# US 8,789,167 B2 · Fraud-proof location identification system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,789,167 B2 - Document ID: US8789167B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/594,479 - Filed: 2012-08-24 - Published: 2014-02-27 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-24 - Applicants: Andrea Albani - Inventors: Andrea Albani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8789167B2 ## CPC - H04W 12/06: Authentication - G06F 21/335: {for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets} - H04L 9/3228: {One-time or temporary data, i.e. information which is sent for every authentication or authorization, e.g. one-time-password, one-time-token or one-time-key} - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - G06F 2221/2111: Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS - G06F 2221/2137: Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data - H04L 9/3234: {involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853)} - H04W 12/77: Graphical identity - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Systems and methods for facilitating check-ins that are resistant to common fraud scenarios while also being relatively inexpensive. One or more embodiments include displaying unique tokens in quick succession on a display positioned at the check-in location (e.g., a store, restaurant, or other business or location). Customers have a short period of time (e.g., a few seconds, five minutes, etc.) to scan a particular check-in token before a new token is displayed on the display. Each token may encode a pre-determined number or identification code that cannot be guessed by the user and that can be verified by the system to validate the check-in. By periodically changing the check-in token displayed to users and limiting each token to a single use within a short timeframe, users are prevented from checking in remotely. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for providing fraud-proof location identification, the system comprising: a server computing device including one or more processors configured to execute location identification instructions, and the server computing device being configured to provide an interface for communicating with a plurality of user computing devices over a network, when executed by the one or more processors the location identification instructions being operative to: generate a plurality of ordered tokens associated with a check-in location; generate a plurality of token codes that each correspond to one of the plurality of ordered tokens; generate a plurality of machine-readable images that each encodes one of plurality of token codes; receive, from one of the plurality of user computing devices over the network, one of the plurality of token codes or one of the plurality of machine-readable images that encodes one of the plurality of token codes; identify one of the plurality of tokens as corresponding to the received token code or received machine-readable image; and determine whether the user is physically present at the check-in location based upon an order of the identified token in the plurality of ordered tokens. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the location identification instructions are further operative to send the plurality of machine-readable images to a computing device associated with the check-in location over the network so that the plurality of images may subsequently be transferred to a display device associated with the check-in location that is not coupled to the server computing device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a portable memory device for storing the plurality of machine-readable images, the portable memory device being configured for use with a display device associated with the check-in location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the location identification instructions are further operative to receive, at the server computing device, a request for activation of at least a subset of the plurality of tokens from an entity associated with the check-in location; and to activate at least a subset of the plurality of tokens based upon the received activation request. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device positioned at the check-in location that is not couplable to the server computing device, the display device being configured for displaying the machine-readable images according to the order of the plurality of ordered tokens. ### Claim 6 A system for providing fraud-proof location identification, the system comprising: a server computing device including one or more processors configured to execute location identification instructions, and the server computing device being configured to provide an interface for communicating with a plurality of user computing devices over a network, when executed by the one or more processors the location identification instructions being operative to: generate a plurality of ordered tokens associated with a check-in location, a display device being positioned at the check-in location that is not couplable to the server computing device; generate a plurality of token codes that each correspond to one of the plurality of ordered tokens; generate a plurality of machine-readable images that each encodes a token code; receive a token code or a machine-readable image that encodes a token code from one of the plurality of user computing devices over the network; determine the identity of the one of the plurality of tokens corresponding to the received token code or received machine-readable image; and determine whether the user is physically present at the check-in location based upon the order of the determined token in the ordered plurality of tokens, the display device being configured to display the machine-readable images according to the order of the tokens, the display device comprising a digital photo frame configured to operate in a slideshow mode wherein the digital photo frame displays images stored on a memory device associated therewith. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the location identification instructions are further operative to receive a selection of usage terms over the network from a computing device associated with the check-in location; and to associate the selected usage terms with the plurality of tokens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein when executed by the one or more processors, the location identification instructions are further operative to send a verification of the user's location to an entity associated with the check-in location over the network. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the entity comprises a social networking service, an entity associated with the check-in location, a loyalty service, or a rewards service. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable images comprise quick response (QR) barcodes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a display device positioned at the check-in location that is not couplable to the server computing device, the display device being configured to display the machine-readable images according to the order of the plurality of ordered tokens, wherein the token code received from the one of the user computing devices over the network is decoded after the user computing device scans a machine-readable image representative of the token code. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the location identification instructions are further operative to determine whether the user of the user computing device is physically present at the check-in location by utilizing the time at which the token code was received from the user computing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ordered tokens are sequentially ordered. