Check authorization system and method
View Patent ↗A device is provided that includes a monetary instrument having a surface, and a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line coupled to that surface. The MICR line includes an ABA number, a customer account number, and a one-way hash value. The one-way hash value is output from a hashing process using input including the ABA number, the customer account number, together with a personal identification code and a key that are not included on the MICR line. A method is also provided that authenticates a monetary instrument by comparing a computed one-way hash value with a one-way hash value that is located in the MICR line of the monetary instrument. At the point-of-sale, the MICR line data is scanned and the personal identification code obtained from the customer. The scanned data and the personal identification code are transmitted to a check verifier that provides a check verification status.
1. A method comprising:
scanning, by a point-of-sale device, at a point-of-sale location, a monetary instrument associated with an account to obtain data from a MICR line of the monetary instrument, the data including a one-way hash value;
obtaining, by a point-of-sale device, at the point-of-sale location, a personal identification code that is not included on the monetary instrument;
transmitting, by a computing device, from the point-of-sale location to a monetary instrument verifier, the scanned data and the personal identification code; and
receiving, by the computing device, from the monetary instrument verifier, a monetary instrument verification result.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one-way hash value of the monetary instrument is included in an n-digit field at one end of the MICR line.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the data further includes a product code; and
the receiving further includes receiving a maximum amount for the monetary instrument.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the data further includes a product code; and
the receiving further includes receiving an indication of NSF (not sufficient funds) protection for the account.
5. A method comprising:
determining, by a computing device, a one-way hash value using a one-way hashing process based on a key, a personal identification code, an ABA number, and a customer account number; and
outputting, by a printing device, a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line on a monetary instrument, wherein the MICR line comprises the ABA number, the customer account number and the one-way hash value.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the key is a 128-bit key.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the determining of the one-way hash value is further based on a check number; and
the MICR line further comprises a check number.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one-way hashing process uses a Cryptographic Hash Algorithm (CHA).
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one-way hashing process outputs a significantly different one-way hash value in response to minor changes in its inputs.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the determining of the one-way hash value is further based on a product code number.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one-way hash value is a 6-digit number.
12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, before using the key, decrypting an encrypted version of the key to generate the key.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the decrypting uses a 3DES algorithm.
14. A method, comprising:
generating, by a computing device, a one-way hash value using a one-way hashing process based on a key, a personal identification code, an ABA number, and a customer account number associated with a monetary instrument; and
comparing, by the computing device, a printed one-way hash value and the one-way hash value to determine an authenticity of the monetary instrument.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the key is a 128-bit key.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the generating of the one-way hash value is further based on a check number associated with the monetary instrument.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one-way hashing process uses a Cryptographic Hash Algorithm (CHA).
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one-way hashing process outputs a significantly different one-way hash value in response to minor changes in its inputs.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the generating of the one-way hash value is further based on a product code number associated with the monetary instrument.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one-way hash value is a 6-digit number.
21. The method of claim 16 , further comprising, before using the key, decrypting an encrypted version of the key to generate the key.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the decrypting uses a 3DES algorithm.
23. The method of claim 16 , further comprising issuing a status message based on an output of the comparing.
24. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
determining a one-way hash value using a one-way hashing process based on a key, a personal identification code, an ABA number, and a customer account number; and
outputting a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line on a monetary instrument, wherein the MICR line comprises the ABA number, the customer account number and the one-way hash value.
25. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
generating a one-way hash value using a one-way hashing process based on a key, a personal identification code, an ABA number, and a customer account number associated with a monetary instrument; and
comparing a printed one-way hash value and the one-way hash value to determine an authenticity of the monetary instrument.