Abstract: A transaction authentication center is electronically linked with a plurality of customers and retail merchants. During registration, the center issues and exclusively maintains an electronic transaction card for each customer. In addition, the center receives and fragments a reference biometric sample, provided by the customer, into multiple data files that are stored separately for optimal security. In use, when a customer initiates a financial transaction through an e-commerce platform on a merchant server, the server transmits an authentication request to the center. In response, the center requests a single-use biometric sample from the customer. Once received, the center compares the sample against the data files for the fragmented reference sample.

Abstract: Methods and a system are provided for secured processing of a credit transaction. The method comprises receiving from a customer interface device a credit request for a transaction account having a zero credit, the credit request comprising a credit amount and a customer security input; verifying the customer security input; and conditional upon verifying the customer security input: (i) debiting an offline credit account by the credit amount, and crediting the transaction account with the credit amount; and (ii) debiting the transaction account by the credit amount, and crediting a merchant account with the credit amount.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing credit transactions system include or implement the steps generating a first automated dynamic PIN (AD-PIN) unique to a request for a credit amount with a first algorithm and comparing with a second AD-PIN independently generated by a customer device using a second identical algorithm. The AD-PIN is then identically changed by both the first and second algorithms before the next transaction. The generation and exchange of AD-PINs may be conditional upon or supplemented by biometric verification of the customer identity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a vertical and horizontal (X-Y) target shot position on a Liquid Crystal or Plasma display screen may be adapted to connect to commercially available video game console systems. Upon a trigger event from a light gun when it is pointed at the target shot position, a blanking signal renders the monitor black during a first vertical refresh cycle. During a second vertical refresh cycle, the voltage to each of the red, blue and green channels is increased in three separate screen sections to create a display split between the three colours. The light gun is adapted to be capable of separately detecting a blue, red or green light pulse and the X-Y coordinates of the target shot position is determined on the basis of the colour detected by the light gun and the length of time which elapses between the start of the second vertical refresh cycle and the detection of the red, blue or green light pulse.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a vertical and horizontal (X-Y) target shot position on a Liquid Crystal or Plasma display screen may be adapted to connect to commercially available video game console systems. Upon a trigger event from a light gun when it is pointed at the target shot position, a blanking signal renders the monitor black during a first vertical refresh cycle. During a second vertical refresh cycle, the voltage to each of the red, blue and green channels is increased in three separate screen sections to create a display split between the three colours. The light gun is adapted to be capable of separately detecting a blue, red or green light pulse and the X-Y coordinates of the target shot position is determined on the basis of the colour detected by the light gun and the length of time which elapses between the start of the second vertical refresh cycle and the detection of the red, blue or green light pulse.