JP2004512620A - Method and system for determining approval or disapproval of purchase using biometrics - Google Patents

Abstract

Method, system, computer for determining and / or confirming whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase based on biometric measurements A readable recording medium. The biometric information is received and used to identify the group to which the lead belongs. The information about this group is used to confirm whether the individual is legally entitled to purchase the restricted item and / or is not legally authorized to purchase. For example, it can be confirmed by comparing the determined affiliation information with jurisdiction information unique to a predetermined restricted product. Further, if the information is forged, a record of the provided biometric information can be stored, reducing the responsibility of the vendor.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

[0001]
(Technical field)
The present invention provides a method for determining whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to do so by determining the biometric, biometric, It relates to determining and / or confirming based on biological (sci), biometric (s) measurements. More specifically, the present invention provides that a consumer product and / or service vendor may be legally authorized to purchase by an individual who is attempting to purchase the product and / or service. To be able to directly and directly ascertain whether they are authorized or not.
[0002]
(Background technology)
Many societies restrict certain groups from purchasing certain products for many different reasons. FIG. 1 provides a list of such products, examples of groups that are barred from purchasing these products, and examples of grounds commonly used to justify the restrictions imposed on these products. I do.
[0003]
For example, in many jurisdictions, groups designated "criminals" are barred from purchasing firearms, firearms, and guns. The definition of a "criminal" depends on the jurisdiction in which the firearm is purchased, and can range from convicted felons to unlicensed individuals, for example. Regardless of the proper definition of a "criminal", some societies (eg, states and / or states, other judicial entities) may justify barring the purchase of small arms by "criminals". I believe that. Reasons include, but are not limited to, "criminals" wanting to protect other members of society from dangerous use of restricted firearms. Reasons for other product restrictions include, for example, that members of a prohibited group should not harm themselves and / or others mentally and / or physically, emotionally, or morally. And the broader community's responsibility to address such mental, physical, emotional, and moral harm that the members of the forbidden group do to themselves or others Including limiting.
[0004]
Although it is widely accepted that it is desirable to bar certain groups from purchasing certain goods, individual members of these groups often circumvent the prohibition. For example, there are about 10 million alcoholic drinkers under the age of 21 in 1995 in the United States, despite nationwide barring the purchase and possession of alcohol by those under the age of 21 ( According to SAMHSA @ 1996 on the website "http://www.madd.org/stats/stat_youth.shtml" as of October 12, 2000. The contents of this homepage are incorporated herein by reference). One way to circumvent the purchase ban is to forge legal documents to indicate that the individual is not in a prohibited group, for example, forging personal identification documents and / or Includes, theft, and borrowing. Other ways to outstrip the ban include purchasing cigarettes from vending machines or buying seats in the emergency exit line of aircraft as minors on the Internet. Including using attention. There is a need for a more convenient and reliable method and system for checking whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted-purchase goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase. It is clear.
[0005]
Simply barring selected groups from selling certain products is watered down by the fact that the vendor is responsible for verifying the identity of the individual making the purchase. That is, for the vendor, there is a conflict of interest between profiting individually from the sale of the product and having to protect the public interest in the transaction. For example, a restaurant waiter who gets a high tip by giving a young drinker a bottle of high-margin wine may be legally qualified and / or legally authorized to purchase alcohol by the young drinker. You may not be so enthusiastic about making sure you are authorized. Therefore, there is a need to separate entities that represent the interests of society from those that represent the interests of the vendors that want to benefit.
[0006]
Another problem with current methods and systems for verifying whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase is binding vendors The lack of a uniform standard. For example, a clear standard that establishes when a “reasonable vendor” should recognize forgery of an ID, especially given the wide range and quality of IDs available for tampering. There is no. Thus, by showing a forged identity card, the buyer may often reduce the liability and actual liability granted by the vendor to allow a transaction involving restricted goods and forbidden individuals to proceed. This also makes it easier for certain groups to bypass social purchase prohibitions.
[0007]
(Disclosure of the Invention)
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method, system, and method for determining whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase. A computer-readable recording medium is provided.
[0008]
Another object of the present invention is to enable a consumer goods and / or services vendor to directly and determinate whether an individual seeking a purchase is legally authorized or not. To provide a new method, system, and computer readable recording medium.
[0009]
Another object of the present invention is to determine whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to make purchases, more conveniently than current methods and systems. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method, a system, and a computer-readable recording medium that can be confirmed by a reliable method.
[0010]
It is yet another object of the present invention, according to one embodiment, that an entity representing a social stake and another representing a vendor stake are those that an individual has a legal qualification to purchase restricted goods. It is to provide a novel method, system, computer readable medium that allows to check if there is a license and / or if the purchase is legally authorized.
[0011]
According to yet another object of the present invention, according to one embodiment, the effort required to ascertain the group status of a potential customer, a uniform "conscientious" It is to provide a novel method, system, and computer readable storage medium that enable a "vendor" standard to be established.
[0012]
It is an object of the present invention to more effectively achieve the objectives behind each of the legal restrictions on eligibility to purchase the merchandise, including the merchandise and objectives shown in FIG. It is to be.
