SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE TRANSACTIONS AT A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20120084206A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Mehew, Evans, Dunwoody, Kimberly, Lyons, Dianna
• Granted Patent: US 10,043,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• 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 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A system and method for conducting money transfer transactions using mobile devices includes a money transfer host computer that facilitates the collection of fingerprint data for the mobile devices and personal data for users of the mobile devices. The personal data can include a user photo. In order to enable the mobile devices, both the fingerprint data and the personal data are collected, and at least the personal data is verified. To authorize transactions at an enabled mobile device, the fingerprint data and personal data are compared to reference data, and based on the comparison and on a threshold established for the comparison, a transaction is authorized or rejected.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a mobile device to conduct transactions, comprising:

capturing fingerprint data for the mobile device, the fingerprint data comprising data relating to device features of the mobile device;

capturing personal data associated with a user of the mobile device;

providing the captured fingerprint data and the captured personal data to a host computer;

comparing the captured personal data with previously captured personal data associated with the user in order to verify the captured personal data; and

enabling the mobile device for use in conducting transactions if the captured personal data is verified; and

storing the captured fingerprint data and the captured personal data, for use at the host computer in authenticating the mobile device for transactions conducted at the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically updating the fingerprint data at the mobile device; and

providing the updated fingerprint data to the host computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured fingerprint data is stored at the host computer as a reference fingerprint, wherein the captured fingerprint data relating to device features are machine characteristics of the device not arising from operation of the mobile device by the user, wherein the captured fingerprint data further comprises fingerprint data relating to operation of the mobile device by the user, and wherein the fingerprint data relating to use is provided to the host computer and stored as part of the reference fingerprint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is unable to be used prior to being enabled, wherein the captured fingerprint data is stored at the host computer as a reference fingerprint, and wherein the method further comprises:

after the mobile device has been enabled, capturing fingerprint data relating to use of the mobile device;

providing the fingerprint data relating to use of the mobile device to the host computer; and

storing the fingerprint data relating to use of the mobile device as part of the reference fingerprint.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the fingerprint data relating to features of the mobile device data comprises one or more of:

characteristics relating to the operating system of the mobile device;

characteristics relating to applications installed at the mobile device;

characteristics relating to a browser installed at the mobile device; and

wherein the fingerprint data relating to use of the mobile device comprises one or more of;

characteristics relating to email sent or received at the mobile device;

characteristics relating to telephone calls made or received at the mobile device;

characteristics'"'"' relating to websites visited by the mobile device; and

characteristics relating to a location of the user device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of capturing personal data associated with a user comprises capturing data from a previously taken photo of the user of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, the previously taken photo appears on an ID card issued by a governmental agency, and wherein the step of capturing the personal data comprises digitally photographing the ID card.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of capturing the personal data comprises digitally photographing the ID card at the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of capturing the personal data comprises digitally photographing the ID card at an agent location communicatively coupled to the host computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of capturing the personal data comprises capturing identifying data from an ID document provided by the user of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identifying data represents an identifier for the user, and wherein the identifier is selected from a group consisting of:

a personal name associated with the user;

a social security number associated with the user; and

a driver'"'"'s license number associated with the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing the captured personal data with previously captured personal data associated with the user comprises comparing the captured data from a previously taken photo of the user to a current image of the user captured at the at the time of the comparison, and wherein the method further comprises:

verifying the captured personal data if the captured data from a previously taken photo of the user matches the current image of the user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured fingerprint data is stored at the host computer as a reference fingerprint, and wherein the method further comprises:

capturing current fingerprint data from the mobile device when a transaction is to be conducted at the mobile device;

establishing a threshold of data in the reference fingerprint to be matched in the current fingerprint data; and

authenticating the transaction at the mobile device when the current fingerprint data matches the threshold of data in the reference fingerprint.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the threshold is established to be near 100% for an initial transaction to be conducted after the mobile device is enabled.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the threshold is lowered for a subsequent transaction after the initial transaction.

