Authorization of a financial transaction

Abstract

An iris biometric recognition module includes technology for capturing images of an iris of an eye of a person, whether the person is moving or stationary. The iris biometric recognition technology can perform an iris matching procedure for, e.g., authentication or identity purposes, by comparing a digital iris image to a reference iris image and, if at least a portion of the digital and reference iris images match, authenticating a person as authorized to conduct a financial transaction.

The claimed invention is: 
     
         1 . A biometric access control device comprising:
 a camera having a field of view;   an illuminator device comprising one or more illuminators that emit light into the field of view;   a client device enabled to authenticate a person to access a financial software and execute a financial transaction;   an input device;   memory storing program instructions; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the illuminator device, the camera, the client device, the input device, and the memory, and further communicatively coupled to a database storing a reference iris image for a user validated to access the financial software, the processor executing the program instructions to:
 receive an input signal from the input device; 
 determine that the input signal comprises a permission to scan an iris of a person in proximity to the client device; 
 align the camera with the iris of the person; 
 send a first control signal to the illuminator device, the first control signal activating a synchronous emission of light by the one or more illuminators at a pulse frequency above continuous wave eye safe limits; 
 send a second control signal to the camera, the second control signal activating a capture of a plurality of digital images by the camera, the capture being synchronous with the synchronous emission of light; 
 receive the plurality of digital images from the camera; 
 access the database and retrieve the reference iris image; 
 determine that a first digital image of the plurality of digital images matches the reference iris image; 
 authenticate the person as authorized to execute the financial transaction; and 
 execute the financial transaction. 
   
     
     
         2 . The biometric access control device of  claim 1 , wherein the financial transaction is conducted via the financial software at an automated teller machine. 
     
     
         3 . The biometric access control device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor executing the program instructions to.
 determine that the first digital image of the plurality of digital images does not match the reference iris image; and   deny the person access to the financial software on the client device.   
     
     
         4 . The biometric access control device of  claim 1 , wherein the camera, the illuminator device, the input device, the memory and the processor are incorporated into the client device. 
     
     
         5 . The biometric access control device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the illuminator device comprises at least one infrared illuminator; and   the program instructions operate the illuminator device to illuminate the iris with a pulsing or strobe illumination operation above continuous wave eye safe limits.   
     
     
         6 . The biometric access control device of  claim 1 , wherein the camera, the illuminator device, the client device, the input device, the memory and the processor are communicatively coupled, via wired or wireless internet connectivity, to a local, remote or cloud database. 
     
     
         7 . An iris biometric financial transaction authorization system comprising:
 an iris biometric recognition module that authenticates a person for authorization of a financial transaction, the iris biometric recognition module comprising:
 an iris imager device comprising a lens; 
 an illuminator device; 
 memory storing program instructions; and 
 one or more processors communicatively coupled to the iris imager device, the illuminator device, and the memory, the one or more processors executing the program instructions to:
 align the lens of the iris imager device with an iris of the person; 
 operate the illuminator device to illuminate the iris; 
 operate the iris imager device to produce a digital image of the iris; 
 compare the digital image to a reference iris image; and 
 responsive to a determination that the digital image matches the reference iris image, authorize the financial transaction. 
 
   
     
     
         8 . The iris biometric financial transaction authorization system of  claim 7 , wherein the financial transaction is authorized via a combination of the determination that the digital image matches the reference iris image and at least one additional authentication technique. 
     
     
         9 . The iris biometric financial transaction authorization system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the illuminator device comprises at least one infrared illuminator; and   the one or more processors executing the program instructions operates the illuminator device to illuminate the iris with a pulsing or strobe illumination operation above continuous wave eye safe limits.   
     
     
         10 . The iris biometric financial transaction authorization system of  claim 7 , wherein the iris imager device, the illuminator device and the iris biometric recognition module are incorporated into a mobile device. 
     
     
         11 . The iris biometric financial transaction authorization system of  claim 1 , wherein the iris biometric recognition module is communicatively coupled, via wired or wireless internet connectivity, to a local, remote or cloud database. 
     
     
         12 . The iris biometric financial transaction authorization system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors execute the program instructions terminate authorization for the financial transaction after a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         13 . The iris biometric financial transaction authorization system of  claim 7 , wherein the financial transaction is conducted at an automated teller machine. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising authenticating a person for authorization of a financial transaction via an iris biometric recognition module comprising program instructions stored in memory and causing one or more processors to execute the steps of:
 aligning a lens of an iris imager device with the iris of the person;   operating an illuminator device to illuminate the iris;   operating the iris imager device to produce a digital image of the iris;   comparing the digital image to a reference iris image; and   responsive to a determination that the digital image matches the reference iris image, authorizing the financial transaction.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising authorizing the financial transaction via a combination of wherein authenticating the person for authorization of the financial transaction via the determination that the digital image matches the reference iris image and at least one additional authentication technique. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 operating the illuminator device comprises operating an infrared illuminator; and   operating the infrared illuminator comprises illuminating the iris with a pulsing or strobe illumination operation above continuous wave eye safe limits.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein authenticating the person to for authorization of the financial transaction via a mobile device incorporating the iris biometric recognition module is executed via the iris imager device, the illuminator device and the one or more processors. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising accessing the reference iris image via wired or wireless internet connectivity, from a local, remote or cloud database. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising terminating authorization of the financial transaction after a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the financial transaction is conducted at an automated teller machine.