Method of transmitting electronic signature during a financial transaction

• US 7,445,155 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ramachandran, Natarajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US11/787,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20080078830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/379
• 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 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 can operate the apparatus to select one of the accounts stored in memory. The user can also 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 customer-identifying electronic signature data in memory of a portable hand-held communication device,

(b) wirelessly transmitting the customer-identifying electronic signature data from the portable hand-held communication device to a merchant system during a financial transaction requiring a customer signature and financial account information.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the electronic signature data includes data constituting a legally binding signature.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the electronic signature data includes data corresponding to a customer-identifying hand-written signature, wherein step (a) includes storing data corresponding to a customer-identifying hand-written signature in memory of the communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising

(c) electronically reproducing a customer-identifying hand-written signature,

wherein step (a) includes storing data corresponding to the customer-identifying hand-written signature electronically reproduced in step (c) in memory of the communication device.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein a merchant facility includes the merchant system, and wherein step (b) occurs while the communication device is located at the merchant facility.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein step (b) occurs during a purchase transaction involving a merchant and a customer.

7. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising

(c) comparing the electronic signature data to a hand-written signature during the transaction.

8. The method according to claim 7 and further comprising

(d) determining a valid signature responsive to correspondence between the hand-written signature and the electronic signature data.

9. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising

(c) storing data representative of financial account information in the memory,

(d) transmitting data representative of financial account information from the communication device to the merchant system via wireless communication during the financial transaction.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the communication device comprises a user card having a programmable memory, and step (a) comprises storing the electronic signature data in the programmable memory.

11. The method according to claim 10 and further comprising

(c) storing data representative of financial account information in the programmable memory.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the communication device comprises a user terminal having a processor and terminal memory, and wherein step (a) comprises storing the electronic signature data in the terminal memory.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the electronic signature data corresponds to a written signature, wherein the user terminal comprises a display device, and further comprising

(c) displaying an output corresponding to the written signature via the display device.

14. Apparatus comprising:

a merchant system,

wherein the merchant system is operative to carry out a financial transaction requiring a customer signature and financial account information,

wherein the merchant system is operative to wirelessly receive customer-identifying electronic signature data during the financial transaction,

a portable hand-held communication device including a memory,

wherein the memory has stored therein customer-identifying electronic signature data,

wherein the portable hand-held communication device is operative to wirelessly transmit the customer-identifying electronic signature data to the merchant system during the financial transaction.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 and further comprising a merchant facility, wherein the merchant facility includes the merchant system, wherein when the communication device is located at the merchant facility a purchase transaction involving a merchant and a customer at the merchant facility is able to be carried out.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the communication device comprises a user card having the memory, wherein the memory includes a programmable memory, and wherein the programmable memory has stored therein the electronic signature data.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the merchant system includes a signature capture system, an electronic signature pad, and a computer system,

wherein the signature capture system is operative to receive the electronic signature data from the communication device,

wherein the electronic signature pad is operative to receive a hand-written signature thereon,

wherein the computer system includes software,

wherein the software is operative to compare a hand-written signature received on the electronic signature pad and the electronic signature data received from the communication device.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the merchant system is operative to determine a valid signature responsive to correspondence between the hand-written signature and the received electronic signature data.

19. A method comprising:

(a) storing customer-identifying electronic signature data in memory of a portable hand-held communication device, wherein the communication device is operative to wirelessly transmit the customer-identifying electronic signature data;

(b) performing a purchase transaction involving a purchase of goods by a customer located at a merchant facility offering the goods, wherein the purchase transaction requires both a customer signature and customer financial account information from the customer, wherein the merchant facility includes a merchant system that is operative to wirelessly receive customer-identifying electronic signature data transmitted from the portable hand-held communication device,

wherein step (b) comprises;

(b1) wirelessly transmitting customer-identifying electronic signature data from the portable hand-held communication device while the portable hand-held communication device is located at the merchant facility; and

(b2) wirelessly receiving the customer-identifying electronic signature data transmitted in step (b1) at the merchant system.

20. The method according to claim 19 and further comprising:

(c) storing customer financial account information data in the memory of the communication device, wherein the communication device is operative to wirelessly transmit the customer financial account information data, wherein the merchant system is operative to wirelessly receive customer financial account information data transmitted from the communication device;

wherein step (b) further comprises;

(b3) wirelessly transmitting customer financial account information data from the communication device while the communication device is located at the merchant facility;

(b4) wirelessly receiving the customer financial account information data transmitted in step (b3) at the merchant system.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein in step (b) each of a merchant, the customer, and the goods are located at the merchant facility.