System and method for formless, self-service registration for access to financial services

Abstract

A system for enabling users to register to use external financial services comprises a central office comprising an operating platform including a communication interface and a user database having a plurality of records for individual users; wherein the central office communicates via the communication interface with a plurality of remote formless, self-service registration stations; whereby a registration station scans an identification card with a card scanner, photographs the user to create a verification image and records a biometric parameter unique to the user, whereupon the registration station transmits an image of the identification card, the biometric parameter and the verification image to the central office; wherein the operating platform translates text from the identification card and creates a record for the user and wherein the operating platform uses the translated text to populate fields in the user record and retrieves and displays the record to an administrator for review.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of registering potential users of financial services provided by multiple institutions with a single formless registration, the method comprising:
 prompting a user to scan a photo identification card and capturing an image of the photo identification card;   prompting the user to enter a biometric parameter;   transmitting, by the terminal, the captured image of the user photo identification card and the biometric parameter to a central office remote from the terminal as captured user information;   creating a user record for the user at the central office;   populating the user record with captured user information;   transmitting a user customer identification number from the central office to the terminal, which user identification number is generated by the central office to uniquely define the user record associated with the captured user information; and   displaying the customer identification number to the user, the customer identification number enabling a user to later access at least one of the plurality of service providers through the central office wherein the user enters the user's customer identification number along with the user's biometric at a terminal remote from the central office to access the financial services.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising capturing a photographic image of the unregistered potential user at the terminal and transmitting the captured photographic image of the unregistered potential user to the central office as part of the captured user information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising extracting a photographic image of the user from the transmitted user's photo identification card and storing the extracted photographic image from the user's photo identification card in the user record. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising comparing information from the scanned user identification card with user information from a third party database to verify the identity of the user prior to generating the user customer identification number. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating a user record for the user at the central office further comprises accessing a third party database and populating the user record with information from the third party database. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of creating a user record further comprises incorporating a photograph of the user taken at the user terminal in the user record. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating a user record further comprises comparing a photograph of the user taken at the user terminal with a photograph of the user extracted from the user photo identification card. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating a user record further comprises comparing a photograph of the user from a third party database with a photograph of the user taken at the user terminal. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising sensing the presence of a potential user at the user terminal. 
     
     
         10 . A method of registering potential users of financial services provided by multiple institutions with a single formless registration, the method comprising:
 creating a verifiable user profile for a user by the steps of:
 receiving, at a fixed location, a verifiable identification (ID) with a photo attached thereto, and transmitting the verifiable identification to a central office; 
 receiving, at a fixed location, a biometric parameter of the user with a user interface device and transmitting the biometric parameter to the central office; 
 taking a photograph of the user proximate at the fixed location, and transmitting the photograph to the central office; 
 storing, with the central office, the verifiable ID, the input biometrics and the photograph in a user record; 
 providing a unique code from the central office to the user after receipt of the verifiable ID, the input biometrics and the photograph and transmitting the unique code to the user; 
   initiating a financial transaction by the user, comprising the steps of:
 displaying, at a financial transactions location, a list of available financial services to the user; 
 receiving, from the user, a selection of least one selected available financial service; 
 taking a photograph of the user with a camera disposed at the financial transactions location; 
 receiving a biometric parameter input by the user at the financial transactions location; 
 receiving the unique code from the user; 
 transmitting the unique code, biometrics and photo to the central office from the financial transactions location; 
 comparing, with the central office, the received biometrics and the received unique code to verify the user's identity; and 
 conducting the transaction. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the operation of creating the verifiable user profile is conducted through a physical kiosk having an input device for receiving a verifiable ID with photograph, one or more input devices for receiving biometrics and a camera associated therewith for taking a photograph of the user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the physical kiosk is configured to take multiple photographs, at least one of the photographs being known by the user taken at the time of inputting the information, and the other photographs being capable of being taken at different times proximate to the time of input of the information without the knowledge of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein there are provided multiple cameras at different angles, wherein at least one of the cameras is observable to the user during the creation operation and at least on camera being hidden from the user's view wherein the hidden camera photographs user proximate in time to the time of input of one of a verifiable ID or biometric. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the financial transactions location for conducting a transaction is a physical kiosk having one or more user interface devices including a scanner for scanning a verifiable ID with photograph, one or more devices for receiving biometrics and a camera associated therewith for taking a photograph of the user at the time of the financial transaction. 
     
     
         15 . A method of registering potential users of financial services provided by a financial institutions with a single formless registration at a terminal, the method comprising:
 prompting a user at the terminal to scan a photo identification card and capturing an image of the photo identification card;   prompting the user to enter a biometric parameter;   transmitting, with the terminal, the captured image of the user photo identification card and the biometric parameter to a central office remote from the terminal;   creating a user record for the user at the central office;   populating, with the central office, a user record with data from the scanned user identification card and the biometric parameter;   transmitting a user customer identification number from the central office to the terminal; and   displaying, with the terminal, the customer identification number to the user, the customer identification number enabling a user to access at least one of the plurality of the financial institutions through the central office wherein the user enters the user's customer identification number with the user's biometric at a terminal remote from the central office to access user selected financial services.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising capturing a photographic image of the unregistered potential user of services present at the terminal and transmitting the photographic image of the unregistered potential user to the central office and storing the photographic image in the user record. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of creating a user record for the user at the central office further comprises accessing a third party database and populating the user record with information from the third party database. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of creating a user record further comprises incorporating a photograph of the unregistered potential user taken at the user terminal in the user record. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step of creating a user record further comprises comparing a photograph of the unregistered potential user taken at the user terminal with a photograph of the unregistered potential user extracted from the user photo identification card. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating a user record further comprises comparing a photograph of the unregistered potential user from a third party database with a photograph of the user taken at the user terminal.