[0013]
These and other objects of the present invention are directed to a novel method of determining whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase. , A system, and a computer-readable recording medium. In some embodiments, the systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media can be conveniently deployed and / or implemented to reliably verify an individual's eligibility to purchase restricted goods. In another embodiment, the system, method, and computer readable storage medium can be operated by a party other than the vendor and provide another representative of social interests. In some embodiments, the systems, methods, and computer-readable media may be used to establish legal standards regarding the efforts required to confirm eligibility to purchase restricted goods. it can. In another embodiment, the systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media can be used to achieve a goal behind restricted product prohibitions. For example, using the system, method, and computer-readable storage medium embodiment, more effectively reduce the cost of car insurance, minimize the incidence of lung cancer, prevent gun shooting in school, Reduce crime, slow the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, make aircraft emergency exits safe to operate, prevent children from gambling, protect young people's morals, and protect against terrorist attacks using biochemical weapons It is possible to prevent and stop the production of narcotics in the laboratory, each of these objectives corresponding to the exemplary restricted product shown in FIG. Each of these objectives, for example, makes it difficult to forge identity "documents" (i.e., biometric information), automates verification in unattended sales of restricted goods (e.g., vending machines), Reduces the responsibility for confirming purchase approvals at trade shows, allows for identity verification to be done remotely (eg, over the phone and / or on the Internet), and confirms professional licensing that allows individuals to make certain purchases Can be more effectively achieved by addressing the unique issues of implementing each individual ban, such as reducing liability.
[0014]
As used herein, the term "restricted product" refers to any product whose sale to the group is prohibited by law. Thus, it does not merely involve the verification of an individual's identity to provide access to restricted facilities, financial accounts, or other "secure" locations and / or information. A sales transaction involving the product must occur.
[0015]
As used herein, the term "right" refers to a legal or private right to purchase goods. An example of a legal right is, for example, a legal permission to buy alcohol. An example of a private right is, for example, a private permission to purchase a ticket for an amusement park vehicle.
[0016]
A more complete understanding of the present invention and its attendant advantages will be readily obtained by a better understanding of the invention with reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0017]
(Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention)
Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to the same or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and particularly with reference to FIG. 1, examples of goods and groups currently restricted to purchase in the United States are provided. It is shown. Of course, the invention can be applied in other countries, adapting to applicable state and local regulations and changing laws and standards. FIG. 1 also includes examples of commonly referred advantages behind limiting purchase rights. For example, in the United States, individuals under the age of 21 are banned from purchasing alcohol, but there are several reasons behind this. One of these aims is to protect a limited group from alcohol products, as it is widely recognized that underaged individuals have no control over their drinking. Another purpose often mentioned is to prevent by law the drunk driving of individuals under the age of 21. Yet another objective is to limit the responsibility of society to provide a limited group of well-being (eg, mental, emotional, financial, physical health). In other words, the purchase of alcohol by a minor individual is a consequence of the alcoholism, property damage, other health hazards, and even moral corruption that the group causes to itself or to others. It is perceived that this will lead to an increase in the proportion, and society is part of the responsibility for restricted groups.
[0018]
FIG. 2 illustrates an example network that determines whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase based on biometric measurements. The structure is shown. The network structure includes at least one vendor interaction site 630, which is connected via a network 620 to a central database system 610. In an alternative embodiment, the network 620 may be partially or completely eliminated, and the data and functions belonging to the central database system 610 in this figure may be included in the interaction site 630. As such, network 620 may be implemented as a communication or telecommunications network, or as a lead, wire, or bus within a computer. Further, the central database system 610 may be divided into a plurality of database systems, each directed to a subset of the data and functions belonging to the central database system 610 shown in FIG. Further, some embodiments of the network structure may include an updater interaction site 640 from which information stored in various tables can be updated. As shown in FIG. 2, this updater interaction site 640 is connected via a network 620 to a central database system. This is not required, and the updater interaction site 640 and central database system 610 may be combined into one or more physically separate units. Updater interaction site 640 allows, for example, a physician to update a patient's prescribing information, a law enforcement authority to update a felony conviction, or to enter new biometric identification information that is now available. .
[0019]
The processor 611 of the central database system 610 is used to encode and decode data transmitted over the network 620, control the reading and writing of data in tables 612a to 612d, and analyze the data in tables 612a to 612d. . Processor 611 is any processor configured to transmit large amounts of data (possibly as a web server), process communications, search databases and perform large amounts of mathematical calculations when performing computational algorithms. May be. A conventional personal computer or workstation with sufficient memory and processing capabilities can be configured to function as processor 611. A Pentium III microprocessor such as a 1 GHz Pentium III for SC242 manufactured by Intel Corporation, a 500 MHZ POWERPC G4 processor from Motorola, or a 1 GHz AMD ATHLON processor from Advanced Micro Devices as processor 611. be able to. Tables 612a through 612d may be on or stored on any suitable data medium accessible by the processor, including a floppy disk, optical disk, CD-ROM, suitable for storing electronic data. Including, but not limited to, ROM, any type of disk including magneto-optical disk, ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, magnetic or optical card, or any type of medium.
[0020]
Network 620 may be a local area network and / or a wide area network (such as the Internet), a real private network, or a connection via a public switched telephone network. In the exemplary embodiment, network 620 includes a number of connection modalities, including a cable modem connection and / or a DSL connection, a dial-up modem connection, or other suitable connection mechanism.
[0021]
The first type of interaction site, a vendor interaction site 630, includes a vendor terminal 630a, which in an exemplary embodiment is a store checkout counter, a vending machine, and some stores share. Central locations, government-run stores (eg Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) stores), gun exhibitions, flea markets and mobile kiosks in central locations of fairs, ticket counters, nightclubs, casinos and movies At the entrance to the pavilion or restaurant, on the phone to place a sales order, at the pharmacy's point of contact, or, in the case of an Internet transaction, at the personal home computer. The vendor interaction site 630 may include a processor similar to the processor 611, but in an exemplary embodiment, the vendor interaction site 630 transmits and receives data over the network 620 and receives data from the ID input device 630c. It is used exclusively for encoding and decoding of data output to the confirmation output device 630b.
