US-20260127602-A1 - TRANSACTION CHOICE SELECTION APPARATUS AND SYSTEM

US20260127602A1US 20260127602 A1US20260127602 A1US 20260127602A1US-20260127602-A1

Abstract

A system and method for identifying a remotely located person and documenting an agreement by the person to a transaction. The transaction may be related to voting, a contract, a sale of goods or services, or an exchange of information.

Inventors

Jeffrey Matos

Assignees

Jeffrey Matos

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260105

Claims (20)

1 . A method for exchanging information between a server and a terminal of a potential user for securely executing a transaction comprising: (a) receiving, by the server, identification information of a registered user, from a terminal of the registered user, wherein said identification information comprises biological information including at least one of a palm print, an image of a retina of an eye (“retinal image”) and a signature, and including alphanumeric information pertaining to a person allowed to execute the transaction; (b) receiving, by the server, transaction information, from a transaction content computer wherein the transaction information comprises a plurality of options; (c) transmitting, by a terminal of a potential user, a request for the transaction information to the server; (d) receiving, by the server, the request; (e) transmitting, by the server, the transaction information to the terminal of a potential user; (f) displaying, by the terminal of a potential user, the transmitted transaction information including the plurality of options; (g) detecting, by the terminal of a potential user, a selection by a potential user of at least one of the plurality of options; (h) based on the detecting of the selection, activating, by the terminal of a potential user, a digital camera; (i) capturing, by the digital camera, a biological image of the potential user and the selection of the at least one of the plurality of options by the potential user wherein the biological image comprises at least one of: a palm print, a retinal image, and a signature of the potential user; (j) creating, by the terminal of a potential user, a digital file comprising the captured biological image and the selection of the at least one of the plurality of options by the potential user; (k) transmitting, by the terminal of a potential user, alphanumeric information of the potential user and the digital file to the server; (l) retrieving, by the server, the identification information using the alphanumeric information of the potential user; comparing the biological image of the digital file with the corresponding biological information from the retrieved identification information; and determining a match between the biological image and the corresponding biological information from the identification information; and (m) based on the match, retrieving, by the server, the selection of the at least one of the plurality of options from the digital file and executing a transaction represented by the selection.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step (f) includes displaying information representing said plurality of options on a display screen.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: capturing by the digital camera further comprises capturing a plurality of images, each including the biological image of the potential user and the selection of the at least one of the plurality of options by the potential user; the created and transmitted digital file further comprises said plurality of images; comparing further comprises comparing at least one of the biological images of the digital file with the retrieved biological information.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said biological information pertaining to a person allowed to execute the transaction, and biologic information of the potential user further comprise information pertaining to a second biologic feature selected from the group comprising: (1) an image of a fingerprint, (2) an image of a palm, (3) an image of a retina, (4) an image of an iris, (5) an image of a face and (6) a signature.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said biological image further comprises intermediate body parts of said potential user, said intermediate body parts extending between a potential user body part inputting said selection and a potential user body part which is a source of said at least one of: a palm print, a retinal image and a signature; whereby said biological image including said intermediate body parts serves to prove that said inputting body part and said source body part belong to the same potential user.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said transaction is a contract, and said transaction selection is a representation of an intent by said user to enter into said contract.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said contract is for the purchase and sale of goods or services.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said transaction entails an exchange of information, and wherein said information is selected from the group: medical information, legal information, political information, and financial information.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein: (A) said transaction is a vote; (B) said transaction selection is a selection from among a plurality of voting options; and (C) executing a transaction represented by the selection includes determining, by the server, a sum of received selections corresponding to each voting option, each summed selection by one of a plurality of registered voting persons.
