SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS FOR PROVIDING AN IDENTITY AND AGE-APPROPRIATE VERIFICATION REGISTRY

• US 20110072039A1
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denise G. Tayloe
• Original Assignee: Denise G. Tayloe
• Inventors: Tayloe, Denise G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,208,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

Systems, methods and software applications for providing an identity and age-appropriate verification registry. A system for providing an identity and age-sensitive information registry includes various modules. In one implementation, system may include a registration module configured to allow parents and their children to register an account with the registry; and a request processing module configured to enable third parties to query the registry to see if any individual is registered and has authority or consent to access age-sensitive content, products or services or share data that could become publicly available by the third party.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, are configured to implement a method for operating an identity and age verification registry having accounts for individuals, the instructions comprising:

a registration module configured to receive a request to register an account for an individual in the registry, the registered account including at least an identifier and a date of birth for the registered individual; and

an identity verification module configured to;

(i) receive a request from an entity to determine if an individual is registered with the registry;

(ii) query the registry to determine if the individual is registered with the registry; and

(iii) if the individual is registered with the registry, provide;

(a) an indication to the requesting entity whether the registered individual is or is not of a sufficient age to access information, a service or a product of the requesting entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the requesting entity; and

/or

(b) the age, age range, or date or birth of the registered individual to the requesting entity.

2. The instructions according to claim 1, wherein the registration module is configured to:

(i) receive a request from a first individual to register an account in the registry, (ii) receive information regarding a second individual, and (iii) generate a notification to the second individual to confirm registration.

3. The instructions according to claim 2, wherein the registration module is configured to receive a request from the second individual confirming registration of the first individual, in order for the first individual to be registered.

4. The instructions according to claim 2, wherein the registration module is configured is create a “

child”

account for the first individual, and/or a “

parent”

or “

guardian”

account for the second individual.

5. The instructions according to claim 1, wherein the registration module is configured to:

(i) receive a request from a second individual to register an account in the registry, (ii) receive information regarding a first individual, and (iii) generate a notification to the first individual to confirm registration.

6. The instructions according to claim 5, wherein the registration module is configured to receive an additional request from the second individual to register the first individual, if the first individual does not consent to be registered, or fails to respond, to the notification to confirm registration.

7. The instructions according to claim 5, wherein the registration module is configured is create a “

child”

account for the first individual, and/or a “

parent”

or “

guardian”

account for the second individual.

8. The instructions according to claim 1, wherein the registration module is configured to generate a notification to an entity to confirm the identity, the identifier, the age, the date of birth, and/or other personal information of the registering individual during the registration process.

9. The instructions according to claim 1, wherein the registration module is configured to transmit a notification during registration to the registering individual and/or another by one or more of:

mail, email, telephone, text message, facsimile, chat application, instant messenger (IM) or social networking site messaging.

10. The instructions according to claim 1, wherein the identity verification module is further configured to:

(i) receive a request from the requesting entity including a purported age, age-range, or a date of birth of an individual, (ii) compare the purported age, age-range, or the date of birth received from the requesting entity with a stored age, age-range, or date of birth associated with the registered account for that individual, and (iii) provide an indication to the requested entity that confirms or disproves the purported age, age-range, or date of birth for that registered individual.

11. The instructions according to claim 1, further comprising:

a consent module configured to receive a request, from a registered individual, that authorizes or denies the registered individual and/or another registered individual to access information, a service or a product of an entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the entity.

12. The instructions according to claim 11, wherein the consent module is configured to provide a notification to an entity that the registered individual and/or the another registered individual have been granted authorization to, or denied authorization to, access information, a service or a product of the entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the entity.

13. The instructions according to claim 11, wherein the identity verification module is further configured to receive a request, from the requesting entity, to determine if the individual has been granted authorization to, or denied authorization, to access information, a service or a product of an entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the entity.

14. The instructions according to claim 1, further comprising:

a requestor module configured to enable one or more entities to each create a requestor account with the registry for making requests to verify one or more individuals registered with the registry.

15. The instructions according claim 14, further comprising:

a billing module configured to charge the account of the requesting entity for verification processing.

16. The instructions according to claim 1, further comprising:

a managing module configured to enable a registered individual to manage access to age-restricted information, products and services, and/or to prevent disclosing of personal information which could be shared or become publicly available by an entity, for himself or herself, and/or another registered individual.

17. The instructions according to claim 16, wherein the managing module is further configured to enable the registered individual to select age-appropriate content, content category, and/or a site, service or product, for granting and/or denying access to, for himself or herself, and/or the another registered individual.

18. The instructions according to claim 16, wherein the managing module is further configured to generate a notification to the registered individual of an attempt by the another registered individual to register with, access information, a service or a product of, and/or disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by, an entity.

19. The instructions according to claim 16, wherein the managing module is further configured to enable a registered individual to create a universal identity credential used for authentication purposes for himself or herself, and/or another registered individual.

20. The instructions according to claim 1, further comprising:

a consent module configured to transmit a request for a registered individual to provide one or more credentials to the registry, to confirm (i) that a registered individual is who he or she purports to be, and/or (ii) that the registered individual has authority to provide consent for another registered individual.

21. The instructions according to claim 20, wherein the one or more credentials comprise:

identity-based, knowledge-based, control-based or contextual-based credentials.

