Patents by Inventor John Merz

John Merz 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).

  • Publication number: 20200211022
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting fraudulent network events in a payment card network by incorporating breach velocities into fraud scoring models are provided. A potential compromise event is detected, and payment cards that transacted at a compromised entity associated with the potential compromise event are identified. Subsequent transaction activity for the payment cards is reviewed, and a data structure for the payment cards are generated. The data structure sorts subsequent transaction activity into fraud score range stripes. The data structure is parsed over a plurality of time periods, and at least one cumulative metric is calculated for each of the time periods in each fraud score range stripe. A plurality of ratio striping values are determined, and a set of feature inputs is generated using the ratio striping values. The feature inputs are applied to a scoring model used to score future real-time transactions initiated using the payment cards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Joshua A. Allbright, Amudhan Venkatesan, Felix Johannes Flory, Christopher John Merz
  • Publication number: 20200211019
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting fraudulent network events in a payment card network are provided. A plurality of scored payment card transaction authorization requests are received, originating from a plurality of merchants, and at least one data structure is generated. The data structure sorts the scored authorization requests into fraud score range stripes. The data structure is parsed over a plurality of time periods, and at least one cumulative metric is calculated for each of the time periods in each fraud score range stripe. A plurality of ratio striping values is determined, and a set of feature inputs is generated using the ratio striping values. A second fraud detection model is applied to the scored authorization requests. Parameters of the second fraud detection model are configured to change based on the generated set of feature inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Joshua A. Allbright, Christopher John Merz
  • Patent number: 10671818
    Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method for analyzing chip card transactions to identify defective chip cards and/or defective chip readers in need of replacement. Constraints are established to define a subset of card transactions. From a full set of card transactions the subset is identified consisting of each card transaction falling within the constraints and occurring at a merchant having a chip reader. From this subset the unique chip cards are identified, and for each unique chip card a percentage of fallback transactions is calculated. The percentage of fallback transactions is compared to a maximum value, and if the percentage of fallback transactions exceeds the maximum value, the chip card is identified as defective. Each defective chip card is reported to the card issuer, along with at least a recommendation to replace the defective chip card. A similar process may be used to identify defective chip readers of particular merchants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Matthew Scott Morice, Ravi Santosh Arvapally
  • Patent number: 10592963
    Abstract: An enhanced smart refrigerator (ESR) for automatically populating a virtual shopping cart is provided. The ESR stores a purchase log including a purchase history of a target product. The ESR determines a current interval between a most recent delivery date and a proposed next delivery date based on the purchase history of the target product, and calculates a purchase propensity for the target product based on the current interval and the purchase history of the target product, and automatically adds the product to the virtual shopping cart for submission to a party for purchase of the target product if the purchase propensity meets a first criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Derek Humphreys, Oran Cummins, Andrea Rizzini, Stephen Elder, Stephen Toner
  • Publication number: 20190392449
    Abstract: An authentication platform for authenticating an online user is provided. The authentication platform includes a memory device including an authentication profile and at least one processor coupled to the memory device. The at least one processor is programmed to receive an authentication request message. The authentication request message includes authentication data. The at least one processor is also programmed to extract the authentication data from the authentication request message, generate, based at least in part on the extracted authentication data, risk-based authentication (RBA) result data including a risk score, and route the RBA result data based on the authentication profile and the RBA result data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Julia Sharon Gosset, Robert Albert Ederle, Ranjita Shankar Iyer, Brian Piel, Christopher John Merz, Felix Johannes Flory
  • Publication number: 20190392448
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for authenticating an online user with an access control server (ACS) is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Julia Sharon Gosset, Robert Albert Ederie, Ranjita Shankar Iyer, Brian Piel, Christopher John Merz, Felix Johannes Flory, Andres Gonzalez
  • Publication number: 20190392450
    Abstract: An authentication platform for authenticating an online user in a transaction without use of strong consumer authentication (SCA) includes receiving an authentication request message for a transaction involving a regulated market includes authentication data and a transaction value, extracting the authentication data from the authentication request message, generating risk-based authentication (RBA) result data, determining that a risk of fraud in the transaction satisfies a risk threshold established by the regulatory entity by evaluating the risk score relative to the risk threshold, determining that the transaction value is below a transaction limit set by the regulatory entity, the transaction limit identifies a threshold transaction value below which strong consumer authentication may be avoided for transactions satisfying the risk threshold, and transmitting an authentication response message authenticating the transaction without strong consumer authentication having been performed based on satisfying
