METHODS OF AUTHENTICATING A USER FOR DATA EXCHANGE

• US 20180121916A1
• Filed: 01/02/2018
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Eckoh UK Limited (Eckoh Plc)
• Original Assignee: Eckoh UK Limited (Eckoh Plc)
• Inventors: Ross, Cameron Peter Sutherland, Heath, James, Briden, Thomas Edward, Burton, Ashley, Downs, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,846,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/388 using mutual authentication without cards, e.g. challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A method of facilitating the exchange of data between a user having a computing device, and a remote entity, where a first connection has been established between the user and the remote entity, and where the user has associated data exchange information with an application on the computing device, the data exchange information defining properties of the data to be exchanged between the user and the remote entity. The method comprises establishing, at a server, a second connection to the computing device; enabling retrieval of a user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information; enabling retrieval of a device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information; enabling authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute; and enabling authentication of the computing device using the device authentication attribute, where data may be exchanged between the computing device and the remote entity in accordance with the data exchange information following authentication of the user and the computing device.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating the exchange of data between a user having a computing device, and a remote entity, wherein a first connection has been established between the user and the remote entity, and wherein the user has associated data exchange information with an application on the computing device, the data exchange information defining properties of the data to be exchanged between the user and the remote entity, the method comprising:

establishing, at a server, a second connection to the computing device;

enabling retrieval of a user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information;

enabling retrieval of a device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information;

enabling authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute; and

enabling authentication of the computing device using the device authentication attribute, wherein data may be exchanged between the computing device and the remote entity in accordance with the data exchange information following authentication of the user and the computing device.

2. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 1, wherein the data exchange information defines a payment method for a transaction and wherein the data exchanged in accordance with the data exchange information comprises payment information associated with the payment method.

3. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 1, wherein establishing the second connection to the computing device comprises establishing a connection to the application.

4. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 1, wherein enabling authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute comprises:

receiving a user authentication input from the user;

comparing the user authentication input with the user authentication attribute; and

authenticating the user if the user authentication input matches the user authentication attribute based on a confidence level.

5. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 1, wherein the first connection between the user and the remote entity is an audio connection.

6. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 5, wherein:

the user authentication attribute comprises a voice biometric;

enabling authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute comprises receiving a user authentication input from the user; and

receiving the user authentication input comprises recording audio data from the user.

7. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 6, wherein the user has associated a plurality of data exchange information entries with the application, the method further comprising:

receiving a user selection of a data exchange information entry from the plurality of data exchange information entries;

wherein receiving the user selection of the data exchange information entry comprises identifying the data exchange information entry from the recorded audio data.

8. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 1, wherein enabling retrieval of the user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information comprises:

determining a unique property relating to the user or the computing device; and

retrieving the user authentication attribute from a database using the determined unique property.

9. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 8, wherein enabling retrieval of the device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information comprises retrieving the device authentication attribute from the database using the determined unique property.

10. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 1, wherein enabling authentication of the computing device comprises:

receiving a device authentication input from the application;

comparing the device authentication input with the device authentication attribute; and

authenticating the computing device if the device authentication input matches the device authentication attribute.

11. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending a command to the application to request authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device from a card issuer server;

receiving an encrypted request from the application for authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device;

directing the request for authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device to the card issuer server; and

receiving an indication from the card issuer server that the user and the computing device have been authenticated.

12. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 2, wherein the steps of enabling retrieval of a user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information;

enabling retrieval of a device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information;

enabling authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute; and

enabling authentication of the computing device using the device authentication attribute comprise;

receiving an indication that the application is a third party payment application;

sending a message to the computing device, the message including a link for requesting a payment webpage;

receiving, from the computing device, a request for the payment webpage upon selection of the link;

generating the payment webpage;

and

sending the generated payment webpage to the computing device; and

receiving an indication that the user and the computing device have been authenticated and that the transaction has been authorised.

13. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 12, wherein the first connection between the user and the remote entity is an audio connection.

29. A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable a server comprising the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

14. A server for facilitating the exchange of data between a user having a computing device, and a remote entity, wherein a first connection has been established between the user and the remote entity, and wherein the user has associated data exchange information with an application on the computing device, the data exchange information defining properties of the data to be exchanged between the user and the remote entity, the server comprising an authentication processor operable to:

establish a second connection to the application;

enable the retrieval, from a user database storing the data exchange information, of a user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information, and a device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information;

enable the authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute; and

enable the authentication of the computing device using the device authentication attribute, wherein data may be exchanged between the computing device and the remote entity in accordance with the data exchange information following authentication of the user and the computing device.

