Biometric based authorization systems for electronic fund transfers

• US 8,837,784 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Jeronimus, Michael, Algiene, Ken, Paintin, Scott R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOLDEMARIAM, AKLILU K
• Application Number:
  US13/722,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 382/105, 382/115, 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382
• US Class Current: 382/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 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 20/40145 Biometric identity checks

Abstract

A money transfer authorization method that includes the step of providing transferor biometric information to a party verification processor that verifies an identity of the transferor by comparing the transferor biometric information with previously registered biometric information from the transferor, where the transferor provides transfer identity information to receive the money. The method also includes confirming that the verified transferor has sufficient funds or credit for the money transfer, and providing transferee biometric identification to the party verification processor that verifies the transferee by comparing the transferee biometric information with previously registered biometric information from the transferee. The transferee has to provide transfer identity information before the money is given to the transferee.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a biometric characteristic and identity information of a transferor;

verifying the identity information of the transferor using one or more pieces of verification information provided by the transferor;

comparing the biometric characteristic to each of a plurality of individual biometric characteristics in a database, wherein each of the plurality of individual biometric characteristics is associated with a previously registered person;

comparing the identity information to each of a plurality of individual identifications in the database, wherein each of the plurality of individual identifications is associated with a previously registered person; and

registering the transferor by recording the biometric characteristic and the identity information in the database based at least on;

the biometric characteristic being unique because it did not match any of the plurality of individual biometric characteristics in the database; and

the identity information being unique because it did not match any of the plurality of individual identifications in the database.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a funds transfer request from the transferor, the request including biometric information; and

causing transfer of funds based at least on the biometric information corresponding with the recorded biometric characteristic.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the funds transfer request further includes an identification of a transferee, and the method further comprises:

storing a list of persons who are authorized to collect funds on behalf of the transferee; and

receiving, from a requesting recipient, a request to receive funds associated with the funds transfer request; and

verifying the requesting recipient is in the list of persons prior to distributing funds to the requesting recipient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric characteristic comprises geometrical positions of fingerprint minutiae.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the funds transfer request is associated with a money transfer transaction number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the money transfer transaction number comprises an alpha-numeric code number.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the money transfer transaction number uniquely identifies the money transfer.

2. A system comprising:

a party verification processor, wherein the party verification processor is configured to;

receive a biometric characteristic and identity information of a transferor;

verify the identity information of the transferor using one or more pieces of verification information provided by the transferor;

compare the biometric characteristic to each of a plurality of individual biometric characteristics in a database, wherein each of the plurality of individual biometric characteristics is associated with a previously registered person;

compare the identity information to each of a plurality of individual identifications in the database, wherein each of the plurality of individual identifications is associated with a previously registered person; and

register the transferor by recording the biometric characteristic and the identity information in the database based at least on;

the biometric characteristic being unique based because it did not match any of the plurality of individual biometric characteristics in the database; and

the identity information being unique because it did not match any of the plurality of individual identifications in the database.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the system further comprises a money transfer network and the money transfer network is configured to:

receive a funds transfer request from the transferor, the request including biometric information; and

cause transfer of funds based at least on the biometric information corresponding with the recorded biometric information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the funds transfer request further includes an identification of a transferee, and the money transfer network is further configured to:

store a list of persons who are authorized to collect funds on behalf of the transferee; and

receive, from a requesting recipient, a request to receive funds associated with the funds transfer request; and

verify the requesting recipient is in the list of persons prior to distributing funds to the requesting recipient.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the biometric characteristic comprises geometrical positions of fingerprint minutiae.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the funds transfer request is associated with a money transfer transaction number.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the money transfer transaction number comprises an alpha-numeric code number.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the money transfer transaction number uniquely identifies the money transfer.

15. One or more non-transitory machine readable mediums having instructions stored thereon, the instructions executable by one or more processors to:

receive a biometric characteristic and identity information of a transferor;

verify the identity information of the transferor using one or more pieces of verification information provided by the transferor;

compare the biometric characteristic to each of a plurality of individual biometric characteristics in a database, wherein each of the plurality of individual biometric characteristics is associated with a previously registered person;

compare the identity information to each of a plurality of individual identifications in the database, wherein each of the plurality of individual identifications is associated with a previously registered person; and

register the transferor by recording the biometric characteristic and the identity information in the database based at least on;

the biometric characteristic being unique based because it did not match any of the plurality of individual biometric characteristics in the database; and

the identity information being unique because it did not match any of the plurality of individual identifications in the database.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 15, the instructions further executable by one or more processors to:

receive a funds transfer request from the transferor, the request including biometric information; and

cause transfer of funds based at least on the biometric information corresponding with the recorded biometric characteristic.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 16, the instructions further executable by one or more processors to:

store a list of persons who are authorized to collect funds on behalf of the transferee; and

receive, from a requesting recipient, a request to receive funds associated with the funds transfer request; and

verify the requesting recipient is in the list of persons prior to distributing funds to the requesting recipient.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 15, wherein the biometric characteristic comprises geometrical positions of fingerprint minutiae.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 16, wherein the funds transfer request is associated with a money transfer transaction number.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium(s) of claim 19, wherein the money transfer transaction number comprises an alpha-numeric code number.