Patents by Inventor John F. Sheets

John F. Sheets has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12293365
    Abstract: Provided is a computer-implemented method for authenticating a customer during payment transactions based on biometric identification parameters of the customer that includes receiving image data associated with an image template for identification of a customer, receiving image data associated with an image of a biometric identification parameter of the customer during a payment transaction between the customer and a merchant, establishing a short-range communication connection with a user device associated with the customer during the payment transaction between the customer and the merchant, authenticating an identity of the customer for the payment transaction via the short-range communication connection, determining an account identifier of an account of the customer based on authenticating the identity of the customer for the payment transaction, and processing the payment transaction using the account identifier of the account of the customer. A system and computer program product are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Elianna Starr, Dennis Franklin Olson, Amy Dawson, Andres Jimenez, Jiayun He, Amisha Sisodiya, Jorge Andre Torres Perez Palacios, Binoy Parag Parikh, Saloni Vijaykumar Mahajan, Sowmya Vuddaraju, Sneha Sri Tadepalli, Lacey Best-Rowden, Kim R. Wagner, Sunpreet Singh Arora, Sunit Lohtia, John F. Sheets
  • Patent number: 12205110
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, apparatuses, computer readable media and systems for providing, along with a token, a token assurance level and data used to generate the token assurance level. At the time a token is issued, one or more Identification and Verification (ID&V) methods may be performed to ensure that the token is replacing a PAN that was legitimately used by a token requestor. A token assurance level may be assigned to a given token in light of the type of ID&V that is performed and the entity performing the ID&V. Different ID&Vs may result in different token assurance levels. An issuer may wish to know the level of assurance and the data used in generating the level of assurance associated with a token prior to authorizing a payment transaction that uses the token.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignees: Visa International Service Association, Mastercard International Incorporated
    Inventors: Glenn Leon Powell, John F. Sheets, Bruce Rutherford, Gregory Williamson, James Anderson
  • Publication number: 20240403863
    Abstract: In a system for verifying transactions, when a user with a portable communication device nears a resource provider location, the portable communication device provides an indication to a transaction processing system of its proximity to the location. The portable communication device then provides a universally unique identifier (UUID) of a base station of the resource provider to the transaction processing system, which generates a hash using the UUID and a primary account number (PAN) of a portable transaction device that is associated with the portable communication device. When the user conducts a transaction with the portable transaction device at the provider, the provider generates a separate hash from the UUID and the PAN and sends the hash to the transaction processing system. A match between the hashes is taken into account as a positive indicator that the transaction is not fraudulent and the resource provider is complying with the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Applicant: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: John F. Sheets, Kim Wagner, Christian Aabye, Jing Jin
  • Patent number: 12112315
    Abstract: In a system for verifying transactions, when a user with a portable communication device nears a resource provider location, the portable communication device provides an indication to a transaction processing system of its proximity to the location. The portable communication device then provides a universally unique identifier (UUID) of a base station of the resource provider to the transaction processing system, which generates a hash using the UUID and a primary account number (PAN) of a portable transaction device that is associated with the portable communication device. When the user conducts a transaction with the portable transaction device at the provider, the provider generates a separate hash from the UUID and the PAN and sends the hash to the transaction processing system, A match between the hashes is taken into account as a positive indicator that the transaction is not fraudulent and the resource provider is complying with the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION
    Inventors: John F. Sheets, Kim Wagner, Christian Aabye, Jing Jin
  • Patent number: 12095921
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a system that enables an authentication process that involves secure multi-party computation. The authentication process can be performed between a user device operated by a user and an access device. The user device and the access device may conduct the authentication process such that enrollment information and authentication information input by the user is not transmitted between the devices. Instead, the user device may determine and utilize obfuscated values associated with the authentication information. The user device may also determine an obfuscated authentication function that can be utilized to determine an authentication result without revealing enrollment information and authentication information associated with the user. The user can be authenticated based on the authentication result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Kim R. Wagner, John F. Sheets
  • Patent number: 12088586
