GPS validation for transactions

• US 7,669,760 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Zettner, Steven Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHARIFZADEH, ALI REZA
• Application Number:
  US11/591,004
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/375, 235/379, 235/381, 705/40, 705/44
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• 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 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A location verification provision is implemented to determine the location of a device associated with a user at the time of an attempted transaction. The attempted transaction includes receiving user identification and/or payment information, which is associated with the device in an entry stored in a database. Location information of the device, as well as a time at each location, may also be stored in the database. To verify that the device is located at the location of the transaction, a comparison operation may be performed. If the device is located where the transaction is being processed, the transaction may be completed. Predetermined criteria may be defined to account for possible inaccuracies in location and time calculations.

Claims

1. A method of completing a transaction, the method comprising:

receiving, at a transaction terminal of a retail location, an account identifier associated with a user attempting to complete a transaction and a transaction amount;

determining that a predetermined condition related to the transaction is satisfied, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied at least when the transaction amount exceeds a predetermined amount;

receiving, by a location verification module integrated with the transaction terminal, information related to a location of a device associated with the account identifier;

comparing, by the location verification module integrated with the transaction terminal, the location of the device associated with the account identifier to the location of the transaction terminal;

determining, by the location verification module integrated with the transaction terminal, that the location of the device is outside a predetermined range surrounding the location of the transaction terminal; and

canceling the transaction prior to transmitting an authorization request to a transaction validation system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an authorization request denial message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the information related to the location of the device associated with the account identifier comprises searching a database containing account identifiers, each account identifier associated with the information related to a user and a device associated with the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied when the user attempting to complete the transaction has not previously attempted to complete a transaction at the retail location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the location of the device is outside a predetermined range surrounding the location of the transaction terminal comprises:

obtaining global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the device; and

comparing the GPS coordinates of the device to GPS coordinates of the transaction terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

completing the transaction if the GPS coordinates of the device are the same as the GPS coordinates of the transaction terminal.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving, at a transaction terminal of a retail location, an account identifier associated with a user attempting to complete a transaction and a transaction amount;

determining that a predetermined condition related to the transaction is satisfied, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied at least when the transaction amount exceeds a predetermined amount;

receiving, by a location verification integrated with to the transaction terminal, information related to a location of a device associated with the account identifier;

comparing, by the location verification module integrated with the transaction terminal, the location of the device associated with the account identifier to the location of the transaction terminal;

determining, by the location verification module integrated with the transaction terminal, that the location of the device is outside a predetermined range surrounding the location of the transaction terminal; and

canceling the transaction prior to transmitting an authorization request to a transaction validation system.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions for:

displaying an authorization request denial message.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein receiving the information related to the location of the device associated with the account identifier comprises searching a database containing account identifiers, each account identifier associated with the information related to a user and a device associated with the user.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied when the user attempting to complete the transaction has not previously attempted to complete a transaction at the retail location.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein determining that the location of the device is within the predetermined distance from the location of the retail location comprises:

obtaining global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the device; and

comparing the GPS coordinates of the device to GPS coordinates of the transaction terminal.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for:

completing the transaction if the GPS coordinates of the device are the same as the GPS coordinates of the transaction terminal.

13. A transaction terminal comprising

a housing;

a subsystem connected to the housing configured to receive an account identifier associated with a user attempting to complete a transaction and a transaction amount;

a location verification module integrated with the housing configured to determine that a predetermined condition related to the transaction is satisfied, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied at least when the transaction amount exceeds a predetermined amount;

the location verification module integrated with the housing further configured to receive information related to a device associated with the account identifier;

the location verification module further configured to compare the location of the device associated with the account identifier to the location of the retail location;

the location verification module further configured to determine that the location of the device is outside a predetermined range surrounding the location of the transaction terminal; and

the location verification module further configured to cancel the transaction prior to a transceiver connected to the housing transmits an authorization request to a transaction validation system.

14. The transaction terminal of claim 13, further comprising:

a display configured to display an authorization request denial message.

15. The transaction terminal of claim 13, wherein the location verification module is configured to search a database containing account identifiers, each account identifier associated with the information related to a user and a device associated with the user.

16. The transaction terminal of claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied when the user attempting to complete the transaction has not previously attempted to complete a transaction at the retail location.

17. The transaction terminal of claim 13, wherein the location verification module is further configured to

obtain global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the device;

and

compare the GPS coordinates of the device to GPS coordinates of the transaction terminal.

18. The transaction terminal of claim 17 wherein the location verification module is further configured to complete the transaction if the GPS coordinates of the device are the same as the GPS coordinates of the location of the transaction.