Automated third party verification system

• US 20020111809A1
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Teleservices Holding Company
• Inventors: McIntosh, Jonathan P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,990,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/06 Decision making techniques; Pattern matching strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/22 Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A verification system for obtaining, storing and providing access to information regarding a commitment or position of an individual or entity is provided. In one embodiment the verification system comprises an interactive voice response system or computer program interface capable of obtaining and recording information regarding any of a number of commitments from an individual or entity, such as a commitment to change long distance telephone service providers. The verification system comprises a voice response unit configured to query pertinent information from an individual and record the responses to the queries in a digital format. Upon completion of a successful session, the voice response unit forwards the recorded responses confirming consent, to a storage device, such as a computer server. As desired, the recorded responses can be retrieved from the server by telephone or computer for verification of the consent, commitment, or position of the individual or entity.

Claims

1. A computer based verification retrieval system comprising:

a communication network to facilitate communication between a first computer and a data access computer;

a data access computer connected to said communication network, said data access computer configured to serve as an interface for said first computer and transmit said verification over said communication network to said first computer; and

a data storage computer in communication with said data access computer, said data storage computer configured to store said verification and provide said verification to said data access computer upon request.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication network is an internet.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said data access computer is an internet server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said data access computer and said data storage computer are combined into a single computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first computer is a client computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said verification is an audio data file representing recorded portions of speech.

7. The system of claim 1, further including a speech pattern recognition module in communication with said data access computer to perform speech pattern analysis on said verification.

8. A method of obtaining and providing a third party verification service comprising:

recording and storing verification comprising

establishing a first communication link between an individual and a verification system;

receiving and recording data over said first communication link at said verification system;

storing said data on a verification system storage device;

retrieving said verification comprising;

establishing a second communication link between a client computer and said verification system;

logging said client computer onto said verification system;

receiving a request for said data from said client computer;

retrieving said data from said verification system storage device; and

uploading said data from said verification system to said client computer

wherein said client computer may utilize said data for verification.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said establishing a first communication link comprises establishing a communication link by telephone over the public switched telephone network.

10. The method of claim 8, further including the step of converting data to a personal computer compatible format after said retrieving said data from said verification system storage device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said second communication link utilizes an internet.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said data is an audio file containing voice responses from said individual.

13. The method of claim 8, further including the step of playing said audio file over a telephone connection to a party requesting verification.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said method is intended to provide verification for a long distance telephone service provider.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein said method is intended to provide verification for a utility service provider.

16. The method of claim 8, further including the steps of:

performing speech pattern analysis on said data received over said first communication link;

obtaining additional data after said receiving and recording data over said first communication link;

performing speech pattern analysis on said additional data; and

comparing results of said speech pattern analysis performed on said data received over said first communication link to results of said speech pattern analysis performed on said additional data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said data file contains a digitally stored voice recording of an individual'"'"'s responses to questions.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said transmitting said data file comprises uploading said data file to a computer of said authorized entity via an internet.

17. A method of providing third party verification data files to entities authorized to access said data files using a third party verification system, said method comprising:

verifying authorization to access said third party verification system;

obtaining a data file identifier of said date file stored in said verification system;

searching and retrieving said data file corresponding to said data file identifier; and

transmitting said data file to said authorized entity.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for providing an automated third party verification system for use by a entity desiring to obtain and record audio or video verification of a response or action by an individual or entity:

computer program code logic configured to direct the hardware of a voice response unit to communicate an inquiry a listening party and electronically record responses to said inquiry;

computer program code logic configured to catalog by identifier said electronically recorded responses to aid in retrieval of said electronically recorded responses;

computer program code logic configured to provide an interface for data transfer over an internet to facilitate retrieval of said electronically recorded responses; and

computer program code logic configured to accept said identifier, retrieve said electronically recorded responses and transmit said electronically recorded responses over said internet.