DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING VALIDATION AND AUTHENTICATION OF A PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OR PHYSICAL OBJECT

• US 20160314546A1
• Filed: 04/26/2016
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Advantage Corporation (Symphony Technology Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: First Advantage Corporation (Symphony Technology Group LLC)
• Inventors: MALNATI, Stefano, Teelock, Ranjeev, Seale, Kimberle, Moser, Tammie Ann
• Granted Patent: US 11,562,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A communicating device, method, and computer readable medium for performing a process of authenticating a physical structure. The communicating device includes circuitry that is configured to transmit a first instruction to a mobile device, receive first information associated with execution of the first instruction by the mobile device, validate the first information in order to determine a first score corresponding to the first instruction, by comparing the first information with pre-stored information, transmit a second instruction to the mobile device, receive, from the mobile device, second information associated with execution of the second instruction by the mobile device, validate the second information to determine a second score corresponding to the second instruction, by comparing the second information with pre-stored information, and generate an authentication result for the physical structure in response to the first and second scores being greater than first and second predetermined thresholds respectively.

Claims

1. A communicating device for performing authentication of a physical structure, the communicating device comprising:

circuitry configured to

transmit a first instruction to a mobile device via a network,

receive, from the mobile device, via the network, first information associated with execution of the first instruction by the mobile device,

validate the first information to determine a first score corresponding to the first instruction, by comparing the first information with pre-stored information,

transmit a second instruction to the mobile device via the network,

receive, from the mobile device, via the network, second information associated with execution of the second instruction by the mobile device,

validate the second information to determine a second score corresponding to the second instruction, by comparing the second information with pre-stored information, and

generate an authentication result for the physical structure in response to the first score being greater than a first predetermined threshold and the second score being greater than a second predetermined threshold.

2. The communicating device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

transmit a third instruction to the mobile device via the network, based on at least one of the first score being less than the first predetermined threshold and the second score being less than the second predetermined threshold.

3. The communicating device of claim 1, wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are different.

4. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the circuitry is further configured to

compute a reliability score for the authentication of the physical structure as a ratio of a sum of the determined scores associated with the execution of the first, second, and third instructions to a sum of a highest score associated with the execution of each instruction.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the first instruction is one of capturing an image of the physical structure and capturing a logo corresponding to the physical structure.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the circuitry is further configured to

retransmit a modified first instruction based on one of the captured image of the physical structure and the captured image of the logo corresponding to the physical structure having an image quality below a predetermined image quality threshold.

7. The communicating device of claim 5, wherein the second instruction is one of determining an area of the physical structure and determining a number of stories of the physical structure.

8. The communicating device of claim 7, wherein the area of the physical structure is determined based on a number of steps taken along a perimeter of the physical structure by an operator of the mobile device, and an average footstep size of the operator, the number of steps being detected by an accelerometer disposed on the mobile device.

9. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the number of stories of the physical structure is computed based on an altitude difference in a single story of the physical structure and a total altitude difference between a top and a bottom of the physical structure, the attitude being determined with reference to a fixed level and being measured by an altimeter that is disposed on the mobile device.

10. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the circuitry is further configured to

determine at least one other physical structure that has been previously authenticated, and that is located within a predetermined distance away from the physical structure being authenticated;

transmit a third instruction to the mobile device via the network instructing an operator of the mobile device to walk from the physical structure being authenticated to the at least one other physical structure that has been previously authenticated; and

receive third information associated with execution of the third instruction by the operator of the mobile device.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the third information received by the communication device is a number of steps taken by the operator of the mobile device in travelling from the physical structure being authenticated to the at least one other physical structure that has been previously authenticated, the steps being detected by an accelerometer disposed on the mobile device.

12. A method of authenticating a physical structure performed by circuitry included in a communication device, the method comprising:

transmitting a first instruction to a mobile device via a network;

receiving, from the mobile device, via the network, first information associated with execution of the first instruction by the mobile device;

validating the first information to determine a first score corresponding to the first instruction, by comparing the first information with pre-stored information;

transmitting a second instruction to the mobile device via the network;

receiving, from the mobile device, via the network, second information associated with execution of the second instruction by the mobile device;

validating the second information to determine a second score corresponding to the second instruction, by comparing the second information with pre-stored information; and

generating an authentication result for the physical structure in response to the first score being greater than a first predetermined threshold and the second score being greater than a second predetermined threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting a third instruction to the mobile device via the network, based on at least one of the first score being less than the first predetermined threshold and the second score being less than the second predetermined threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

computing a reliability score for the authentication of the physical structure as a ratio of a sum of the determined scores associated with the execution of the first, second, and the third instructions to a sum of a highest score associated with the execution of each instruction.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first instruction is one of capturing an image of the physical structure and capturing a logo corresponding to the physical structure.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

retransmitting a modified first instruction based on one of the captured image of the physical structure and the captured image of the logo corresponding to the physical structure having an image quality below a predetermined image quality threshold.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining at least one other physical structure that has been previously authenticated, and that is located within a predetermined distance away from the physical structure being authenticated;

transmitting a third instruction to the mobile device via the network instructing an operator of the mobile device to walk from the physical structure being authenticated to the at least one other physical structure that has been previously authenticated; and

receiving third information associated with execution of the third instruction by the operator of the mobile device.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of authenticating a physical structure, the method comprising:

transmitting a first instruction to a mobile device via a network;

receiving, from the mobile device, via the network, first information associated with execution of the first instruction by the mobile device;

validating the first information to determine a first score corresponding to the first instruction, by comparing the first information with pre-stored information;

transmitting a second instruction to the mobile device via the network;

receiving, from the mobile device, via the network, second information associated with execution of the second instruction by the mobile device;

validating the second information to determine a second score corresponding to the second instruction, by comparing the second information with pre-stored information; and

generating an authentication result for the physical structure in response to the first score being greater than a first predetermined threshold and the second score being greater than a second predetermined threshold.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

transmitting a third instruction to the mobile device based on at least one of the first score being less than the first predetermined threshold and the second score being less than the second predetermined threshold.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, the method further comprising:

computing a reliability score for the authentication of the physical structure as a ratio of a sum of the determined scores associated with the execution of the first, second, and the third instructions to a sum of a highest score associated with the execution of each instruction.