Tokenless biometric electronic rewards system

• US 6,012,039 A
• Filed: 02/05/1999
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: YT Acquisition Corp.
• Original Assignee: Smarttouch Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, Jonathan Alexander, Pare, Jr., David Ferrin, Hoffman, Ned
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US09/244,784
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 705/35, 705/39, 705/44, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25, 380/49, 382/115, 382/116, 382/117, 382/118, 382/119, 382/124, 382/128, 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/382.5
• US Class Current: 705/14.26
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 19/005 for semi-liquid, e.g. fat
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/28 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. by averaging or distorting; Generating dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/008 Public Key, Asymmetric Key, Asymmetric Encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• 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 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• 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 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4097 using mutual authentication between devices and transaction partners
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 : Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 : Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 : Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/32 : in combination with an identity check
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 : using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 : Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 : Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• 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: H04L 2463/102 : applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 : for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

The method of the invention includes a tokenless authorization of a reward transaction between an issuer and a recipient using an electronic identicator and at least one recipient bid biometric sample, the method comprising the following steps. A recipient registration step, wherein a recipient registers with an electronic identicator at least one registration biometric sample. An issuer registration step, wherein the issuer registers identification data with the electronic identicator. During a transaction formation step, wherein an electronic reward transaction is formed between the issuer and the recipient, comprising issuer bid identification data, transaction data, and at least one recipient bid biometric sample, the bid biometric sample is obtained from the issuer'"'"'s person. In at least one transmission step, the issuer bid identification data, the transaction data, and recipient bid biometric sample are electronically forwarded to the electronic identicator. In a recipient identification step, the electronic identicator compares the bid biometric sample with at least one registered biometric sample for producing either a successful or failed identification of the recipient. In an issuer identification step, the electronic identicator compares the issuer'"'"'s bid identification data with an issuer'"'"'s registered identification data for producing either a successful or failed identification of the issuer. Thereby, upon successful identification of the recipient and issuer, a reward transaction is authorized for debit or credit settlement of reward units from the recipient'"'"'s rewards account, without the recipient presenting any personalized man-made tokens such as smartcards or magnetic swipe cards.

Claims

1. A method for tokenless authorization of a reward transaction between an issuer and a recipient using an electronic identicator and at least one recipient bid biometric sample, said method comprising the steps of:

a. a recipient registration step, wherein a recipient registers with an electronic identicator at least one registration biometric sample;

b. an issuer registration step, wherein the issuer registers identification data with the electronic identicator;

c. a transaction formation step, wherein an electronic reward transaction is formed between the issuer and the recipient, comprising issuer bid identification data, transaction data, and at least one recipient bid biometric sample, wherein the bid biometric sample is obtained from the issuer'"'"'s person;

d. at least one transmission step, wherein the issuer bid identification data, the transaction data, and recipient bid biometric sample are electronically forwarded to the electronic identicator;

e. a recipient identification step, wherein the electronic identicator compares the bid biometric sample with at least one registered biometric sample for producing either a successful or failed identification of the recipient;

f. an issuer identification step, wherein the electronic identicator compares the issuer'"'"'s bid identification data with an issuer'"'"'s registered identification data for producing either a successful or failed identification of the issuer;

wherein upon successful identification of the recipient and issuer, a reward transaction is authorized for debit or credit settlement of reward units from the recipient'"'"'s rewards account, without the recipient presenting any personalized man-made tokens such as smartcards or magnetic swipe cards.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the issuer identification data comprises any one of the following;

an issuer hardware identification code, an issuer telephone number, an issuer email address, an issuer digital certificate code, an issuer account index, an issuer rewards account number, an issuer biometric, and an issuer biometric and PIN combination.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the issuer registration step further comprises registering an issuer biometric sample with the electronic identicator, which is compared in the issuer identification step with at least one registered biometric sample for identification of the issuer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the recipient registration step further comprises registering a recipient personal identification number with the electronic identicator, which is used by the electronic identicator to identify the recipient.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising a recipient resource determination step, wherein it is determined if the recipient'"'"'s rewards account has sufficient resources to be debited for an amount specified in the transaction data.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a transaction settlement step, wherein the transaction data is credited to a recipient'"'"'s rewards account.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the registration step further comprises registering a recipient private code with the electronic identicator, which is distinct from a personal identification number and not used in the recipient identification step, wherein the private code is displayed to the recipient to validate that the authentic electronic identicator has processes the transaction.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein both the recipient resource determination step further comprises the electronic identicator communicating with one or more external computers.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction data comprises price information, a list of goods and services, an issuer name, a date or time, a location, or an invoice number.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the transaction settlement step further comprises the recipient designating a future date on which the reward-units are to be deducted from the recipient'"'"'s rewards account and credited to the issuer'"'"'s rewards account.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising a recipient re-registration step, wherein the user'"'"'s registration biometric samples are compared against previously designated biometric samples wherein if a match occurs, the computer system is alerted to the fact that the recipient has re-registered with the electronic identicator.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric sample comprises of one of the following:

a fingerprint, a facial scan, a retinal image, an iris scan, and a voice print.

13. The method of claim 4 further comprising a biometric theft resolution step, wherein the recipient'"'"'s personal identification number is changed whenever the recipient'"'"'s biometric sample is determined to have been fraudulently duplicated.

14. A method for processing tokenless electronic reward-units transfer to a recipient using an electronic identicator and at least one recipient biometric sample, comprising;

a. creating an electronic registry of reward units, having the reward-units disbursed to a recipient based upon the occurrence of predetermined criteria;

b. a recipient registration step, wherein the recipient registers with the electronic identicator at least one registration biometric sample;

c. a recipient identification step, wherein the identicator compares a recipient bid biometric sample with at least one previously registered biometric samples for producing either a successful or failed identification of the recipient; and

d. recipient reward-units issuance step, wherein upon successful identification of the recipient, an electronic reward transaction is conducted without the recipient using any tokens such as plastic cards or man made portable memory devices such as smart cards, or magnetic stripe cards to receive the rewards units.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the biometric sample comprises of one of the following:

a fingerprint, a facial scan, a retinal image, an iris scan, and a voice print.

16. A device for tokenless transaction of electronic reward-units transfer to a recipient using at least one recipient biometric sample, comprising;

a. an electronic identicator for comparing the bid and registered biometric samples of a recipient of reward units, and for comparing the bid and registration identification data of an issuer of reward units;

b. a party identification apparatus for submission of the recipient'"'"'s biometric samples and the issuer'"'"'s identification data;

c. an electronic reward registry of reward units, having the reward-units disbursed to a recipients based upon the occurrence of predetermined criteria;

d. a recipient rewards account for storage of accrued reward units; and

e. an execution module for debiting and crediting the recipient reward account based upon the occurrence of predetermined criteria, wherein no man made tokens such as cards or smartcards are presented for the transaction.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the recipient registers a recipient personal identification number with the electronic identicator, which is used by the electronic identicator to identify the recipient.

18. The device of claim 16 further comprising a rule registry module containing predetermined reward units disbursement instructions.

19. The device of claim 16 further comprising a recipient electronic registry, wherein reward accounts from multiple users are stored within.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a demographics data base, wherein volunteered information of the recipient is maintained.