US-20260127595-A1 - METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SECURING TRANSACTIONS

US20260127595A1US 20260127595 A1US20260127595 A1US 20260127595A1US-20260127595-A1

Abstract

An apparatus is provided, including a transaction card, having: a first microprocessor configured to exchange transaction data; a sensor configured to detect movement; and a second microprocessor in communication with the sensor. The second microprocessor may be configured to store arrays of hash values, representing a movement of a user and a card; obtain hash values based on observed movement patterns, and compare them to the stored values. Upon receiving a transaction request, the microprocessor may determine in real time whether the user is in locomotion and whether the card is being intentionally tapped by the user, based on the observed movement patterns. On this basis, the second microprocessor may determine whether to require an augmented authentication for the requested transaction.

Inventors

Sandeep Kumar Chauhan
NGOC TRAN
Maneesh Kumar Sethia
Saurabh Arora

Assignees

BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251009

Claims (10)

1 . An apparatus for securing a transaction, the apparatus comprising a transaction card, the transaction card comprising: a first microprocessor, mounted on a mobile computing device, the first microprocessor trained by a machine-learning algorithm, configured to exchange transaction data to effect a transaction by engagement of the first microprocessor with a transacting party, the first microprocessor being a transaction card-based microprocessor; a sensor, said sensor mounted on a second mobile computing device, configured to detect a movement of the card; a second microprocessor in electrical communication with the sensor, and trained by a second machine-learning algorithm, the second microprocessor including a pattern registration platform, the second microprocessor being a transaction-based microprocessor, the second microprocessor being configured to: store a first array of hash values and a second array of hash values, wherein: the first array of hash values represents a movement of a user in possession of the transaction card; and the second array of hash values represents a purposeful movement of the transaction card relative to the user; derive a series of observed patterns, each pattern associated with an observation time range and based on a transformation of a time series of signals output by the sensor, the transformation based on a relationship between the time series and a measurement of a parameter selected from acceleration and angular orientation; convert the observed patterns into a third array of hash values; store the third array of hash values or a subset thereof in a working memory; register a request from the first microprocessor to effect a requested transaction and a corresponding transaction request time; identify a contemporaneous hash value from the third array of hash values, the contemporaneous hash value being contemporaneous with the transaction request time; determine in real time whether the contemporaneous hash value matches a hash value from the first array or the second array; and perform an augmented authentication for the requested transaction, the augmented authentication comprising an additional authentication not included in the requested transaction to prevent system integration before the additional authentication is completed, said augmented authentication being based on at least one of the following conditions: the contemporaneous hash value matches a hash value from the first array; or the contemporaneous hash value does not match any of the hash values in the second array; wherein, when the augmented authentication is successful, the augmented authentication further comprises, using edge processing, permitting the transaction; and wherein, when the augmented authentication is not successful, the augmented authentication further comprises, using edge processing, blocking the transaction.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second array of hash values is personalized for the transaction card's owner.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second array of hash values is not personalized for the transaction card's owner.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first array of hash values is personalized for the transaction card's owner.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second microprocessor is further configured to: store a fourth array of hash values, wherein the fourth array of hash values represents a body movement of a user other than the owner; periodically compare a hash value from the third array of hash values to the values from the first and fourth arrays of hash values; and set a flag to be applied when the card is used at a point of sale, the flag requiring an augmented authentication, wherein the flag is based on the following conditions: the hash value from the third array does not match any of the hash values from the first array; and the hash value from the third array matches a value from the fourth array.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first array of hash values is not personalized for the transaction card's owner.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second microprocessor is the first microprocessor.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer or a gyroscope.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer and a gyroscope.
10 - 20 . (canceled)

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for securing transactions. The transaction attempts may utilize card tapping. The methods and systems are intended to distinguish between intentional card tapping by the owner and fraudulent tapping, for example by a fraudster. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Financial institutions expend considerable resources and expenses on combatting fraud, including blocking and unblocking cards and tracing back transactions to obtain refunds. Besides classical transactional frauds, credit and debit cards may be vulnerable to skimming or tapping by fraudsters. While contactless cards may provide a convenient payment method that does not require a PIN code, criminals may possess devices designed to make contactless payments on cards carried inside a purse or wallet. Verifying card-based payments in real-time is technically challenging. Tapping card transactions may typically take only about 2 seconds to process, providing a very short window for identifying and blocking fraudulent transactions. It is neither practical nor desirable to require 2-step verification or other augmented authentication protocols every time a transaction request is processed. Solutions to address these issues fraudulent payments are urgently needed. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE It is an object of this invention to distinguish between intentional card tapping by the owner and fraudulent tapping. It is a further object of this invention to provide a real-time solution to enhance security of card tapping transactions. It is a further object of this invention to reduce the burden placed on financial institutions by fraudulent card tapping transactions. A method in accordance with principles of the disclosure may be implemented by a computer and/or be automated. A method in accordance with principles of the disclosure may utilize a computer processor and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer executable instructions. The instructions, when executed by the computer processor, may automatically compare observed card movement patterns with a database of stored movement patterns, and perform various other activities, as described herein. An apparatus for securing a transaction is provided. The apparatus may include a transaction card. The transaction card may include a first microprocessor configured to exchange transaction data to effect a transaction. The transaction may be at a point of sale. The first microprocessor may engage with a transacting party. The transaction card may include a sensor configured to detect movement of the card. The transaction card may include a second microprocessor in electrical communication with the sensor. The second microprocessor may be configured to store a first array of hash values and a second array of hash values. The first array of hash values may represent a movement of a user in possession of the transaction card. The second array of hash values may represent a purposeful movement of the transaction card relative to the user. The second microprocessor may be configured to derive a series of observed patterns. Each pattern may be associated with an observation time range. Each pattern may be based on a transformation of a time series of signals output by the sensor. The transformation may be based on a relationship between the time series and a measurement of a parameter. The parameter may be selected from acceleration and angular orientation. The second microprocessor may be configured to convert the observed patterns into a third array of hash values. The second microprocessor may be configured to store the third array of hash values or a subset thereof in a working memory. The second microprocessor may be configured to register a request from the first microprocessor to effect a requested transaction. The second microprocessor may be configured to register a transaction request time corresponding to the time of the transaction request. The second microprocessor may be configured to identify a contemporaneous hash value from the third array of hash values. The contemporaneous hash value may be contemporaneous with the transaction request time. The second microprocessor may be configured to determine in real time whether the contemporaneous hash value matches a hash value from the first array or the second array. The second microprocessor may be configured to require an augmented authentication for the requested transaction. The augmented authentication may be based on at least one of the following conditions: (a) the contemporaneous hash value matches a hash value from the first array; and/or the contemporaneous hash value does not match any of the hash values in the second array. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference char