Dynamic Number Authentication for Credit/Debit Cards

Abstract

A method and apparatus for conducting a commercial transaction over the Internet or other network connection are provided. Random numbers, which are unique for each user session, are pre-loaded onto a handheld, portable device, or token. The random numbers are generated by external systems and delivered to the token for storage in an internal memory and to a database accessible by an authentication system. The random numbers are dispensed by the token to a user by pressing a button on the token or otherwise signaling the token. A dispensed number is cross referenced, by the authentication system, to the database. The dispensed number authenticates the user or transaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for conducting commercial transactions, the system comprising:
 a transaction device comprising a plurality of account selection buttons, each button assigned a unique account identifier number representing a respective unique account for conducting commercial transactions, the transaction device configured to:
 receive a selection of an account selection button from the plurality of account selection buttons; 
 dispense a next unused random number from a set of random numbers stored in a memory of the transaction device, the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device including a plurality of random numbers being independent of the unique account identifier number and being determined before dispensing any random number from the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device; and 
 display the dispensed next unused random number and the unique account identifier number on a display of the transaction device; 
   an authentication system configured to:
 accept a commercial transaction in response to the dispensed next unused random number matching a next unused random number of a set of random numbers stored on the authentication system, the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system being the same as the set of random numbers stored on the transaction device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction device is further configured to remove the next unused random number from the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device in response to dispensing the next unused random number and the authentication system is further configured to remove the dispensed next unused random number from the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system in response to accepting the commercial transaction. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an external system configured to generate the set of random numbers and transmit the set of random numbers to the transaction device for storage in the memory of the transaction device and to a random number database that is accessible to the authentication system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the transaction device further comprises a communication port configured to communicate with at least one of the authentication system or the external system, and the transaction device is further configured to verify the integrity of the set of random numbers transmitted by the external system, store the set of random numbers in the memory of the transaction device, and deactivate the communication port in response to verifying the set of random numbers. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction device is further configured to provide 1 to N additional numbers for each unused random numbers via 1 to N predetermined polynomial transformation equations, wherein the 1 to N predetermined polynomial transformation equations operate on each unused random number to generate 1 to N additional numbers. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction device comprises at least one magnetic transducer, and the transaction device is further configured to communicate the dispensed next unused random number and the unique account identifier number by the magnetic transducer. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction device further comprises a status indicator configured to display the total quantity of random numbers remaining in the memory of the transaction device, and the dispensed next unused random number comprises an indicator digit. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction device comprises an interactive device and the plurality of buttons comprises a plurality of virtual buttons displayed on an interactive display of the interactive device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction device is further configured to receive a personal identification number (PIN), and is further configured to dispense a next unused random number in response to receiving the PIN. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the authentication system is further configured to resynchronize with the transaction device in response to the dispensed next unused number differing from the next unused random number stored on the authentication system. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein, in order to resynchronize with the transaction device, the authentication system is further configured to:
 locate a random number corresponding to the dispensed next unused random number in the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system;   compare a second dispensed next unused random number from the set of random numbers stored on the transaction device, the second next unused random number dispensed subsequent to the dispensed next unused random number, to a random number in the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system that is next after the located random number; and   resynchronize in response to the dispensed second next unused random number matching the random number that is next after the located random number.   
     
     
         12 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 receive a selection of an account selection button from a plurality of account selection buttons, each button assigned to a unique identifier representing a respective unique account for conducting commercial transactions;   dispense a next unused random number from a set of random numbers stored in a memory of a transaction device, the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device including a plurality of random numbers being independent of the unique account identifier number and being determined before dispensing any random number from the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device; and   display the dispensed next unused random number and the unique account identifier number on a display.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of buttons comprises a plurality of virtual buttons on a graphical user interface of the display. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to communicate the dispensed next unused random number and the unique account identifier number to an authentication system configured to accept a commercial transaction in response to the dispensed next unused random number matching a next unused random number of a set of random numbers stored on the authentication system, the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system being the same as the set of random numbers stored on the transaction device. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause at least one processor to remove the next unused random number from the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device in response to dispensing the next unused random number and to remove the dispensed next unused random number from the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system in response to accepting the commercial transaction. 
     
     
         16 . A method for conducting commercial transactions, the method comprising:
 receiving a selection of an account selection button from a plurality of account selection buttons of a transaction device, each button assigned a unique account identifier number representing a respective unique account for conducting commercial transactions;   dispensing, by the transaction device, a next unused random number from a set of random numbers stored in a memory of the transaction device, the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device including a plurality of random numbers being independent of the unique account identifier number and being determined before dispensing any random number from the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device;   displaying, by the transaction device, the dispensed next unused random number and the unique account identifier number on a display of the transaction device; and   accepting, by an authentication system, a commercial transaction in response to the dispensed next unused random number matching a next unused random number of a set of random numbers stored on the authentication system, the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system being the same as the set of random numbers stored on the transaction device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein dispensing the next unused random number includes removing the next unused random number from the set of random numbers stored in the memory of the transaction device; and wherein accepting the commercial transaction includes removing the dispensed next unused random number from the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing 1 to N additional numbers for each unused random numbers via 1 to N predetermined polynomial transformation equations, and generating  1  to N additional numbers by operating the 1 to N predetermined polynomial transformation equations on each unused random number. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising resynchronizing, by the authentication system, with the transaction device in response to the dispensed next unused number differing from the next unused random number stored on the authentication system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein resynchronizing comprises:
 locating a random number corresponding to the dispensed next unused random number in the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system;   comparing a second dispensed next unused random number from the set of random numbers stored on the transaction device, the second next unused random number dispensed subsequent to the dispensed next unused random number, to a random number in the set of random numbers stored on the authentication system that is next after the located random number; and   resynchronizing the authentication device in response to the dispensed second next unused random number matching the random number that is next after the located random number.