Voice signature transaction system and method

• US 7,127,417 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Azuma, Tomihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US09/884,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/26.43
• 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 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques

Abstract

A voice signature transaction system for use in electronic commerce comprises user terminals, a server, and a data network. The server receives order data from a user, allocates an order ID to the order data, requests the user to enter, via voice, a plurality of signatures such as a name, ID, and so on, checks if the registered name and ID match the name and ID included in the voice data, and stores the voice data received from the user.

Claims

1. A voice signature transaction system comprising a user terminal used by a user, a server used by a person providing products or services, and a data network connecting the user terminal and the server for conducting a product or service transaction,

said user terminal comprises a voice input unit for inputting voice data, and

said server comprises a sending/receiving unit, an allocating unit, a storage unit, and a checking unit, wherein

said sending/receiving unit being configured to:

sends product and service transaction information from said server to said user terminal when accessed by said user terminal,

receives, from said user terminal, order data including data on a product or a service and a user name, said product or service being specified from products and services included in the transaction information,

sends, from said server, order ID request information to said user terminal, said order ID request information requesting a voice signature of an order ID of the order data, said order ID being allocated by said allocating unit in response to the order data,

receives, by said server, first voice data that includes order ID voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the order ID request information, wherein the first voice data includes the voice signature of the order ID of the order data,

sends, from said server, name request information to said user terminal when the order ID included in the first voice data matches the allocated order ID, said name request information requesting to input, via voice, a voice signature of a name of a user who has placed the order,

receives, by said server, second voice data that includes name voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the name request information, wherein the second voice data includes the voice signature of the name of the user who has placed the order, and

sends, from said server, acceptance information to said user terminal when the name included in the second voice data matches the name included in the order data, said acceptance information indicating that the order data, the first voice data, and the second voice data have been accepted;

said allocating unit being configured to allocate the order ID to the order data,

said storage unit being configured to store the order data, the first voice data, the second voice data, and the transaction information and

said checking unit being configured to;

checks if the order ID included in the first voice data received by said server matches the allocated order ID, and

checks if the name included in the second voice data received by said server matches the name included in the order data,

wherein, in a case in which said user of said user terminal denies payment of an order corresponding to the order ID, said server compares, by way of a voice recognition procedure, third voice data output from said user terminal when denial of payment was made after the order had been made and accepted by said server, with the first voice data and the second voice data, and wherein the user is determined to either have made or not have made the order corresponding to the order ID based on whether or not the voice recognition procedure performed by said server determines that the first voice data, the second voice data and the third voice data are from a same user.

2. The voice signature transaction system as defined by claim 1 wherein

the sending/receiving unit of said server further sends date/time request information to said user terminal when the name included in the second voice data matches the name included in the order data, said date/time request information requesting to input, via voice, an order date/time, and

receives date/time voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the date/time request information, and

the storage unit of said server further stores the date/time voice data related to the order data.

3. The voice signature transaction system as defined by claim 2 wherein

the checking unit of said server further checks if a voiceprint of the first voice data matches a voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data, and

the sending/receiving unit of said server further sends the acceptance information to said user terminal when the voiceprint of the first voice data matches the voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data.

4. The voice signature transaction system as defined in claim 2, wherein a combination of said date/time voice data, said first voice data, and said second voice data are stored together in said storage unit of said server as signature data corresponding to said order ID.

5. The voice signature transaction system as defined by claim 1 wherein

the checking unit of said server further checks if a voiceprint of the first voice data matches a voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data, and

the sending/receiving unit of said server further sends the acceptance information to said user terminal when the voiceprint of the first voice data matches the voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data.

6. The voice signature transaction system as defined by claim 1 wherein

the sending/receiving unit of said server sends

the order ID request information or the name request information again when the checking unit did not find a match in the order IDs, in the names, or in the voiceprints, and

information indicating that the order data is not accepted when the checking unit did not find a match in the order IDs, in the names, or in the voiceprints after the order ID request information or the name request information is sent a specified number of times.

