Biometric financial transaction system and method

• US 7,565,329 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: YT Acquisition Corp.
• Inventors: Lapsley, Philip D., Kleeman, Michael, Gioia, Philip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US09/871,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,974 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/3, 705/67, 705/75, 435/5, 382/100, 382/115, 382/126
• US Class Current: 705/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Tokenless biometric authorization of transaction between a consumer and a merchant uses an identicator and an access device. A consumer registers with the identicator a biometric sample taken from the consumer. The consumer and merchant establish communications via the access device. The merchant proposes a transaction to the consumer via the access device. The access device communicates to the merchant associated with the access device. After the consumer and merchant have agreed on the transaction, the consumer and the identicator use the access device to establish communications. The access device communicates to the identicator the code associated with the access device. The identicator compares biometric sample from the consumer with registered biometric sample. Upon successful identification, the identicator forwards information regarding the consumer to the merchant. These steps accomplish a biometrically authorized electronic financial transaction without the consumer having to present any personalized man-made memory tokens.

Claims

1. A method for a triangular transaction involving tokenless biometric authorization of a commercial transaction between a consumer and a merchant sequentially using an electronic identicator and an access device wherein the access device is not required to contain in memory any data that is personalized to the consumer, the access device including means for taking a biometric sample from the consumer'"'"'s person and the electronic identicator comprising at least one computer further comprising at least one database wherein the consumer has registered at least one registration biometric sample taken from the consumer'"'"'s person, the method comprising:

a first communications step, wherein the consumer and merchant establish communications with each other via an access device capable of biometric input;

a proposal step, wherein a commercial transaction is proposed between the merchant and the consumer via the access device;

a transaction forward step, wherein the merchant forwards information regarding the commercial transaction to the electronic identicator;

a first access device identification step, wherein the access device communicates to the merchant an identification code associated with the access device;

a second communications step, wherein after the consumer and merchant have agreed on the proposed commercial transaction, the consumer and the electronic identicator use the access device to establish communications with each other;

an identification code forwarding step, wherein the merchant communicates to the electronic identicator the identification code associated with the access device that was previously communicated to the merchant;

a second access device identification step, wherein the access device communicates to the electronic identicator the identification code associated with the access device and a bid biometric sample taken from the consumer'"'"'s person;

a consumer identification step, wherein the electronic identicator compares the biometric sample with at least one previously registered biometric sample to produce a successful or failed identification of the consumer;

an association step, wherein the identification code associated with the access device is used to associate the biometric identification accomplished in the consumer identification step with the information regarding the commercial transaction;

an information forwarding step, wherein, upon successful identification of the consumer, the electronic identicator electronically forwards information regarding the consumer to the merchant; and

a financial transaction authorization step, wherein the electronic identicator executes a financial transaction on behalf of the merchant;

wherein, upon successful identification of the consumer, a biometrically authorized electronic financial transaction is enabled between the consumer and the merchant.

2. The method of claim 1 including associating the access device identification codes sent respectively to the merchant and to the identicator so as to associate the consumer information with the commercial transaction.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the merchant performs an electronic financial transaction authorization, further comprising the steps of:

an identification code forwarding step, wherein the electronic identicator forwards to the merchant the identification code associated with the access device that was previously communicated to the electronic identicator;

an association step, wherein the identification codes associated with the access device are used to associate the information regarding the consumer with the commercial transaction; and

a financial transaction authorization step, wherein the merchant executes a financial transaction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information regarding the consumer that is electronically forwarded to the merchant comprises at least one previously registered financial account identifier belonging to the consumer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information regarding the consumer that is electronically forwarded to the merchant is selected from the set comprising:

the consumer'"'"'s age, the consumer'"'"'s name, the consumer'"'"'s address.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the access device is selected from the set comprising:

a wireline telephone, a wireless telephone, a two-way pager, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification code associated with the access device is selected from the set comprising:

a telephone number, an electronic serial number (ESN), a hardware identification code, an encryption of a challenge message with the access device'"'"'s private key.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction forwarding step uses a communication method selected from the set comprising:

a dedicated communication line, a dial-up communication line, packet switching.