10 . A system for exchanging information between a terminal of a potential user and a server for securely executing a transaction comprising: (1) a potential user (PU) terminal comprising: (A) a PU terminal processor, (B) a digital camera, and (C) a PU terminal memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the PU processor causes the PU processor to perform the steps of: transmitting a request for transaction information to a server, the transaction information comprising a plurality of options; receiving and displaying the transaction information; detecting a selection by a potential user, of at least one of the plurality of options; based on the detecting of the selection, causing the digital camera to capture a biological image of the potential user and the selection of the at least one of the plurality of options by the potential user wherein the biological image comprises at least one of: an image of a retina of an eye (“retinal image”), a palm print, and a signature; creating a digital file comprising the captured biological image and the selection of the at least one of the plurality of options by the potential user; and transmitting alphanumeric information of the potential user and the digital file to the server; and (2) the server comprising: (A) a server processor, and (B) a server memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the server processor causes the server processor to perform the steps of: receiving identification information of a registered user, from a terminal of the registered user, wherein said identification information comprises biological information including at least one of a palm print, a retinal image and a signature, and comprises alphanumeric information pertaining to a person allowed to execute the transaction; receiving the transaction information from a transaction content computer; receiving the request for the transaction information from the PU terminal; transmitting the transaction information to the PU terminal; retrieving the identification information using the alphanumeric information of the potential user; comparing the biological image of the digital file with the corresponding biological information from the retrieved identification information; and determining a match between the biological image and the corresponding biological information from the identification information; and based on the match, retrieving, by the server, the selection of the at least one of the plurality of options from the digital file and executing a transaction represented by the selection.
11 . The apparatus defined in claim 10 , wherein said server processor is configured to provide communication access to the Internet and wherein said server memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the server processor, cause the processor to perform the step of providing and receiving information to and from the Internet.
12 . The apparatus defined in claim 11 , wherein the server memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the server processor cause the processor to perform the step of providing an interactive web site to the Internet.
13 . The system defined in claim 10 , wherein said PU terminal is selected from the group comprising: (a) a desktop computer, (b) a laptop computer, (c) a handheld computer, (d) a hard-wired telephone, (e) a portable telephone, (f) a hand-held telephone, and (g) a cellular telephone.
14 . The system defined in claim 10 , wherein said biological image of the potential user and the biologic information further comprise image information selected from the group consisting of: (a) a retinal image of an eye, (b) an iris image of an eye, (c) an eye, (d) a face, (e) a face and a torso, (f) a face, a torso and a hand, (g) a fingerprint, and (h) a signature.
15 . The system defined in claim 14 , wherein said digital camera is configured to provide to said PU terminal processor a plurality of composite images of the potential user and the selection, each image showing contiguous regions of each of: (a) the eye, (b) the face, (c) the torso, and (d) the hand of said potential user as it provides at least one of (i) said signature, and (ii) said selection; wherein the server memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the server processor cause the processor to perform the step of comparing said images showing said contiguous regions to images with the corresponding biological information retrieved from the identification information; whereby said match determination comprises determining that said eye, face, torso and hand each belong to a particular potential user; and thereby determining that the selection has been made by said registered user.
16 . The system defined in claim 15 , wherein the image of said face further comprises an image of at least one of (i) an iris, and (ii) a retinal image of said potential user.
17 . The system defined in claim 14 , wherein said digital camera is configured to provide to said PU terminal processor a plurality of composite images of the potential user and the selection, each image showing contiguous regions of each of: (a) a palm print, and (b) the hand of said potential user as it provides at least one of (i) said signature, and (ii) said selection; wherein the server memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the server processor cause the processor to perform the step of comparing said images showing said contiguous regions to images with the corresponding biological information retrieved from the identification information; whereby said match determination comprises determining that said palm print and said at least one of said signature and said selection are each provided by a particular potential user; and thereby determining that the selection has been made by said registered user.
18 . The system defined in claim 14 , wherein said digital camera is configured to provide to said PU terminal processor a plurality of composite images of the potential user and the selection, each image showing contiguous regions of each of: (a) at least one of a palm print and said signature, from first hand of said user, (b) the torso and arms of said user, and (c) another hand of said user as it inputs at least one of (i) said signature, and (ii) said selection; wherein the server memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the server processor cause the processor to perform the step of comparing said images showing said contiguous regions to images with the corresponding biological information retrieved from the identification information; whereby said match determination comprises determining that both of said hands belong to the same user; and thereby determining that the transaction selection has been made by said user.
