Apparatus and methods for verification and authentication employing voluntary attributes, knowledge management and databases

• US 20040189441A1
• Filed: 03/24/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kosmas Stergiou
• Original Assignee: Kosmas Stergiou
• Inventors: Stergiou, Kosmas
• Application Number:
  US10/394,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20040189441A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/32 in combination with an identity check
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42034 Calling party identification service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for verifying the identity of an individually registered person employing knowledge management of a database repository of security information which includes Voluntary Attributes. The method includes the steps of collecting and registering assigned attribute information including personal security information such as name, date of birth, place or birth, along with voluntary attributes within a database; accessing a database containing information on registered persons; questioning the person based on the information; receiving and verifying an answer to the question; generating a score based on the answers; and confirming verification if the score is equal to or greater than a threshold.

Claims

1. ) A method of registering information into a database about the identity of a person based upon information that they provide and their selection of a multitude of questions to which they have provided truthful answers;

the method comprising the steps of;

a) receiving a multitude of original documents from a person seeking to be registered;

b) reviewing these original documents to establish an opinion on their authenticity, and if so then proceeding;

c) reviewing these original documents to establish an opinion that they uniquely identify the person seeking to be registered, and if so then proceeding;

d) accessing or creating a database corresponding to the person seeking to be registered, the database to contain information attributable to the person seeking to be registered;

e) registering the person into the database along with a record of the provided original documents;

f) presenting a multitude of questions to the person from which they will elect all, none or a number of these questions to truthfully answer, the answers to which along with the questions are recorded in the database

g) allowing the person to devise any number of questions which are recorded into the database along with their truthful answers;

h) generating a score corresponding to the degree in which the recorded database details of the person are unique from the database details of other persons or other selected sources; and

i) comparing the score to a predetermined threshold value and if the score is one of substantially equivalent to and above the threshold value, then accepting the registration of the person to one of the service and the facility.

2. ) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of one of denying registration to the person and repeating the process if the score is not substantially equivalent to and not above the threshold value.

3. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the original documents attributable to the person are not satisfactory and the method further comprising the steps of:

a) querying the user with a plurality of questions based on the information contained in the accessed database; and

b) requiring additional original documents from the person before confirming an opinion to proceed with registration.

4. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the original documents includes identifying documents.

5. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the original documents includes verifying documents.

6. ) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information contained in the database is derived from original documents provided by the person prior to the selection of questions step.

7. ) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information contained in the database is derived from answers to selected questions provided by the person.

8. ) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information in the database has assigned attribute features.

9. ) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information in the database has voluntary attribute features.

10. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-step of electing the questions is performed by a knowledge management technique.

11. ) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of requerying any question if the answer is not accepted during the registration step.

12. ) The method of claim 1, wherein one of the database and the model may be built through pre-enrollment of the person.

13. ) The method of claim 1, wherein one of the database and the model may be one of built and updated automatically during the method of verification or authentication of the person to one of the service and the facility.

14. ) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the at least one answer provided by the user may be in a form other than text.

15. ) The method of claim 1, wherein one of the database and the model may be simultaneously available to more than one of the service and the facility through a private and or public computer network.

16. ) Apparatus for controlling verification and authentication of a person to one of a service and a facility, the apparatus comprising:

a) means for accessing a database corresponding to the claimed identity of the person, the database containing information attributable to the person;

b) means for querying the person with at least one question based on the information contained in the accessed database;

c) means for verifying the accuracy of the answer against the information contained in the accessed database serving as the basis for the question;

d) means for generating a score corresponding to the accuracy of the answer and the uniqueness of the question and answer pair;

e) means for comparing the score to a predetermined threshold value and if the score is one of substantially equivalent to and above the threshold value, then permitting person access to one of the service and the facility; and

f) means for sharing access to the database from across more than one of the service and the facility.