22. The instructions according to claim 20, wherein the consent module is configured to provide an indication, to a requesting entity, that the one or more credentials are valid.

23. The instructions according to claim 20, wherein the consent module is configured to receive one or more credentials for a registered individual and compare it against one or more stored credentials associated with that registered individual.

24. The instructions according to claim 1, wherein the identity verification module is further configured (i) to receive an identifier for an individual, and (ii) to compare the received identifier with stored identifiers in the registry to determine a registered individual.

25. The instructions according to claim 24, wherein the identity module is further configured (ii) to provide an indication to the requesting entity that stored credential information associated with the identifier was verified by the registry operator or its agents.

26. The instructions according to claim 25, wherein the identity verification module is further configured to provide an indication to the requesting entity as to the methodology or technique used for the verification of the credential information associated with the identifier

27. The instructions according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is one or more of:

a name, a physical address, machine address or identifier, government issued identification number, a whole or a part of a social security number, email address, login name, user name, telephone number, instant messenger (IM) or social networking site screen name, universal identity credential, i-card, or custom identifier.

28. The instructions according to claim 1, wherein the identity verification module is further configured to receive a request from an entity to provide stored information regarding the registered individual to the requesting entity.

29. The instructions according to claim 28, wherein the requested stored information for the registered individual includes at least information regarding another registered individual.

30. The instructions according to claim 28, wherein the identity verification module is further configured to transmit stored information regarding the registered individual to the requesting entity.

31. A method for providing an identity and age verification registry, the method being executed by one or more processors that perform the following steps:

receiving a request to register an account for an individual in the registry, the registered account including at least an identifier and a date of birth for the registered individual;

receiving a request, from an entity, to determine if an individual is registered with the registry;

querying the registry to determine if the individual is registered with the registry; and

if the individual is registered with the registry, providing;

(a) an indication to the requesting entity whether the registered individual is or is not of a sufficient age to access information, a service or a product of the requesting entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the requesting entity; and

/or

(b) the age, age range, or date or birth of the registered individual to the requesting entity.

32. An identity and age verification registry system comprising:

a database configured to store records, each record including account information for an individual including at least an identifier and a date of birth for the individual; and

a server machine having one or more processors configured;

receive a request from an entity to determine if an individual is registered with the registry,

query the database to determine if the individual includes a record in the database; and

if the individual is registered includes a record in the database, provide;

(a) an indication to the requesting entity whether the registered individual is or is not of a sufficient age to access information, a service or a product of the requesting entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the requesting entity; and

/or

(b) the age, age range, or date or birth of the registered individual to the requesting entity.

33. An identity verification registry method comprising:

initiating a request, from a client machine, to determine if an individual is registered with the identity verification registry system according to claim 32.

34. The method according to claim 33 further comprising:

receiving, from the server machine, an indication that the individual is of a sufficient age to access information, a service or a product of the requesting entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the requesting entity.

35. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, are configured to implement a method for providing an identity verification registry having accounts for individuals, the instructions comprising:

a registration module configured to receive a request to register an account for an individual in the registry, the registered account including at least an identifier for the registered individual; and

an identity verification module configured to;

(i) receive a request from an entity including an identifier of an individual to determine if the individual is registered with the registry;

(ii) query the registry, based on the identifier received from the requesting entity, to determine if that individual is registered with the registry; and

(iii) if that individual is registered with the registry, provide an indication to the requesting entity that stored credential information associated with the identifier of the registered individual had been previously verified by the registry operator or its agents.

36. The instructions according to claim 35, wherein the identity verification module is further configured (iii) to provide an indication to the requesting entity as to the methodology or technique used for the verification of the credential information associated with the identifier.

37. The instructions according to claim 35, further comprising:

a consent module configured to receive a request, from a registered individual, that authorizes or denies the registered individual and/or another registered individual to access information, a service or a product of an entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the entity; and

wherein the identity verification module is further configured to determine if the individual has authorization to access information, a service or a product of the requesting entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the requesting entity.

38. The instructions according to claim 35, wherein the information credentials comprise one or more identity-based, knowledge-based, control-based or contextual-based credentials.

39. The instructions according to claim 35, wherein the identifier is one or more of:

a name, a physical address, machine address or identifier, government issued identification number, a whole or a part of a social security number, email address, login name, user name, telephone number, instant messenger (IM) or social networking site screen name, universal identity credential, i-card, or custom identifier.

40. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, are configured to implement a method for providing an identity verification registry having accounts for individuals, the instructions comprising:

a registration module configured to receive a request to register an account for an individual in the registry, the registered account including at least an identifier for the registered individual;

a consent module configured to receive a request, from a registered individual, that authorizes, or denies, the registered individual and/or another registered individual to access information, a service or a product of an entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the entity; and

an identity verification module configured to;

(i) receive a request from an entity including an identifier of an individual to determine if the individual is registered with the registry;

(ii) query the registry, based on the identifier received from the requesting entity, to determine if that individual is registered with the registry; and

(iii) if that individual is registered with the registry, provide an indication to the requesting entity whether the registered individual has authorization to access information, a service or a product of the requesting entity, and/or to disclose information which could be shared or become publicly available by the requesting entity.