Secure interactive digital system for displaying items to a user identified as having permission to access the system

• US 20040250083A1
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Barry Schwab
• Original Assignee: Barry Schwab
• Inventors: Schwab, Barry
• Application Number:
  US09/846,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20040250083A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2187 with image input from a plurality of different locations or from a non-central location, e.g. from one or more users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2191 for simultaneous, independent access by a plurality of different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described which provide secure interactive communication of text and image information between a central server computer and one or more client computers located at remote sites for the purpose of storing and retrieving files describing and identifying unique products, services, or individuals. A feature of the system is the ability to associate an identification image with a plurality of accounts, transactions, or records and identify a user not physically present at the client computer. Textual information and image data from one or more of the remote sites are stored separately at the location of the central server computer, requests for information are entered from remote terminals, the system being able to respond to multiple user requests simultaneously, and the information requested is recalled and downloaded for review to be displayed at the remote site.

Claims

1. A secure identification method of buying and selling products or services, the steps of the method comprising

acquiring, digitizing and data compressing text and image information relating to at least one said product or service from at least one remote terminal in communication with a central server computer,

transferring the digitized, data compressed information separately in a first format from each terminal to the central server computer by batch upload,

capturing, at the at least one remote terminal, user identifying graphical information inputted by a plurality of approved users, the graphical information being selected by and personal to a respective approved user and including at least one distinctive feature that the approved user would be required to describe as a means of authenticating user identity and verifying that the user is authorized to complete a transaction;

receiving at the remote terminal a request for information relating to one said product or service,

recalling to the remote terminal the graphical information of the requestor requesting the information and comparing the physical appearance of the graphical information thus recalled to details supplied by the requester in response to operator questions, the comparison confirming that the requester is or is not authorized to receive the information requested, and

recalling and transferring the requested data compressed text and image information from the central server computer to the remote terminal for review by the requester.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote terminal further includes a local image database, and further including the step of transferring the captured requestor graphical information to the local image database, thereby allowing the identity of the requester to be verified without the need to communicate with the with the central server computer.

3. The method of claim 2, the steps of the method further comprising:

encrypting the graphical information of potential requesters into the local image database, and

providing a decryption key in the database of the central server computer, the decryption key enabling the graphical information of a requester to be viewed at the local image database.

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

associating a specific terminal with at least one user,

assigning at least one unique identifier to the identifying graphical image of said at least one user, and

storing the unique identifier in the memory of said specific terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of storing the unique identifier includes storing the unique identifier into the memory of the central server computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of remote terminals are interconnected to the central server computer, at least one of the terminals comprising a public telephone equipped with a video display device.

7. The method of claim 6, the steps of the method further comprising:

initiating a request for information over the telephone network to a remote receiving terminal previously associated with the user.

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

associating a plurality of users into a least a first group of users, the users of said first group being authorized to view only a predetermined portion of said product and service information in said central server computer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of associating a plurality of users into said first group includes the users of said first group paying a fee for access to the predetermined portion of said product and service information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of associating a plurality of users into said first group further includes the users of said group paying a second fee for viewing the product and service information based on time.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the unique identifier is selected from one or more of the group consisting of a banking account number, a Social Security Number, a personal identification number (PIN), or an alphanumeric number.

12. The method of claim 1, the steps of the method further comprising the step of associating a physical parameter such as a signature or other visually discernible physical trait of the user, the user identifying graphical information and physical parameter being captured and associated substantially simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 1, the steps of the method further comprising the step of associating at least one unique identification number to the captured identifying graphical image.

14. A method of secure identification for buying and selling a product or service of a seller, comprising the steps of:

providing a computer system including at least one remote data terminal communicating with a central computer managing a relational database for a transaction between a buyer and a seller,

capturing and storing in the computer system at least one indicia from a requester, which indicia is selected from the group consisting of a personal or physical trait, a graphical image, a personal identification number, or a particular item of information known only by the requester, said indicia enabling the requestor to be identified and recognized by the computer as a user authorized to have access to the central computer database for the purpose of completing a transaction,

acquiring, digitizing and data compressing text and picture information from at least one remote data terminal and representative of accessible subject matter,

transferring the digitized, data-compressed text and picture information separately by batch uploading and in a first file format from said remote data terminal to the central computer database, the following steps being performed at the location of the central computer;

determining which remote data terminal is authorized to transmit said subject matter, and storing information related thereto,

storing the text and picture information separately in a second data compressed format,

receiving requests for and locating information relating to the stored text and picture information, and

transmitting the text and picture information to the remote terminal whereat each is decompressed for viewing, and

recalling to the remote terminal the indicia of the requester, the operator of the computer system comparing the indicia thus recalled with input from the requestor and determining if the requester is authorized to have access to the data if displayed.