System and process for performing purchase transactions using tokens
The invention relates to a method and process by which an existing and large network of devices can be used by consumers to authenticate themselves, and permits each consumer to apply any of the various payments mechanisms available to him. The existing broadly distributed network is active and passive radio frequency identification (“RFID”) devices held by consumers. Various types of accounts are linked to devices and allow users to perform various purchase transactions, as well as non-financial transactions.
1. A method for performing at least one payment transaction comprising:
registering, by a central controller comprising at least one computer processor, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) token of a consumer and a financial account of the consumer, said registering comprising:
receiving, via a register station, a unique identifier of the RFID token;
receiving, via the register station, account information for the financial account;
validating the consumer;
listing the RFID token as a trusted authenticated RFID token permitted to perform transactions; and
storing the unique identifier of the RFID token in association with the financial account so that the financial account can be used to perform said transactions using the unique identifier of the RFID token;
transferring, via the central controller, trust associated with the trusted authenticated RFID token to an active communications device (ACD) for a limited time period, said transferring comprising:
securely sharing, by the ACD, a secret of the ACD with the trusted authenticated RFID token;
receiving from the trusted authenticated RFID token, via the register station, both the unique identifier of the trusted authenticated RFID token and the shared secret of the ACD; and
storing the shared secret of the ACD in association with the trusted authenticated RFID token so that the ACD is permitted to perform said transactions, as a trusted ACD, on behalf of the trusted authenticated RFID token for the limited time period; and
subsequent to said registering and said transferring and within the limited time period, performing at least one payment transaction using the trusted ACD, said performing comprising:
communicating, by the trusted ACD, the secret shared with the trusted authenticated RFID token to a RFID reader of a payee;
verifying, by the central controller, that the communicated secret is the shared secret of the ACD stored in association with the trusted authenticated RFID token; and
if verified, making payment to the payee for a transaction amount from the financial account to a payee account.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the register station is located at a bank, an office or a store.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RFID token is a passive device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RFID token is an active device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the financial account is a stored value account, a debit account, or a credit card account.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RFID token is a key of a particular automobile.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein validating the consumer comprises:
confirming with a department of motor vehicles that the consumer is an owner of the particular automobile.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein validating the consumer comprises:
receiving from the consumer a consumer signature or a temporary PIN that was mailed to the consumer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACD is a cellular phone, a computer, or a personal digital assistant.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACD is an engine controller of an automobile.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACD is a toll transmitter that is accepted by a plurality of toll authorities.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACD is a toll transmitter, the payee is a toll authority, and the transaction amount is a toll payment amount.