15. A method of facilitating the exchange of data between a user having a computing device, and a remote entity, wherein a first connection has been established between the user and the remote entity, and wherein an application is associated with the computing device, the method comprising:

establishing, by the application, a second connection to a server;

sending data exchange information to the server, the data exchange information defining properties of the data to be exchanged between the user and the remote entity;

sending a user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information to the server;

sending a device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information to the server; and

exchanging data with the remote entity in accordance with the data exchange information following authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute being enabled by the server, and authentication of the computing device using the device authentication attribute being enabled by the server.

16. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 15, wherein the data exchange information defines a payment method for a transaction and wherein the data exchanged in accordance with the data exchange information comprises payment information associated with the payment method.

17. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 15, wherein:

sending data exchange information to the server comprises receiving data exchange information from the user;

sending the user authentication attribute to the server comprises receiving the user authentication attribute from the user; and

sending the device authentication attribute to the server comprises determining a unique characteristic of the device and sending the determined unique characteristic to the server.

18. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 15, further comprising:

sending at least one additional data exchange information entry to the server;

sending at least one user authentication attribute to the server for association with the at least one additional data exchange information entry; and

sending at least one device authentication attribute to the server for association with the at least one additional data exchange information entry.

19. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 18, further comprising:

selecting a data exchange information entry from the plurality of data exchange information entries; and

sending the selected data exchange information entry to the server.

20. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 15, wherein the first connection between the user and the remote entity is an audio connection.

21. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 20, wherein:

receiving the user authentication attribute from the user comprises receiving audio data input by the user; and

sending the user authentication attribute to the server further comprises;

recording audio data input by the user;

generating a voice biometric based on the input audio data; and

sending the voice biometric to the server.

22. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 15, further comprising sending a unique property relating to the user or the computing device to the server for retrieval of the user authentication attribute or the device authentication attribute from a database.

23. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 15, wherein authentication of the computing device being enabled by the server comprises sending, by the application, a device authentication input to the server for comparison with the device authentication attribute.

24. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a command from the server to request authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device from a card issuer server;

generating a request for authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device;

encrypting the request for authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device; and

sending the request for authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device to the server for redirection to the card issuer server.

25. The method of facilitating the exchange of data according to claim 24, wherein generating the request for authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device comprises:

determining a device authentication input; and

including, with the request for authentication of the user and authentication of the computing device, the device authentication input.

27. A method of facilitating the exchange of data between a user having a computing device, and a remote entity, wherein an application is associated with the user device, the method comprising:

implementing, at the application, a method according to claim 15; and

implementing, at the server, a method comprising;

establishing, at a server, a second connection to the computing device;

enabling retrieval of a user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information;

enabling retrieval of a device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information;

enabling authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute; and

enabling authentication of the computing device using the device authentication attribute, wherein data may be exchanged between the computing device and the remote entity in accordance with the data exchange information following authentication of the user and the computing device.

26. An application associated with a computing device and comprising a computer program, the application facilitating the exchange of data between the computing device and a remote entity, wherein a first connection has been established between a user of the computing device and the remote entity, the computer program comprising instructions for enabling the computing device to:

establish a second connection to a server;

send data exchange information to the server, the data exchange information defining properties of the data to be exchanged between the user and the remote entity;

send a user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information to the server;

send a device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information to the server; and

exchange data with the remote entity following authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute being enabled by the server and authentication of the computing device using the device authentication attribute being enabled by the server.

28. A system for facilitating the exchange of data between a user having a computing device, and a remote entity, wherein a first connection has been established between the user and the remote entity, the system comprising:

a computing device comprising an application according to claim 26; and

a server for facilitating the exchange of data between a user having the computing device, and the remote entity, wherein a first connection has been established between the user and the remote entity, and wherein the user has associated data exchange information with an application on the computing device, the data exchange information defining properties of the data to be exchanged between the user and the remote entity, the server comprising an authentication processor operable to;

establish a second connection to the application;

enable the retrieval, from a user database storing the data exchange information, of a user authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information, and a device authentication attribute associated with the data exchange information;

enable the authentication of the user using the user authentication attribute; and

enable the authentication of the computing device using the device authentication attribute, wherein data may be exchanged between the computing device and the remote entity in accordance with the data exchange information following authentication of the user and the computing device.

30. A computing device comprising an application according to claim 26.