Systems and methods for determining an authorization threshold

• US 6,935,559 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated), Western Union
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mollett, Cassandra, Brauckman, Susan Diane, Smith, David Wayne, Walker, David A., Bethscheider, Alan Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/877,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 235/382.5, 235/382, 235/380, 235/375, 235/381, 235/383, 235/493, 235/492, 705/41, 705/14, 705/1, 705/26, 705/64, 713/168, 713/200, 713/183
• US Class Current: 235/382.5
• 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 20/40 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 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• 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 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

Systems and methods are described that determine a threshold value for an authorization check, such as an age verification, that is performed at a point of sale or other point of access control where access to a product, service, location, event, or the like, is restricted to individuals who meet an authorization threshold. In embodiments associated with purchases that comprise a variety of items for purchase and a variety of associated age-related authorization thresholds, systems and methods are described for determining an age-related authorization threshold for the purchase as a whole that will authorize the purchase of the items. In embodiments in which a purchaser'"'"'s authorization is checked with respect to a determined threshold value, a record of the authorization check can be stored and can subsequently be retrieved to verify that an authorization check for the encounter was carried out using the determined threshold value.

Claims

1. A method of determining an authorization threshold associated with the purchase of multiple items comprising:

identifying a first item that a purchaser desires to purchase;

identifying a first authorization threshold associated with the purchase of the first item offering;

identifying a second item that the purchaser desires to purchase;

identifying at least a second authorization threshold associated with the second offering, wherein the second authorization threshold is different than the first authorization threshold; and

determining a third authorization threshold associated with the purchase of the first and second items wherein the third authorization threshold based at least in part on the first and second authorization thresholds.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the third authorization threshold is more restrictive than either the first or second authorization threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the third authorization threshold is less restrictive than either the first or second authorization threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the third authorization threshold is the first authorization threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the third authorization threshold is the second authorization threshold.

6. A method of determining an authorization threshold comprising:

identifying at least a first authorization threshold associated with a first offering;

identifying at least a second authorization threshold associated with a second offering, wherein the second authorization threshold is different than the first authorization threshold; and

determining a third authorization threshold based at least in part on the first and second authorization thresholds.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the third authorization threshold is more restrictive than either the first or second authorization threshold.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the third authorization threshold is less restrictive than either the first or second authorization threshold.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the third authorization threshold is the first authorization threshold.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the third authorization threshold is the second authorization threshold.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the first offering comprises an item or service.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the second offering comprises an item or service.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the first authorization threshold is not age related.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein the second authorization threshold is not age related.

15. The method of claim 6 wherein the third authorization threshold is not age related.

16. The method of claim 6 wherein identifying at least the first authorization threshold comprises receiving an electronic identifier signal associated with the first offering, to access stored information associated with the offering.

17. The method of claim 6 wherein identifying at least the first offering comprises receiving an electronic identifier signal associated with the first offering, and wherein identifying the first authorization threshold comprises using the electronic identifier to access stored information associated with the first offering.

18. The method of claim 6 wherein determining the third authorization threshold comprises selecting at least one of the first or second authorization thresholds.

19. The method of claim 6 wherein the third authorization threshold is related to at least one of the set consisting of:

citizenship, residential address, zip code, security clearance level, education level, weight, legal status, criminal status, and membership.

20. The method of claim 6 wherein obtaining identification information about at least the first offering comprises receiving information from scanning in, reading electronically, keying in manually, and inputting orally.

21. The method of claim 6 further comprising obtaining authorization identification information about a purchaser by obtaining information from at least one of:

magnetically encoded information on an identification card, a driver'"'"'s license, a smart card, a bar code, a transponder, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a security key, a computer file, a fingerprint of the purchaser, an iris scan of the purchaser, a voice sample of the purchaser, and other biometric information available from the purchaser.

22. The method of claim 6 further comprising obtaining authorization identification information about the purchaser by obtaining information that allows access to a stored record associated with the purchaser.

23. The method of claim 6 further comprising storing a transaction identifier and at least one of:

the time of the transaction, the date of the transaction, and a numeric identifier for the transaction.

24. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining authorization value for the purchaser and comparing the authorization value with the third authorization threshold.

25. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining an authorization value for a purchaser;

comparing the authorization value with the third authorization threshold; and

not allowing a purchase to be completed if the purchaser is not authorized to make the purchase.

26. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying the third authorization threshold to a clerk associated with a purchase.

27. An apparatus that determines an authorization threshold for a plurality of offerings, the apparatus comprising:

computer processor circuitry in communication with an offering identifier apparatus, the computer process configured to receive identification information regarding at least a first offering and a second offering,

wherein the computer processor circuitry is further configured to determine at least a first authorization threshold associated with the first offering and at least a second authorization threshold associated with the second offering, and

wherein the computer processor circuitry is further configured to determine a third authorization threshold based at least in part on the first and second authorization thresholds.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the apparatus is a point of sale device.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the first and second offerings are part of a purchase transaction.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the third authorization threshold is more restrictive than either the first or second authorization threshold.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the third authorization threshold is less restrictive than either the first or second authorization threshold.

32. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the third authorization threshold is the first authorization threshold.

33. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the third authorization threshold is the second authorization threshold.

34. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the first offering comprises an item or service.

35. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the second offering comprises an item or service.

36. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the first authorization threshold is not age related.

37. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the second authorization threshold is not age related.

38. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the third authorization threshold is not age related.

39. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the computer processor circuitry is further configured to receive information about a purchaser of the first and second offering.

40. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein information about the purchaser is obtained from at least one of:

magnetically encoded information on an identification card, a driver'"'"'s license, a smart card, a bar code, a transponder, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a security key, a computer file, a fingerprint of the purchaser, an iris scan of the purchaser, a voice sample of the purchaser, and other biometric information available from the purchaser.

41. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the computer processor circuitry is further configured to compare authorization information about a purchaser with the third authorization threshold to determine whether the purchaser is authorized to purchase the offerings.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the computer processor is further configured to store in a computer memory a record of the purchase that comprises an identifier for the purchase and a record of the purchaser'"'"'s authorization information.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the computer processor circuitry is further configured to not allow the purchase to be completed if the computer processor circuitry determines that the purchaser is not authorized to make the purchase.

44. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a display that is configured to display the third authorization threshold.

45. A computerized system that determines an authorization threshold for a plurality of offerings, the system comprising:

means for obtaining electronic identifiers for a plurality of offerings;

means for using the electronic identifiers to access a database of authorization information to determine at least a first authorization threshold for a first offering and a second authorization threshold for a second offering; and

means for determining a third authorization threshold based at least in part on the first and second authorization thresholds.

46. The system of claim 45 further comprising means for obtaining electronic identifiers that identify the offerings.

47. The system of claim 45 further comprising means to obtain authorization information about a purchaser of the offerings.

48. The system of claim 47 further comprising means for comparing the authorization information about a purchaser with the third authorization threshold to determine whether the purchaser is authorized to purchase the offerings.

49. The system of claim 48 further comprising means for storing a record of the purchase that comprises an identifier for the purchase and a record of the authorization information about the purchaser.

50. The system of claim 45 further comprising a display means for displaying the third authorization threshold.

51. A software module stored on a computer accessible storage medium, the software module comprising:

program instructions that are configured to receive electronic identifiers for a plurality offerings;

program instructions that are configured to determine at least a first authorization threshold for a first offering and a second authorization threshold for a second offering; and

program instructions that are configured to determine a third authorization threshold based at least in part on the first and second authorization thresholds.

52. The software module of claim 51 wherein the third authorization threshold is more restrictive than either the first or second authorization threshold.

53. The software module of claim 51 wherein the third authorization threshold is less restrictive than either the first or second authorization threshold.

54. The software module of claim 51 wherein the third authorization threshold is the first authorization threshold.

55. The software module of claim 51 wherein the third authorization threshold is the second authorization threshold.

56. The software module of claim 51 wherein the first offering comprises a good or service.

57. The software module of claim 51 wherein the second offering comprises a good or service.

58. The software module of claim 51 wherein the first authorization threshold is not age related.

59. The software module of claim 51 wherein the second authorization threshold is not age related.

60. The software module of claim 51 wherein the third authorization threshold is not age related.

61. The software module of claim 51 wherein the third authorization threshold is related to at least one of the set consisting of:

citizenship, residential address, zip code, security clearance level, education level, weight, legal status, criminal status, and membership.