[0022]
Vendor interaction site 630 is designed to be operated by vendors and / or potential customers. In order to avoid forgery of the identification data received at the ID input device 630c, the vendor interaction site 630 may be located at a location where the vendor can control the operation of the device (eg, check-out location, club or theater entrance, prescription, etc.). ) Receiving window). However, due to time and expense restrictions, such as in the case of Internet transactions or trade shows / flea market transactions, it may be necessary to place the vendor interaction site 630 physically away from the vendor. . In some vendor interaction site 630 locations, such as a phone to place a sales order, the vendor interaction site 630 is located at the vendor, but buyers who are likely to buy restricted products enter their identity information over the phone at a distance. Therefore, it is halfway between the two extreme cases.
[0023]
In some embodiments, the vendor interaction site 630 provides a keyboard, touch screen, computer mouse, barcode reader, magnetic reader (strip reader and disk reader) capable of receiving transaction identification information. Transaction input devices (not shown), such as smart card readers, pressure sensors, motion detectors, electromagnetic receivers, voltmeters, thermal sensors, and other transducers. The transaction identification information allows the vendor and / or potential customer to identify the jurisdiction of the product (s) and / or potential (potential) transaction to the vendor terminal 630a and can use this information in the processor 611. Can be used to confirm whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase. Alternatively, as described above, if data storage table 612c and processor 611 are at a vendor interaction site, transaction (eg, merchandise and jurisdiction) information need not be transmitted over network 620 to central database system 610. . Alternatively, transaction (eg, product and jurisdiction) information need not be entered for each transaction, but can be set when the system is installed. For example, a vendor interaction site operated by an airline will always indicate that the product is a ticket, and a vendor interaction site operated by an alcoholic beverage agency will always indicate that the product is alcohol and the jurisdiction will be located in that state. May be indicated.
[0024]
Each of the vendor interaction sites 630 includes an ID input device 630c that receives the biometric identification information from the potential customer and forwards this information to the processor 611, which compares the received information with the identification table 612a. Provide a confirmed identity of a customer with ID input device 630c may be any of a number of recognizers that receive and / or generate identification information about potential customers. An exemplary embodiment of an ID input device 630c that generates identification information includes a voice capable of measuring or receiving measurement information regarding one or more biometric features of an individual and transferring this information to a digital processor. Includes transducers (eg, microphones), digital cameras, fingerprint readers, iris recognizers, gene identifiers, pressure sensors, motion detectors, electromagnetic receivers, voltmeters, thermal sensors and other transducers. Examples of embodiments of the ID input device 630c for receiving identification information include a processor configured to receive digitized image information and / or audio information, pattern information, genetic information, and other information. , Analog image information, and / or analog audio information, analog pattern information, and analog genetic information to a digital format. In this way, the ID input device 630c of the vendor interaction site 630 does not need to perform the actual conversion of the biometric parameters, and the ID input device 630c need only receive the biometric identification input from the potential customer.
[0025]
The ID input device 630c is biometric. In other words, ID input device 630c uses biological information and / or parameters to identify potential customers. One of the great benefits of this approach involves the fact that biological information is difficult for humans to falsify. This adds an extra layer of security to the identification process. Further, the parameters measured in biometric identification are generally common to all humans. For example, the biological parameters used to identify an individual can be compared to all humans, even if the person from abroad has an unfamiliar identification document, that is, an identification document that can be easily forged. Since it is general and general, it is possible to obtain more reliable confirmation of the individual's purchasing ability. Furthermore, biological parameters are relatively common to all humans, so that a uniform legal standard of accountability can be established. For example, a law in which an individual purchases a product restricted by a false positive identification (indicating that the individual is authorized to purchase, but not actually authorized to do so) Open the vendor from transactional liability by using tests to ensure that the vendor is legally entitled and / or legally authorized to make a purchase, as a reasonable standard that the vendor must meet in its jurisdiction. Rates of less than 1% can be established. Finally, the vendor interaction site 630 (including the ID input device 630c) and / or the central database system 610 can be operated by a third party, so that the vendor must adhere to the desire to sell and socially comply with the law. There is no conflict of interest between the responsibilities of having to do so.
[0026]
Suitable types of biometric identification include facial image feature recognizers, fingerprint readers, voice and iris recognizers, and gene identifiers including gene chips. A facial image feature recognition device is described in U.S. Patent No. 6,072,894, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Fingerprint readers are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,469,506, 4,747,147, 5,109,427, 3,882,462, and 5,631,971. And all of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. To put it simply, a scanner as the ID input device 630c creates a digital image of a fingerprint by converting a pattern of light reflected by a fingertip. Alternatively, for Internet transactions, a processor configured to receive fingerprint information scanned from a remote scanner, such as a personal home scanner, may form ID input device 630c. The processor 611 using received fingerprint identification (FID) software can be used to analyze the reflected light pattern by searching for two unique features. One feature is the core, the center of the fingerprint. Another feature is the detail that is the point where the ridge ends or branches. In this way, the processor 611 describes a series of vectors in relation to the details. Even if the finger is off-center or rotated during the scan, the vector describing the relationship between the details does not change significantly and is sufficiently complex and unique. Using ridges and details, one of two possible identifications is performed, one-to-one or one-to-many. The one-to-one search is performed in an identity verification system (IVS) used for security purposes. The IVS preliminarily names the subject and scans (or receives) the ID input device 630c, and stores the fingerprint pattern just transmitted from the vendor terminal 630a to the processor 611 and the identification table 612a of the central database system 610. Compare the known (known) fingerprint record. Because not all details can be captured due to cuts or aberrations, processor 611 can at most only determine the likelihood that a fingerprint matches another fingerprint in identification table 612a. If the known fingerprints in identification table 612a match within acceptable limits, processor 611 "identifies" the individual. The best-known example of a one-to-many search is that performed by an AFIS (Automatic Fingerprint Identification Device) used by police. This is also referred to as cold search, and most commonly compares fingerprints from potential but unknown customers to a database of known and known people and their potential customers. Used to determine if it is already in the To reduce the number of fingerprints compared to an unknown person, FID first counts ridges in the direction from the core of the fingerprint to the edge. Counting ridges is fast, but inherently inaccurate. Depending on how hard you press your finger against the scanner, the number of ridges on the same finger can easily change each time you press your fingerprint. Also, the range of the ridges on all fingers does not change much, typically between 10 and 20. However, counting the ridges eliminates obvious mismatches. Processor 611 then examines the possible matches generated from counting the ridges, looking for another similarity in the detail pattern.