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable image encoding one of the plurality of token codes is received, and when executed by the one or more processors, the location identification instructions are further operative to decode the machine-readable image to determine the identity of the one of the plurality of tokens corresponding to the received machine-readable image. ### Claim 15 A computer implemented method for providing fraud-proof location identification, the method comprising: providing a server computing device configured for communicating with a plurality of user computing devices over a network; generating a plurality of ordered tokens associated with a check-in location; storing series information in a data storage associated with the server computing device, the series information providing an identification of the order of the plurality of ordered tokens; generating a plurality of token codes that each corresponds to one of the plurality of ordered tokens; generating a plurality of machine-readable images that each encodes a token code; receiving, at the server computing device, a token code or a machine-readable image from one of the user computing devices over the network; determining the identity of the one of the plurality of tokens corresponding to the token code or machine-readable image received from the user computing device; and determining whether the user of the user computing device is physically present at the check-in location based upon the order of the determined token in the ordered plurality of tokens. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising sending the plurality of machine-readable images to the check-in location for ordered display on a display device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of machine-readable images is sent to a computing device associated with the check-in location over the network so that the plurality of images may subsequently be transferred to a display device associated with the check-in location that is not coupled to the network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of machine-readable images is sent to the check-in location on a portable memory device configured for use with a display device associated with the check-in location. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving, at the server computing device, a request for activation of at least a subset of the plurality of tokens from an entity associated with the check-in location; and activating at least a subset of the plurality of tokens based upon the received activation request. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising: displaying the plurality of machine-readable images in order on a display device positioned at the check-in location, wherein the display device is not coupled to the server computing device while displaying the machine-readable images. ### Claim 21 A computer implemented method for providing fraud-proof location identification, the method comprising: providing a server computing device configured for communicating with a plurality of user computing devices over a network: generating a plurality of ordered tokens associated with a check-in location; storing series information in a data storage associated with the server computing device, the series information providing an identification of the order of the plurality of ordered tokens; generating a plurality of token codes that each corresponds to one of the plurality of ordered tokens; generating a plurality of machine-readable images that each encodes a token code; receiving, at the server computing device, a token code or a machine-readable image from one of the user computing devices over the network; determining the identity of the one of the plurality of tokens corresponding to the token code or machine-readable image received from the user computing device; determining whether the user of the user computing device is physically present at the check-in location based upon the order of the determined token in the ordered plurality of tokens; and displaying the plurality of machine-readable images in order on a display device positioned at the check-in location, wherein the display device is not coupled to the server computing device while displaying the machine-readable images, the display device comprising a digital photo frame configured to operate in a slideshow mode wherein the digital photo frame displays images stored on a memory device associated therewith. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The computer implemented method of claim 15, further comprising receiving a selection of usage terms over the network from a computing device associated with the check-in location; and associating the selected usage terms with the plurality of tokens. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising sending a verification of the user's location to an entity associated with the check-in location over the network. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the machine-readable images comprise quick response (QR) barcodes. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the token code received from the one of the user computing devices over the network is decoded after the user computing device scans a machine-readable image that encodes the token code. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein determining whether the user of the user computing device is physically present at the check-in location comprises utilizing the time at which the token code was received from the user computing device. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein generating a plurality of token codes that each corresponds to one of the plurality of ordered tokens comprises utilizing a cryptography key. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein determining the identity of the one of the plurality of tokens corresponding to the token code or machine-readable image received from the user computing device comprises decrypting a token code utilizing the cryptography key. ### Claim 29 A computer implemented method for providing fraud-proof location identification, the method comprising: providing a server computing device configured for communicating with a plurality of user computing devices over a network; generating a plurality of ordered tokens associated with a check-in location; generating a plurality of token codes that each corresponds to one of the plurality of ordered tokens; sending the plurality of token codes or a plurality of machine-readable images encoding the plurality of token codes to the check-in location for display on a display device positioned at the check-in location, the display device not being coupled to the server computing device; displaying the plurality of machine-readable images on the display device in a predetermined order so that a user may scan one of the machine-readable images using a user computing device; receiving, at the server computing device, the scanned machine-readable image from the user computing device over the network; decoding the received machine-readable image to determine its corresponding token code; determining the identity of the one of the plurality of tokens corresponding to the determined token code; and determining whether the user of the user computing device is physically present at the check-in location based upon the order of the determined token in the ordered plurality of tokens. ### Claim 30 An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein components executable by a processor of a computer for performing a process for providing fraud-proof location identification, the computer being configured for communication with a plurality of user computing devices over a network, the process comprising: generating a plurality of ordered tokens associated with a check-in location; generating a plurality of token codes that each corresponds to one of the plurality of ordered tokens; generating a plurality of machine-readable images that each encodes a token code; receiving, at the server computing device, a token code or a machine-readable image encoding a token code from one of the user computing devices over the network; determining the identity of the one of the plurality of tokens corresponding to the token code or machine-readable image received from the user computing device; and determining whether the user of the user computing device is physically present at the check-in location based upon the order of the determined token in the ordered plurality of tokens.