessing third information associated with another plurality of deposit accounts each maintained at one of a plurality of financial institutions; and

processing the received first information and the accessed third information to authenticate the association;

wherein the second information is only accessed and processed if the processing of the first and third information does not authenticate the association.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the third information is associated with an entity receiving the first information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the accessed second information to determine if information associated with the first deposit account is included in the second information;

wherein the first information and the accessed second information are processed to authenticate the association only if it is determined that information associated with the first deposit account is included in the second information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein third information associated with another plurality of deposit accounts is stored, each one of the other plurality of deposit accounts maintained at one of a plurality of financial institutions, and further comprising:

prior to accessing the second information, determining an order in which to access the second information and the third information;

accessing a first ordered one of the second and third information;

processing the first information and the accessed first ordered information to authenticate the association between the first deposit account and the account holder;

if the association is not authenticated based upon the processing of the first information and the first ordered information, accessing a second ordered one of the second and third information; and

processing the first information and the accessed second ordered information to authenticate the association between the first deposit account and the account holder;

wherein the second information is one of the first ordered information and the second ordered information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ordering is based upon at least one of a routing number associated with the financial institution, geography, cost, and a number of successful authentications based upon information belonging to an entity other than the account holder and the financial institution.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first information is received by a first electronic commerce service provider; and

the first information is received from one of the account holder, a sponsor associated with the account holder, and a second electronic commerce service provider.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the first information is received during an on-line session for registering for electronic commerce services; and

the second information is accessed and processed during the on-line session.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the accessed second information is hosted by the first electronic commerce service provider.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first electronic commerce service provider provides the service of making payments on behalf of payors.

12. A system for authenticating an association between a deposit account and an account holder, comprising:

a communications interface configured to receive first information identifying a first deposit account and an account holder and access second information associated with a plurality of deposit accounts each maintained at one of a plurality of financial institutions; and

a processor configured to cause the communications interface to access the second information and process the received first information and the accessed second information to authenticate an association between the first deposit account and the account holder.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second information is maintained by a check printing service.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the communications interface is further configured to access third information associated with another plurality of deposit accounts each maintained by one of a plurality of financial institutions;

the processor is further configured to cause the communications interface to access the third information and process the received first information and the third information to authenticate the association; and

wherein the second information is only accessed and processed if the processing of the first and third information does not authenticate the association.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the third information;

wherein the third information is associated with an entity operating the system.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the processor is further configured to process the accessed second information to determine if information associated with the first deposit account is included in the second information;

the first information and the accessed second information are processed to authenticate the association only if it is determined that information associated with the first deposit account is included in the second information.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the communications interface is further configured to access third information associated with another plurality of deposit accounts each associated with one of a plurality of financial institutions;

the processor is further configured to, prior to causing the communications interface to access the second information, determine an order in which to access the second information and the third information, cause the communications interface to access a first ordered one of the second and third information, process the first information and the accessed first ordered information to authenticate the association between the first deposit account and the account holder, if the association is not authenticated based upon the processing of the first information and the first ordered information, cause the communications interface to access a second ordered one of the second and third information, and process the first information and the accessed second ordered information to authenticate the association between the first deposit account and the account holder; and

the second information is one of the first ordered information and the second ordered information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the ordering is based upon at least one of a routing number associated with the financial institution, geography, cost, and a number of successful authentications based upon information belonging to an entity other than the account holder and the financial institution.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the first information is received by a first electronic commerce service provider; and

the first information is received from one of the account holder, a sponsor associated with the account holder, and a second electronic commerce service provider.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the first information is received during an on-line session for registering for electronic commerce services; and

the processor is further configured to cause the second information to be accessed and processed during the on-line session.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a memory configured to store the second information;

wherein the first electronic commerce service provider hosts the second information on behalf of an entity other than the first electronic commerce service provider.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first electronic commerce service provider provides the service of making payments on behalf of payors.