Transaction using a mobile device with an accelerometer

• US 8,761,809 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Faith, Patrick, Carlson, Mark, Hammad, Ayman, Rewis, Ben, Koganti, Kris
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES, MARCOS L
• Application Number:
  US12/952,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20110189981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.6, 455406-408, 455410-411, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 705/35, 705/39, 705/41
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• 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 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention may use a first accelerometer to measure first acceleration data of a first device. Other interaction data, including time data and geographic location data, generated by the first device may also be recorded. First acceleration data is compared by a remote server computer to second acceleration data generated by a second accelerometer in a second device. If the first and second accelerometer data are substantially equal, it can be determined that the devices have interacted and communications can be initiated. After communications are initiated, a financial transaction is conducted. Accelerometer data may be stored and/or used as part of the authentication process in a payment processing network. Other embodiments of the invention use the accelerometer to generate movement security data to make financial transaction more secure. Accelerometer data is used for authentication, security, encryption, session keys, non-repudiation, or fraud protection.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a financial transaction, the method comprising:

receiving, at a remote server computer, first accelerometer data and first geo-location data from a first mobile device, wherein the first mobile device comprises a first processor, a first geo-location unit coupled to the first processor, and a first accelerometer coupled to the first processor;

receiving, at the remote server computer, second accelerometer data and second geo-location data from a second mobile device, wherein the second mobile device comprises a second processor, a second geo-location unit coupled to the second processor, and a second accelerometer coupled to the second processor;

receiving, at the remote server computer from one of the first and second mobile devices, third accelerometer data that is used as movement security data to authenticate or verify the financial transaction, wherein the third accelerometer data is different than the first and second accelerometer data;

receiving, at the remote server computer, timestamp data from the first and second mobile devices, wherein the time stamp data includes a plurality of at least three time points corresponding to a plurality of at least three acceleration values in the accelerometer data of the respective mobile device;

receiving, at the remote server computer, a payment amount from at least one of the first mobile device or the second mobile device;

analyzing, by the remote server computer, first geo-location data and second geo-location data to determine whether the first and second device are within a threshold distance of one another;

analyzing, by the remote server computer, first accelerometer data and second accelerometer data and the timestamp data to determine whether the first mobile device moved towards the second mobile device; and

responsive to determining that the first and second mobile devices are within the threshold distance of one another and that the first and second mobile devices moved towards each other, initiating the transmission of an authorization request message to a first issuer, wherein the first issuer approves or does not approve the authorization request message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the geo-location data or the timestamp data is used for fraud or risk analysis.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device is associated with a first transaction account issued by the first issuer and the second device is associated with a second transaction account issued by a second issuer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein, if the first issuer approves the authorization message, the payment amount is debited from the first transaction account and deposited into the second transaction account.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second transaction account is a credit account.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the second device is associated with a third transaction account.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein, if the first issuer approves the authorization message, the payment amount is debited from the first transaction account and deposited into the second transaction account or the third transaction account, as selected by an operator of the second device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating the transmission of an authorization message to the first issuer comprises sending a message to an acquiring bank.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the third accelerometer data is used as a seed for encryption.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization request message includes a key derived from the third accelerometer data.

11. A first phone comprising:

a first processor;

a first accelerometer coupled to the first processor;

a first geo-location unit coupled to the first processor;

a first antenna coupled to the first processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the first processor, the computer readable medium comprising code for implementing a method comprising;

prompting a user of the first phone to move the first phone to generate movement security data to authenticate the user,

prompting the user of the first phone to move the first phone towards a second phone, wherein the second phone comprises a second processor, a second accelerometer coupled to the second processor, and a second geo-location unit coupled to the second processor,

generating and storing first interaction data associated with the movement of the first phone towards the second phone, wherein the first interaction data includes first accelerometer data, first timestamp data, and first geo-location data, the first timestamp data including a plurality of at least three time points corresponding to a plurality of at least three acceleration values in the first accelerometer data; and

sending, with the first antenna, payment information to a remote server computer, and

sending, with the first antenna, the first interaction data to the remote server computer, wherein the remote server computer is configured to compare the first interaction data to second interaction data generated by the second phone, determine whether the first and second interaction data are within a predetermined threshold, and initiate the generation of an authorization message if the first and second interaction data are within the predetermined threshold, wherein the second interaction data includes second accelerometer data, second timestamp data, and second geo-location data.

12. The first phone of claim 11 wherein payment information comprises a payment amount, payor information, and payee information.

13. The first phone of claim 12 wherein the financial transaction is conducted between a payor transaction account associated with one of the first or second phones, and a payee transaction account associated with the other of the first or second phones.

14. The first phone of claim 13 wherein the payment amount is debited from the payor transaction account and credited to the payee transaction account.

15. The first phone of claim 14 wherein the payee transaction account is a debit or credit account or an interest bearing account.

16. The first phone of claim 11, wherein the movement security data is used as a seed for encryption.

17. The first phone of claim 11, wherein the authorization request message includes a key derived from the movement security data.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising code including instructions, configured to cause a processor to:

receive first accelerometer data and first geo-location data from a first mobile device, wherein the first mobile device comprises a first processor, a first accelerometer coupled to the first processor, and a first geo-location unit coupled to the first processor;

receive second accelerometer data and second geo-location data from a second mobile device, wherein the second mobile device comprises a second processor, a second accelerometer coupled to the second processor, and a second geo-location unit coupled to the second processor;

receiving movement security data from one of the first and second mobile devices to authenticate a user of the one of the first and second mobile devices;

receiving timestamp data from the first and second mobile devices, wherein the time stamp data includes a plurality of at least three time points corresponding to a plurality of at least three acceleration values in the accelerometer data of the respective mobile device;

receive payment information from at least one of the first mobile device or the second mobile device;

analyze first geo-location data and second geo-location data to determine whether the first and second device are within a threshold distance of one another;

analyze first accelerometer data and second accelerometer data and the timestamp data to determine whether the first mobile device moved towards the second mobile device; and

responsive to determining that the first and second mobile devices are within the threshold distance of one another and that the first and second mobile devices moved towards each other, initiate the transmission of an authorization request message to a first issuer, wherein the first issuer approves or does not approve the authorization request message.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein at least one of the geo-location data or the timestamp data is used for fraud or risk analysis.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first device is associated with a first transaction account issued by the first issuer and the second device is associated with a second transaction account issued by a second issuer.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein, if the first issuer approves the authorization message, the payment information includes a payment amount that is debited from the first transaction account and deposited into the second transaction account.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the second transaction account is a credit account.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein initiating the transmission of an authorization message to the first issuer comprises sending a message to an acquiring bank.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein payment information comprises a payment amount, payor information, and payee information.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the movement security data is used as a seed for encryption.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the authorization request message includes a key derived from the movement security data.