Fraud resistant biometric financial transaction system and method

1. A method for authorizing a transaction, comprising:

acquiring biometric data from a person in connection with a transaction;

determining a probability of liveness of the person, P 1 , and a level of confidence in the person's identity, P 2 ; and

providing an authorization decision based on a combination of P 1 and P 2 , the combination emphasizing the contribution of P 1 in moving the authorization decision towards acceptance of the transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining P 1 and P 2 such that means for determining P 1 is less sensitive, as compared to means for determining P 2 , to conditions out of the control of either means.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining P 1 and P 2 such that means for determining P 1 is less sensitive, as compared to a means for determining P 2 , to illumination changes or orientation of the person.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the authorization decision towards acceptance of the transaction if P 1 comprises a value that is near to 1.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising authorizing the transaction if P 1 comprises a value that is near to 1, and P 2 comprises a value of about 0.25 or greater.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising authorizing the transaction if P 1 and P 2 are above a threshold, authorizing the transaction if P 1 is above the threshold and P 2 is below the threshold, and not authorizing the transaction if P 1 and P 2 are below the threshold.

7. A system for authorizing a transaction, comprising:

a sensor acquiring biometric data from a person in connection with a transaction;

a biometric module:

determining a probability of liveness of the person, P 1 , and a level of confidence in the person's identity, P 2 ; and

providing an authorization decision based on a combination of P 1 and P 2 , the combination emphasizing the contribution of P 1 in moving the authorization decision towards acceptance of the transaction.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the biometric module comprises means for determining P 1 and P 2 such that the means for determining P 1 is less sensitive, as compared to the means for determining P 2 , to conditions out of the control of either means.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the biometric module comprises means for determining P 1 and P 2 such that the means for determining P 1 is less sensitive, as compared to the means for determining P 2 , to illumination changes or orientation of the person.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the biometric module moves the authorization decision towards acceptance of the transaction if P 1 comprises a value that is near to 1.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the biometric module authorizes the transaction if P 1 comprises a value that is near to 1, and P 2 comprises a value of about 0.25 or greater.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the biometric module authorizes the transaction if P 1 and P 2 are above a threshold, authorizes the transaction if P 1 is above the threshold and P 2 is below the threshold, and does not authorize the transaction if P 1 and P 2 are below the threshold.

13. A method for authorizing a transaction, comprising:

acquiring biometric data from a person in connection with a transaction;

determining a probability of liveness of the person, P 1 , and a level of confidence in the person's identity, P 2 , wherein means for determining P 1 is less sensitive, as compared to means for determining P 2 , to conditions out of the control of either means; and

providing an authorization decision for the transaction based on a combination of P 1 and P 2 .

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein providing the authorization decision comprises providing the authorization decision based on a combination of P 1 and P 2 , the combination emphasizing the contribution of P 1 to the combination.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein providing the authorization decision comprises providing the authorization decision based on the combination of P 1 and P 2 , the combination emphasizing the contribution of P 1 in moving the authorization decision towards acceptance of the transaction.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining P 1 and P 2 comprises determining P 1 and P 2 such that means for determining P 1 is less sensitive, as compared to a means for determining P 2 , to illumination changes or orientation of the person.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising moving the authorization decision towards acceptance of the transaction if P 1 comprises a value that is near to 1.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising authorizing the transaction if P 1 comprises a value that is near to 1, and P 2 comprises a value of about 0.25 or greater.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising authorizing the transaction if P 1 and P 2 are above a threshold, authorizing the transaction if P 1 is above the threshold and P 2 is below the threshold, and not authorizing the transaction if P 1 and P 2 are below the threshold.

20. A method for authorizing a transaction, comprising:

acquiring biometric data from a person in connection with a transaction;

determining a probability of liveness of the person, P 1 , and a level of confidence in the person's identity, P 2 ; and

authorizing the transaction if P 1 and P 2 are above a threshold, authorizing the transaction if P 1 is above the threshold and P 2 is below the threshold, and not authorizing the transaction if P 1 and P 2 are below the threshold.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising emphasizing P 1 's contribution to a decision for authorizing the transaction.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein determining P 1 and P 2 comprises determining P 1 and P 2 such that means for determining P 1 is less sensitive, as compared to a means for determining P 2 , to illumination changes or orientation of the person.

23. A system for authorizing financial transactions, comprising:

a sensor acquiring biometric data from a person in connection with a transaction; and

a biometric module calculating probability of liveness, Pp, of the person and probability of a match, Pm, between the person or a token and known biometric or token information respectively, determining a combination of Pp and Pm that emphasizes the contribution of Pp to the combination, and providing an authorization decision, D, based on the determined combination of Pp and Pm.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the biometric module comprises means for calculating Pp and Pm such that the means for calculating Pp is less sensitive, as compared to the means for calculating Pm, to conditions out of the control of either means.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the biometric module comprises means for calculating Pp and Pm such that the means for calculating Pp is less sensitive, as compared to the means for calculating Pm, to illumination changes or orientation of the person.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein the biometric module moves the authorization decision towards acceptance of the transaction if Pp comprises a value that is near to 1.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the biometric module authorizes the transaction if Pp comprises a value that is near to 1, and Pm comprises a value of about 0.25 or greater.

28. The system of claim 23 , wherein the biometric module authorizes the transaction if Pp and P 2 are above a threshold, authorizes the transaction if Pp is above the threshold and Pm is below the threshold, and does not authorize the transaction if Pp and Pm are below the threshold.

29. The system of claim 23 , wherein the biometric module determines the authorization decision, D, according to the formula D=Pp*(K+Pm), wherein K is a number between 0.1 and 100.