Universal secure registry

Abstract

A mobile electronic device for authenticating a user involved in a transaction and a method thereof is provided. The mobile electronic device includes a biometric sensor, a user interface configured to PIN or other secret information known to the user, and one or more processors configured to authenticate the user based on the user input, authenticate the user based on the biometric information, retrieve identification information including mobile device and user account information, and generate a one-time authentication code specific to the transaction. The device also includes a wireless communications interface configured to transmit the identification information and the one-time authentication code to a computer system for processing, where generating the one-time authentication code occurs responsive to successful authentication of at least one of the biometric information and the user input, and where the wireless communications interface is further configured to receive an enablement signal indicating an approved transaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile electronic device for authenticating a user involved in a transaction, the mobile electronic device comprising:
 a biometric sensor configured to capture biometric information of the user;   a user interface configured to receive a user input comprising a personal identification number (PIN) or other secret information known to the user;   one or more processors configured to: 1) authenticate the user based on the user input, 2) authenticate the user based on the biometric information, 3) retrieve identification information including information specific to the mobile electronic device and information specific to a user account to be employed in the transaction, and 4) generate a one-time authentication code specific to the transaction; and   a wireless communications interface configured to transmit the identification information and the one-time authentication code to a computer system for processing;   wherein generating the one-time authentication code occurs responsive to successful authentication of at least one of the biometric information and the user input by the mobile electronic device; and   wherein the wireless communications interface is further configured to receive an enablement signal indicating an approved transaction, wherein the enablement signal is only received after successful validation of the identification information and the one-time authentication code by the computer system.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time authentication code comprises a code associated with credit or bank card information of the user, and wherein the one-time authentication code does not contain the credit or bank card information of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time authentication code is generated using at least one of a non-predictable value, a time-variant value, and a transaction-specific value. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time authentication code is associated with a public identification code for a credit or bank card account, and wherein the public identification code for the credit or bank card account is communicated to a credit or bank card issuer to enable the transaction. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to encrypt the identification information and the one-time authentication code before they are transmitted to the computer system. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to capture at least one of fingerprint information, voice print information, signature information, iris information, facial scan information, and DNA information. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system comprises one or more servers associated with a credit card company or bank. 
     
     
         8 . A method for authenticating a user involved in a transaction using a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:
 authenticating the user based on at least one of: 1) biometric information of the user captured by a biometric sensor of the mobile electronic device, and 2) a user input received by a user interface of the mobile electronic device and comprising a personal identification number (PIN) or other secret information known to the user;   retrieving identification information including information specific to the mobile electronic device and information specific to a user account to be employed in the transaction;   generating a one-time authentication code specific to the transaction;   wirelessly transmitting the identification information and the one-time authentication code to a computer system for processing; and   receiving an enablement signal indicating an approved transaction, wherein the enablement signal is only received after successful validation of the identification information and the one-time authentication code by the computer system;   wherein generating the one-time authentication code occurs responsive to successful authentication of at least one of the biometric information and the user input by the mobile electronic device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one-time authentication code comprises a code associated with credit or bank card information of the user, and wherein the one-time authentication code does not contain the credit or bank card information of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one-time authentication code is generated using at least one of a non-predictable value, a time-variant value, and a transaction-specific value. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one-time authentication code is associated with a public identification code for a credit or bank card account, and wherein the public identification code for the credit or bank card account is communicated to a credit or bank card issuer to enable the transaction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising encrypting the identification information and the one-time authentication code before they are transmitted to the computer system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to capture at least one of fingerprint information, voice print information, signature information, iris information, facial scan information, and DNA information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the computer system comprises one or more servers associated with a credit card company or bank. 
     
     
         15 . A computer readable medium or media containing instructions for authenticating a user involved in a transaction, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors of a mobile electronic device causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
 authenticating the user based on at least one of: 1) biometric information of the user captured by a biometric sensor of the mobile electronic device, and 2) a user input received by a user interface of the mobile electronic device and comprising a personal identification number (PIN) or other secret information known to the user;   retrieving identification information specific to the mobile electronic device and a user account to be employed in the transaction;   generating a one-time authentication code specific to the transaction;   wirelessly transmitting the identification information and the one-time authentication code to a computer system for processing; and   receiving an enablement signal indicating an approved transaction, wherein the enablement signal is only received after successful validation of the identification information and the one-time authentication code by the computer system;   wherein generating the one-time authentication code occurs responsive to successful authentication of at least one of the biometric information and the user input by the mobile electronic device.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 15 , wherein the one-time authentication code comprises a code associated with credit or bank card information of the user, and wherein the one-time authentication code does not contain the credit or bank card information of the user. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 15 , wherein the one-time authentication code is generated using at least one of a non-predictable value, a time-variant value, and a transaction-specific value. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 15 , wherein the one-time authentication code is associated with a public identification code for a credit or bank card account, and wherein the public identification code for the credit or bank card account is communicated to a credit or bank card issuer to enable the transaction. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 15 , wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more processors further causes the one or more processors to carry out the step of encrypting the identification information and the one-time authentication code before the identification information and the one-time authentication code are transmitted to the computer system. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 15 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to capture at least one of fingerprint information, voice print information, signature information, iris information, facial scan information, and DNA information. 
     
     
         21 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 15 , wherein the computer system comprises one or more servers associated with a credit card company or bank. 
     
     
         22 . A system for authenticating a user involved in a transaction, the system comprising:
 a mobile electronic device, the mobile electronic device comprising:
 a biometric sensor configured to capture biometric information of the user; 
 a user interface configured to receive a user input comprising a personal identification number (PIN) or other secret information known to the user; 
 one or more processors configured to: 1) authenticate the user based on the user input, 2) authenticate the user based on the biometric information, 3) retrieve identification information specific to the mobile electronic device and a user account to be employed in the transaction, and 4) generate a one-time authentication code specific to the transaction; and 
 a wireless communications interface configured to transmit the identification information and the one-time authentication code to a computer system for processing; 
   the computer system, comprising:
 a communications interface configured to receive the identification information and the one-time authentication code; and 
 one or more processors configured to retrieve account information associated with the mobile electronic device and the user account to be employed in the transaction, and to use the retrieved account information to validate the received identification information and one-time authentication code; 
   wherein generating the one-time authentication code occurs responsive to successful authentication of at least one of the biometric information and the user input by the mobile electronic device; and   wherein the wireless communications interface is further configured to receive an enablement signal indicating an approved transaction, wherein the enablement signal is only received after successful validation of the identification information and the one-time authentication code by the computer system.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the one-time authentication code comprises a code associated with credit or bank card information of the user, and wherein the one-time authentication code does not contain the credit or bank card information of the user. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the one-time authentication code is generated using at least one of a non-predictable value, a time-variant value, and a transaction-specific value. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the one-time authentication code is associated with a public identification code for a credit or bank card account, and wherein the public identification code for the credit or bank card account is communicated to a credit or bank card issuer to enable the transaction. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the one or more processors of the mobile electronic device are further configured to encrypt the identification information and the one-time authentication code before they are transmitted to the computer system. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the biometric sensor is configured to capture at least one of fingerprint information, voice print information, signature information, iris information, facial scan information, and DNA information. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer system comprises one or more servers associated with a credit card company or bank.