Mobile device software radio for securely passing financial information between a customer and a financial services firm

• US 9,672,519 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FMR LLC
• Original Assignee: FMR LLC
• Inventors: Kalinichenko, Boris Olegovich, Ferra, Joseph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): OBEID, MAMON A
• Application Number:
  US13/492,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation

Abstract

A computing device having a software radio (e.g., a mobile device where the software radio is substantially defined in software) transmits first information related to a financial transaction over the first radio network to the financial institution, and transmits second information related to the financial transaction over the second radio network to the financial institution. A server of the financial institution receives the first information and the second information to carry out the financial transaction.

Claims

1. A computing system of a financial institution, comprising:

a key gateway in communication with a user computing device over a first radio network, wherein the user computing device comprises a software radio and a transceiver, and wherein the user computing device communicates with the key gateway over the first radio network via the transceiver using a first waveform based on operation of the software radio with first software radio parameters;

a data gateway in communication with the user computing device over a second radio network independent from the first radio network, wherein the user computing device communicates with the data gateway over the second radio network via the transceiver using a second waveform based on operation of the software radio with second software radio parameters; and

a key storage facility in communication with the key gateway and the data gateway;

wherein the key gateway (A) receives an application level encryption key from the user computing device, wherein the application level encryption key is created by the user computing device, (B) stores the application level encryption key in the key storage facility, and (C) transmits, to the user computing device, a key index indicating a location of the application level encryption key on the key storage facility;

wherein the user computing device dynamically tunes from the first radio network to the second radio network upon receipt of the key index;

wherein the data gateway (A) receives over the second radio network (i) data encrypted, by the user computing device, using the application level encryption key and (ii) the key index, (B) retrieves the application level encryption key from the key storage facility, and (C) decrypts the data using the application level encryption key; and

wherein the decrypted data is transmitted to a server of the financial institution to carry out a financial transaction.

2. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the first radio network and the second radio network differ by at least one of operating frequency, physical layer transmission protocol utilized, or carrier operating the network.

3. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the data gateway includes a data decryption module to decrypt the data using the application level encryption key.

7. The computing system of claim 1 wherein communications between the key gateway and the user computing device are unencrypted.

8. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the first radio network is based on one of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA, Long Term Evolution, 4G, GPS, mobile TV, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WiMAX, and UWB.

9. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the second radio network is based on one of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA, Long Term Evolution, 4G, GPS, mobile TV, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WiMAX, and UWB.

10. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the first and second networks each further comprise one or more base stations.

11. The computing system of claim 1 further comprising a firewall positioned between:

(i) the key gateway and the first radio network; and

(ii) the data gateway and the second radio network.

12. The computing system of claim 1 wherein the financial transaction includes one or more of buying, selling or trading a security with a brokerage service, making a mortgage payment, transferring money from a first financial account to a second financial account wherein the financial accounts are in the same financial institution or at different financial institutions, making a charitable gift, requesting participation in an initial public offering, requesting rebalancing of a financial portfolio, and requesting a change in a contribution to a 401k plan.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the first waveform and the second waveform differ by one or more of a frequency or wireless standard utilized.

4. A method comprising:

receiving, over a first radio network, by a key gateway of a financial institution in communication with a user computing device comprising a software radio and a transceiver, an application level encryption key from the user computing device, wherein the application level encryption key is created by the user computing device, and wherein the user computing device communicates with the key gateway over the first radio network via the transceiver using a first waveform based on operation of the software radio with first software radio parameters;

storing, by the key gateway, the application level encryption key in a key storage facility;

transmitting, to the user computing device over the first radio network, by the key gateway, a key index indicating a location of the application level encryption key on the key storage facility, wherein the user computing device dynamically tunes from the first radio network to the second radio network upon receipt of the key index;

receiving, over a second radio network, by a data gateway in communication with the user computing device over the second radio network, (i) data encrypted, by the user computing device, using the application level encryption key and (ii) the key index, wherein the first radio network is independent from the second radio network, and wherein the user computing device communicates with the data gateway over the second radio network via the transceiver using a second waveform based on operation of the software radio with second software radio parameters;

retrieving, by the data gateway, the application level encryption key from the key storage facility;

decrypting, by the data gateway, the data using the application level encryption key; and

transmitting, to a server of the financial institution over the second radio network, by the data gateway, the decrypted data to carry out a financial transaction.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first radio network and the second radio network differ by at least one of operating frequency, physical layer transmission protocol utilized, or carrier operating the network.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising decrypting the data using a data decryption module of the data gateway.

13. The method of claim 4 further comprising communicating unencrypted data between the key gateway and the user computing device.

14. The method of claim 4 further comprising communicating over the first radio network using a transmission protocol based on one of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA, Long Term Evolution, 4G, GPS, mobile TV, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WiMAX, and UWB.

15. The method of claim 4 further comprising communicating over the second radio network is using a transmission protocol based on one of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA, Long Term Evolution, 4G, GPS, mobile TV, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WiMAX, and UWB.

16. The method of claim 4 further comprising communicating the first and second networks each further comprise one or more base stations.

17. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

positioning a firewall between the key gateway and the first radio network; and

positioning a firewall between the data gateway and the second radio network.

18. The method of claim 4 wherein the financial transaction includes one or more of buying, selling or trading a security with a brokerage service, making a mortgage payment, transferring money from a first financial account to a second financial account wherein the financial accounts are in the same financial institution or at different financial institutions, making a charitable gift, requesting participation in an initial public offering, requesting rebalancing of a financial portfolio, and requesting a change in a contribution to a 401k plan.

20. The method of claim 4 wherein the first waveform and the second waveform differ by one or more of a frequency or wireless standard utilized.