Systems and methods for authenticating a caller using biometric authentication

• US 10,390,197 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2018
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Tuomikoski, David, Tijerina, Rochelle A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nealon, William
• Application Number:
  US16/223,547
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 455411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/205 involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

Methods and systems described in this disclosure receive a call from a device associated with a caller and determine whether the caller is eligible for biometric authentication via the device by sending, via a communications network, an eligibility determination request to an issuer of the device. In response to the caller being eligible for biometric authentication, a request to initiate a biometric authentication process on the device is sent to an issuer of the device, where biometric credentials are received by the device and an indication of whether the biometric credentials were verified is received from the issuer of the device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a first network, a call from a device associated with a caller;

determining whether the caller is qualified for authentication via a first method of authentication,

wherein determining whether the caller is qualified for authentication via the first method of authentication comprises determining whether a mobile application of an organization has been downloaded to the device;

in response to the caller being qualified for authentication via the first method of authentication, collecting authentication credentials via the first method of authentication;

in response to the caller being unqualified for authentication via the first method of authentication, determining whether the caller is qualified for authentication via a second method of authentication;

in response to the caller being qualified for authentication via the second method of authentication;

sending, via a second network, to an issuer of the device, a request to initiate a biometric authentication process on the device, wherein biometric credentials are received by the device;

receiving, via the second network from the issuer of the device, an indication of whether the biometric credentials were verified; and

authenticating the caller to the call or requiring additional authentication credentials based on whether the biometric credentials were verified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to the caller being unqualified for authentication via the second method of authentication, the method further comprises sending, via the first network, a request for authentication credentials in a text message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to the call being received via a landline network, the method further comprises authenticating the caller via a third method of authentication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining an identity of the caller based at least in part on characteristics of the device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the characteristics of the device include a network of the call and a phone number of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining an identity of the issuer of the device based on characteristics of the call.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the characteristics of the call include an identity of the first network and a phone number of the device.

8. The method of claim 1, in response to the caller being unqualified for authentication via the second method of authentication, the method further comprises routing the call to an interactive voice response system or to a representative to authenticate the caller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller is qualified for authentication via the second method of authentication in response to a biometric authentication feature being enabled on the device, the call being active, and the device being capable of transferring both voice and data during the call.

10. An authentication platform comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the authentication platform to;

receive, via a first network, a call from a device associated with a caller,

determine whether the caller is qualified for authentication via a first method of authentication,

wherein determining whether the caller is qualified for authentication via the first method of authentication comprises determining whether a mobile application of an organization has been downloaded to the device,

in response to the caller being qualified for authentication via the first method of authentication, collect authentication credentials via the first method of authentication,

in response to the caller being unqualified for authentication via the first method of authentication, determine whether the caller is qualified for authentication via a second method of authentication,

in response to the caller being qualified for authentication via the second method of authentication;

send, via a second network, to an issuer of the device a request to initiate a biometric authentication process on the device, wherein biometric credentials are received by the device,

receive, via the second network from the issuer of the device, an indication of whether the biometric credentials were verified, and

authenticate the caller to the call or require additional authentication credentials based on whether the biometric credentials were verified.

11. The authentication platform of claim 10, wherein in response to the caller being unqualified for authentication via the second method of authentication, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the authentication platform to send, via the first network, a request for authentication credentials in a text message.

12. The authentication platform of claim 10, in response to the caller being unqualified for authentication via the second method of authentication, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the authentication platform to route the call to an interactive voice response system or to a representative to authenticate the caller.

13. The authentication platform of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the authentication platform to determine an identity of the caller based at least in part on characteristics of the device, wherein the characteristics of the device include a network of the call and a phone number of the device.

14. The authentication platform of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the authentication platform to determine an identity of the issuer of the device based on characteristics of the call, wherein the characteristics of the call include an identity of the first network and a phone number of the device.

15. The authentication platform of claim 10, in response to the caller being unqualified for authentication via the second method of authentication, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the authentication platform to route the call to an interactive voice response system or to a representative to authenticate the caller.

16. The authentication platform of claim 10, wherein the caller is qualified for authentication via the second method of authentication in response to a biometric authentication feature being enabled on the device, the call being active, and the device being capable of transferring both voice and data during the call.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

receiving, via a first network, a call from a device associated with a caller;

determining whether the caller is qualified for authentication via a first method of authentication,

wherein determining whether the caller is qualified for authentication via the first method of authentication comprises determining whether a mobile application of an organization has been downloaded to the device;

in response to the caller being qualified for authentication via the first method of authentication, collecting authentication credentials via the first method of authentication;

in response to the caller being unqualified for authentication via the first method of authentication, determining whether the caller is qualified for authentication via a second method of authentication;

in response to the caller being qualified for authentication via the second method of authentication;

sending, via a second network, to an issuer of the device a request to initiate a biometric authentication process on the device, wherein biometric credentials are received by the device;

receiving, via the second network from the issuer of the device, an indication of whether the biometric credentials were verified; and

authenticating the caller to the call or require additional authentication credentials based on whether the biometric credentials were verified.