ELECTRONIC VERIFICATION DEVICE

• US 20140257957A1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Austin Archuleta, Michael Archuleta, Michael Archuleta II
• Original Assignee: Michael Archuleta II
• Inventors: Archuleta, Michael, Archuleta, Michael II, Archuleta, Austin
• Application Number:
  US13/787,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257957A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds

Abstract

A system and method is provided for verifying the location of a user when operating a program that tracks when a user is present at one or more locations. The system uses a display unit that displays a predictable pseudo random string that changes periodically. To verify that a user is at a particular location, the user enters the currently displayed pseudo random string in a web site. Based on the string entered, a server can verify the location of the user.

Claims

1. A method of location verification comprising:

providing an electronic device having a display and a processor;

displaying a pseudo random string on the electronic device, wherein the pseudo random string changes periodically;

receiving a message from a user at a first time period, the message including a string value;

calculating a pseudo random string that should have been displayed on the electronic device around the first time period;

comparing the string value included in the message from the user with the calculated pseudo random string; and

verifying the location of the user based on the comparison of the string value and the calculated pseudo random string.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a clock, the method further comprising monitoring messages received from a plurality of users to determine a trend relating to the delay between a change in the pseudo random string and when the messages were sent.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising comparing previously determined trends with recently received messages.

4. The method of claim 3, determining whether the clock of the electronic device has drifted based on the comparison.

5. The method of claim 4, accounting for any determined clock drift when calculating the pseudo random string.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the pseudo random string based on the time of day and a seed value.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the pseudo random string based on clock cycles and a corresponding value stored in a memory.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the string value included in the message from the user is entered into a mobile device by the user.

9. A location based verification system comprising:

an electronic device having a display and a processor, the processor including program code for displaying a sequence of pseudo random strings on the display;

a remote server having program code for calculating a pseudo random string that should be displayed on the electronic device at any particular time; and

program code for comparing a string value received from a user at a first time period with a calculated pseudo random string, wherein the calculated pseudo random string is calculated based on the first time period.

10. The location based verification system of claim 9, wherein the electronic device includes a memory, and wherein a plurality of pseudo random strings are stored in the memory.

11. The location based verification system of claim 10, wherein the program code for displaying a sequence of pseudo random strings on the display causes the plurality of pseudo random strings to be displayed on the display one at a time.

12. The location based verification system of claim 9, wherein the sequence of pseudo random strings are calculated based on the time of day and a seed value.

13. The location based verification system of claim 9, wherein the electronic device includes a clock, and wherein the location based verification system further comprises computer code for compensating for clock drift.

14. The location based verification system of claim 13, wherein the computer code for compensating for clock drift determines clock drift based on the times when string values are received from users.

15. The location based verification system of claim 13, further comprising a master device having a wireless transmitter, wherein the master device transmits pseudo random strings to the electronic device.

16. The location based verification system of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of electronic devices each having a display and a processor, wherein each of the plurality of electronic devices receives pseudo random strings from the master device.

17. A method of managing a customer rewards program comprising:

providing an electronic device having a display at a first location;

displaying a pseudo random string on the electronic device, wherein the pseudo random string changes periodically;

when a customer is in the proximity of the first location, receiving one or more messages from the customer, wherein the messages are sent by the customer using a mobile device, and wherein the message(s) include a customer identifier and a string value entered by the customer;

comparing the received string value entered by the customer with a calculation of what value the display should have been displaying at a time near when the message containing the string value was sent;

verifying the location of the customer based on the comparison of the received string value and the calculated value; and

awarding credits to the customer'"'"'s rewards account if the customer'"'"'s location was verified.