Apparatus and methods for user identification to deny access or service to unauthorized users

• US 6,246,751 B1
• Filed: 08/11/1997
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bergl, Vladimir, Davies, Kenneth, Ittycheriah, Abraham Poovakunnel, Maes, Stephane Herman
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/908,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/80, 379/83, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/88.08, 379/88.22, 379/189, 379/194, 379/201, 379/211, 379/212, 379/200, 379/91.01, 379/91.02, 379/93.12, 379/144, 379/145, 704/234, 704/251, 704/260, 707/100, 707/104, 382/115, 382/116, 382/118, 382/124, 455/410, 455/515, 455/53.1, 455/54.1
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27

Abstract

Apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of a voice dialing system and, particularly, a call forwarding feature associated with the system whereby system users may forward a telephone number respectively associated therewith to a remote location in order to receive phone calls at the remote location, comprises: a database for pre-storing telephone numbers of system users and for pre-storing acoustic models respectively representative of speech associated with each system user, the acoustic models respectively corresponding to the telephone numbers; and a speaker identification module operatively coupled to the database for obtaining and decoding a speech sample from a potential system user during the potential users'"'"' attempt to make a telephone call, the speaker identification module comparing the decoded speech sample obtained with the pre-stored acoustic model associated with the telephone number dialed by the potential user; whereby if the decoded speech sample substantially matches the pre-stored acoustic model, then the phone call attempted by the potential user is terminated.

Claims

1. A method for preventing unauthorized use of a service in a system providing a plurality of services, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) pre-storing a biometric model for each enrolled user of the system;

(b) associating the biometric model of an enrolled user with a system service, if the enrolled user is not authorized to access the system service;

(c) obtaining biometric data from an enrolled user requesting access to a system service; and

(d) performing biometric identification by comparing the obtained biometric data with each biometric model associated with the requested system service;

wherein if the obtained biometric data substantially matches one of the biometric models associated with the requested system service, the enrolled user is denied access to the requested system service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the biometric data is speech and wherein the biometric identification is speaker identification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the speaker identification is text-independent speaker identification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of services are associated with a voice dialing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-storing step is performed by a database.

6. An apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of a service in a system providing a plurality of services, the apparatus comprising:

a database for storing a biometric model for each enrolled user of the system and for storing a black list associated with at least one of the system services, the black list comprising the biometric model of each enrolled user that is not authorized to access the at least one system service;

a biometric extractor for obtaining biometric data from an enrolled user requesting a system service; and

a biometric identification system for comparing the biometric data with each biometric model in the black list associated with the requested system service, wherein if the biometric data substantially matches any one of the biometric models in the black list, the enrolled user requesting the system service is denied access to the requested system service.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the biometric identification system is a speaker identification system and the biometric models are voiceprints.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the speaker identification system is a text-independent speaker identification system.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the biometric identification system is one of a fingerprint recognition system, a face recognition system, an iris recognition system, and a signature recognition system.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the system services are associated with a voice dialing system.

11. An apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of a call forwarding service of a voice dialing system, the apparatus comprising:

a database for storing a voiceprint of an enrolled user and an internal telephone number of the enrolled user of the voice dialing system, wherein the voiceprint of the enrolled user and the internal telephone number of the enrolled user are logically associated with each other; and

a speaker identification system for (i) obtaining and decoding a voice sample from a person placing a phone call to an internal telephone number of the voice dialing system and (ii) comparing the decoded voice sample with the voiceprint of the enrolled user in the database corresponding to the internal telephone number dialed by the person, wherein if the decoded voice sample substantially matches the voiceprint, the phone call is prevented from being call forwarded.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the speaker identification system is a text-independent speaker identification system.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the voice print of the enrolled user comprises an acoustic model representing a class of individuals having similar voice characteristics.