7. The voice signature transaction system as defined by claim 1, wherein said server further comprises an output unit for outputting a voice of the first and second voice data stored in the storage unit.

8. The voice signature transaction system as defined by claim 1, wherein said user terminal is a cellular phone and wherein said data network includes a wireless base station capable of making a wireless connection to the cellular phone.

9. The voice signature transaction system as defined in claim 1, wherein, in the case in which said user denies payment of the order corresponding to the order ID at the later point in time, said server requests a voice recognition specialist to compare the first voice data and the second voice data, and if the first voice data and the second voice data match as determined by the voice recognition specialist, the user is requested by said server to pay for the order.

10. The voice signature transaction system as defined in claim 9, wherein the voice recognition specialist is a human being.

11. A voice signature transaction method for use in a system comprising a user terminal used by a user, a server used by a person providing products or services, and a data network connecting the user terminal and the server for conducting a product or service transaction, said method comprising the steps by said server of:

(a) sending, from said server, product and service transaction information to said user terminal when accessed by said user terminal;

(b) receiving, by said server, order data including data on a product or a service and a user name, said product or service being specified on said user terminal receiving the transaction information and being specified from products and services included in the transaction information;

(c) storing, by said server, the received order data;

(d) allocating, by said server, an order ID to the order data in response to receiving the order data;

(e) sending, from said server, order ID request information to said user terminal, said order ID request information requesting, via voice, a voice signature of the order ID of the order data;

(f) receiving, by said server, first voice data that includes order ID voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the order ID request information;

(g) storing, by said server, the first voice data related to the order data;

(h) checking, by said server, if the first voice data received by said server matches the allocated order ID;

(i) sending, by said server, name request information to said user terminal when the order ID included in the first voice data matches the allocated order ID, the name request information requesting to input, via voice, a voice signature of a name of a user who has placed the order;

(j) receiving, by said server, second voice data that includes name voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the name request information;

(k) checking, by said server, if the name included in the second voice data received by said server matches the name included in the order data;

(l) sending, by said server, acceptance information to said user terminal when the name included in the second voice data matches the name included in the order data, said acceptance information indicating that the order data, the first voice data, and the second voice data have been accepted;

(m) denying, by the user at said user terminal, payment of an order corresponding to the order ID after the order ID has been accepted, the denying being performed by way of third voice data output from said user terminal after the order has been made from said user terminal and accepted by said server;

(n) comparing by said server, by way of a voice recognition procedure performed by said server, the third voice data with the first and second voice data, to determine if the first voice data, the second voice data and the third voice data are from a same person; and

(o) based on the comparing step, determining by said server whether the user had made or had not made the order corresponding to the order ID based on whether or not the voice recognition procedure determines that the first voice data, the second voice data and the third voice data are from the same user.

12. The voice signature transaction method as defined by claim 11, further comprising the steps, before the acceptance information is sent said user terminal, by said server of:

(p) sending date/time request information to said user terminal when the name included in the second voice data matches the name included in the order data, said date/time request information requesting to input, via voice, an order date/time;

(q) receiving date/time voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the date/time request information; and

(r) storing the date/time voice data related to the order data.

13. The voice signature transaction method as defined by claim 11, further comprising the steps by said server of:

(p) checking if a voiceprint of the first voice data matches a voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data, and

(q) sending the acceptance information to said user terminal when the voiceprint of the first voice data matches the voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data.

14. The voice signature transaction method as defined by claim 12, further comprising the steps by said server of:

(s) checking if a voiceprint of the first voice data matches a voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data, and

(t) sending the acceptance information to said user terminal when the voiceprint of the first voice data matches the voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data.

15. The voice signature transaction method as defined in claim 13, wherein a combination of said date/time voice data, said first voice data, and said second voice data are stored together in said storage unit of said server as signature data corresponding to said order ID.

16. The voice signature transaction method as defined by claim 11, further comprising the steps by said server of:

(n) sending the order ID request information or the name request information again when the checking unit did not find a match in the order IDs, in the names, or in the voiceprints, and

(o) sending information indicating that the order data is not accepted when the checking unit did not find a match in the order IDs, in the names, or in the voiceprints after the order ID request information or the name request information is sent a specified number of times.