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Julia Sharon Gosset, Robert Albert Ederle, Ranjita Shankar Iyer, Brian Piel, Christopher John Merz, Felix Johannes Flory, Nimit Gulati, Paul Baker
  • Publication number: 20190392440
    Abstract: An authentication platform for authenticating an online user is provided. The authentication platform includes a memory device including an authentication profile and at least one processor coupled to the memory device. The at least one processor is programmed to receive an authentication request message for a transaction. The authentication request message includes authentication data. The at least one processor is also programmed to extract the authentication data from the authentication request message and determine if the ACS is available to process the transaction. If the ACS is unavailable, the at least one processor is further programmed to generate, based at least in part on the extracted authentication data, risk-based authentication (RBA) result data including a risk score and transmit an authentication response message based on the RBA result data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Albert Ederle, Julia Sharon Gosset, Ranjita Shankar Iyer, Brian Piel, Dennis A. Gamiello, Christopher John Merz, Felix Johnnes Flory
  • Publication number: 20190279216
    Abstract: A computer system for fraud detection associated with a card-not-present payment card system is provided. The system includes a network host site and an interchange network including a processor communicatively coupled to a memory device for storing data and to the network host site wherein the processor is programmed to receive a card transaction authorization request message from a merchant, route the card transaction authorization request to the network host site to perform CNP fraud risk scoring, and based on the criteria of the card transaction authorization request, call at least one of a plurality of fraud scoring models defined for criteria of the transaction authorization request. The processor is further programmed to calculate the fraud risk score based on the current transaction authorization request data and an updated card account profile, and transmit the message to an issuer of the payment card for approval of the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Janet Smith, John D. Chisholm, Johan Gerber, Clara Salazar, Matthew Wickman, Susan Meyer, Rachael Vahle Cordero, Christopher John Merz
  • Publication number: 20190188422
    Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method for analyzing chip card transactions to identify defective chip cards and/or defective chip readers in need of replacement. Constraints are established to define a subset of card transactions. From a full set of card transactions the subset is identified consisting of each card transaction falling within the constraints and occurring at a merchant having a chip reader. From this subset the unique chip cards are identified, and for each unique chip card a percentage of fallback transactions is calculated. The percentage of fallback transactions is compared to a maximum value, and if the percentage of fallback transactions exceeds the maximum value, the chip card is identified as defective. Each defective chip card is reported to the card issuer, along with at least a recommendation to replace the defective chip card. A similar process may be used to identify defective chip readers of particular merchants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Mastercard International Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Matthew Scott Morice, Ravi Santosh Arvapally
  • Publication number: 20190188722
    Abstract: A common point of purchase (CPP) system for identifying a common point of purchases involved in fraudulent or unauthorized payment transactions is provided. The CPP system includes a common point of purchase (CPP) computing device that is configured to receive transaction data, store the transaction data in a database, and perform a look up within the database. The CPP computing device is also configured to build a merchant table, receive a card list, and compare a plurality of flagged account identifiers in the card list to account identifiers in the merchant table. The CPP computing device is further configured to retrieve a unique merchant identifier and/or a merchant name identifier associated with the merchant table account identifiers matched with the flagged account identifiers, aggregate the unique merchant identifier using the merchant name identifier, and determine a first number of the flagged account identifiers associated with the merchant name identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Joshua A. Allbright, Christopher John Merz
  • Publication number: 20190188423
    Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method for analyzing chip card transactions to identify defective chip cards and/or defective chip readers in need of replacement. Constraints are established to define a subset of card transactions. From a full set of card transactions the subset is identified consisting of each card transaction falling within the constraints and occurring at a merchant having a chip reader. From this subset the unique chip readers are identified, and for each unique chip reader a percentage of fallback transactions is calculated. The percentage of fallback transactions is compared to a maximum value, and if the percentage of fallback transactions exceeds the maximum value, the chip reader is identified as defective. Each defective chip reader is reported to the merchant, along with at least a recommendation to replace the defective chip reader. A similar process may be used to identify defective chip cards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Mastercard International Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Matthew Scott Morice, Ravi Santosh Arvapally
  • Publication number: 20190188716
    Abstract: The methods described herein are configured to obtain a first record pattern associated with the unidentified entity and select a second record pattern associated with an entity identifier of a known entity. Based on the first record pattern matching the second record pattern, the entity identifier of the known entity is associated to the unidentified entity to indicate that the unidentified entity and the known entity are the same. Determining the entity identifier of the unidentified entity enables the linking of separate identifier systems of data structures to facilitate communication and/or interaction between the data structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Joshua A. Allbright, Adam Kenneth Hosp
