Methods and apparatus for conducting electronic transactions using biometrics

• US 7,505,941 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Salow, Glen, Bishop, Fred, Bonalle, David S
• Primary Examiner(s): Worjloh, Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US10/908,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 59, 713/150, 713/182, 713/186, 726/5, 726/27, 380/277, 235/435, 235/442
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• 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 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4097 using mutual authentication between devices and transaction partners
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• 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 system and method for facilitating electronic transactions using a biometric are disclosed. The system for facilitating electronic transactions using a biometric comprises a smartcard-reader transaction system. The method comprises determining if a transaction violates an established rule, such as a preset spending limit. The method also comprises notifying a user to proffer a biometric sample in order to verify the identity of said user, and detecting a proffered biometric at a sensor to obtain a proffered biometric sample. The method additionally comprises verifying the proffered biometric sample and authorizing a transaction to continue upon verification of the proffered biometric sample.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a transaction in a transaction system, the method comprising:

receiving a transaction request from a user, said user proffering a transaction instrument to facilitate said transaction request;

issuing a challenge to said user;

receiving a response from said user based upon said challenge;

receiving a biometric at a biometric sensor to create a biometric sample, said biometric sensor communicating with said transaction system to initiate verification of said biometric sample;

processing said response to verify said transaction instrument and said biometric sample to verify said user and to provide access to a transaction service;

assembling credentials for said transaction at a server to create assembled credentials, said assembled credentials comprising at least one key;

providing at least a portion of said assembled credentials to said user;

receiving a second request from said user at said server, said second request comprising said portion of said assembled credentials provided to said user; and

validating, at said server, said portion of said assembled credentials provided to said user with said key of said assembled credentials to provide access to said transaction service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transaction is an electronic purchase transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of processing said response comprises processing said response to verify a smartcard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving said biometric further comprises receiving a registration of at least one biometric sample, wherein said registration comprises a proffered biometric sample.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of receiving said registration further comprises processing database information contained in at least one of a smartcard, smartcard reader, said biometric sensor, a remote server, a merchant server and a smartcard system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of receiving said registration further comprises comparing said proffered biometric sample with a stored biometric sample.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of comparing further comprises comparing said proffered biometric sample to said stored biometric sample by using at least one of a third-party security vendor device and a local CPU.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving said biometric further comprises at least one of detecting, processing and storing a second biometric sample.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving said biometric further comprises the use of at least one secondary security procedure.