Apparatus and method of transmitting transaction signature

• US 6,905,072 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Incorporated (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Natarajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US10/688,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20040084524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/08 using markings of different kinds or more than one marking of the same kind in the same record carrier, e.g. one marking being sensed by optical and the other by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0004 Hybrid readers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• 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: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A transaction apparatus (10) includes a multifunction card (12) and a portable terminal (14). The multifunction card includes a programmable memory (18). The programmable memory on the card is used to store indicia corresponding to account data from a plurality of conventional magnetic stripe cards. The programmable memory further includes signature data representative of user-identifying signature. The signature data can comprise a scanned user-identifying written signature. A user is enabled to operate the apparatus to select one of the accounts stored in memory. The user is also enabled to use the apparatus to transmit the signature data via wireless communication during a transaction. The transmitted signature data can be compared to an actual user signature written on an electronic signature pad for a determination of correspondence.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) storing an electronic signature in memory of a portable phone,

(b) transmitting the electronic signature from the portable phone to a merchant system via wireless communication during a transaction.

2. Apparatus comprising:

a portable phone including a memory,

wherein the memory has stored therein an electronic signature,

wherein the portable phone is operative to transmit the electronic signature,

a merchant system,

wherein the merchant system is operative to receive a transmitted electronic signature from the portable phone via wireless communication during a transaction.

3. Apparatus comprising:

a portable phone including a memory,

wherein the memory includes a user-identifying electronic signature stored therein,

wherein the portable phone is operative to wirelessly transmit the user-identifying electronic signature as a payment authorization during a transaction.