Use of a Biometric Image in Online Commerce

Abstract

An online store can transmit an online account token to an electronic device or to a biometric sensing device after a user successfully enters his or her account password. The electronic device or the biometric sensing device can countersign the online account token when the one or more biometric images match reference biometric images and the account password matches user identifier data stored in the electronic device or in the biometric sensing device. The countersigned online account token can then be transmitted to the online store. The user can then make one or more purchases after the online store receives the countersigned online account token.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for completing a purchase on an online store, the method comprising:
 a processing device countersigning an online account token that is associated with an account of the user on the online store with user identifier data when a biometric image matches a reference biometric image, wherein the countersigned online account token indicates the purchase on the online store can be completed; and   the processing device transmitting the countersigned account token to the online store.   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising prior to the processing device countersigning the online account token, the processing device determining if a biometric image matches a reference biometric image. 
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 prior to determining if a biometric image matches a reference biometric image, receiving the biometric image from a user.   
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the online store completing the purchase based on the received countersigned online account token. 
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to determining if a biometric image matches a reference biometric image, performing an enrollment process, wherein the enrollment processing includes receiving a reference biometric image from a user; and   storing the reference biometric image in a memory.   
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the user identifier data comprises a hash of a directory services identification representing the account on the online store. 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 prior to determining if a biometric image matches a reference biometric image, receiving an account password from a user; and   determining if the account password matches a reference account password.   
     
     
         8 . The method as in  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining if the account password matches the user identifier data;   if the account password does not match the user identifier data, receiving a passcode that is associated with the biometric sensing device; and   determining if the passcode matches the user identifier data.   
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 a processing device;   a biometric sensing device operatively connected to the processing device; and   a memory operatively connected to the processing device, wherein an online account token and user identifier data are stored in the memory and the processing device is configured to countersign the online account token with at least a portion of the user identifier data when a biometric image captured by the biometric sensing device matches a reference biometric image.   
     
     
         10 . The system as in  claim 9 , further comprising a network communications interface, wherein the processing device is configured to transmit the countersigned online account token to the online store using the network communications interface. 
     
     
         11 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the processing device comprises a secure processing device. 
     
     
         12 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the memory comprises a first memory and a second memory, the first memory comprising a non-persistent memory that stores the online account token and the second memory comprising a persistent memory that stores the user identifier data. 
     
     
         13 . The system as in  claim 12 , wherein the user identifier data comprises a password that is associated with an account on the online store, a universally unique identifier that is associated with the biometric image, and a directory services identification (DSID) that represents an account of the user on the online store. 
     
     
         14 . The system as in  claim 13 , wherein the processing device is configured to countersign the online account token with a hash of the DSID. 
     
     
         15 . A method for authenticating a user having an account on an online store, the method comprising:
 the online store transmitting an online account token associated with the account to an electronic device; and   the online store receiving a countersigned online account token from the electronic device, wherein the countersigned online account token indicates an identity of the user is authenticated based on a biometric image and indicates confirmation that the biometric image is associated with the account.   
     
     
         16 . The method as in  claim 15 , further comprising the online store completing a purchase based on the receipt of the countersigned online account token. 
     
     
         17 . The method as in  claim 15 , further comprising the online store granting access to the account on the online store based on the receipt of the countersigned online account token.