Transaction authorisation system

• US 20040148259A1
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3 M Future Limited
• Original Assignee: 3 M Future Limited
• Inventors: Burstein, David Bruce, Nel, Christeffel Paul, Reiners, Wolfram Johannes Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 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 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A transaction authorization system (200) includes a client terminal (20) in the form of a computer (22) running a network browser. The computer (22) is connected to the internet (24). The system (200) also includes an account administration server (26) which is connected to the internet (24) and which hosts a web server which may be accessed by the network browser running on the computer (22). The system (200) further includes an account database (30) which stores a record of the status (i.e. disabled or enabled) of an electronic on line bank account. The system (200) is configured to enable a user, via the computer (22), to set the status of the account in the database (30). When a transaction request is issued to a merchant (201) the authorizing institution is able to interrogate the database (30) to determine the status of the account and thereby to authorize or decline the transaction.

Claims

1. A transaction authorisation system which includes

an account status database having a record of a status of at least one bank account, said status designating the bank account as either enabled or disabled;

an account holder interface connectable to the account status database which provides an account holder with an account status altering facility for allowing the account holder to change the designated status of the bank account.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, which includes an authorisation interface connectable to the account status database for allowing an authorisation institution or facility to interrogate the account status database thereby to check said status of the bank account.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the account status altering facility is configured to allow an account holder to specify that the account is to change status once a pre-selected condition has been met.

4. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 inclusive, which includes an authentication facility for authenticating the identity or capacity of the bank account holder before permitting the account holder access to the account holder interface.

5. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 inclusive, in which the account status altering facility is configured to pre-specify an amount for which the account holder intends to designate the account as enabled.

6. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 inclusive, in which the account holder interface is configured to access and interrogate the account status database to obtain a transaction record or statement as well as a status log file of the bank account, and in which the account holder interface is configured to allow the account holder to compare the transaction record or statement with the status log file.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, in which the transaction record or statement includes a transaction notes input facility for allowing an account holder to input notes.

8. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 inclusive, in which the system includes an account administration server connectable to a communication network and to an account administration database on which details of the bank account are stored, and in which the account holder interface includes a client terminal connectable to the account administration server via the communication network enabling the account holder to access and login to the account administration server to access the bank account details and to enable or disable the bank account.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, in which the client terminal is capable of executing a network browser program to access the account administration server.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, in which the communication network is the Internet, and in which the account holder interface is provided on a webpage hosted by the account administration server, said network browser being in the form of an Internet Web Browser, enabling the account holder to access and login to the account administration server via the webpage to access and change the status of the bank account.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, in which the bank account is enabled automatically when the account holder logs into the account administration server and accesses the bank account.

12. A system as claimed in claim 10, in which the webpage includes a separate facility which provides the enabling and disabling of the bank account, at the option of the user.

13. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 inclusive, which is configured for notifying the account holder of attempted unauthorized transactions initiated while the bank account is designated disabled.

14. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the account holder interface allows an account holder to initiate the transmission of the bank account details to a merchant.

15. A computer program on a carrier for executing transaction authorisation, the program including

a client-server module, executable on a first server and providing an account holder interface having an account status altering facility, for allowing an account holder, operating a client terminal, to submit instructions to the first server to alter a status of a bank account, the bank account having a selectively enabled or disabled status;

an account status altering module for altering the bank account status on the basis of instructions received from the account client-server module; and

a first database interface for logging the status of the bank account, on an account status database.

16. A computer program as claimed in claim 15, in which the computer program includes a remote module capable of being executed on a remote server, the remote module providing a second database interface to the account status database, thereby to allow third parties to interrogate the account status database.

17. A method of authorising a transaction, the method including

selectively designating a bank account status as enabled or disabled, on the instruction of an account holder issued from a remote device, thereby to selectively authorise transactions performed using the bank account;

and

recording the status of the bank account in an account status database.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, in which the method includes interrogating the account status database during a transaction involving the bank account to determine the status of the bank account and authorising the transaction if the account is designated as enabled.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, in which the method includes authenticating the identity of the bank account holder before permitting the status of the bank account to be changed.

20. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19 inclusive, in which the method includes logging a transaction record or statement of the bank account, containing a log of all transactions performed using the bank account and logging the status of the bank account in relation to said transactions within a status log file.

21. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 20 inclusive, in which the method includes transmitting the bank account details to a merchant during a transaction with the merchant on the instruction of the account holder via the account holder interface.

22. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 21, in which the method includes notifying an account holder of attempted unauthorised transactions initiated while the bank account is disabled.

23. A new transaction authorisation system, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

24. A new computer program, substantially as herein described.

25. A new method of authorising a transaction, substantially as herein described and illustrated.