17. The voice signature transaction method as defined by claim 11, further comprising the step by said server of outputting a voice of the stored first and second voice data.

18. The voice signature transaction method as defined by claim 11, wherein said user terminal is a cellular phone and wherein said data network includes a wireless base station capable of making a wireless connection to the cellular phone.

19. A computer-readable medium that has stored therewithin a computer-readable program for use in a system comprising a user terminal used by a user, a server used by a person providing products or services, and a data network connecting the user terminal and the server for conducting a product or service transaction, said program causing said server to perform the steps of:

sending, by said server, product and service transaction information to said user terminal when accessed by said user terminal;

receiving, by said server, order data including data on a product or a service and a user name, said product or service being specified on said user terminal receiving the transaction information and being specified from products and services included in the transaction information;

storing, by said server, the received order data;

allocating, by said server, an order ID to the order data in response to receiving the order data;

sending, from said server, order ID request information to said user terminal, said order ID request information requesting, via voice, a voice signature of the order ID of the order data;

receiving, by said server, first voice data that includes order ID voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the order ID request information;

storing, by said server, first voice data related to the order data;

checking, by said server, if the first voice ID voice data received by said server matches the allocated order ID;

sending, from said server, name request information to said user terminal when the order ID included in the first voice data matches the allocated order ID, the name request information requesting to input, via voice, a voice signature of a name of a user who has placed the order;

receiving, by said server, second voice data that includes name voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the name request information;

checking, by said server, if the name included in the second voice data received by said server matches the name included in the order data;

sending, from said server, acceptance information to said user terminal when the name included in the second voice data matches the name included in the order data, said acceptance information indicating that the order data, the first voice data, and the second voice data have been accepted;

denying payment, by the user at said user terminal, of an order corresponding to the order ID after the order ID has been accepted, the denying being performed by way of third voice data output from said user terminal after the order has been made from said user terminal and accepted by said server;

comparing, by way of a voice recognition procedure performed by said server, said third voice data with said first and second voice data, to determine if the first voice data, the second voice data and the third voice data are from a same person; and

based on the comparing step, determining by said server whether the user had made or had not have made the order corresponding to the order ID based on whether or not the voice recognition procedure determines that the first voice data, the second voice data and the third voice data are from the same user.

20. The computer-readable medium as defined by claim 19, wherein, before the acceptance information is sent said user terminal, said program further causes said server to perform the steps of:

sending date/time request information to said user terminal when the name included in second voice data matches the name included in the order data, said date/time request information requesting to input, via voice, an order date/time;

receiving date/time voice data that is input, via voice, on said user terminal receiving the date/time request information; and

storing the date/time voice data related to the order data.

21. The computer-readable medium as defined by claim 20, wherein said program further causes said server to perform the steps of:

checking if a voiceprint of the first voice data matches a voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data, and

sending the acceptance information to said user terminal when the voiceprint of the first voice data matches the voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data.

22. The computer-readable medium as defined by claim 19, wherein said program further causes said server to perform the steps of:

checking if a voiceprint of the first voice data matches a voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data, and

sending the acceptance information to said user terminal when the voiceprint of the first voice data matches the voiceprint of the second voice data and/or date/time voice data.

23. The computer-readable medium as defined by claim 19, wherein said program further causes said server to perform the steps of:

sending the order ID request information or the name request information again when the checking unit did not find a match in the order IDs, in the names, or in the voiceprints, and

sending information indicating that the order data is not accepted when the checking unit did not find a match in the order IDs, in the names, or in the voiceprints after the order ID request information or the name request information is sent a specified number of times.

24. The computer-readable medium as defined by claim 19, wherein said program further causes said server to output a voice of the stored voice data.

25. The computer-readable medium as defined by claim 19, wherein said user terminal is a cellular phone and wherein said data network includes a wireless base station capable of making a wireless connection to the cellular phone.