19 . The system defined in claim 10 , wherein said server further comprises: (a) a server input device, coupled to said server processor, entering alphanumeric information pertaining to a registered user of the system; and (b) a server digital camera, coupled to said server processor, entering biologic information pertaining to said registered user of the system; and wherein said server memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the server processor cause the processor to perform the step of storing said alphanumeric information and said respective biologic information, in said server memory.
20 . The system defined in claim 10 , wherein: (A) said terminal of a potential user comprises a voting machine of a potential voting person; (B) said transaction information comprises a plurality of possible voting options; (C) said selection is a selected voting option by the potential voting person from among a plurality of possible voting options; (D) said registered user is a registered voting person; and (E) the server memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the server processor causes the server processor to determine a total number of selections of each respective option, each selection by one of a plurality of registered voting persons.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 18/656,428 filed on May 6, 2024, now allowed, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 15/935,177 filed on Mar. 26, 2018 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,978,050), which is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 12/714,649, filed Mar. 1, 2010 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,928,510), which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/595,655 filed Nov. 9, 2006 (now abandoned) and application Ser. No. 12/157,469 filed Jun. 11, 2008 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,233,672), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/934,043, filed Jun. 11, 2007, now expired. application Ser. No. 12/714,649 claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/208,844, filed Feb. 27, 2009, now expired. application Ser. No. 11/595,655 claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/735,109, filed Nov. 9, 2005, now expired. The subject matter of the aforementioned applications is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Sophisticated handheld communication systems with ever-increasing computational power and communication versatility are becoming increasing prevalent in the population. Such devices have far greater capability than that of a simple telephone. Although communication and computational systems have been used to obtain samples of population opinions, the use of such devices to manage various government activities, which heretofore have been delegated to representatives, has not been accomplished. U.S. application Ser. No. 11/595,695 presents methods of representative government in which some or all of the power of the elected representatives of the governed people is transferred [back] to the people who are allowed to vote directly on government matters. They may do so by taking a fractional vote away from their representatives, or in government formats in which the direct voters represent a third branch of the legislature, or a fourth branch of the government. Besides the Government of the United States of America, such methods are applicable to the governments of individual states, or smaller regions such as counties and municipalities. Such methods are also applicable to other countries, to alliances/groups of countries, to the United Nations, or to other government and non-government organizations with world-wide membership. The disclosure herein describes apparatus for giving voters direct access to the management of a government. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The material herein includes apparatus and a system for effectuating the direct voting which is the subject of Ser. No. 11/595,655 “Government systems in which individuals vote directly and in which representatives are partially or completely replaced” including: 1) Apparatus and system which allows for voter registration for the aforementioned government systems;2) Apparatus and system which allows for voter identification at the time a vote is cast, for the aforementioned government systems;3) Apparatus and system which allows for troubleshooting in the event of an apparently failed voter identification, at the time of a vote;4) Apparatus and system which allows a voter to vote electronically using virtually any communication system including a telephone (cellular or otherwise), a home computer, or even a pay telephone, as long as it is outfitted with/attached to suitable voter identification means; and5) Apparatus and system which allows a user to a) propose legislation;b) nominate candidates; andc) discuss an election or other legislative issue remotely. Such apparatus and system are of potential use for the government of a country, a state, a county, a municipality, a village, etc. They are of potential use for the government of other entities including: 1) a corporation; and2) the United Nations, or a similar body with international scope. Hereinbelow, voting refers to a situation in which more than one person's view is taken into account, in an arithmetically predetermined manner, in making a decision. The decision may involve two or more options. The information given by the voter may: A) be as simple as a single “yes”vs. “no”;B) involve a choice among two or more options in which a single most desirable option is selected by the voter;C) involve a choice amount three or more options in which an hierarchical preference list is indicated by the voter (e.g. “X” is the first choice, “Z” is the second choice, and “Y”is the third choice);D) involve the transmission, by a voter, of information which is more complex than a choice (e.g. a choice plus a statement which contains the reason for the choice); andE) involve multiple choices by a voter (e.g. voting on each of a number of different pieces of legislation). The invention described herein also describes an apparatus and system for setting up a web site that allows for the execution of the aforementioned methods and formats. A registration pro