Method and apparatus for verifying bearing instruments

• US 20040128516A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CMA Business Credit Services
• Original Assignee: CMA Business Credit Services
• Inventors: Von Kaenel, Tim, Schattmaier, Steven Miller, Zeile, Mike Todd, Okamoto, Steve Atsushi
• Application Number:
  US10/240,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128516A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• 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: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A computer-implemented system provides secure distribution of value-bearing instruments, such as coupons, tickets, gift certificates, money orders and traveler'"'"'s checks. The distribution system involves three parties which are the consumer of the instrument, the supplier of the instrument and a security party which is referred to as a secure transaction service. The consumer registers with the secure transaction service for identity verification either before or after a transaction is initiated with the supplier products or services. Verification of the consumer'"'"'s identity can be established at any required level. In one aspect of the system, the supplier provides the consumer with a confirmation token which the consumer must then provide to the secure transaction service together with identification information of the consumer, so that only the valid consumer can complete the transaction. By use of the confirmation token, the secure transaction service can obtain information, through either data pulling or pushing, from the product or service supplier. In certain cases, the secure transaction service generates the required product or service supplier. In certain cases, the securely transmits it to the validated consumer. Digital signatures can be used throughout the process to assure the integrity of the data and the identity of the sender. Other aspects of the system include multiple methods for verification of instruments which are issued and then validated at a verification site.

Claims

1. A computer system interconnected by a communication network for examining and validating value-bearing instruments which have indicium and a digital signature, and are offered in return for value, comprising:

a verification computer system programmed for;

(a) processing said indicium and said digital signature for determining the validity of said indicium and said digital signature,

(b) sending a least a portion of said indicium to a secure transaction service computer, a secure transaction service computer programmed for;

(a) receiving said at least portion of said indicium and comparing said at least portion of said indicium with indicium stored in a database to determine if the received at least portion of said indicium matches an indicium in said database, and

(b) sending a valid instrument report to said verification computer if the comparing of said indicium is successful.

2. A verification computer system for examining and validating value-bearing instruments which have indicium and a digital signature, and are offered in return for value comprising:

(a) first computer program instructions for receiving a database of value-bearing instrument information for instruments which have been previously issued,

(b) second computer program instructions for receiving an indicium and digital signature for each of a plurality of value-bearing instruments submitted for approval,

(c) third computer program instructions for determining the validity of the indicium/digital signature for each of said submitted value-bearing instruments, and

(d) fourth computer program instructions for comparing the indicium of the ones of said submitted value-bearing instruments deemed valid for indicium/digital signature to indicium in said database and designating the ones of said submitted value-bearing instruments which have a successful comparison as valid.

3. A verification computer system for examining and validating value-bearing instruments which have indicium and a digital signature, and are offered in return for value comprising:

(a) first computer program instructions for receiving an indicium and digital signature for each of a plurality of value-bearing instruments submitted for approval,

(b) second computer program instructions for determining the validity of the indicium/digital signature for each of said submitted value-bearing instruments,

(c) third computer program instructions for building a database of the indicium of said submitted value-bearing instruments which are determined to be valid for indicium/digital signature, and

(d) fourth computer program instructions for comparing the indicium of the ones of said submitted value-bearing instruments deemed valid for indicium/digital signature to indicium in said database and designating the ones of said submitted value-bearing instruments which have a successful comparison as invalid.

4. A method for verification of an electronically issued value-bearing instrument which was issued by a secure transaction service, comprising the steps of:

reading indicium and a digital signature of said instrument by a verification system to determine the validity of the indicium and the digital signature,

if the indicium and digital signature are determined to be valid, sending at least a portion of said indicium from said verification system to said secure transaction service,

comparing at least a portion of said indicium received at said secure transaction service with a database of such indicium to determine if said received indicium matches an indicium in said database representing a value-bearing instrument issued by said secure transaction service, and

if said step of comparing is valid, sending a valid instrument verification report from said secure transaction service to said verification system.

5. A method for verification of an electronically issued value-bearing instrument a recited in claim 4 including the steps of:

generating a digital signature by said verification system and sending said verification system digital signature to said secure transaction service together with said indicium, and

verifying said verification system digital signature by said secure transaction service as an additional verification step for said value-bearing instrument.

6. A method for verification of an electronically issued value-bearing instrument a recited in claim 4 wherein said digital signature is produced by said secure transaction service.

7. A method for verification of an electronically issued value-bearing instrument which was issued by a secure transaction service, comprising the steps of:

receiving a database of value-bearing instrument information for instruments issued by said secure transaction service relating by a verification system,

reading indicium and a digital signature of a selected value-bearing instrument by said verification system to determine the validity of the indicium and the digital signature of the selected value-bearing instrument,

if the indicium and digital signature are determined to be valid, comparing at least a portion of said indicium read from said selected value-bearing instrument with said database to determine if said indicium read from said selected value-bearing instrument matches an indicium in said database representing a value-bearing instrument issued by said secure transaction service, and

designating said selected value-bearing instrument as valid if said step of comparing is successful.

8. A method for verification of an electronically issued value-bearing instrument a recited in claim 7 wherein said digital signature is produced by said secure transaction service.

9. A method for verification of an electronically issued value-bearing instrument which was issued by a secure transaction service, comprising the steps of:

reading indicium and a digital signature for each of a plurality of value-bearing instruments by a verification system to determine the validity of the indicium and the digital signature for each of the value-bearing instruments,

rejecting as invalid each of the ones of said value-bearing instruments which do not have a valid indicium and digital signature,

building a database of value-bearing instrument information based on said indicium read from said value-bearing instruments,

for each of said instruments having a valid indicium and digital signature, comparing at least a portion of said indicium read from the value-bearing instrument with indicium information in said database to determine if said at least portion of said indicium read from the value-bearing instrument matches an entry of said indicium information in said database, and

designating as invalid each of said value-bearing instruments for which said step of comparing is successful.

10. A method for verification of an electronically issued value-bearing instrument as recited in claim 9 wherein said digital signature is produced by said secure transaction service.