[0027]
Speech recognition is described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,640,490, 5,751,904, and 5,745,64, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. . Briefly, the speech recognition software controlling processor 611 must first search for registrations of candidate speeches to be recognized by the software and store these registrations in identification table 612a. In order for an individual to add his or her voice to the list of candidate voices, the individual must read out the known text for an appropriate period of time, typically 10 minutes to 1 hour. From this sampling, the speech recognition software creates a table in the identification table 612a that serves as a reference for many individual voices so that the pronunciation of the speaker's phonemes differs from the model of the conversation. After registration, the speaker can later read out the text that he wants the software to compare with the voice reference of the candidate's voice, in front of the microphone functioning as the ID input device 630c. The microphone preferably uses noise cancellation to remove background audio. Alternatively, a processor and / or A / D converter may serve as ID input device 630c and receive digitized audio information from a remote microphone. The quality of the microphone that functions as the ID input device 630c (or provides identification information to the ID input device 630c) and the power of the computer processor 611 are related to the quality of speech recognition. The signal generated by the microphone functioning as the ID input device 630c is sampled by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in the vendor terminal 630a at a rate generally higher than 30 kHz, preferably higher than 50 kHz, to perform pattern recognition. The algorithm converts to a series of measurements of several factors, including pitch, volume, frequency, phoneme length, and silence. The measurements are compressed for faster processing, and the voice engine of the software adjusts the measurements taking into account, for example, the background sound of the microphone and the characteristics of the sound. A speech recognizer, such as a neural network algorithm that controls the processor 611, converts the modified measurements from the vendor terminal 630 a to a candidate that previously sampled and compiled the personal conversation and stored it in the identification data table 612 a. Compare to a database of previous measurements associated with an individual. For each measurement, such as pitch, the recognizer searches the identification table 612a for the database item that best matches the particular measurement. To further narrow down the options, the engine compares the other measurements only in the identification table 612a with those of the database item that scores high, for example, with respect to the pitch measurement. This process continues until processor 611 finds a candidate audio that best matches the audio of the sample over the entire range of measurements.
[0028]
In an alternative embodiment of the ID input device 630c, the potential customer is identified anonymously by the DNA fingerprint test. The DNA fingerprint test is based on the differences in genes between individuals and is described in an article published by Applied Biosystems entitled "Automation of DNA Fingerprinting: a Multi-Color Fluorophore Approach". Other example techniques are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,831,065, 5,576,180, 4,880,750, 6,077,668, which are incorporated herein by reference. Is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Briefly, in one embodiment, currently, the most informative genetic markers that represent human characteristics are the variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) loci. VNTR alleles vary in size depending on the number of tandem repeats. DNA is isolated from blood or other cell or tissue samples, and the DNA sequence at the VNTR locus can be specifically amplified by PCR. When PCR involving automatic DNA purification, automatic primer synthesis, and automatic fluorescent fragment analysis is performed by the ID input device 630c (or result data transmitted from another device to the ID input device 630c), individuals can be identified by biometrics. it can. These procedures have been automated using commercially available equipment, namely, the GENEPURE 341 nucleic acid purification system, PCR-MATE 391 DNA synthesizer, GENE SCANNER 362 fluorescent fragment analyzer available from Applied Biosystems.
[0029]
Briefly, these steps can be used to purify DNA using the Applied Biosystems GENEPURE 341 nucleic acid purification system. This device is used to automatically purify nucleic acids from a wide range of sample types. A protocol specifically designed for processing small amounts of DNA with the GENEPURE system uses the phenol chloroform chemistry of this system and BASEBINDER resin. After diluting a whole blood sample (50 μL) to 1.5 mL with saline (TBS) supplemented with Tris buffer, it was directly placed in a GENEPURE reaction vessel containing a 2 × lysis buffer already supplied by the GENEPURE system. Heated to 60 ° C. Then, proteinase K is supplied, and digestion is performed for 1 hour while vibrating. Next, extraction is performed twice with a phenol / water / chloroform reagent and once with chloroform. BASEBINDER resin is added to each reactor and the system is used to supply sodium acetate and isoprepanol. Under these conditions, the gene DNA binds to the resin. As the resin / precipitate complex collects on the PRECIPITATE II filter, it is washed with ethanol to remove trace contaminants. The DNA can then be extracted from the resin with water.
[0030]
Prior to purification, oligonucleotide primers specific for the three VNTR target loci were amplified using PCR-MATE391 DNA using fast oligonucleotide deprotection (FOD) phosphoramidite and a standard 0.2 μmol scale synthesis cycle. It can be synthesized on a synthesizer. Common target VNTR loci are ApoB (1), pMCT118 (2), pNZ22 (3). When adding the last monomer using a standard synthesis cycle to attach the fluorescent dye, the AMINOLINK2An amine linker can be added to the 5 'end of each primer. After cleavage and deprotection of the oligonucleotide, the fluorescent dye NHS ester can be conjugated to the primer to be labeled over the AMINOLINK2 moiety.
[0031]
A DNA sample can be amplified with a low VNTR using an oligonucleotide primer labeled with a fluorescent dye using a GENEAMP PCR-DNA amplification system manufactured by Perkin Elmer Cetas Instruments. The primer is labeled with a different dye such as ApoB (FAM blue), pMCT118 (JOE green), or pYNZ22 (TAMRA yellow), and is adjusted so that it can be labeled at the position where the PCR product is attached.
