Method and system for user information verification

• US 8,037,316 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Siegel, Brian M., Gudorf, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMITOSKI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US11/540,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20070028309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 713/186, 726/7, 726/19, 726/28, 385/115, 902/3, 902/5, 705/18
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A system and method for authenticating users based on personal information. The personal information may include age-related data where the users are interested in receiving age-restricted content. The personal information may include an address and a permission request is sent to the address. Biometric information may also be associated with the personal information.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating the age of a user comprising:

storing, at a client device, personal information regarding said user, said personal information including a value that is indicative of said user'"'"'s age and biometric information of said user, wherein the stored biometric information is associated with the value,

inputting biometric information using a mouse,

identifying the value associated with the biometric information stored at the client device if the inputted biometric information matches the biometric information stored at the client device;

determining, by the client device, whether to request additional information based on the result of a comparison of the value that is indicative of said user'"'"'s age with a threshold;

sending, by the client device, to a remotely located content provider a request for access to content restricted to users based on a cut-off associated with said value,

sending, by the client device, said value to the remotely located provider of said content, and

receiving said content electronically at the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said inputted biometric information comprises a fingerprint.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said personal information includes an email address associated with the user for receiving confirmation from said email address that said user is authorized to access the restricted content.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an electronic request for confirmation that said user is authorized to access the restricted content.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said personal information includes a username, wherein said username is associated with a pass code for confirming that said user is authorized to access the restricted content.

6. A system of authenticating a user comprising:

a client device including a processor for executing instructions,

a mouse having an area for obtaining biometric information about a user,

instructions stored at the client device and operable by the processor of the client device, said instructions including;

storing personal information regarding said user, said personal information including a value that is indicative of said user'"'"'s age, and biometric information of said user, wherein the stored biometric information is associated with the value;

receiving biometric information;

identifying the value associated with the biometric information stored at the client device if the received biometric information matches the biometric information stored at the client device;

sending to a remotely located content provider a request for access to content restricted to users based on a cut-off associated with said value;

determining whether to request additional information based on the result of a comparison of the value that is indicative of said user'"'"'s age with a threshold;

sending said value to the provider of said content; and

receiving an e-mail containing said content.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions executable by a processor, the instructions comprising:

storing personal information associated with a plurality of users, the personal information associated each user including (1) a value that is indicative of the particular user'"'"'s age and (2) biometric information;

receiving biometric information;

identifying a value associated with a particular user by comparing the received biometric information to the biometric information of the personal information associated with the plurality of users;

determining whether to request additional information based on the result of a comparison of the value that is indicative of said user'"'"'s age with a threshold;

sending the identified value of the particular user to a web site for access to age-restricted content and; and

receiving access to the age-restricted content.