Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
281 words
A method for adding a user record to a centralized computer database using a fingerprint form comprising the steps of: (a) storing user account information in the user record in an electronic format in a computer database file; (b) marking the user record as being incomplete; (c) generating the fingerprint form by pre-encoding the user account information on the fingerprint form and providing the fingerprint form to a user, wherein the fingerprint form comprises an area for fingerprints; (d) obtaining on the fingerprint form a fingerprint from the user; (e) reading and electronically encoding a user fingerprint from the fingerprint form and storing the encoded user fingerprint in an electronic format in the computer database file, and associating the encoded user fingerprint with the encoded user account information in the user record in the computer database file; (f) analyzing the user fingerprint, and when the user fingerprint is illegible, notifying the user that the user fingerprint is illegible, providing a replacement fingerprint form to the user, and terminating the method; (g) when the user fingerprint is legible, searching and comparing the user fingerprint to all previously stored user fingerprints in the computer database file for a match; (h) when there is a match between the user fingerprint and one of the previously stored user fingerprints in the computer database file, marking the user records associated with the user fingerprint and the previously stored user fingerprint as frozen, notifying the associated users, and terminating the method; and (i) when there is no match between the user fingerprint and one of the previously stored user fingerprints in the computer database file, marking the user record stored in the computer database file as complete.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
281 words
A method for adding a user record to a centralized computer database using a fingerprint form comprising the steps of: (a) storing user account information in the user record in an electronic format in a computer database file; (b) marking the user record as being incomplete; (c) generating the fingerprint form by pre-encoding the user account information on the fingerprint form and providing the fingerprint form to a user, wherein the fingerprint form comprises an area for fingerprints; (d) obtaining on the fingerprint form a fingerprint from the user; (e) reading and electronically encoding a user fingerprint from the fingerprint form and storing the encoded user fingerprint in an electronic format in the computer database file, and associating the encoded user fingerprint with the encoded user account information in the user record in the computer database file; (f) analyzing the user fingerprint, and when the user fingerprint is illegible, notifying the user that the user fingerprint is illegible, providing a replacement fingerprint form to the user, and terminating the method; (g) when the user fingerprint is legible, searching and comparing the user fingerprint to all previously stored user fingerprints in the computer database file for a match; (h) when there is a match between the user fingerprint and one of the previously stored user fingerprints in the computer database file, marking the user records associated with the user fingerprint and the previously stored user fingerprint as frozen, notifying the associated users, and terminating the method; and (i) when there is no match between the user fingerprint and one of the previously stored user fingerprints in the computer database file, marking the user record stored in the computer database file as complete.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the computer database file comprises a G file representing good user entries and a F file representing fraudulent user entries.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of, when there is a match between the user fingerprint and one of the previously stored user fingerprints in the computer database file, storing the user fingerprint in a user record in an electronic format in a temporary note pad computer database file so that the user fingerprint stored in the temporary note pad can be used for geographically tracking fraudulent user activities.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 3, wherein: (a) the temporary note pad computer database file further comprises a rider file for temporarily storing old user account information; and (b) the rider file comprises means for being accessed upon each user account transaction.