[0032]
A partial preparation of the PCR product labeled with a fluorescent dye can be conjugated to a medium size standard GENESCAN1000 labeled with the "red" chromophore @ROX. The sample can then be placed in a 2% agarose gel with GENE SCANNER to electrophorese the entire 4 cm "well-to-read region" at 4 volts / cm.
[0033]
The GENE @ SCANNER system uses multicolor fluorescent DNA sequencing techniques for submarine agarose gel electrophoresis. This system incorporates a multi-line argon ion laser that scans the entire gel and excites fluorescence from passing PCR products labeled with a dye. The emitted light is filtered, collected, transmitted as a digital signal, and automatically analyzed by a computer, assigned a fragment length, and quantified the fluorescence. Thereafter, the measured fluorescence pattern is compared with previously measured fluorescence patterns in the identification table 612a corresponding to some candidate individuals. This continues until the location of the matching pattern associated with the particular individual has been determined.
[0034]
Regardless of the nature of the ID input device 630c, once the identification data has been generated and / or digitized, it can be transferred from the vendor terminal 630a to the processor 611 of the central database system 610. Of course, this can be done over network 620, but alternatively, a processor similar to processor 611 may be part of vendor interaction site 630 (not shown). In any case, the identification data is relayed to the processor 611, where it is compared with the table stored in the identification data storage record 612a. An example of the data structure of the identification table 612a is shown as a data record A710 in FIG. 3A.
[0035]
Upon identifying a matching or nearly matching record, processor 611 further accesses tables 612b, 612c, 612d. The personal data storage table 612b may include, for example, an individual's age or other license record, such as a criminal record, mental profile, professional license record, prescription drug record, material handling license or firearms license, one or more. Includes data about individual potential customers, such as information about belonging to any other groups who are prohibited from purchasing multiple items. FIG. 3B shows an example of the data structure of the record included therein. When processor 611 identifies the lead, processor 611 accesses the lead's data record in personal table 612b to determine if the person is legally entitled to purchase the restricted product and / or legally purchase the restricted product. Check if you are allowed.
[0036]
Whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase may be ascertained in light of information stored in the legal prohibition table 612c. it can. Legal barring table 612c may include records of several jurisdictions with respect to the distinguishing characteristics of certain groups whose purchases are barred. FIG. 4A shows an example of the data structure of the record included in the table 612c. By comparing the individual consumer data obtained from the individual consumer table 612b in the light of the vendor's jurisdiction at the vendor interaction site 630 with the legal prohibition obtained from the legal prohibition table 612c, Based on the biometric measurement received at input device 630c, processor 611 determines whether the potential customer is legally entitled to purchase the restricted item and / or is legally authorized to purchase. be able to. This confirmation is relayed to the vendor interaction site 630 so that the vendor can complete the transaction.
[0037]
In some embodiments, the central database system 610 includes a data warehousing feature to provide documents to authorities if a forbidden transaction has occurred by chance. The transaction / identification record table 612d can store both the nature of the potential transaction and the identification information provided by the potential customer. FIG. 4b shows an example of the data structure of a record included in the example transaction / identification record table 612d. As mentioned above, the data warehousing of the transaction / identification record table 612d need not be included in the central database system 610, but may form another database system (not shown).
[0038]
Confirmation that an individual is legally entitled to purchase the restricted product and / or is legally authorized to purchase is returned to the vendor terminal 630a, which uses the confirmation output device 630b. And output confirmation. Confirmation output device 630b may also be comprised of any of a number of different devices, including a computer monitor, a printer (paper or another medium), a magnetic writer (disk drive, magnetic drive). (Including strip writer, tape writer), bar code writer, television screen, radio broadcast, internet data transmission, newspaper or newsletter print advertisement, or for example checkout register and / or reservation software and / or Or a simple electronic confirmation that is automatically communicated to another device, such as a vending machine and / or ordering system and / or a prescription dispenser.
[0039]
3a and 3b show two different data record structures 710 and 720 that can be used to store the biometric identification data of an individual and data about the individual in the data storage tables 612a and 612c of FIG. The biometric identification factors 710d, 710e, 710f are compared to the same biometric parameters measured at the ID input device 630c. When properly matching or near matching data is found, the associated lead name (or other identifying information) 710c is retrieved from record 710 and used to populate the matching lead name field 720c. The data storage table 612c is searched until the associated personal data record 720 is found. The personal information 720d, 720e, 720f, 720g is used to identify the group to which the potential customer belongs and may be barred from certain purchases.
[0040]
4a and 4b store data relating to prohibition within a given jurisdiction 730c in the table 612b of FIG. 2 and data relating to a particular transaction within a particular jurisdiction 612d of FIG. 2 shows two different data record structures 730 and 740 that can be used for: The jurisdiction name (or other identifying information) 730c can be matched with the jurisdiction information entered or stored at the vendor interaction site 630. Information about the transaction including the restricted product can be stored in the fields 730d, 730e, 730f, 730g, and 730h. This information may include, for example, age groups that are banned from purchasing certain products, or the requirement to have a license for restricted products, the requirements of a "criminal" record, when a given product may be purchased, etc. Is also good. This information is used in conjunction with the information available for the individual lead in data record B720 to determine whether the individual lead is legally authorized or not for a purchase. That is, the data record selected by comparing the jurisdiction name 730c with the jurisdiction information provided at the vendor interaction site 630 using the restricted product information identified at the vendor interaction site 630. Select the restriction information fields 730d to 730h in C720. Restriction information from one or more of the restriction information fields 730d to 730h is selected using the lead name 720c identified using one or more of the biometric identification factors 710d to 710f. The personal information 720d is compared with 720g. A comparison of the restriction information from one or more restriction information fields 730d through 730h and the personal information 720d through 720g is used to determine whether the individual potential customer is legally authorized to purchase. For example, the restriction information from one or more restriction information fields 730d through 730h indicates that individuals under the age of 17 are prohibited from watching certain movies in certain jurisdictions, If 720d through 720g indicate that the lead is only two years old, a confirmation is returned to the vendor interaction site 630 that the lead is not legally eligible to purchase a ticket to that particular movie. It is.
