Systems and methods to enhance security in transactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9626678-B2
Application number	US-201313957148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2013
Priority date	Aug 1, 2012
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A system includes a digital camera coupled with or integrated within a transaction terminal to capture an image during authorization of a transaction initiated at the transaction terminal. The system further includes a portal configured to receive the image and transmit the image to a communication reference associated with the account information of an account in which the transaction is made, based on a security preference associated with the account information. The image may be optionally analyzed to detect fraudulent use of the account.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
providing a computing apparatus having:
a transaction handler configured on an electronic payment processing network connecting separate computers, including:
transaction terminals, in response to receiving account identifiers of payment accounts, generating transactions of payments in the electronic payment processing network, wherein each of the transaction terminals includes:
an input device capable of obtaining the account identifiers from account identification devices; and
a digital camera;

first computers controlling the payment accounts from which the payments are made in the electronic payment processing network;
second computers controlling merchant accounts associated with the transaction terminals in which the payments are received via the electronic payment processing network; and
the transaction handler connecting the first computers and the second computers in the electronic payment processing network;

a data warehouse storing a communication reference in association with account information identifying a payment account in the electronic payment processing network;
a portal coupled with the transaction handler and communicating using a communication channel outside the electronic payment processing network;

receiving, in the transaction handler in the electronic payment processing network from a transaction terminal, an authorization request for a transaction in the payment account, wherein:
the authorization request is generated by the transaction terminal in response to the input device of the transaction terminal obtaining, from an account identification device, account information identifying the payment account, and
in response to the input device of the transaction terminal obtaining, from the account identification device, the account information of the payment account, the transaction terminal automatically captures, using the digital camera of the transaction terminal at a time of the authorization of the transaction in the electronic payment processing network, an image of a user using the account identification device to make the transaction at the transaction terminal;

retrieving, by the transaction handler from the data warehouse, the communication reference that is stored in the data warehouse in association with the account information identified in the authorization request;
providing, by the transaction handler, the communication reference in an authorization response to the authorization request, wherein the authorization response is configured to instruct the transaction terminal receiving the authorization response to transmit, to a user device identified by the communication reference, a notification of the transaction, including the captured image of the user who is using the account identification device to make the transaction at the transaction terminal;
receiving, by the portal via the communication channel outside the electronic payment processing network from the user device identified by the communication reference, the image of the user automatically captured by the digital camera of the transaction terminal and provided in the notification of the transaction; and
storing, by the portal in the data warehouse, the image of the user in association with a transaction record of the transaction authorized by the authorization request.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, by the transaction handler, an indicator in an authorization response to the authorization request for the transaction, wherein the indicator is provided in the authorization response in accordance with a preference stored in the data warehouse in association with the account information of the payment account;
wherein the transaction terminal is configured to use the digital camera of the transaction terminal to capture the image in accordance with the indicator provided in the authorization response.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, in the transaction terminal, the authorization response for the transaction; and
determining, by the transaction terminal, whether the authorization response containing a predetermined indicator;
wherein the capturing the image of the user is in response to a determination that the predetermined indicator is present in the authorization response.

4. A computing apparatus, comprising:
a transaction handler configured on an electronic payment processing network connecting separate computers, including
transaction terminals, in response to receiving account identifiers of payment accounts, generating transactions of payments in the electronic payment processing network, wherein each of the transaction terminals includes:
an input device capable of obtaining the account identifiers from account identification devices; and
a digital camera;

first computers controlling the payment accounts from which the payments are made in the electronic payment processing network;
second computers controlling merchant accounts associated with the transaction terminals in which the payments are received via the electronic payment processing network; and
the transaction handler connecting the first computers and the second computers in the electronic payment processing network;

a data warehouse storing:
a communication reference in association with account information of a payment account in the electronic payment processing network; and
a security preference in association with the account information of the payment account;

a portal coupled with the transaction handler and communicating using a communication channel outside the electronic payment processing network;
wherein the transaction handler receives, via the electronic payment processing network from a transaction terminal, an authorization request for a transaction in the payment account, wherein:
the authorization request is generated by the transaction terminal in response to the input device of the transaction terminal obtaining, from an account identification device, the account information identifying the payment account, and
in response to the input device of the transaction terminal obtaining, from the account identification device, the account information of the payment account, the transaction terminal automatically captures, using the digital camera of the transaction terminal at a time of the authorization of the transaction in the electronic payment processing network, an image of a user using the account identification device to make the transaction at the transaction terminal;

wherein in response to the authorization request, the transaction handler:
retrieves, from the data warehouse, the communication reference and the security preference that are stored in the data warehouse in association with the account information identified in the authorization request, and
provides the communication reference in an authorization response to the authorization request, wherein the authorization response instructs the transaction terminal receiving the authorization response to transmit, to a user device identified by the communication reference, a notification of the transaction, including the captured image of the user who is using the account identification device to make the transaction at the transaction terminal;

wherein the portal:
receives, from the user device identified by the communication reference in accordance with the security preference stored in association with the account information, the image of the user captured by the digital camera of the transaction terminal, using the communication channel outside the electronic payment processing network, and
stores, in the data warehouse, the image of the user, who is using the account information at the transaction terminal to make

Assignees

• Visa Int Service Ass

Inventors

• Ovick Joseph Bjorn
• Carlson Mark
• Hagey Ryan
• Reid Margaret
• Stan Patrick
• Wright Patrick
• Koganti Krishna Prasad
• Powell Glenn

Classifications

• G06Q20/202

  Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR · CPC title

• G06Q20/1085

  involving automatic teller machines [ATMs] · CPC title

• G06Q20/40145 Primary

  Biometric identity checks · CPC title

• G06Q30/0238

  at point-of-sale [POS] · CPC title

• G07G3/003

  Anti-theft control (theft alarms G08B13/00) · CPC title