    Abstract: A first biometric sample of a user is received by an access device from a user device. First biometric information is generated in an obscured format, based on the first biometric sample. A plurality of biometric information is received in an obscured format. The plurality of biometric information corresponds to a plurality of users, and was obtained from biometric samples of the plurality of users. The first biometric information in the obscured format is compared to the plurality of biometric information in the obscured format, and a match result is generated based on the comparing. The match result is provided to a server computer. Based on the match result, information indicating that one of the plurality of users that is associated with one of the plurality of biometric information is the user associated with the first biometric information is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Kim R. Wagner, Lacey Best-Rowden, John F. Sheets
  • Patent number: 11943363
    Abstract: Described herein are a system and techniques for enabling biometric authentication without exposing the authorizing entity to sensitive information. In some embodiments, the system receives a biometric template from a user device which is encrypted using a public key associated with the system. The encrypted biometric template is then provided to a second entity along with a biometric identifier. Upon receiving a request to complete a transaction that includes the biometric identifier and a second biometric template, the second entity may encrypt the second biometric template using the same public key associated with the system and perform a comparison between the two encrypted biometric templates. The resulting match result data file is already encrypted and can be provided to the system to determine an extent to which the two biometric templates match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: John F. Sheets, Kim R. Wagner, Sunpreet Singh Arora, Lacey Best-Rowden, Chunxi Jiang
  • Publication number: 20240086922
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention involve using biometric templates to wirelessly authenticate individuals. In one embodiment, a mobile device may generate a first biometric template and a first public value from a first biometric sample of a user and generate a first cryptographic key by passing the first biometric template to a fuzzy extractor's generate function. An access device may generate a second biometric template from a second biometric sample of the user, generate a second secret cryptographic key by passing the second biometric template and the first public value to the fuzzy extractor's reproduce function, encrypt the second biometric template with the second secret cryptographic key, and broadcast the encrypted template to a plurality of nearby mobile devices including the mobile device. If the mobile device is able to decrypt the encrypted template with the first cryptographic key, the access device can associate the user with the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Kim R. Wagner, John F. Sheets, Mark Allen Nelsen
  • Patent number: 11895491
    Abstract: A method and system for provisioning access data in a second application on a mobile device using a first application on the mobile device. Authentication data may be input into the first application, and an authentication code may be requested from a remote server. After the authentication code is received by the first application in the mobile device, it can pass the authentication code to a second application that initiates an access data provisioning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Glenn Powell, John F. Sheets
  • Patent number: 11880829
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for provisioning access credentials to a mobile device using device and authorization codes. Once provisioned, a mobile device can be used to conduct a transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Kim R. Wagner, John F. Sheets, Glenn Powell
  • Patent number: 11847652
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention involve using biometric templates to wirelessly authenticate individuals. In one embodiment, a mobile device may generate a first biometric template and a first public value from a first biometric sample of a user and generate a first cryptographic key by passing the first biometric template to a fuzzy extractors generate function. An access device may generate a second biometric template from a second biometric sample of the user, generate a second secret cryptographic key by passing the second biometric template and the first public value to the fuzzy extractors reproduce function, encrypt the second biometric template with the second secret cryptographic key, and broadcast the encrypted template to a plurality of nearby mobile devices including the mobile device. If the mobile device is able to decrypt the encrypted template with the first cryptographic key, the access device can associate the user with the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Kim R. Wagner, John F. Sheets, Mark Allen Nelsen
  • Publication number: 20230403160
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a method for securely performing biometric authentication online. The method described can be used to securely perform biometric authentication on a mobile device. For protecting the privacy of the user's biometric data, a cryptographic comparison protocol can be used to perform matching of encrypted templates. For example, the cryptographic comparison protocol may involve Fuzzy Extractors (FE), Homomorphic Encryption (HE), and/or Secure Multi-Party Computation (SMPC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Jason Blackhurst, Kim Wagner, John F. Sheets, Chunxi Jiang, Sunpreet Singh Arora
  • Patent number: 11811761
    Abstract: Techniques for intelligently deciding the optimal authenticator(s) from amongst those supported by an electronic device are described. The authentication system according to some embodiments may include a dynamic machine learner that incorporates the attributes of: (i) user behavior attributes (e.g., preferred authenticator); (ii) device attributes (e.g., hardware and software specifications, applications, etc.); and (iii) operating environment attributes (e.g., ambient light, noise, etc.), as well as the interplay between the aforementioned attributes over time to make the decision. In some embodiments, the authentication activities and patterns of other users of similar type (e.g., users exhibiting similar behavior across different operating environments) can also be learned and employed to improve the decision making process over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Sunpreet Singh Arora, Kim R. Wagner, John F. Sheets, Lacey Best-Rowden
