An electronic transaction and application terminal with visual identification checking capability

Abstract

 An electronic transaction or application terminal which can collect visual data including the image of the person using it captured during such usage, the image of the user's signature presented by the user during such process by use of a signature pad, and the images of the identification card presented by that person during the transaction or application process, in order to reliably determine the identity of the user, without requiring the usage of machine readable cards and associated PIN numbers.

Description

[0001] Field of the invention

[0002] This invention is about an electronic terminal, which can collect visual information to check the identity of the person using it. Such a terminal may be used to accept transaction requests, or applications from people who cannot use passwords or biometric authentication methods.

[0003] Background of the invention

[0004] Electronic terminals are commonly used to accept applications or perform a variety of transactions, most commonly in the financial services sector, but also in other industries including, government, travel, and retail.

[0005] In the state of the art, a number of methods are used to check the identity of the user. A common method is to ask the user to insert a machine-readable card into the terminal, and then enter a personal identification number (PIN) associated with that card, which is checked from a central database during the transaction or application process. This procedure requires the user and the operator of the terminal (eg, a bank) to have a prior relationship, during which the operator of the terminal issues a card, and a PIN associated with that card. This card and PIN must be given to the user before such a transaction or application can be submitted to an electronic terminal.

[0006] This method is not sufficient to check the identity of a user who has no prior relationship with the terminal operator, since in such a case the user will not have a card and PIN that has associated records in the operator's database. This limitation makes it virtually impossible to use electronic terminals to accept transaction requests or applications from new users. A typical example is a personal loan application from a person who has no prior relationship with a bank. Since there is no easy way of determining the identity of such a new user at a self-service terminal, most banks require new loan applicants to visit a branch office to complete manual identity checks, before they are allowed to take out a loan. In such a case, electronic self-service terminals are largely useless.

[0007] Japanese Patent Application JP2004355646 describes a terminal capable of capturing the image of a document submitted by the user, by using an optical scanner. While this makes it possible to transmit the image of an identification document to a central processing location, it still does not provide a method to check the identity of the user submitting that document.

[0008] Brief description of the invention

[0009] The object of the invention is to provide an electronic self-service terminal that can collect visual information to check the identity of its user. This is done by collecting several different types of visual information. These visual information components include the photograph of the user captured while the user is using the terminal, the image of an identification document submitted by the user, and a sample of the user's signature.

[0010] The device defined in Claim 1 and other dependent claims can be used in various self service transaction or application processes commonly needed in financial service applications (eg, personal loan applications, credit card applications), visa applications to consulates, and various other commercial or governmental purposes.

[0011] Detailed description of the invention

[0012] The present invention is illustrated in the following drawings:

[0013] - Figure 1 is a schematic view of a device.

[0014] - Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the slot in the device.

[0015] - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the slot in another embodiment of the device.

[0016] - Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the slot in another embodiment of the device.

[0017] The parts of the invention depicted in these drawings are as follows:

[0018] 1. Body

[0019] 2. External imaging unit

[0020] 3. Slot

[0021] 4. Keyboard

[0022] 5. Signature pad

[0023] 6. Screen

[0024] 7. Internal imaging unit

[0025] 8. Light source

[0026] In one embodiment of the invention, a digital controller in the body (1) runs the software required to control the transaction or application process. During the process, information is conveyed to the user by displaying text, graphics and video on the screen(6), and the user's input is accepted from the keyboard (4).

[0027] In another embodiment of the device, user input may be received from a touch sensitive screen (6), that requests the user to select inputs from marked areas of the screen by touching the images displayed.

[0028] In both of the above embodiments of the invention, a user is requested to place an identification form into the slot (3) of the device.

[0029] In one embodiment of the invention (shown in Figure 2), the upper surface within the slot is made of glass or other transparent material, behind which is an internal imaging unit (7) and a light source (8) that illuminates the surface of the identification card. The software is used to activate the light source , and capture the image of the card with the imaging device, which then becomes part of the transaction or application data.

[0030] In another embodiment of the invention (shown in Figure 3), the lower surface within the slot is made of glass or other transparent material, behind which is an internal imaging unit (7) and a light source (8) that illuminates the surface of the identification card. The software is used to activate the light source , and capture the image of the card with the imaging device, which then becomes part of the transaction or application data.

[0031] In another embodiment of the invention (shown in Figure 4), both the upper and the lower surfaces within the slot are made of glass or other transparent material, behind each of which are internal imaging units (7) and light sources (8) that illuminate the surfaces of the identification card. The software is used to activate the light sources , and capture the image of the card with the imaging devices, which then becomes part of the transaction or application data. This embodiment has the additional advantage of capturing the images of both sides of the identification card, thus eliminating the need to ask the user to flip the card over to capture the image of the other side.

[0032] Thus, in all of the above embodiments, the device captures both:

[0033] - The image of the person using it, and

[0034] - The image of the identity card, including the photograph of the person it was issued to

[0035] -

[0036] The device thus makes it possible to check these two facial images for similarity either with automatic image processing software, or by human operators after they are transmitted to an operations center.

[0037] In another embodiment of the device, the user is also asked to enter a signature into the terminal, using a signature pad which captures the image of the signature. In this case the device captures:

[0038] - The image of the person using it, and

[0039] - The image of the signature produced by the user during the process, and

[0040] - The image of the identity card, including the photograph of the person it was issued to, and the signature of the card's owner printed on it

[0041] The device thus makes it possible to check these two facial images for similarity either with automatic image processing software, or by human operators. As an additional security measure, it is possible to check the two images of signature on the identity card and the one captured by the signature pad for similarity, either with automatic image processing software, or by human operators, after they are transmitted to an operations center.

Claims

1. An electronic transaction or application terminal which can collect visual data including the image of the person using it captured during such usage, and the images of the identification card presented by that person during the transaction or application process.

2. An electronic transaction or application terminal which can collect visual data including the image of the person using it captured during such usage, the image of the user's signature presented by the user during such process by use of a signature pad, and the images of the identification card presented by that person during the transaction or application process.

Drawing