16. The method of 1, further comprising:

disabling the mobile device for any use if the personal data is not verified.

17. A method for enabling a mobile device for use by a user in conducting transactions, comprising:

capturing fingerprint data for the mobile device, the fingerprint data comprising data relating to device features of the mobile device, the device features being unrelated to any use of the device by the user;

providing the captured fingerprint to a host computer;

capturing personal data associated with the user;

providing the captured personal data to the host computer;

comparing the personal data with previously captured data associated with the user in order to verify the captured personal data;

enabling the mobile device for use in conducting transactions if the personal data is verified;

storing the captured fingerprint data as a reference fingerprint, for use at the host computer in authorizing the enabled mobile device to conduct transactions;

when a transaction is to be conducted at the mobile device, transmitting current fingerprint data captured at the mobile device to the host computer;

comparing the current fingerprint data to the reference fingerprint at the host; and

based on the comparison and on the number of previous transactions that have been conducted at the mobile device, determining at the host computer whether to authorize the transaction.

18. A method for providing security at a mobile device to be used for conducting financial transactions, comprising:

capturing initial fingerprint data for the mobile device, the fingerprint data comprising at least data relating to device features of the mobile device;

providing the initial fingerprint data to a host computer;

capturing personal data associated with the user;

providing the captured personal data to the host computer;

comparing, at the host computer, the personal data with previously captured data associated with the user in order to verify the captured personal data;

enabling the mobile device for use in conducting financial transactions after both the initial fingerprint data is received at the host computer and the personal data is verified;

storing the initial fingerprint data as a reference fingerprint and storing the captured personal data as reference personal data, for use at the host computer in authorizing the enabled user device to conduct financial transactions;

when a financial transaction is to be conducted at the mobile device, transmitting current fingerprint data and current personal data captured at the mobile device to the host computer;

comparing the current fingerprint data and current personal data to the reference fingerprint and to the reference personal data at the host; and

based on the comparison, determining at the host computer whether to authorize the financial transaction.

19. A method for enabling a mobile device to conduct transactions, comprising:

capturing personal data associated with a user of the mobile device, wherein the personal data includes both an identifier and a photo on an ID instrument;

providing the captured personal data to a host computer;

comparing the captured personal data with previously captured personal data associated with the user in order to verify the captured personal data; and

enabling the mobile device for use in conducting transactions if the captured personal data is verified.

20. A system for enabling a mobile device to conduct money transfer transactions, comprising:

a mobile device; and

a money transfer host computer communicatively coupled to the mobile device for conducting money transfer transactions;

wherein the mobile device is configured to;

capture fingerprint data for the device, the fingerprint data comprising data relating to device features of the mobile device; and

wherein the money transfer host computer is configured to;

receive the captured fingerprint data from the mobile device;

receive personal data captured from an ID instrument presented by the user;

compare the captured personal data to previously captured personal data associated with the user in order to verify the captured personal data;

enable the mobile device to conduct transactions at the money transfer host if the personal data is verified; and

store the captured fingerprint data as a reference fingerprint and store the captured personal data as reference personal data, for use at the host computer in authenticating transactions conducted at the enabled mobile device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the personal data captured from an ID instrument is captured by an image capturing device at a money transfer agent location, and wherein the money transfer host computer is configured to receive, from the image capturing device at the agent location, the captured personal data from the ID instrument.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the personal data captured from an ID instrument is captured by an image capturing device at the mobile device, and wherein the money transfer host computer is configured to receive, from the mobile device, the captured personal data from the ID instrument.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the mobile device is further configured to:

capture current fingerprint data for the device and current personal data for the user when a transaction is to be conducted at the money transfer host after the mobile device has been enabled; and

provide the current fingerprint data to the money transfer host computer; and

wherein the money transfer host computer is further configured to;

compare the current fingerprint data to the reference fingerprint and compare the current personal data to the reference personal data; and

authenticate the transaction based on the comparison.