Digital encoding of personal signatures

• US 6,512,840 B1
• Filed: 05/30/1996
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Tognazzini, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US08/655,135
• Time in Patent Office: 2,434 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/115, 382/116, 382/119-123, 178/18, 178/19, 178/18.01, 178/19.01, 235/379, 235/380, 345/173, 345/179, 345/182, 340/825.34, 340/5.81, 340/5.82
• US Class Current: 382/119
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data

Abstract

The signature comparison process associated with bank approval processes is automated using signature capture devices and a stored database of valid signatures. A signature is captured as part of a normal credit transaction, digitized and compared with entries in a database of known valid signatures. In an automated gas pump environment, the signature is captured, compared and approved before any gas is dispensed.

Claims

1. A system for comparison of a signature with a stored copy of an authorized signature, comprising:

a. a network;

b. a central computer, connected to said network, having stored thereon a one or more electronic replicas of respective authorized signatures for at least one account and configured to compare signatures;

c. a portable device, having a docking port, containing a touch screen display for displaying information related to said account and serving as a signature pad for capturing an electronic replica of a signature; and

d. a computer, having a docking port for receiving said portable device, configured for downloading a captured electronic replica of a signature from said portable device and for sending said electronic replica to said central computer over said network for comparison with an authorized signature.

2. A system for processing payment information having a signature, comprising:

a. a network;

b. a central computer, connected to said network, having stored thereon one or more electronic replicas of respective authorized signatures for at least one account and configured to compare signatures; and

c. one or more merchant terminals, connected to the network, having a touch screen display for displaying information relating to said account and for capturing an electronic replica of a signature and for obtaining approval of payment information, said payment information including a payment card number;

in which said central computer compares a capture electronic replica of a signature with one or more stored authorized signatures for said payment card number and approves payment when replicas of signatures match by more than a threshold amount.

3. The system of claim 2 in which at least one of said merchant terminals is a gas pump equipped with a signature pad.

4. Vending apparatus for processing payment information comprising:

a. a touch screen signature pad for capturing an electronic replica of a signature and for displaying information about an account;

b. a card reader;

c. a transmitter for sending an electronic replica of a signature from said touch screen display and a card number from said reader to a central computer; and

d. a receiver for receiving payment information from said central computer.

5. A method of comparing signatures, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an element for performing the step of capturing a signature in electronic form;

b. providing an element for performing the step of sending a replica of said signature to a central computer with a card number; and

c. providing an element for performing the step of comparing said replica with stored replicas of authorized signatures for said card number in which the step of capturing a signature in electronic form includes the steps of;

providing an element for performing the step of capturing a signature in electronic form on a touch screen of a portable device, docking said portable device with a merchant computer and downloading the signature to the merchant computer.