  • Publication number: 20190147448
    Abstract: An analytics computing system for analyzing payment transaction data to identify merchants having a recurring payment program is provided. The analytics computing system is configured to receive first payment transaction data for a plurality of transactions associated with a merchant, generate an actual transaction amount distribution, compare the actual transaction amount distribution to a stored model distribution, compare an angle distance to a predefined threshold value, and identify whether the merchant is a merchant performing recurring payment transactions. The analytics computing system is also configured to store that the merchant is a recurring payment merchant and alert an analyst that the merchant is a recurring payment merchant by transmitting an alert message to a user computing device in communication with the analytics computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Joshua A. Allbright, Christopher John Merz
  • Publication number: 20190130404
    Abstract: A compromise detection computing device is configured to receive transaction data associated with a set of transactions performed at a plurality of merchants, each transaction conducted using a payment device, identify a first merchant, and generate a list of every payment device that was used to conduct a transaction at the first merchant. The compromise detection computing device is further configured to monitor subsequent transaction activity associated with each payment device on the list, and generate a fraud proxy score for each payment device based upon the activity. The compromise detection computing device is further configured to access fraud report records associated with any payment device on the list, generate an implication score for the first merchant based upon the fraud proxy score and the fraud report records, and, when the first implication score meets a first criteria, automatically transmit an alert message to a receiving party.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Joshua A. Allbright
  • Publication number: 20190130403
    Abstract: An inverse recommender system for detecting out-of-pattern payment transactions includes a memory device and a processor programmed to receive transaction data. The transaction data corresponds to historical payment transactions between account holders and merchants. The processor is programmed to generate a merchant correspondence matrix including the merchants and counters indicating the number of historical payment transactions between merchant pairs of the merchants and the account holders. The processor is programmed to store the merchant correspondence matrix in a memory device linking the merchant pairs to each account holder. The processor receives additional transaction data associated with a new payment transaction between an account holder and a merchant, and to generate an inverse recommender score for the new payment transaction based on the account holder's historical payment transaction data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Joshua A. Allbright, Peng Yang
  • Publication number: 20180053211
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying advertising opportunities for subsequent events, based on event data and transaction data for similar prior events. One exemplary method includes accessing event data associated with a prior event where the event data includes tags associated with the prior event, and accessing transaction data for consumers based on transactions by the consumers involving merchants associated with the prior event. The method also includes compiling an aggregate consumer profile for the consumers based on the accessed transaction data, where the profile includes categories of transactions included in the transaction data. The method further includes causing an insight interface to be delivered to a user associated with a subsequent event based on the aggregate consumer profile and the event data, whereby the user is able to identify potential advertising opportunities for the subsequent event via the insight interface for the prior event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Richard William Wallen, Srinivas Kosaraju, Christopher John Merz, David C. Youngberg, William Curtis Jones
  • Publication number: 20170169432
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium configured to identify and prevent a form of fraud in payment transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Ravi Santosh ARVAPALLY, David SENCI, Peng YANG, Christopher John MERZ
  • Publication number: 20170169500
    Abstract: A method and system for recommending a merchant are provided. The method includes receiving financial transaction data documenting financial transactions between a plurality of account holders and a plurality of merchants and generating a merchant correspondence matrix that includes the plurality of merchants and a plurality of indicators of interactions associated with pairs of the plurality of merchants. The plurality of indicators of interactions tallying financial transactions conducted by the plurality of account holders at both of the merchants in a pair of the plurality of merchants. The method further includes receiving a query for a recommendation of a merchant from an account holder and generating a ranked list of merchants based on a recommender algorithm. The recommender algorithm inferring user preferences from attributes of the plurality of merchants that were visited by the cardholder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Walter F. Lo Faro, Peng Yang
  • Publication number: 20170031963
    Abstract: A method of tracking tagged transaction data corresponding to transactions between users and merchants is provided. The method includes receiving, by the tag tracking computing device, a plurality of transaction signals including a plurality of transaction data associated with the transactions. The method further includes receiving, by the tag tracking computing device, tagging data from a party, the tagging data including a tag and an identification of transaction data associated with a transaction. And, the method further includes appending, by the tag tracking computing device, the tag to transaction data stored in a database based on the tagging data from the party.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher John Merz, Joshua J. Baron, Robert Grothe, Douglas W. Van Horn