Smartcard transaction system and method

• US 8,016,191 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Salow, Glen, Bonalle, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US12/853,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20100312698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/487, 235/382, 235/492, 235/435, 340/5.52, 340/5.6, 340/10.1, 340/5.82, 705/64, 705/65, 705/67
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of 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 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A method for facilitating biometric security in a smartcard-reader transaction system is provided. The method includes determining if a transaction violates an established rule, such as a preset spending limit. The method also includes notifying a user to proffer a biometric sample in order to verify the identity of said user, and detecting a proffered biometric at a sensor to obtain a proffered biometric sample. The method additionally comprises verifying the proffered biometric sample and authorizing a transaction to continue upon verification of the proffered biometric sample.

Claims

1. A smartcard transaction system configured with a biometric security system, said system comprising:

a smartcard having an integrated circuit device, wherein said smartcard is configured to communicate with a smartcard reader, said integrated circuit device comprising a common application and a second application, said second application being configured to store information associated with an account holder;

said second application comprising a common file structure and a partner file structure, wherein said partner file structure provides write access to a field within said partner file structure for a first partnering organization in response to verification of a proffered biometric scan sample and denies write access to said field for a second partnering organization, and said common file structure provides write access for said first partnering organization and said second partnering organization to a field in said common file structure;

a biometric scan sensor in communication with said smartcard, said biometric scan sensor is configured to detect said proffered biometric scan sample and obtain verification of said proffered biometric scan sample to facilitate a transaction;

a first enterprise data collection unit associated with a first enterprise, said first enterprise data collection unit configured to store update transactions and pending transactions associated with said smartcard and said first enterprise;

a second enterprise data collection unit associated with a second enterprise, said second enterprise data collection unit configured to store update transactions and pending transactions associated with said smartcard and said second enterprise;

an access point configured to interface with said smartcard and said first enterprise data collection unit and said second enterprise data collection unit;

a secure support client server configured to communicate with said access point, said secure support client server further configured to adaptively provide communication functionality in accordance with said communication functionality available at said access point;

a card object database system coupled to said first enterprise data collection unit and said second enterprise data collection unit and said card object database system configured to store smartcard information in accordance with said update transactions and said pending transactions, wherein said smartcard information comprises a card object having an application; and

an update logic system configured to route said smartcard information from said first enterprise data collection unit and said second enterprise data collection unit to said access point in order to effect synchronization of said smartcard information associated with said smartcard and said card object database system, wherein said update logic system is activated upon verification of said proffered biometric scan sample.

2. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said verification comprises verifying said proffered biometric scan sample by comparing said proffered biometric scan sample with a stored biometric scan sample, wherein said stored biometric scan sample is associated with at least one of:

personal information, credit card information, debit card information, savings account information, membership information, PayPal account information, Western Union Account information, electronic bill payment information, automatic bill payment information and loyalty point information.

3. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said verification comprises verifying said proffered biometric scan sample by comparing said proffered biometric scan sample with a stored biometric scan sample, wherein different stored biometric scan samples are associated with a different one of:

personal information, credit card information, debit card information, savings account information, membership information, PayPal account information, Western Union Account information, electronic bill payment information, automatic bill payment information and loyalty point information.

4. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said biometric scan sample is primarily associated with first user information, wherein said first information comprises at least one of:

personal information, credit card information, debit card information, savings account information, membership information, PayPal account information, Western Union Account information, electronic bill payment information, automatic bill payment information and loyalty point information, and wherein said biometric scan sample is secondarily associated with second user information, wherein said second information comprises at least one of personal information, credit card information, debit card information, savings account information, membership information, PayPal account information, Western Union Account information, electronic bill payment information, automatic bill payment information and loyalty point information, and wherein said second user information is different than said first user information.

5. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein verification facilitates at least one of access, activation of a device, a financial transaction, a non-financial transaction, and use of a secondary security procedure.

6. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, wherein said update logic system is coupled to at least one enterprise data synchronization interface, said update logic system configured to securely route said smartcard information between said enterprise data synchronization interface and said enterprise data collection units, said enterprise data synchronization interface coupled to an enterprise network configured to communicate with said access point.