  • Patent number: 11777736
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a method for securely performing biometric authentication online. The method described can be used to securely perform biometric authentication on a mobile device. For protecting the privacy of the users biometric data, a cryptographic comparison protocol can be used to perform matching of encrypted templates. For example, the cryptographic comparison protocol may involve Fuzzy Extractors (FE), Homomorphic Encryption (HE), and/or Secure Multi-Party Computation (SMPC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Jason Blackhurst, Kim Wagner, John F. Sheets, Chunxi Jiang, Sunpreet Singh Arora
  • Publication number: 20230306416
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, apparatuses, computer readable media and systems for providing, along with a token, a token assurance level and data used to generate the token assurance level. At the time a token is issued, one or more Identification and Verification (ID&V) methods may be performed to ensure that the token is replacing a PAN that was legitimately used by a token requestor. A token assurance level may be assigned to a given token in light of the type of ID&V that is performed and the entity performing the ID&V. Different ID&Vs may result in different token assurance levels. An issuer may wish to know the level of assurance and the data used in generating the level of assurance associated with a token prior to authorizing a payment transaction that uses the token.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicants: Visa International Service Association, Mastercard International Incorporated
    Inventors: Glenn Leon Powell, John F. Sheets, Bruce Rutherford, Gregory Williamson, James Anderson
  • Patent number: 11763311
    Abstract: When a user enters a resource provider location with a portable communication device, the portable communication device provides an indication to a transaction processing system that the portable communication device is currently at the resource provider location. At a later time when the user conducts a transaction with a portable transaction device, the fact that the user's portable communication device had been detected at the resource provider a short time ago is taken into account as a positive indicator that the transaction is not fraudulent. By verifying that both the portable communication device and the portable transaction device are present at the resource provider, the risk of approving a fraudulent transaction from a stolen portable transaction device can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Kim Wagner, John F. Sheets, Mark Nelsen, Jing Jin
  • Patent number: 11710119
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, apparatuses, computer readable media and systems for providing, along with a token, a token assurance level and data used to generate the token assurance level. At the time a token is issued, one or more Identification and Verification (ID&V) methods may be performed to ensure that the token is replacing a PAN that was legitimately used by a token requestor. A token assurance level may be assigned to a given token in light of the type of ID&V that is performed and the entity performing the ID&V. Different ID&Vs may result in different token assurance levels. An issuer may wish to know the level of assurance and the data used in generating the level of assurance associated with a token prior to authorizing a payment transaction that uses the token.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignees: VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION, MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Glenn Leon Powell, John F. Sheets, Bruce Rutherford, Gregory Williamson, James Anderson
  • Publication number: 20230206225
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for provisioning access credentials to a mobile device using device and authorization codes. Once provisioned, a mobile device can be used to conduct a transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Kim R. Wagner, John F. Sheets, Glenn Powell
  • Publication number: 20230196366
    Abstract: Provided is a computer-implemented method for authenticating a customer during payment transactions based on biometric identification parameters of the customer that includes receiving image data associated with an image template for identification of a customer, receiving image data associated with an image of a biometric identification parameter of the customer during a payment transaction between the customer and a merchant, establishing a short-range communication connection with a user device associated with the customer during the payment transaction between the customer and the merchant, authenticating an identity of the customer for the payment transaction via the short-range communication connection, determining an account identifier of an account of the customer based on authenticating the identity of the customer for the payment transaction, and processing the payment transaction using the account identifier of the account of the customer. A system and computer program product are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Elianna Starr, Dennis Franklin Olson, Amy Dawson, Andres Jimenez, Jiayun He, Amisha Sisodiya, Jorge Andre Torres Perez Palacios, Binoy Parag Parikh, Saloni Vijaykumar Mahajan, Sowmya Vuddaraju, Sneha Sri Tadepalli, Lacey Best-Rowden, Kim R. Wagner, Sunpreet Singh Arora, Sunit Lohtia, John F. Sheets
  • Patent number: 11620647
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for provisioning access credentials to a mobile device using device and authorization codes. Once provisioned, a mobile device can be used to conduct a transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Kim R. Wagner, John F. Sheets, Glenn Powell