Abstract: This invention relates to a hardware tool for interacting with an “intelligent device” such as a “smart phone,” e.g., Apple Corporation's “iPhone”, or other devices with certain comparable capabilities, such as the Apple “iPad” tablet computer, and to a method for authorizing transactions based on successful interaction. More specifically, the invention relates to employment of a hardware tool having contact members for contacting the touch-sensitive screens of such devices at plural locations in specific spatial relation to one another. The device, running an application program or “app”, then detects the locations at which the screen has been thus contacted, and compares those locations to stored locations specific to a particular type of transaction, and, if the detected locations match a set of stored locations, authorizes the transaction to proceed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hardware tool for interacting with an “intelligent device” such as a “smart phone,” e.g., Apple Corporation's “iPhone”, or other devices with certain comparable capabilities, such as the Apple “iPad” tablet computer, and to a method for authorizing transactions based on successful interaction. More specifically, the invention relates to employment of a hardware tool having contact members for contacting the touch-sensitive screens of such devices at plural locations in specific spatial relation to one another. The device, running an application program or “app”, then detects the locations at which the screen has been thus contacted, and compares those locations to stored locations specific to a particular type of transaction, and, if the detected locations match a set of stored locations, authorizes the transaction to proceed.