Transactions with imaging analysis

• US 8,905,298 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Paintin, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): AMELUNXEN, BARBARA J
• Application Number:
  US12/494,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.35, 705/39, 705/43, 705/44, 705/75, 705/64, 705/67, 382/100, 382/115, 382/139, 235/379, 235/380, 235/383, 235/454, 235/381, 455/411, 713/186, 713/182, 434/236, 607/2, 725/10, 725/16, 706/12, 706/45, 600/13, 600/300
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 24/08 by using nuclear magnetic resonance G01N24/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38 Payment protocols; Details thereof
• 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

Abstract

A money transfer system with imaging. The system includes a first money transfer terminal and an imaging device. The imaging device is configured to acquire a first set of imaging information of a user. The system also includes a host computer system, configured to receive at least a portion of the first set of financial transaction information and at least a portion of the first set of imaging information. The system also includes a previous transaction database, an external database, and a decision maker terminal. The system also includes a second money transfer terminal and a second imaging device. The second imaging device is configured to acquire a second set of imaging information of the second user.

Claims

1. A method of processing a money transfer comprising:

providing a money transfer system comprising a money transfer terminal, an imaging device, a host computer system, and a decision maker terminal;

receiving, at the money transfer terminal, financial transaction information from a user relating to a money transfer requested by the user;

acquiring, with the imaging device, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image of the user;

receiving, at the money transfer terminal from the imaging device, the MRI image;

presenting, with the money transfer terminal, a question to the user regarding the money transfer;

receiving, at the money transfer terminal from the imaging device, a first additional MRI image of the user prior to presentation of the question, a second additional MRI image of the user during presentation of the question, and a third additional MRI image of the user after presentation of the question;

transmitting, from the money transfer terminal to the host computer system, the financial transaction information and the MRI image;

transmitting, from the money transfer terminal to the host computer system, the first additional MRI image, the second additional MRI image, and the third additional MRI image;

retrieving, by the host computer system, MRI imaging information associated with a previous financial transaction by the user;

transmitting, from the host computer system to the decision-maker terminal, the financial transaction information, the MRI image, and the MRI imaging information associated with the previous financial transaction;

transmitting, from the host computer system to the decision-maker terminal, the first additional MRI image, the second additional MRI image, and the third additional MRI image;

evaluating, with the decision-maker terminal, the financial transaction information;

comparing, with the decision-maker terminal, the MRI image with the MRI imaging information associated with the previous financial transaction;

determining, with the decision-maker terminal, based at least in part on the evaluation of the financial transaction information and the comparison of the MRI image with the MRI imaging information associated with the previous financial transaction, whether to approve the money transfer, wherein determining, with the decision-maker terminal, whether to approve the money transfer is further based at least in part on a comparison between at least two of the first additional MRI image, the second additional MRI image, or the third additional MRI image;

transmitting, from the decision-maker terminal to the host computer system, an indication of whether the money transfer is approved; and

transmitting, from the host computer system to the money transfer terminal, the indication of whether the money transfer is approved.

2. The method for processing a money transfer of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at a second money transfer terminal, a request from a recipient to disburse funds associated with the money transfer;

acquiring, from a second imaging device, an MRI image of the recipient;

receiving, at the second money transfer terminal from the second imaging device, the MRI image of the recipient;

transmitting, from the second money transfer terminal to the host computer system, the request and the MRI image of the recipient;

retrieving, by the host computer system, MRI imaging information associated with a previous financial transaction by the recipient;

transmitting, from the host computer system to the decision-maker terminal, the request, the MRI image of the recipient, and the MRI imaging information associated with the previous financial transaction by the recipient;

evaluating, with the decision-maker terminal, the request;

determining, with the decision-maker terminal, based at least in part on the evaluation of the request and the comparison of the MRI image of the recipient with the MRI imaging information associated with the previous financial transaction by the recipient, whether to approve the request;

transmitting, from the decision-maker terminal to the host computer system, an indication of whether the request is approved; and

transmitting, from the host computer system to the money transfer terminal, the indication of whether the request is approved.

3. The method for processing a money transfer of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the decision-maker terminal, a decision by an expert of whether the user has an illegal purpose for the money transfer, wherein the decision is based upon a presentation of the MRI image to the expert; and

wherein determining, with the decision-maker terminal, whether to approve the money transfer is further based at least in part on the decision by the expert of whether the user has an illegal purpose for the money transfer.

4. A method of processing a money transfer comprising:

providing a money transfer system comprising a money transfer terminal, an imaging device, a host computer system, and a decision maker terminal;

receiving, at the money transfer terminal, financial transaction information from a user relating to a money transfer requested by the user;

determining, with the money transfer terminal, based at least in part on the financial transaction information received from the user, that the money transfer requested by the user requires MRI imaging of the user to approve the transaction;

acquiring, with the imaging device, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image of the user;

receiving, at the money transfer terminal from the imaging device, the MRI image;

transmitting, from the money transfer terminal to the host computer system, the financial transaction information and the MRI image;

retrieving, by the host computer system, MRI imaging information associated with a previous financial transaction by the user;

transmitting, from the host computer system to the decision-maker terminal, the financial transaction information, the MRI image, and the MRI imaging information associated with the previous financial transaction;

evaluating, with the decision-maker terminal, the financial transaction information;

comparing, with the decision-maker terminal, the MRI image with the MRI imaging information associated with the previous financial transaction;

determining, with the decision-maker terminal, based at least in part on the evaluation of the financial transaction information and the comparison of the MRI image with the MRI imaging information associated with the previous financial transaction, whether to approve the money transfer;

transmitting, from the decision-maker terminal to the host computer system, an indication of whether the money transfer is approved; and

transmitting, from the host computer system to the money transfer terminal, the indication of whether the money transfer is approved.