Apparatus, system, and method for preventing fraudulent reuse of a voucher

• US 20060047570A1
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lenderking, David H., Lenderking, Deidre Maskaleris
• Application Number:
  US10/933,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20060047570A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.260
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for preventing fraudulent reuse of a voucher. Voucher misredemption is responsible for more than $300 million of retail losses annually. The apparatus provides a reader that reads an electromagnetic (EM) identifier attached to a voucher, an authentication module that validates the voucher, and an invalidation module that invalidates the identifier upon expiration of the voucher. A storage device may also store information about the identifier, and the location of redemption for purposes of marketing and distribution management.

Claims

1. An apparatus to prevent fraudulent reuse of a voucher, the apparatus comprising:

a reader configured to read an identifier connected to a voucher;

an authentication module configured to validate the voucher; and

an invalidation module configured to invalidate the identifier responsive to expiration of the voucher.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an electromagnetic identifier.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reader is integrated with a point of sale (POS) system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein authentication module communicates a message derived from the identifier to a repository of authentication information, and receives an acknowledgement that the message matches authentication information in the repository.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the invalidation module is further configured to disable the identifier in response to a command from a controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the invalidation module is further configured to logically void the voucher.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein logically voiding the voucher comprises setting a flag associated with authentication information defined for the voucher.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the voucher and comprises at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of an expiration date, a manufacturer identifier, a product identifier, and a serial number.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a storage module configured to store context information related to the voucher derived from the unique identifier and a location of redemption.

10. An apparatus to prevent fraudulent reuse of a voucher, the apparatus comprising:

a microprocessor configured to modulate an electromagnetic (EM) field and attach an authentication message;

a transmitter configured to transmit the modulated authentication message to a remote device; and

a receiver configured to receive an invalidation command.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further configured to disable itself in response to a command from a controller.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the authentication message identifies the voucher and comprises at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of an expiration date, a manufacturer identifier, a product identifier, and a serial number.

13. A system to prevent fraudulent reuse of a voucher, the system comprising:

a voucher with an attached electromagnetic (EM) identifier;

an EM scanner comprising;

a reader configured to read an identifier connected to a voucher;

an authentication module configured to validate the voucher;

an invalidation module configured to invalidate the identifier responsive to expiration of the voucher.

a Point of Sale (POS) system in communication with the EM scanner; and

a repository of authentication information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the reader is integrated with the point of sale (POS) system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein authentication module communicates a message derived from the identifier to a repository of authentication information, and receives an acknowledgement that the message matches authentication information in the repository.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the invalidation module is further configured to disable the identifier in response to a command from a controller.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the invalidation module is further configured to logically void the voucher, wherein logically voiding the voucher comprises setting a flag associated with authentication information defined for the voucher.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the voucher and comprises at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of an expiration date, a manufacturer identifier, a product identifier, and a serial number.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a storage device configured to store context information related to the voucher derived from the unique identifier and a location of redemption.

20. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations for preventing fraudulent reuse of a voucher, the operation comprising:

reading an identifier connected to the voucher;

authenticating the identifier to validate the voucher; and

invalidating the identifier responsive to expiration of the voucher.

21. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, wherein the identifier comprises an electromagnetic identifier.

22. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, wherein the operation to read the identifier is carried out by a reader integrated with a point of sale (POS) system.

23. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, wherein the operation to authenticate further comprises communicating a message derived from the identifier to a repository of authentication information, and receiving an acknowledgement that the message matches authentication information in the repository.

24. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, wherein the operation to invalidate further comprises disabling the identifier in response to a command from a controller.

25. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, wherein the operation to invalidate further comprises logically voiding the voucher.

26. The signal bearing medium of claim 25, wherein logically voiding the voucher comprises setting a flag associated with authentication information defined for the voucher.

27. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the voucher and comprises at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of an expiration date, a manufacturer identifier, a product identifier, and a serial number.

28. The signal bearing medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to store context information related to the voucher derived from the unique identifier and a location of redemption.

29. A method for preventing fraudulent reuse of a voucher, the method comprising:

reading an identifier connected to the voucher;

authenticating the identifier to validate the voucher; and

invalidating the identifier responsive to expiration of the voucher.

30. An apparatus to prevent fraudulent reuse of a voucher, the apparatus comprising:

means for reading an identifier connected to the voucher;

means for authenticating the identifier to validate the voucher; and

means for invalidating the identifier responsive to expiration of the voucher.