METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED USER AUTHENTICATION

• US 20100040210A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edwin Tan
• Original Assignee: Sky Castle Global Limited
• Inventors: TAN, Edwin
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6081 Service authorization mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication

Abstract

A method and system for authenticating a telephone number. The method includes receiving a user-inputted telephone number over a communication channel. The method includes providing a security code to a user over the communication channel. The method includes initiating a voice telephone call session to the user-inputted telephone number. The method includes prompting the user over the voice telephone call session. The method includes responsive to receiving the security code from the user over the voice telephone call session, authenticating the user-inputted telephone number.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a telephone number, comprising:

receiving a user-inputted telephone number over a communication channel;

providing a security code to a user over the communication channel;

initiating a voice telephone call session to the user-inputted telephone number;

prompting the user over the voice telephone call session for the security code; and

responsive to receiving the security code from the user over the voice telephone call session, authenticating the user-inputted telephone number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication channel is over at least one of:

a data network, a voice network, and a cellular network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the security code is encrypted before being provided to the user over the communication channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the security code is at least one of:

a sequence of alphanumeric characters, a sequence of numeric characters, and a sequence of user-spoken words.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the security code is received from the user over the voice telephone call session by at least one of:

the user speaking the security code into the channel or the user pressing telephone keys.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-inputted telephone number is authenticated as part of at least one of:

a periodic verification of a user account and a creation of a user account.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user account is a domain name registration.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the security code is provided to the user as a CAPTCHA image.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A system for accepting delayed payment of prepaid cards, comprising:

a server, the server in communications with a workstation over a data network and a telephone over a telephone network, wherein the server is configured to

receive a user-inputted telephone number,

initiate a voice telephone call session over the telephone network to a telephone associated with the user-inputted telephone number,

provide a security code to a user via the workstation over the data network,

prompt the user to enter the security code over the voice telephone call session, and

responsive to receiving the security code from the user over the voice telephone call session, authenticating the user-inputted telephone number.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the security code is encrypted by the workstation before transmission to the server.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the security code is at least one of:

a sequence of numeric digits, a sequence of numeric characters, and a sequence of user-spoken words.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the user-inputted telephone number is authenticated as part of at least one of:

a periodic verification of a user account and a creation of a user account.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the user-inputted telephone number is received from the workstation over the data network.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein data is transferred over a network session on the data network.

30. The system of claim 15, wherein the security code is provided to the user as a CAPTCHA image.

21. A system for accepting delayed payment of prepaid cards, comprising:

a server, the server in communications with a workstation over a data network and a telephone over a telephone network, wherein the server is configured to

receive an user-inputted telephone number,

initiate a voice telephone call session over the telephone network to a telephone associated with the user-inputted telephone number,

provide a security code to a user via the workstation over the data network, wherein the security code is encrypted for transmission over the data network,

prompt the user to enter the security code over the voice telephone call session, wherein the security code is encrypted for transmission over the voice telephone call session, and

responsive to receiving the security code from the user over the voice telephone call session, authenticating the user-inputted telephone number.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the security code is at least one of:

a sequence of alphanumeric characters, a sequence of numeric characters, and a sequence of user-spoken words.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the security code is a sequence of numeric characters entered by the user via a receiving telephone keypad.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the security code is a sequence of user-spoken words spoken by the user into a telephone microphone.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the server is further configured to execute a voice recognition module for recognizing the user-spoken security code received over the voice telephone call session.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the server is further configured to store a sample of the user-spoken security code in an accessible storage.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the voice telephone call session is initiated after a predetermined delay after receiving the user-inputted telephone number.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the security code is provided to the user as a CAPTCHA image.