IP Library Granted Patent US 12,619,986
Granted Patent B1
US 12,619,986 · App. 18/402,312 · Granted May 5, 2026

Orientation sensor-enabled authentication

Inventors: Kelly Q. Baker (San Antonio, TX); David M. Jones, Jr. (San Antonio, TX); Robert Andrew Massie (San Antonio, TX); Bryan J. Osterkamp (New Braunfels, TX); Ryan Thomas Russell (San Antonio, TX)
Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
G06Q20/40G06K19/0719G06Q20/02G06Q20/202G06Q20/204G06Q20/321G06Q20/3226G06Q20/341H04L63/0853G06Q30/0185
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,619,986
App. No.
18/402,312
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

Authentication systems and methods using orientation sensor-enabled payment cards are disclosed herein where a server receives an authorization request from a web server or an electronic terminal. The server then transmits an instruction to the orientation sensor to determine whether the payment card has an orientation that is consistent with a predetermined orientation. When the payment card has an orientation consistent with the predetermined orientation, the server executes a first authentication protocol. However, if the payment card has an orientation that is not consistent with the predetermined orientation, the server executes a second authentication protocol that is more restrictive than the first authentication protocol.

Claims (46)

1 . A method, comprising:

receiving, via a server, a request to authorize a payment associated with a payment card from a point of sale (POS) terminal;

transmitting, via the server, an instruction to an orientation tracking module of the payment card to determine an orientation of the payment card;

receiving, via the server, the orientation of the payment card from the orientation tracking module of the payment card;

determining, via the server, an authentication protocol based at least in part on the orientation of the payment card;

transmitting, via the server, an instruction relating to the authentication protocol to the POS terminal;

receiving, via the server, confirmation from the POS terminal that the instruction relating to the authentication protocol has been followed via interaction with the POS terminal; and

processing, via the server, the payment in response to the confirmation that the instruction relating to the authentication protocol has been followed via the interaction with the POS terminal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

identifying, via the server, an authorized electronic device associated with the payment card;

transmitting, via the server, an instruction to the authorized electronic device to display a prompt requesting an authentication input;

receiving, via the server, the authentication input from the authorized electronic device; and

authorizing, via the server, the payment in response to matching the authentication input with a predetermined authentication input associated with the payment card.

3 . The method of claim 2 , comprising transmitting, via the server, a notification to the authorized electronic device, the notification comprising at least one of a payment amount, identification information associated with a web server or the POS terminal from which the request originated, and a timestamp of the request.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the authorized electronic device is at least one of a mobile phone, computer, and wearable device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

identifying, via the server, a unique identifier associated with the orientation tracking module of the payment card; and

transmitting, via the server, the instruction to the orientation tracking module of the payment card to determine the orientation of the payment card based at least in part on the unique identifier.

6 . The method of claim 1 , comprising transmitting, via the server, an authorization request to a payment facilitation server, wherein the authentication protocol is dependent upon whether the payment facilitation server approves the authorization request.

7 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

receiving, via the server, at least one of a speed of movement, a direction of movement, an acceleration of movement, and a gyration associated with the payment card from the orientation tracking module of the payment card; and

determining, via the server, the authentication protocol based at least in part on the at least one of the speed of movement, the direction of movement, the acceleration of movement, and the gyration associated with the payment card.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the payment card comprises an orientation tracking sensor and a transmitter/receiver integrated into the payment card, wherein the orientation tracking sensor is configured to detect the orientation of the payment card and the at least one of the speed of movement, the direction of movement, the acceleration of movement, and the gyration associated with the payment card, and the transmitter/receiver is configured to transmit the orientation to the server.

9 . A server comprising at least one processor configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of the server, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to:

receive a request to authorize a payment associated with a payment card from a point of sale (POS) terminal;

transmit an instruction to an orientation tracking module of the payment card to determine an orientation of the payment card;

receive the orientation of the payment card from the orientation tracking module of the payment card;

determine an authentication protocol based at least in part on the orientation of the payment card;

transmit an instruction relating to the authentication protocol to the POS terminal;

receive confirmation from the POS terminal that the instruction relating to the authentication protocol has been followed via interaction with the POS terminal; and

process the payment in response to the confirmation that the instruction relating to the authentication protocol has been followed via the interaction with the POS terminal.

10 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to:

identify an authorized electronic device associated with the payment card;

transmit an instruction to the authorized electronic device to display a prompt requesting an authentication input;

receive the authentication input from the authorized electronic device; and

authorize the payment in response to matching the authentication input with a predetermined authentication input associated with the payment card.

11 . The server of claim 10 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to transmit a notification to the authorized electronic device, the notification comprising at least one of a payment amount, identification information associated with a web server or the POS terminal from which the request originated, and a timestamp of the request.

12 . The server of claim 10 , wherein the authorized electronic device is at least one of a mobile phone, computer, and wearable device.

13 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to:

identify a unique identifier associated with the orientation tracking module of the payment card; and

transmit the instruction to the orientation tracking module of the payment card to determine the orientation of the payment card based at least in part on the unique identifier.

14 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to transmit an authorization request to a payment facilitation server, wherein the authentication protocol is dependent upon whether the payment facilitation server approves the authorization request.

15 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the server to:

receive at least one of a speed of movement, a direction of movement, an acceleration of movement, and a gyration associated with the payment card from the orientation tracking module of the payment card; and

determine the authentication protocol based at least in part on the at least one of the speed of movement, the direction of movement, the acceleration of movement, and the gyration associated with the payment card.

16 . The server of claim 15 , wherein the payment card comprises an orientation tracking sensor and a transmitter/receiver integrated into the payment card, wherein the orientation tracking sensor is configured to detect the orientation of the payment card and the at least one of the speed of movement, the direction of movement, the acceleration of movement, and the gyration associated with the payment card, and the transmitter/receiver is configured to transmit the orientation to the server.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 17103110 · Nov 24, 2020
Provisional Application 62939911 · Nov 25, 2019
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