Speaker verification method

• US 6,556,127 B1
• Filed: 04/13/1999
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Moser, Thomas, Van Kommer, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/284,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.84, 340/5.85, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.22, 340/5.52, 340/825.12, 704/273, 704/246, 704/233, 704/240, 704/257, 704/270, 367/197, 367/198
• US Class Current: 340/5.84
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A method to enable a user of a system to obtain access to one or more services, for example, to enable a caller to access some information on a remote server. The system first prompts the caller to identify himself by entering a subscriber code. A speaker verification is then made using a voice comparison between the caller'"'"'s voice and a voice reference associated with the subscriber the caller claims to be. Access to the requested services is given if the outcome of said voice comparison is positive. If the system does not store a sufficiently good voice reference to verify the identity of the subscriber the user claims to be with a predetermined degree of reliability, the caller is prompted to enter a confidential PIN code. If the PIN code entered is correct, access to the requested services is given and a new voice reference is stored.

Claims

1. Method for enabling a user of a system to obtain access to one or more services, comprising:

prompting the user to identify himself with a subscriber code;

provided that said subscriber code is registered and a voice reference has been assigned to said subscriber code, verifying the subscriber'"'"'s identity by comparing the user'"'"'s voice to said voice reference associated with the subscriber code entered by the user, access to the requested services being given if the user'"'"'s voice matches said voice reference;

wherein the following are undertaken during an initial phase when no voice references are yet associated with the subscriber code entered by the user, or when the voice reference associated with the subscriber code entered by the user is not yet sufficiently good to verify the subscriber'"'"'s identity with a predetermined degree of reliability;

prompting said user to enter a PIN code;

comparing said PIN code entered by the user with a PIN code associated with the subscriber code entered by the user,

if the PIN code entered by the user matches the PIN code associated with the subscriber code entered by the user, giving the user access to the requested services, creating a new voice reference and associating said new voice reference with said subscriber code, or provided that a voice reference is already associated with the said subscriber code, improving said voice reference by said new voice reference.

2. Method according to claim 1, in which the user is prompted to enter his subscriber code orally, a speech recognition algorithm being used to recognize the subscriber code entered.

3. Method according to claim 1, in which the user is prompted to enter his subscriber code on a keyboard, tones or pulses generated by typing the keyboard being used to recognize the subscriber code, and in which the user is prompted to speak a sentence allowing speaker verification.

4. Method according claim 1, in which the user is prompted to enter his PIN code when the user'"'"'s voice does not match said voice reference associated with the subscriber code entered by the user, access to the requested services being given if the PIN code entered by the user matches the PIN code associated with the subscriber code entered by the user.

5. Method according to claim 1, in which the user is prompted to enter his PIN code orally, a speech recognition algorithm being used to recognize the PIN code entered.

6. Method according to claim 1, in which the user is prompted to enter his PIN code on a keyboard, tones or pulses generated by typing the keyboard being used to recognize the subscriber code entered.

7. Method according to claim 1, in which a new voice reference is created and associated with the subscriber code entered by the user when the user'"'"'s voice matches said voice reference associated with the subscriber code entered by the user.