[0041]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining whether an individual is entitled to and / or authorized to purchase restricted goods according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method may be performed entirely by a third party (ie, a party that is neither a vendor nor a lead), or may be partially performed by a third party, and the vendor confirms that the lead is eligible for purchase. To eliminate conflicts of interest. At step 5100, a biometric identification is received from a potential customer. As described with respect to the identification input device 630c of FIG. 2, receiving the biometric information may include converting one or more biological parameters of the potential customer, or converting the one or more biological parameters to one or more biological parameters. It may involve only receiving relevant data. According to one embodiment, other identification information, such as the name of the potential customer, is also received. In this case, the customer name can be used as an aid in locating the potentially relevant identification record 710 in the identification table 612a of the central database system 610, and the previously recorded biometric identification factor 710d To 710f can be easily compared with the newly received biometric identification factor (at step 5100). The reception of the biometric identification factor in step 5100 can be performed at a public facility, such as at a store checkout cashier, over a telephone line, over a network connection, and the like.
[0042]
In step 5200, the group to which the potential customer belongs (group member, belonging group, group membership) can be identified based on previously determined identification information for the potential customer. These groups may be related to age (eg, a particular age or a particular age group, such as "over 21"), and / or psychosis history, criminal records, medical records, prescription information, It may be related to a professional license, another license owned by the individual. According to one embodiment, the group to which an individual belongs is determined in light of only the restrictions applicable in that jurisdiction with respect to goods. For example, as of 1999, a 20-year-old individual in the United States belongs to a group banned from buying alcohol, while in Germany the same 20-year-old individual belongs to a group not banned from buying alcohol. The belonging group can be determined in view of the transaction information provided by the vendor interaction site 630.
[0043]
Once the group to which the potential customer belongs is identified, the group is compared to the restrictions applicable to that jurisdiction regarding the purchase of one or more products. These jurisdiction restrictions may be stored, for example, in a data record 730 in the legal prohibition table 612c of the central database system 610 or in a similar data record at the vendor interaction site 630. Is also good. Alternatively, the vendor can manually perform step 5300 based on the belonging group information identified in step 5200.
[0044]
Comparing the affiliation group identified for the lead with the restrictions applicable in that jurisdiction with respect to the purchase, a check is made in step 5400 to see if the lead has the right to purchase the restricted product. I do. This confirmation may take the form of a simple yes / no indication and / or the activation of another device, such as a cash register or vending machine, or the display of one or more groups to which the individual belongs. For example, if a comparison between affiliated groups and applicable legal restrictions is performed manually, step 5400 is simplified to only sending the identified affiliated groups to the vendor.
[0045]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase, according to one embodiment of the present invention. And includes a new step 6150 of receiving transaction information from the vendor. The method may be performed entirely by a third party (ie, a party that is neither a vendor nor a lead), or may be partially performed by a third party, and the vendor confirms that the lead is eligible for purchase. To eliminate conflicts of interest. The new step 6150 may be performed automatically, for example, by the processor 611 of FIG. The transaction information may be loaded by the vendor for each transaction that includes a restricted product, such as, for example, each time a new prescription is ordered, or may be stored at the vendor interaction site 630 and received. It may be transmitted together with the biometric information.
[0046]
FIG. 6 also includes a step 6500 where a record of the transaction containing the restricted product is recorded in a data warehouse, such as the transaction / identification record table 612d of the central database system 610. This can be used to limit vendor liability by storing forged identification information, if any. Or, if a particular restricted item later gets into the hands of an individual in a barred group, police will get a starting point to track the flow of that restricted item. be able to. For example, if a given restricted chemical lot is found in a drug manufacturing lab, police will route the chemical lot from the manufacturer / distributor to the lab through a legitimate buyer. Can be tracked. Alternatively, if a minor drunk and drunk, and was involved in an accident, police would issue a legal buyer who passed restricted alcohol to the minor's drinker (ie, the older brother of the minor's drinker). Or friends).
[0047]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating another exemplary embodiment of a method for determining whether an individual is entitled to and / or authorized to purchase restricted goods in accordance with the present invention. . This method allows the present invention to be performed by a third party (ie, a party that is neither a vendor nor a potential customer) and eliminates the conflict of interest where the vendor confirms the potential customer's eligibility to make a purchase1. One form is shown. That is, the method represents a particular embodiment of some of the processes illustrated in FIG. At step 7100, biometric identification information is received. This information is originally from potential consumers, but can be translated by the vendor and relayed to a third party for verification. In this case, the ID input device 630c includes a communication interface configured to receive the biometric identification information. At step 7200, the received biometric identification information is matched with the known individual and the individual's personal data. At step 7300, personal data about the known individual is relayed to the vendor, and the vendor is responsible for comparing this data to relevant transaction information (eg, merchandise and jurisdiction information). In this case, the determination of whether an individual is legally entitled to purchase restricted goods and / or is legally authorized to purchase is only personal data about known individuals.
