Systems and methods for determining a need for authorization
First Claim
1. A process for determining an age-related authorization threshold for a purchase comprising at least one item, the process comprising:
- (i) identifying an item that a purchaser is attempting to purchase;
(ii) identifying an age-related authorization threshold associated with the item;
(iii) repeating acts (i) and (ii) for the items of the purchase;
(iv) selecting an authorization threshold to be the authorization threshold for the purchase;
(v) calculating the age of the purchaser; and
(vi) storing in a memory a record indicative of the purchase and of the calculated age of the purchaser.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Authorization verification systems and methods are described that determine whether an authorization check is to be performed at a point of sale or other point of control, and, if the authorization check is to be performed, that check the authorization and that store a retrievable record of the authorization check. The system receives authorization information for an individual that is indicative of the individual'"'"'s authorization to purchase a product or service, to enter a location, to attend an event, or to otherwise participate in an encounter whose access is limited to authorized individuals. In one embodiment, authorization for making a purchase is limited to individuals above an age threshold, and the authorization verification system receives information relating to the individual'"'"'s age via an electronic scanning of a driver'"'"'s license or other identification card, or by other methods, and uses the birth date information to calculate the customer'"'"'s current age. The current age can be displayed on an existing display of a point-of-sale device or other display. A record of the authorization can be stored and can subsequently be retrieved to verify that an authorization check for the encounter was carried out.
-
Citations
59 Claims
-
1. A process for determining an age-related authorization threshold for a purchase comprising at least one item, the process comprising:
-
(i) identifying an item that a purchaser is attempting to purchase; (ii) identifying an age-related authorization threshold associated with the item; (iii) repeating acts (i) and (ii) for the items of the purchase; (iv) selecting an authorization threshold to be the authorization threshold for the purchase; (v) calculating the age of the purchaser; and (vi) storing in a memory a record indicative of the purchase and of the calculated age of the purchaser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A point of sale device for determining an age-related authorization threshold for a purchase that comprises a plurality of items, the point of sale device comprising:
-
an item identifier apparatus configured to identify items that a purchaser is attempting to purchase; a computer memory configured to store a database of age-related authorization information regarding items available for purchase, the information comprising identification information for the items and age-related authorization thresholds associated with the items; and a computer processor configured to receive a plurality of signals from the item identifier apparatus that identify the plurality of items of the purchase, wherein the computer processor is further configured to use the received item identifier signals to access the database of age-related authorization information in the computer memory and to determine, based at least in part on the age-related authorization information, an age-related authorization threshold that authorizes the purchase of the items. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A computerized system for determining an age-related authorization threshold for a purchase comprising a plurality of items, the system comprising:
-
means for obtaining electronic identifiers for a plurality of items that a purchaser is attempting to purchase; means for using the electronic identifiers to access a database of age-related authorization information associated with the items; and means for determining, based at least in part on the age-related authorization information, an age-related authorization threshold that authorizes the purchase of the items. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
-
-
48. A software module that gives a device the capability to:
-
obtain electronic identifiers for a plurality items that a purchaser is attempting to purchase; use the electronic identifiers to access a database of age-related authorization information associated with the items; and determine, based at least in part on the age-related authorization information, an age-related authorization threshold that authorizes the purchase of the items. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
-
-
57. A computerized process for determining an age-related authorization threshold for a purchase comprising a plurality of items, the process comprising:
-
obtaining electronic identifiers for a plurality items that a purchaser is attempting to purchase; using the electronic identifiers to access a database of age-related authorization information associated with the items; and determining, based at least in part on the age-related authorization information, an age-related authorization threshold that authorizes the purchase of the items.
-
-
58. A point-of-sale device for determining an age-related authorization threshold for a purchase comprising at least one item, the point-of-sale device comprising:
-
an item identifier apparatus configured to transmit identifying electronic signals associated with items that a purchaser wishes to purchase; a database of age-related authorization threshold information for items available for purchase; a table of electronically stored records associated with age calculations performed in association with purchases; and a computer processor configured to receive the item-identifying signals from the item identifier apparatus, to use the item-identifying signals to access in the database age-related authorization threshold information that is related to the items in the purchase, and to select one of the accessed age-related authorization thresholds to be the age-related authorization threshold for the purchase, wherein the computer processor is further configured to calculate the age of the purchaser and to store in the table a record indicative of the purchase and of the calculated age of the purchaser.
-
-
59. A process for determining an authorization threshold for a purchase comprising at least one item, the process comprising:
-
(i) identifying an item associated with a purchase; (ii) accessing stored information about the item that is indicative of an authorization threshold associated with the item; (iii) repeating steps (i) and (ii) for each of the items in the purchase; and (iv) selecting one of the thresholds to be the authorization threshold for the purchase.
-
Specification