Apparatus and method for producing a digitized transaction record including an encrypted signature

• US 5,195,133 A
• Filed: 01/11/1991
• Issued: 03/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Kapp, Michael A., Protheroe, Robert L., Onega, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US07/640,199
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 380/9, 380/10, 380/23-25, 380/49, 380/54, 380/55, 380/22, 380/21, 380/30, 380/43, 235/379, 235/380, 382/3, 356/71
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00

Abstract

A method and system for generating a completed payment document ready for signature in image form. The document is signed by a customer and a copy of the signature is captured in digital form. Thereafter the signature is encrypted and saved along with a digital record of the transaction.

Claims

1. Apparatus for producing a verifiable, signature approved, digital record of a commercial transaction comprising:

means for creating a digital record of a transaction including a debit authorization;

means for capturing a digital representation of a handwritten approving signature at the time of said transaction; and

means for using said digital record to encrypt said digital representation.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for capturing comprises a manually operated stylus and a digitizer for sensing and digitizing the coordinates of said stylus.

3. A digital record of a transaction comprising a recording medium impressed with digitized transaction data defining said transaction and an encrypted digital record of an approving handwritten signature for said transaction;

said encryption record requiring a decryption key which may be obtained from said transaction data.

4. A digital record according to claim 3;

said encrypted record requiring a second decryption key independent of said transaction data.

5. A method of processing a customer sales transaction comprising the steps of:

entering data defining said transaction into a terminal;

displaying a business form including said data on a display screen;

directing the customer to sign said business form on said display screen;

capturing and digitizing the signature of the customer;

encrypting said signature;

printing a hard copy of said business form including a readable copy of said signature for submission to the customer; and

creating a digital record of said transaction including an encrypted copy of said signature.

6. The method of claim 5 and further comprising the steps of:

entering a transaction identifying code into said terminal; and

using said transaction identifying code to encrypt said signature.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein a customer account number is entered by sensing a magnetic record thereof on a card presented by the customer.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein a customer account number is entered by means of a keyboard.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein a customer account number is entered by sensing data on a bank check.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of displaying said particulars on said display screen.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein said business form is a receipt of charge.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein said business form is a debit draft.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said debit draft is a bank check.

14. A method of processing customer charge and debit account transactions using apparatus which includes a cashier-operated point of sale (POS) terminal, a printer and a customer-operated write input device having a touch-sensitive display screen and a card reader, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying an idle condition of said screen;

(b) operating said terminal to initiate the start of a transaction by the cashier;

(c) entering data concerning items of a transaction into said terminal;

(d) displaying data concerning said items on said display screen;

(e) operating said terminal to indicate entry of the last item of a transaction;

(f) entering customer account data into said terminal;

(g) obtaining the signature of the customer on said write input device;

(h) encrypting said signature;

(i) operating said printer to print a transaction record;

(j) displaying a transaction record on said display screen; and

(k) creating and storing a transaction record in digital form, including an encrypted copy of said signature.

15. A method of processing a sales transaction comprising the steps of:

activating a display at a sales location to present an image of transaction related data;

manually moving a position indicating device in a cursive manner corresponding to the writing of a personal validating signature;

sensing a series of positions of said position indicating device and generating a series of corresponding position coordinates;

creating a digital record of said signature by storing said coordinates in a memory;

using said coordinates to cause said display to present an image of said signature concomitantly and in a predetermined spaced relation with the image of said transaction related data;

encrypting said signature; and

storing a copy of said signature in encrypted form.

16. A method of processing a sales transaction comprising the steps of:

capturing an authentic signature for use in approving debit entries against a specified account;

creating a first data file containing a debit record for positing against said account;

capturing an image of a validating handwritten signature at the time of said transaction;

creating a second data file containing a digitized representation of said image;

creating an encryption key which uniquely identifies said transaction;

using said encryption key for encryption of said second file;

storing said first file;

storing said second file in encrypted form;

retrieving said files from storage;

decrypting said second file to recover said validating signature;

comparing said validating signature against said authentic signature, and

posting said debit record against said account if and only if said comparing step establishes a predetermined similarity between said validating signature and said authentic signature.

17. Transaction recording apparatus comprising:

transaction input means for creating a digitized transaction record including information defining a business transaction;

stylus means for manual movement corresponding to the writing of an approving signature for said transaction;

liquid crystal display means for presenting a visual image of said signature;

capture means including a transparent reference surface connected for generating position signals in response to moving contact by said stylus and mounted on said display means for causing said visual image to be written in registration with the moving point of contact between said surface and said stylus means;

controller means connected to said transaction input means and to said capture means for associating said transaction record with said signature record; and

encryption means connected to said controller means for encrypting said signature record.