[0048]
FIG. 8 illustrates a computer system 801 that can form several different units in one embodiment of the present invention. For example, computer system 801 can alternately form central database system 610, vendor interaction site 630, and updater interaction site 640 of FIG. For this reason, computer system 801 will be described using unique reference numbers. When describing portions of the computer system 801 that are similar to those in another drawing, they are explicitly shown in text. Computer system 801 includes a bus 802 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor 803 coupled with bus 802 for processing information. Processor 803 may form processor 611 of FIG. 1 and / or one or more vendor terminals 630a, or updater terminals 640a. Computer system 801 also includes a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device (eg, dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM)) coupled to bus 802 to store information and instructions for processor 803 to execute. And a main memory 804 such as a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or a flash RAM. Further, main memory 804 may be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information while processor 803 is executing instructions. Computer system 801 is further coupled to a bus 802 to provide read-only memory (ROM) 805 for storing static information and instructions for processor 803, or other static storage (eg, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM) and electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM). A storage device 807 and / or 808, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, is coupled to bus 802 by a disk controller 806 to store information and instructions. Storage 807 and / or 808 may include tables 612a, 612b, 612c, 612d of FIG.
[0049]
Computer system 801 may also include an application specific logic device (eg, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)), or a configurable logic device (eg, a generic array of logic (GAL), or a reprogrammable field programmable gate array (FPGA)). ) May be included. Other removable media devices (eg, compact disks, tapes, removable magneto-optical media) or other fixed high-density media drives may be connected to a suitable device bus (eg, a small computer system interface (SCSI) bus or Enhanced Integrated). A device electronics (IDE) bus, ultra direct memory access (DMA) bus) may be used to add to the computer system 801. Such removable media devices and fixed high density media drives may also include the tables 612a, 612b, 612c, 612d of FIG. Computer system 801 may further include a compact disc reader, compact disc read / write unit, or compact disc jukebox, each of which may be connected to the same device bus or to another device bus. May be.
[0050]
Computer system 801 can be coupled via bus 802 to a display 810, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. The display 810 can form the confirmation output device 630b of FIG. 1, especially if the confirmation of whether an individual is eligible to purchase the product is indicated as yes / no. Display 810 can be controlled by a display card or a graphics card. The computer system includes input devices such as a keyboard 811 and a pointing device 812 (eg, cursor control) that communicate information and command selections to the processor 803. The keyboard 811 and the pointing device 812 (eg, cursor control) can form the input device 640c of the updater interaction site 640. For example, pointing device 812 (eg, cursor control) is a mouse, trackball, or cursor direction key that communicates direction information and command selection to processor 803 and controls movement of a cursor on display 810. Furthermore, a printer (not shown) may provide the confirmation output device 630b of FIG. 1, especially if the confirmation is an admission ticket for a mature content performance.
[0051]
Computer system 801 responds to processor 803 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in a memory, such as main hard disk memory 807, by executing some of the processing steps of the present invention. Or do it all. The instructions can be read into main hard disk memory 807 from another computer-readable medium, such as storage device 808. One or more processors in a multi-processing configuration may be used to execute the sequences of instructions contained in main hard disk memory 807. In an alternative embodiment, hard-wired circuitry may be used instead of or in conjunction with software instructions. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any particular combination of hardware circuits and software.
[0052]
As described above, system 801 may be programmed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, and may include at least one computer readable medium or data structure storing data structures, tables, records, or other data described herein. Including memory. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include a compact disk, hard disk, floppy (registered trademark) disk, tape, magneto-optical disk, PROM (EPROM, EEPROM, flash EPROM), DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, and the like. The present invention controls the computer system 801 and drives the device (s) implementing the invention on any one or combination of computer readable storage media, wherein the computer system 801 is a human user. Includes software that allows you to interact with Such software includes, but is not limited to, device drivers and operating systems, development tools, and application software. Such computer-readable storage media further includes the computer program product of the present invention that performs all or part of the processing performed when implementing the present invention (when processing is distributed).
[0053]
The computer code apparatus of the present invention is any interpreted or executable code mechanism, including, but not limited to, scripts and interpreters, dynamic link libraries, Java classes, and fully executable programs. It is not limited. Further, portions of the processing of the present invention may be distributed to improve performance, and / or reliability, and cost.
[0054]
The term “computer readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium or media involved in providing instructions for processor 803 to execute. Computer readable media can take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical disks such as storage devices 807 and / or 808, and magnetic disks and magneto-optical disks. Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus 802. Also, the transmission medium may take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave data communication or infrared data communication.
[0055]
Common types of computer-readable recording media are computer-readable, for example, hard disk, floppy (registered trademark) disk, tape, magneto-optical disk, PROM (EPROM, EEPROM, flash EPROM), DRAM, SRAM , SDRAM, or any other magnetic medium, compact disk (e.g., CD-ROM), or any other optical medium, punched card, paper tape, or other physical medium with a pattern of holes, carrier wave ( Described), and any other media.
[0056]
Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions executed by processor 803. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can remotely load the instructions implementing all or part of the present invention into dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to computer system 801 can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infrared transmitter to convert the data to an infrared signal. An infrared detector coupled to bus 802 can receive the data carried in the infrared signal and place the data on bus 802. Bus 802 carries data to main hard disk memory 807, and processor 803 retrieves and executes instructions from main hard disk memory 807. Optionally, the instructions received by main hard disk memory 807 may be stored on removable media storage device 808 before or after execution by processor 803.
[0057]
Computer system 801 also includes a communication interface 813 coupled to bus 802. As described above, when the electronic confirmation is electronically communicated to a cash register and / or another device, such as a credit card billing device, ticket printer, boarding pass printer, vending machine, etc., the communication interface 813 It can itself form the confirmation output device 630b. Such electronic confirmation may be, for example, an electronic code that is automatically sent to the vendor's register, an electronic order that is placed directly with the vendor once the customer is identified, or a debit that is debited from the customer's account when purchasing or ordering goods. May be included. Communication interface 813 provides a two-way data communication coupling to communication network 816 connected to local network 815. For example, communication interface 813 may be a network interface card connected to any packet switched local area network (LAN). As another example, communication interface 813 may be an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) card or an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, a modem, which provides a data communication connection to each corresponding type of telephone line. You may. Wireless links can also be implemented. In any implementation, communication interface 813 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.
