Accessing financial accounts with 3D bar code

• US 7,845,558 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Toomer, Christopher L, Arthur, Steven E, Beemer, Layne D
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goodman, Jr.; Keith
• Application Number:
  US12/268,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 5/00 Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A three dimensional (3d) bar code can be affixed to a financial instrument (e.g., the credit card) sent to a consumer. Upon receiving the financial instrument, the consumer can acquire an image of the 3D bar code with an image capture device (e.g., a camera) of a mobile device. The mobile device can interpret or decode the 3D bar code to extract a web address. The mobile device may then send a request for a web page associated with the web address, which could be returned by the web server at the financial institution. The web page may allow the consumer to enter personal information. Upon receiving the personal information, the financial institution can verify the information, authenticate the consumer, and activate the financial account.

Claims

1. A method for completing a transaction between a customer and a financial institution with a mobile device, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a 3D (three dimensional) bar code, the 3D bar code affixed to a financial instrument sent by the financial institution to the customer;

identifying data encoded in the image of the 3D bar code, the data associated with a web address;

authenticating the customer at the mobile device;

wherein authenticating the customer comprises;

comparing information encoded in the 3D bar code with information stored in memory of the mobile device, wherein the information includes personal information associated with the customer;

when the information compares, authenticating the customer; and

when the information does not compare, displaying a message that the customer is not authenticated;

requesting a web page from the web address;

in response to the request for the web page, receiving a customer verification web page;

sending customer information entered into the customer verification web page to the web address;

receiving an activation message for the financial instrument, wherein the activation message is received if the customer information is authenticated; and

displaying the activation message to the customer.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the customer verification web page includes an item of personal information for the customer already included in the customer verification web page.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the financial instrument includes one of a credit card, a stored value card, or a financial account statement.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the 3D bar code includes encoded information in a first axis, a second axis, and in the coloring of the 3D bar code.

5. A mobile device operable to complete a transaction between a customer and a financial institution to activate a financial instrument, the mobile device comprising:

an image capture device, the image capture device operable to capture an image of a 3D bar code affixed to the financial instrument;

a long-range communications component, the long-range communications component operable to communicate with a financial server associated with the financial institution;

a memory operable to store computer executable code;

a user interface operable to display information to the customer and receive inputs from the customer;

a processor in communication with the image capture device, the memory, and the long-range communications component, the processor operable to receive the image from the image capture device, to send data to the long-range communications component for sending to the financial server, to receive data from the long-range communications component received from the financial server, and to execute computer executable code stored in the memory, the computer executable code including;

instructions for identifying data encoded in the image of the 3D bar code, the data associated with a web address;

instructions for requesting a web page from the web address, the request being sent to the long-range communications component to send to the financial server;

in response to the request for the web page, instructions for receiving a customer verification web page, the customer verification web page received from the long-range communications component;

instructions for sending customer information entered into the customer verification web page to the web address, the customer information being received from the user interface and being sent to the long-range communications component to send to the financial server; and

instructions for receiving an activation message for the financial instrument, wherein the activation message is received if the customer information is authenticated, the activation message received from the long-range communications component;

instructions for displaying the activation message to the customer on the user interface;

a bar code reader component, the bar code reader component executable to extract the 3D bar code from the image sent from the image capture device;

a pattern recognition component, the pattern recognition component operable to read encoded information in the 3D bar code, the encoded information including the web address;

a web browser, the web browser executable to render the customer verification web page and the activation message; and

an authentication component executable to compare information encoded in the 3D bar code with information stored in the memory, wherein the information includes personal information associated with the customer, when the information compares, authenticating the customer, and when the information does not compare, providing a message to the user interface that the customer is not authenticated.

6. The mobile device as defined in claim 5, wherein the mobile device stores one or more items of personal information associated with the customer.

7. The mobile device as defined in claim 6, wherein the customer information sent to the financial server includes an item of personal information stored in the memory.

8. The mobile device as defined in claim 5, wherein the web browser accepts personal information entered by the customer using the user interface.

9. The mobile device as defined in claim 5, the financial server comprising:

a web interface, the web interface executable to receive requests for customer verification web pages and to send the customer verification web page and the activation message to the mobile device;

an account database, the account database storing information associated with the customer and a financial account associated with the financial instrument;

a bar code engine in communication with the web interface and the account database, the bar code engine executing executable code, the executable code comprising;

instructions for receiving a request for a customer verification web page from the mobile device at the web interface, the request including information associated with a 3D bar code, the 3D bar code associated with the financial account having the financial instrument;

instructions for identifying the customer associated with the 3D bar code;

instructions for retrieving customer information associated with the customer from the account database;

instructions for providing the customer verification web page to the mobile device with the web interface;

in response to providing the customer verification web page, instructions for receiving customer information at the web interface;

instructions for authenticating the customer;

if the customer is authenticated, instructions for activating the financial account associated with the 3D bar code;

instructions for sending an activation message to the mobile device with the web interface; and

if the customer is not authenticated, instructions for sending a message to the mobile device with the web interface that the customer is not authenticated.

10. The mobile device as defined in claim 9, wherein the instructions for authenticating the customer comprises:

instructions for comparing information received, with the request, with information, stored in the account database, wherein the information includes personal information associated with the customer;

when the information compares, instructions for authenticating the customer; and

when the information does not compare, instructions for sending a non-authentication message with the web interface.

11. The mobile device as defined in claim 9, further comprising instructions to send a message to the mobile device with the web interface that the financial account is not activated when the customer is not authenticated.

12. The mobile device as defined in claim 9, further comprising instructions for pre-populating the customer verification web page before sending the customer verification web page.

13. A method for completing a transaction between a customer and a financial institution with a financial server, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a customer verification web page from a mobile device, the request including information associated with a 3D bar code, the 3D bar code associated with a financial account having a financial instrument;

identifying the customer associated with the 3D bar code;

retrieving customer information associated with the customer from an account database using the information associated with the 3D bar code;

after retrieving the customer information providing the customer verification web page to the mobile device to solicit input from the customer to authenticate the customer;

in response to providing the customer verification web page, receiving customer information;

authenticating the customer;

if the customer is authenticated, activating the financial account associated with the 3D bar code;

sending an activation message to the mobile device; and

if the customer is not authenticated, sending a message to the mobile device that the customer is not authenticated.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein authenticating the customer comprises:

comparing information, received with the request, with information, stored in the account database, wherein the information includes personal information associated with the customer;

when the information compares, authenticating the customer; and

when the information does not compare, sending a non-authentication message.

15. The method as defined in claim 13, if the customer is not authenticated, sending a message to the mobile device that the financial account is not activated.

16. The method as defined in claim 13, further comprising pre-populating the customer verification web page before sending the customer verification web page.