7. The smartcard transaction system of claim 1, further including a personalization system comprising:

a security server;

a key system associated with at least one of said common application and said second application, said key system configured to communicate with said security server and to supply a key in response to a request from said security server;

a personalization utility configured to receive said card object database system and to communicate with said security server;

said personalization utility further configured to add said key to said card object database system and a card management system, said card management system configured to accept a card request and communicate said card request to said personalization utility; and

a gather application module configured to communicate with said card management system and gather application information from a first database and a second database in accordance with said card request, wherein said first database is associated with said first enterprise, and said second database is associated with said second enterprise.

8. A method comprising:

detecting, by a computer for facilitating biometric security using a proffered biometric scan sample in a smartcard transaction system, a proffered biometric scan at a sensor to obtain said proffered biometric scan sample, wherein said sensor is in communication with a smartcard;

verifying, by said computer, said proffered biometric scan sample;

authorizing, by said computer, a transaction to proceed in response to verification of said proffered biometric scan sample;

interfacing, by said computer, with said smartcard at an access point using communication functionality;

routing, by said computer and in response to verification of said proffered biometric scan sample, smartcard information from said first and second enterprise data collection units to said access point in order to effect synchronization of said smartcard information associated with said smartcard and a card object database system having an application, wherein said smartcard information is stored in accordance with update transactions and pending transactions associated with said smartcard, a first enterprise and a second enterprise;

enabling, by said computer, write access to a field within a partner file structure in response to verification of said proffered biometric scan sample and in response to a request by a first partnering organization;

denying, by said computer, write access to said field in response to a request by a second partnering organization;

enabling, by said computer, write access for said first partnering organization and said second partnering organization to a field in said common file structure, in response to verification of said proffered biometric scan sample;

transferring, by said computer, common data to facilitate authorization of said transaction; and

transferring, by said computer, information related to said common file structure and information related to said partner file structure to facilitate said transaction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said verifying comprises comparing said proffered biometric scan sample with a stored biometric scan sample.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising securely routing, by an update logic system, card information between said enterprise data synchronization interface and said enterprise data collection units, wherein said update logic system is coupled to an enterprise data synchronization interface, and communicating, by said enterprise network, with said access point, wherein said enterprise data synchronization interface is coupled to said enterprise network.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

supplying a key in response to a request from a security server;

receiving a card object;

adding said key to said card object;

communicating a card request to said personalization utility; and

gathering application information from a first database and a second database of a card management system in accordance with said card request, wherein said first database is associated with said first enterprise, and said second database is associated with said second enterprise.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said smartcard information is stored at a card object database system coupled to a first enterprise data collection unit and a second enterprise data collection unit.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising interfacing, at said access point, with a first enterprise data collection unit and a second enterprise data collection unit.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing said update transactions and said pending transactions associated with said smartcard and said first enterprise, at said first enterprise data collection unit, wherein said first enterprise data collection unit is associated with said first enterprise.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing said update transactions and said pending transactions associated with said smartcard and said second enterprise, at said second enterprise data collection unit, wherein said second enterprise data collection unit is associated with said second enterprise.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein a secure support client server communicates with said access point, and wherein said secure support client server adaptively provides said communication functionality at said access point.

17. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computer for facilitating biometric security using a proffered biometric scan sample in a smartcard transaction system, cause said computer to perform operations comprising:

detecting, by said computer, a proffered biometric scan at a sensor to obtain said proffered biometric scan sample, wherein said sensor is in communication with a smartcard;

verifying, by said computer, said proffered biometric scan sample;

authorizing, by said computer, a transaction to proceed in response to verification of said proffered biometric scan sample;

interfacing, by said computer, with said smartcard at an access point using communication functionality;

routing, by said computer and in response to verification of said proffered biometric scan sample, said smartcard information from said first and second enterprise data collection units to said access point in order to effect synchronization of said smartcard information associated with said smartcard and a card object database system having an application, wherein said smartcard information is stored in accordance with update transactions and pending transactions associated with said smartcard, a first enterprise and a second enterprise; and

enabling, by said computer, write access to a field within a partner file structure in response to verification of said proffered biometric scan sample and in response to a request by a first partnering organization;

denies write access to said field in response to a request by a second partnering organization;

enables write access for said first partnering organization and said second partnering organization to a field in said common file structure, in response to verification of said proffered biometric scan sample;

transfers common data to facilitate authorization of said transaction; and

transfers information related to said common file structure and information related to said partner file structure to facilitate said transaction.