Electronic transaction verification system with biometric authentication

Abstract

An electronic transaction verification system for use with transaction tokens such as checks, credit cards, debit cards, and smart cards that gathers and transmits information about the transaction token and biometric data. Customers can be enrolled in the system by receiving customer information that includes at least a biometric datum, associating the received customer information with a transaction instrument issued to the customers and storing the received customer information and the issued transaction instrument information in a database for future reference.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A negotiable instrument system for use at a location where a negotiable instrument is presented by a receiving entity, the system comprising:
 a negotiable instrument reader configured to read encoded negotiable instrument information from a negotiable instrument issued by an issuing entity;   a biometric data reader configured to generate biometric data from an individual representing the receiving entity; and   an electronic communication system configured to transmit at least the negotiable instrument information and the biometric data to a central processing system and receive information from the central processing system;   wherein the central processing system is configured to access one or more information stores, said one or more information stores including information associated with a plurality of negotiable instruments, said information previously provided by the,   said one or more information stores further including biometric information associated with a from a plurality of individuals, each of said plurality of individuals associated with the receiving entity,   wherein the electronic communication system is further configured to provide an indication as to whether the negotiable instrument should be accepted, said indication based on a comparison between the negotiable instrument information, the biometric data, and data from one or more information stores.