BIOMETRIC BASED AUTHORIZATION SYSTEMS FOR ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFERS

• US 20130238501A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Jeronimus, Michael, Algiene, Ken, Paintin, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,837,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 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 20/40145 Biometric identity checks

Abstract

A money transfer authorization method that includes the step of providing transferor biometric information to a party verification processor that verifies an identity of the transferor by comparing the transferor biometric information with previously registered biometric information from the transferor, where the transferor provides transfer identity information to receive the money. The method also includes confirming that the verified transferor has sufficient funds or credit for the money transfer, and providing transferee biometric identification to the party verification processor that verifies the transferee by comparing the transferee biometric information with previously registered biometric information from the transferee. The transferee has to provide transfer identity information before the money is given to the transferee.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

recording a biometric characteristic of a transferor;

verifying an identity of the transferor using one or more pieces of verification information provided by the transferor;

comparing the recorded biometric characteristic to a database of previously registered persons to determine if the recorded biometric characteristic corresponds to a different person than the transferor; and

verifying the recorded biometric characteristic is unique based on the recorded biometric characteristic not corresponding to a different person than the transferor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a funds transfer request from the transferor, the request including biometric information; and

causing transfer of funds based at least on the biometric information corresponding with the recorded biometric characteristic.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the funds transfer request further includes an identification of a transferee, and the method further comprises:

storing a list of persons who are authorized to collect funds on behalf of the transferee; and

receiving, from a requesting recipient, a request to receive funds associated with the funds transfer request; and

verifying the requesting recipient is in the list of persons prior to distributing funds to the requesting recipient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric characteristic comprises geometrical positions of fingerprint minutiae.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the funds transfer request is associated with a money transfer transaction number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the money transfer transaction number comprises an alpha-numeric code number.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the money transfer transaction number uniquely identifies the money transfer.

2. A system comprising:

a party verification processor coupled to a database that stores biometric registration information provided by the transferor during a party registration process, wherein the party verification processor is configured to;

record a biometric characteristic of a transferor;

verify an identity of the transferor using one or more pieces of verification information provided by the transferor;

compare the recorded biometric characteristic to a database of previously registered persons to determine if the recorded biometric characteristic corresponds to a different person than the transferor; and

verify the recorded biometric characteristic is unique based on the recorded biometric characteristic not corresponding to a different person than the transferor.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the system further comprises a money transfer network and the money transfer network is configured to:

receive a funds transfer request from the transferor, the request including biometric information; and

cause transfer of funds based at least on the biometric information corresponding with the recorded biometric information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the funds transfer request further includes an identification of a transferee, and the money transfer network is further configured to:

store a list of persons who are authorized to collect funds on behalf of the transferee; and

receive, from a requesting recipient, a request to receive funds associated with the funds transfer request; and

verify the requesting recipient is in the list of persons prior to distributing funds to the requesting recipient.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the biometric characteristic comprises geometrical positions of fingerprint minutiae.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the funds transfer request is associated with a money transfer transaction number.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the money transfer transaction number comprises an alpha-numeric code number.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the money transfer transaction number uniquely identifies the money transfer.

15. One non-transitory machine readable mediums having instructions stored thereon, the instructions executable by one or more processors to:

record a biometric characteristic of a transferor;

verify an identity of the transferor using one or more pieces of verification information provided by the transferor;

compare the recorded biometric characteristic to a database of previously registered persons to determine if the recorded biometric characteristic corresponds to a different person than the transferor; and

verify the recorded biometric characteristic is unique based on the recorded biometric characteristic not corresponding to a different person than the transferor.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 15, the instructions further executable by one or more processors to:

receive a funds transfer request from the transferor, the request including biometric information; and

cause transfer of funds based at least on the biometric information corresponding with the recorded biometric characteristic.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 16, the instructions further executable by one or more processors to:

store a list of persons who are authorized to collect funds on behalf of the transferee; and

receive, from a requesting recipient, a request to receive funds associated with the funds transfer request; and

verify the requesting recipient is in the list of persons prior to distributing funds to the requesting recipient.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 15, wherein the biometric characteristic comprises geometrical positions of fingerprint minutiae.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 16, wherein the funds transfer request is associated with a money transfer transaction number

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 19, wherein the money transfer transaction number comprises an alpha-numeric code number.