SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VOICE AUTHENTICATION

• US 20140172430A1
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Julian Hua, Robert Rutherford
• Inventors: RUTHERFORD, Robert, HUA, Julian
• Granted Patent: US 9,898,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3272 using an audio code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• 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 2015/225 Feedback of the input speech

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide for secure voice authentication through a communication device or access device. Certain embodiments allow for providing a word string to a communication device or authentication device. The communication or authentication device plays a supplemental signal that is unique to a transaction. The communication device or authentication device concurrently records an audio segment originating from the user and the supplemental signal. The audio segment is an attempt by the user to vocally reproduce the word string. The communication device or authentication device sends the concurrently recorded audio segment and supplemental signal, to a computer, where the computer authenticates the user.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a user for a transaction, comprising:

providing, by a device, a word string;

playing, by the device, a supplemental signal unique to the transaction;

concurrently recording, by the device, an audio segment originating from the user and the supplemental signal, wherein the audio segment is an attempt by the user to vocally reproduce the word string; and

sending, by the device the concurrently recorded audio segment and supplemental signal, to a computer, wherein the computer authenticates the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer authenticates the user for the transaction based at least in part on the recorded audio segment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the supplemental signal comprises at least one of an inaudible sound or an audible sound.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the supplemental signal is received, by the device, from the computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the supplemental signal is played by a point-of-sale (POS) device while authenticating the user for the transaction.

6. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising code executable by the processor for implementing a method for authenticating a user for a transaction, the method comprising;

providing, by the device, a word string;

playing, by the device, a supplemental signal unique to the transaction;

concurrently recording, by the device, an audio segment originating from the user and the supplemental signal, wherein the audio segment is an attempt by the user to vocally reproduce the word string; and

sending, by the device, the concurrently recorded audio segment and supplemental signal, to a computer, wherein the computer authenticates the user.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the computer authenticates the user for the transaction based at least in part on the recorded audio segment.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the supplemental signal comprises at least one of an inaudible sound or an audible sound.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein the supplemental signal is received, by the device, from the computer.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein the supplemental signal is played by a point-of-sale (POS) device while authenticating the user for the transaction.

11. A method for authenticating a user for a transaction, comprising:

receiving, by a server computer, an audio segment and supplemental signal unique to the transaction, wherein the audio segment and supplemental signal were concurrently recorded by a device and the audio segment originates from the user and is an attempt by the user to vocally reproduce a word string provided by the device; and

verifying, by the server computer, that the supplemental signal received in the payment authorization request matches the supplemental signal provided to the device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising authenticating, by the server computer, the user for the transaction based at least in part on the recorded audio segment.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating, by the server computer, the supplemental signal and providing the supplemental signal to the device.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising, receiving, a payment authorization request associated with the transaction, the payment authorization request including the concurrently recorded audio segment and supplemental signal.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the supplemental signal comprises at least one of an inaudible sound or an audible sound.

16. A server computer, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising code executable by the processor for implementing a method for authenticating a user for a transaction, the method comprising;

receiving, by the server computer, an audio segment and supplemental signal unique to the transaction, wherein the audio segment and supplemental signal were concurrently recorded by a device and the audio segment originates from the user and is an attempt by the user to vocally reproduce a word string provided by the device; and

verifying, by the server computer, that the supplemental signal received in the payment authorization request matches the supplemental signal provided to the device.

17. The server computer of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises authenticating, by the server computer, the user for the transaction based at least in part on the recorded audio segment.

18. The server computer of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises generating, by the server computer, the supplemental signal and providing the supplemental signal to the device.

19. The server computer of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises, receiving, a payment authorization request associated with the transaction, the payment authorization request including the concurrently recorded audio segment and supplemental signal.

20. The server computer of claim 16 wherein the supplemental signal comprises at least one of an inaudible sound or an audible sound.