Methods, systems, and computer program products for associating an originator of a network packet with the network packet using biometric information

• US 7,890,752 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scenera Mobile Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Horner, Richard Mark, Bardsley, Jeffrey Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wyszynski; Aubrey H
• Application Number:
  US11/263,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20070101154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,933 Days
• Field of Search: 713/160, 713/186
• US Class Current: 713/160
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for associating an originator of a network packet with the network packet using biometric information are disclosed. According to one method, biometric identification information is identified for a network user. The identified biometric identification information is associated with a header or a trailer of a network packet originated by the network user. The network packet may be sent over a network.

Claims

1. A method for associating an originator of a network packet with the network packet using biometric information, the method comprising:

identifying biometric identification information for a network user;

storing the biometric identification information in a database;

associating the identified biometric identification information with a header or a trailer of a network packet originated by the network user and generated by a local device in response to the network user using the local device for communication with an entity other than the database over a network;

sending the network packet over the network; and

receiving a plurality of network packets including the biometric identification information and using the biometric identification information to perform packet traffic analysis for packets sent by the network user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying biometric identification information includes identifying biometric identification information selected from the group consisting of a fingerprint, an eye retina, an eye iris, a facial pattern, a voice pattern, and a hand measurement.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying biometric identification information includes receiving user credentials of the network user and associating the user credentials with the biometric identification information of the network user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the identified biometric identification information with a header or a trailer of the network packet includes inserting the biometric identification information in the header or the trailer of the network packet.

5. The method of claim 4 comprising:

reading the biometric identification information from the sent network packet; and

performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein performing an action involving the biometric identification information includes at least one of:

providing a notification indicating receipt of a network packet associated with the network user;

displaying the biometric identification information on a display in the network;

logging the biometric identification information in a log file;

establishing a communication session with a communication address associated with the biometric identification information;

removing the biometric identification information from the network packet; and

removing the biometric information identifier from the network packet.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the identified biometric identification information with a header or a trailer of the network packet includes:

storing the biometric identification information; and

inserting a biometric information identifier in the network packet header or the network packet trailer for linking to the stored biometric identification information.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising:

reading the biometric information identifier from the sent network packet in the network;

retrieving the stored biometric identification information based on the biometric information identifier in the network packet header or the network packet trailer; and

performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein performing an action involving the biometric identification information includes at least one of:

providing a notification indicating receipt of a network packet associated with the network user;

displaying the biometric identification information on a display in the network;

logging the biometric identification information in a log file;

establishing a communication session with a communication address associated with the biometric identification information; and

removing the biometric information identifier from the network packet.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the identified biometric identification information with a header or a trailer of the network packet includes:

inserting the biometric identification information in a payload of the network packet; and

inserting a biometric information identifier in the network packet header or the network packet trailer for indicating that the biometric identification information is in the payload of the network packet.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising:

reading the biometric information identifier from the sent network packet in the network;

reading the biometric identification information from the payload; and

performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein performing an action involving the biometric identification information includes at least one of:

providing a notification indicating receipt of a network packet associated with the network user;

displaying the biometric identification information on a display in the network;

logging the biometric identification information in a log file;

establishing a communication session with a communication address associated with the biometric identification information;

removing the biometric identification information from the network packet; and

removing the biometric identification identifier from the network packet.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the identified biometric identification information includes hashing the biometric identification information and storing the hashed biometric identification information in the network packet.

14. A method for associating a network packet with biometric information of a network user, the method comprising:

identifying biometric identification information for a network user;

storing the biometric identification information in a database;

associating the biometric identification information with a network packet to be sent by the network user and generated by a local device in response to the network user using the local device for communication with an entity other than the database over a network;

sending the packet over a network; and

reading the biometric identification information and performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information, wherein performing an action in the network includes receiving a plurality of packets including the biometric identification information and using the biometric identification information to perform packet traffic analysis for packets sent by the network user

15. The method of claim 14 wherein performing an action involving the biometric identification information includes at least one of:

providing a notification indicating receipt of a network packet associated with the network user;

displaying the biometric identification information on a display in the network;

logging the biometric identification information in a log file;

establishing a communication session with a communication address associated with the biometric identification information;

removing the biometric identification information from the network packet;

removing a biometric information identifier from a header or trailer of the network packet, wherein the biometric identifier is one of a link for identifying a location where the biometric information is stored or an indicator for indicating that the biometric identification information is in the payload.

16. A system for associating an originator of a network packet with the network packet using biometric information, the system comprising:

a biometric information identification function for identifying biometric identification information for a network user;

a database for storing the biometric identification information;

a biometric information network packet function for associating the identified biometric identification information with a header or a trailer of a network packet originated by the network user and generated by a local device in response to the network user using the local device for communication with an entity other than the data base over a network;

a network interface for sending the network packet over the network; and

a biometric information retrieve function for receiving a plurality of network packets including the biometric identification information and for using the biometric identification information to perform packet traffic analysis for packets sent by the network user.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the biometric information identification function is operable to identify biometric identification information selected from the group consisting of a fingerprint, an eye retina, an eye iris, a facial pattern, a voice pattern, and a hand measurement.

