Systems and methods for identifying and verifying a user of a kiosk using an external verification system

• US 7,735,125 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MoneyGram International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nexxo Financial Incorporated
• Inventors: Alvarez, David R., Shapiro, Mitchell A., Elliott, James V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers; Matthew B
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLAHAN, PAUL E
• Application Number:
  US10/966,496
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 726/9, 726/20, 713/159, 713/172, 713/186, 705/65, 705/67, 705/72, 705/76, 725/9, 725/20, 902/3, 902/4, 902/5, 902/18, 902/25
• US Class Current: 726/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• 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 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

The invention includes systems and methods for identifying and verifying the identity of a user of a kiosk using an external verification system. The kiosk receives customer input data that indicates the identity of the user of the kiosk. The kiosk generates an identification query that includes at least some customer input data. The kiosk transmits the identification query to an external verification system. The kiosk receives a verification response from the external verification system. The kiosk then processes the verification response to verify the identity of the user of the kiosk. These systems and methods advantageously provide identification and verification of the identity of a user of a kiosk. With sufficient identification and verification, financial institutions can comply with government regulations designed to reduce the opportunity for money laundering, terrorism, fraud, and identity theft while offering users of kiosks a wider range of financial services.

Claims

1. A kiosk that provides financial services, the kiosk comprising:

an I/O interface configured to receive customer input data;

a processor coupled to the I/O interface and configured to generate an identification query which includes at least some of the customer input data, transmit the identification query to an external verification system, receive a verification response from the external verification system, and process the verification response to verify the identity of the user of the kiosk; and

a card and materials dispenser configured to issue a financial account card to the user of the kiosk,

wherein the processor is further configured to perform a statistical algorithm to determine the probability of the identity of the user of the kiosk.

2. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the customer input data comprises customer account information.

3. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the verification response comprises a customer record.

4. The kiosk of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to compare the customer record with the customer input data to verify the identity of the user of the kiosk.

5. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the verification response comprises a verification result.

6. The kiosk of claim 5 wherein the processor is further configured to determine the verification result to verify the identity of the user of the kiosk.

7. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the customer input data comprises biometric data.

8. The kiosk of claim 7 wherein the biometric data comprises a scanned image of a user'"'"'s signature.

9. The kiosk of claim 7 wherein the biometric data comprises a scanned image of a user'"'"'s fingerprint.

10. The kiosk of claim 7 wherein the biometric data comprises a scanned image of a user'"'"'s eye.

11. The kiosk of claim 7 wherein the biometric data comprises a recorded audio sample of the user of the kiosk.

12. The kiosk of claim 7 wherein the biometric data comprises a video image of the user of the kiosk.

13. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the identification query comprises a request for a customer record.

14. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to generate and transmit a control signal that indicates an authenticity of the user of the kiosk based on the verification.

15. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the financial account card is a stored-value card.

16. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein financial account card is a credit card.

17. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the financial account card is a debit card.

18. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the financial account card is a financial instrument.

19. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to display customer input data to an agent located in a call center.

20. A financial system that identifies and verifies an identity of a user of a kiosk that provides financial services, the external verification system comprising:

a kiosk configured to receive customer input data, generate an identification query which includes at least some of the customer input data, transmit the identification query to an external verification system, receive a verification response from the external verification system, process the verification response to verify the identity of the user of the kiosk, perform a statistical algorithm to determine the probability of the identity of the user of the kiosk, and provide a financial account card to the user of the kiosk based on the whether the user identify is verified, wherein the external verification system is further configured to receive an identification query including user account data, access user data from a remote service, and compare the user account data with the user data from the remote, and

the external verification system configured to receive the identification query from the kiosk which includes at least some customer input data, process the identification query to generate the verification response for verifying the identity of the user of the kiosk, and transmit the verification response for verifying the identity of the user to the kiosk that provides financial services.

21. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the customer input data comprises customer account information.

22. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the verification response comprises a customer record.

23. The financial system of claim 22 wherein the kiosk is further configured to compare the customer record with the customer input data to verify the identity of the user of the kiosk.

24. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the verification response comprises a verification result.

25. The financial system of claim 24 wherein the kiosk is further configured to determine the verification result to verify the identity of the user of the kiosk.

26. The financial system of claim 20 further comprising:

the external verification system further configured to receive the identification query from the kiosk, process the identification query to generate a verification response for identifying the user of the kiosk; and

transmit the verification response for identifying the user from the external verification system to the kiosk.

27. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the customer input data comprises biometric data.

28. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the identification query comprises a request for a customer record.

29. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the kiosk is further configured to generate and transmit a control signal that indicates an authenticity of the user of the kiosk based on the verification.

30. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the financial account card is associated with a non-banking financial account.

31. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the remote service is a credit reporting service.

32. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the kiosk is further configured to receive a photo identification card associated with the user, scan the photo identification card, obtain an image of the user, and verify the identify of the user by comparing the obtained user image with the results of the scanned photo identification card.

33. The financial system of claim 20 wherein the kiosk is further configured to display customer input data to an agent located in a call center.

34. A kiosk that provides financial services, the kiosk comprising:

an I/O interface configured to receive customer input data; and

a processor coupled to the I/O interface and configured to generate an identification query which includes at least some of the customer input data, transmit the identification query to an external verification system, receive a verification response from the external verification system, and process the verification response to verify the identity of the user of the kiosk,

wherein the external verification system is configured to receive an identification query including user account data, access user data from a remote service, and compare the user account data with the user data from the remote, and

wherein the kiosk is configured to receive a photo identification card associated with the user, scan the photo identification card, obtain an image of the user, and verify the identify of the user by comparing the obtained user image with the results of the scanned photo identification card.

35. The financial system of claim 34, wherein the external verification system is further configured to receive an identification query including user account data, access user data from a remote service, and compare the user account data with the user data from the remote.

36. The financial system of claim 34, wherein the remote service is a credit reporting service.