[0058]
Communication network 816 typically provides data communication through one or more networks to another data device. For example, communication network 816 may be connected to another computer (not shown) via local network 815 (eg, a LAN) or via equipment operated by a service provider that provides communication services using communication network 816. Connection can be provided. Communication network 816 may form network 620 of FIG. In one embodiment, computer 801 is one of interaction sites 630 and central database system 610 is formed by another computer 801. In some embodiments, local network 815 and communication network 816 preferably use electrical, electromagnetic, and optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals over various networks for exchanging digital data with the computer system 801 and over the network interface 814 via the communication interface 813 are exemplary forms of carrier waves that carry information. Computer system 801 can send notifications and receive data, including program code, via network (s) and network link 814, communication interface 813.
[0059]
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above description. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein, within the scope of the appended claims.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG.
FIG. 2 illustrates in a tabular format some restricted products, groups forbidden to purchase these products, and the benefits commonly mentioned for these restrictions.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2 illustrates an example network structure for determining whether an individual is eligible to purchase restricted goods and / or is authorized to purchase based on biometric measurements.
FIG. 3a
FIG. 4 is a diagram of a data record as an example of storing biometric identification data of an individual and data relating to the individual.
FIG. 3b
FIG. 4 is a diagram of a data record as an example of storing biometric identification data of an individual and data relating to the individual.
FIG. 4a
FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example data record that stores data about prohibitions within a given jurisdiction and data about specific transactions.
FIG. 4b
FIG. 4 is a diagram of an example data record that stores data about prohibitions within a given jurisdiction and data about specific transactions.
FIG. 5
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method for determining whether an individual is entitled to and / or authorized to purchase restricted goods in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6
5 is a flowchart illustrating another exemplary embodiment of a method for determining whether an individual is entitled to and / or authorized to purchase restricted goods in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7
5 is a flowchart illustrating yet another example embodiment of a method for determining whether an individual is entitled to and / or authorized to purchase restricted goods in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8
FIG. 4 illustrates an example computer system that can form several different units of one embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (56)

Receiving biometric identification information from the lead;
Identifying the group to which the potential customer belongs;
Confirming with the vendor the rights of the potential customer to purchase certain goods. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises alcohol. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises tobacco. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a firearm. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises a prescription drug. The method of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a casino admission ticket. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises an adult performance admission ticket. The method of claim 1, wherein the goods include aircraft seats. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the commodity comprises a pathogen (pathogenic organism). The method of claim 1, wherein the commodity comprises a chemical. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying step includes transmitting personal information to a vendor. The method of claim 1, wherein the confirming step comprises sending a yes / no indication to the vendor. The method of claim 1, wherein the confirming step comprises sending a confirmation to a vendor over a communication network. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises determining the age of the potential customer that provided the biometric identification information. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises determining a license held by a potential customer who has provided the biometric identification information to purchase a product. The method of claim 15, wherein the license is a professional license. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the biometric identification information comprises scanning a fingerprint of the potential customer. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the biometric identification information comprises receiving data related to scanning of the potential customer's fingerprint. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the biometric identification information is performed under vendor supervision. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the biometric identification information is performed at the potential customer home. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the biometric identification information comprises recognizing voice transmitted over a telephone line. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the group to which the potential customer belongs to a group that is barred from purchasing a product within a jurisdiction. The method of claim 22, wherein the comparing step includes determining an age of the potential customer. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving transaction information from a vendor, wherein the comparing step comprises accessing a list of goods restricted by a jurisdiction. The method of claim 24, wherein the transaction information includes a name of the restricted product and a jurisdiction of the vendor. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a record of the confirmed transaction. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the storing step includes storing the biometric information, product information, and jurisdiction of the vendor. A biometric information receiver configured to receive biometric information from a potential customer;
A processor in communication with the biometric information receiver and configured to identify a group to which the potential customer belongs;
A confirmation output device configured to communicate with the processor and to provide a confirmation that the potential customer has the right to purchase an item. An identification record configured to store biometric information previously loaded for the individual;
A personal data record configured to store data about the individual,
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the processor compares the received biometric information with the previously loaded biometric information to identify the group to which the potential customer belongs using the individual's data record. . 29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a ban record configured to store data regarding legally barring purchases by a group. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the forbidden record is at a vendor. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the forbidden record is in a central database. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein said biometric information receiver comprises a biometric information transducer. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein said biometric information receiver comprises a data communication receiver. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the confirmation output device is configured to provide the age of the potential customer. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the verification output device is configured to provide a criminal record of the potential customer. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the confirmation output device is configured to provide confirmation of the potential customer's license. The system of claim 37, wherein the license is a professional license. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein said confirmation output device comprises a ticket printer. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the confirmation output device indicates to a vending machine to complete a transaction. 29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a transaction / identification record storage database. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the item comprises alcohol. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the item includes tobacco. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the item comprises a firearm. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the product comprises a prescription drug. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the goods include aircraft seats. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the item comprises a casino admission ticket. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the product includes an adult performance admission ticket. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the goods include a pathogen. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the goods include chemicals. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein said biometric information receiver is at a vendor. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the biometric information receiver is at the home of the potential customer. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein said biometric information receiver comprises a speech recognizer connected to a telephone line. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the telephone line includes a product order line. Means for receiving biometric identification information from a potential customer;
Means for identifying a group to which the potential customer belongs;
Means for confirming to the vendor the right to purchase a certain product. 28. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for execution on a computer system, said instructions, when executed by a computer system, causing the computer system to execute the method of any one of claims 1 to 27. A computer-readable recording medium to be executed.

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