18. The system of claim 16 comprising a graphical user interface for receiving user credentials of the network user;

and

wherein the biometric information network packet function is operable to associate the user credentials with the biometric identification information of the network user.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the biometric information network packet function is operable to insert the biometric identification information in the header or the trailer of the network packet.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the biometric information retrieve function is configured for reading the biometric identification information from the sent network packet and for performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the biometric information retrieve function is operable to perform an action involving the biometric identification information including at least one of:

providing a notification indicating receipt of a network packet associated with the network user;

displaying the biometric identification information on a display in the network;

logging the biometric identification information in a log file;

establishing a communication session with a communication address associated with the biometric identification information;

removing the biometric identification information from the network packet; and

removing the biometric information identifier from the network packet.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the biometric information network packet function is operable to store the biometric identification information, and operable to insert a biometric information identifier in the network packet header or the network packet trailer for linking to the stored biometric identification information.

23. The system of claim 22 comprising a biometric information retrieve function for reading the biometric information identifier from the sent network packet in the network, for retrieving the stored biometric identification information based on the biometric information identifier in the network packet header or the network packet trailer, and for performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the biometric information retrieve function is operable to perform an action involving the biometric identification information including at least one of:

providing a notification indicating receipt of a network packet associated with the network user;

displaying the biometric identification information on a display in the network;

logging the biometric identification information in a log file;

performing packet traffic analysis based on the biometric identification information;

establishing a communication session with a communication address associated with the biometric identification information; and

removing the biometric information identifier from the network packet.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein the biometric information network packet function is operable to insert the biometric identification information in a payload of the network packet, and operable to insert the biometric identification information identifier in the network packet header or the network packet trailer for indicating that the biometric identification information is in the payload of the network packet.

26. The system of claim 25 a biometric information retrieve function for reading the biometric identification information from the set network packet and for performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the biometric information retrieve function is operable to perform an action involving the biometric identification information including at least one of:

provide a notification indicating receipt of a network packet associated with the network user;

display the biometric identification information on a display in the network;

log the biometric identification information in a log file;

establish a communication session with a communication address associated with the biometric identification information;

remove the biometric identification information from the network packet; and

remove the biometric information identifier from the network packet.

28. The system of claim 16 wherein the biometric information network packet function is operable to hash the biometric identification information and store the hashed biometric identification information in the network packet.

29. A system for associating a network packet with biometric information of a network user, the system comprising:

a biometric information identification function for identifying biometric identification information for a network user;

a database for storing the biometric identification information;

a biometric information network packet function for associating the biometric identification information with a network packet to be sent by the network user and generated by a local device in response to the network user using the local device for communication with an entity other than the database over a network and for sending the packet over the network; and

a biometric information retrieve function for reading the network packet, and for performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information, wherein the biometric information retrieve function is configured for receiving a plurality of network packets including the biometric identification information and for using the biometric identification information for performing packet traffic analysis for packets sent by the network user.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the biometric information retrieve function is operable to perform an action involving the biometric identification information including at least one of:

providing a notification indicating receipt of a network packet associated with the network user;

displaying the biometric identification information on a display in the network;

logging the biometric identification information in a log file;

establishing a communication session with a communication address associated with the biometric identification information;

removing the biometric identification information from the network packet; and

removing a biometric information identifier from a header or a trailer of the network packet, wherein the biometric identifier is one of a link for identifying a location where the biometric identification information is stored or an indicator for indicating that the biometric identification information is in the payload.

31. A system for associating an originator of a network packet with the network packet using biometric information, the system comprising:

means for identifying biometric identification information for a network user;

means for storing biometric identification information in a database;

means for associating the identified biometric identification information with a header or a trailer of a network packet originated by the network user and generated by a local device in response to the network user using the local device for communication with an entity other than the database over a network; and

means for sending the network packet over a network; and

means for receiving a plurality of network packets including the biometric identification information and for using the biometric identification information to perform packet traffic analysis for packets sent by the network user.

32. A system for associating a network packet with biometric information of a network user, the system comprising:

means for identifying biometric identification information for a network user;

means for storing the biometric identification information in a database;

means for associating the biometric identification information with a network packet to be sent by the network user and generated by a local device in response to the network user using the local device for communication with an entity other than the database over a network;

means for sending the packet over a network; and

means for reading the biometric identification information and performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information, wherein performing an action includes receiving a plurality of network packets including the biometric identification information and for using the biometric identification information to perform packet traffic analysis for packets sent by the network user.

33. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

identifying biometric identification information for a network user;

storing the biometric identification information in a database;

associating the identified biometric identification information with a header or a trailer of a network packet originated by the network user and generated by a local device in response to the network user using the local device for communication with an entity other than the database over a network;

sending the network packet over a network; and

receiving a plurality of network packets including the biometric identification information and using the biometric identification information to perform packet traffic analysis for the packets sent by the network user.

34. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

identifying biometric identification information for a network user;

storing the biometric identification information in a database;

associating the biometric identification information with a network packet to be sent by the network user and generated by a local device in response to the network user using the local device for communication with an entity other than the database over a network;

sending the packet over a network; and

reading the biometric identification information and performing an action in the network involving the biometric identification information, wherein performing an action in the network includes receiving a plurality of packets including the biometric identification information and using the biometric identification information to perform packet traffic analysis for packets sent by the network user.