System, method and apparatus for conducting a secure transaction over a call

• US 8,671,061 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Chi Fai, Chiu, Shin Cheung Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Ravetti, Dante
• Application Number:
  US11/197,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,142 Days
• Field of Search: 705/64, 705/16, 705/21, 705/59, 705/71, 380/44, 380/262, 380/278, 380/279
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include methods, systems and apparatuses for conducting secure transactions over a call. Users can initiate a secure transaction over a call, such as a telephone call, in which the identities of up to all participants can be validated prior to sending or receiving of payment, financial or other sensitive information. A transaction module collects and verifies all necessary transaction information and resources. User can be prompted to confirm or approve the transaction prior to completion of the transaction. Summaries of the transaction can be sent to users or stored in record keeping.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for conducting a secure document approval transaction during a telephone call conducted over a call network, comprising sequentially:

(a) creating, by a customer terminal, a first telephone call to a merchant terminal;

(b) initiating a document approval transaction, by the customer terminal, with the merchant terminal during the first telephone call between the customer terminal and the merchant terminal;

(c) informing the call network, by the customer terminal, to connect the customer terminal to a transaction system;

(d) placing, by the call network, the first telephone call from the customer terminal to the merchant terminal on hold;

(e) creating, by the call network, a second telephone call from the customer terminal to the transaction system;

(f) sending, by the customer terminal, to the transaction system, during the second telephone call between the customer terminal and the transaction system, a request to process the document approval transaction between the customer terminal and the merchant terminal;

(g) storing, by the transaction system, an electronic signature of a customer;

(h) processing the document approval transaction by the transaction system using a customer transaction information, wherein the customer transaction information comprises an electronic signature;

(h1) obtaining, by the transaction system, the stored electronic signature of the customer,

(h2) determining, by the transaction system, whether the obtained electronic signature matches the electronic signature from the customer transaction information,

(h3) based on the determining that the obtained electronic signature matches the electronic signature from the customer transaction information, storing by the transaction system a notarization record associated with a transaction approval identity, and

(h4) sending, by the transaction system, the transaction approval identity to the customer terminal; and

(i) resuming, by the call network, the first telephone call between the customer terminal and the merchant terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing further comprises prompting by the transaction system the customer terminal and the merchant terminal to approve continuation of the document approval transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the resuming comprises:

after completion of the processing of the document approval transaction by the transaction system, terminating by the call network the telephone call between the customer terminal and the transaction system; and

resuming by the call network the telephone call between the customer terminal and the merchant terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer transaction information further comprises an electronic verification identity of the customer, wherein the obtaining (h1) comprises:

(h1i) obtaining by the transaction system the stored electronic signature of the customer using the electronic verification identity of the customer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the customer transaction information further comprises a document to be verified, wherein the storing (h3) comprises:

(h3i) based on the determining that the obtained electronic signature matches the electronic signature from the customer transaction information, storing by the transaction system the electronic signature of the customer from the customer transaction information, the electronic verification identity of the customer, and the document in the notarization record, the notarization record associated with the transaction approval identity.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the sending comprises:

providing by the transaction system a transaction summary to said customer terminal or said merchant terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(j) sending by the customer terminal the transaction approval identity to another entity for querying the transaction system for the notarization record.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the call network comprises a telephone switch, wherein the method comprises one or more of the following:

(d1) placing the first telephone call from the customer terminal to the merchant terminal on hold by the telephone switch; and

(e1) creating the second telephone call from the customer terminal to the transaction system by the telephone switch.

9. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable storage medium having at least one computer readable program for conducting a secure document approval transaction during a telephone call conducted over a call network, wherein when the at least one computer readable program is executed by at least one computer causes the computer to perform the following steps of:

(a) creating, by the customer terminal, a first telephone call to a merchant terminal;

(b) initiating a document approval transaction, by the customer terminal, with the merchant terminal during the first telephone call between the customer terminal and the merchant terminal;

(c) informing the call network, by the customer terminal, to connect the customer terminal to a transaction system;

(d) placing, by the call network, the first telephone call from the customer terminal to the merchant terminal on hold;

(e) creating, by the call network, a second telephone call from the customer terminal to the transaction system;

(f) sending, by the customer terminal, to the transaction system, during the second telephone call between the customer terminal and the transaction system, a request to process the document approval transaction between the customer terminal and the merchant terminal;

(g) storing, by the transaction system, an electronic signature of a customer;

(h) processing the document approval transaction by the transaction system using a customer transaction information, wherein the customer transaction information comprises an electronic signature;

(h1) obtaining, by the transaction system, the stored electronic signature of the customer,

(h2) determining, by the transaction system, whether the obtained electronic signature matches the electronic signature from the customer transaction information,

(h3) based on the determining that the obtained electronic signature matches the electronic signature from the customer transaction information, storing, by the transaction system, a notarization record associated with a transaction approval identity, and

(h4) sending, by the transaction system, the transaction approval identity to the customer terminal; and

(i) resuming, by the call network, the first telephone call between the customer terminal and the merchant terminal.

10. The product of claim 9, further comprising:

after completion of the processing of the document approval transaction, terminating by the call network the telephone call between the customer terminal and the transaction system; and

resuming by the call network the telephone call between the customer terminal and the merchant terminal.

11. The product of claim 9, wherein the customer transaction information further comprises an electronic verification identity of the customer, wherein the obtaining (h1) comprises:

(h1i) obtaining the stored electronic signature of the customer using the electronic verification identity of the customer.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein the customer transaction information further comprises a document to be verified, wherein the storing (h3) comprises:

(h3i) based on the determining that the obtained electronic signature matches the electronic signature from the customer transaction information, storing the electronic signature of the customer from the customer transaction information, the electronic verification identity of the customer, and the document in the notarization record, the notarization record associated with the transaction approval identity.

13. The product of claim 9, further comprising:

(j) sending the transaction approval identity from the customer terminal to another entity for querying the transaction system for the notarization record.