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BofA anticipates biometric ID with ATM security patent application

November 13, 2013

Bank of America has applied for an ATM patent (U.S. Patent Application No. 20130264384) that would connect the ATM to external authentication capabilities such as a fingerprint scanner.

In the application submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 5, 2012, and published on Oct. 23, 2013, BofA offered the following abstract:

Systems and methods for authenticating a user's identity at an ATM are provided. A Method for authenticating a user's identity at an Automated Teller Machine ("ATM") includes using a first receiver to receive information from an ATM touch screen relating to a first numerical digit and a second numerical digit selected by the user. The method further includes using a second receiver to receive information from a fingerprint scanner relating to first biometric information input into the fingerprint scanner and second biometric information input into the fingerprint scanner, wherein the fingerprint scanner is removably coupled to the ATM via a USB port included in a secured portion of the ATM, the secured portion of the ATM being inaccessible to the user. The method may also include using a transmitter to transmit the information received by the first receiver and the second receiver to a remote server.

Two of the 20 diagrams illustrating the system and method of operation:

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