Secured online financial transaction voice chat

• US 8,156,323 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Shnowske, Daniel P., Treadwell, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Shan, April
• Application Number:
  US12/345,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 713/151, 713/166, 726/29, 463/36, 463/42
• US Class Current: 713/151
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are defined that provide for secure online financial transaction voice chat. According to present embodiments, the security provided to the voice chat stream is less likely to be intercepted by a network attacker during communication. In addition to providing heightened security to voice chat transmissions, methods, systems and computer program products provide for an alternate platform for delivering the voice chat application in the form of a game console. In this regard, the methods, systems and the like provide for voice chat/calls on platforms other than personal computers, laptops and/or telephones.

Claims

1. A method for providing voice chats for a game console-based online financial institution service, the method comprising:

executing, on a game console device, an online financial institution service application;

receiving, at the game console device, a user request to initiate a voice chat session via the online financial institution service;

establishing one of a Secured Socket Layer (SSL) protocol tunneled network connection or a Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol tunneled network connection between the game console device and a network entity associated with the financial institution, wherein the network connection is established by communicating a game console identifier from the game console device to the network entity and bi-directional exchange of digital certificates between the game console device and the network entity;

accessing and controlling a voice input mechanism associated with the gaming console and a voice output mechanism associated with the game console based on receipt of the user request;

receiving, at the voice input mechanism, user voice inputs for the voice chat session encrypting and hashing, at the game console device, the user voice inputs; and

communicating the user voice inputs via one of the SSL protocol tunneled network connection or the TLS protocol tunneled network connection to the network entity associated with the financial institution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein executing an online financial institution service application further comprises executing the online financial institution service application that includes signed code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the game console device is further defined as being configured to execute only signed code.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the game console device, financial institution voice data communicated from the network entity and outputting the financial institution voice data at the voice output mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the

user voice inputs further comprises communicating the user voice inputs via one of the SSL protocol tunneled network connection or the TLS protocol tunneled network connection using Voice Over IP (VOIP) to the network entity associated with the financial institution.

6. A system for providing voice chats for a game console-based online financial institution service, the system comprising:

a gaming console device including a computing platform having a processor and a memory in communication with the processor; and

an online financial customer service application operable to be loaded into the memory of the gaming console device and executed on the gaming console device, wherein the application is specifically configured for the gaming console device and includes;

voice chat computer instructions executable by the processor and configured to;

receive a user input to initiate a voice chat session, establish one of a Secured Socket Layer (SSL) protocol tunneled network connection or a Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol tunneled network connection between the gaming console device and a network entity associated with the financial institution, wherein the network connection is established by communicating of a game console identifier from the gaming console device to the network entity and bi-directional exchanging of digital certificates between the gaming console device and the network entity, access and control a voice input mechanism associated with the gaming console device and a voice output mechanism associated with the gaming console device, receive, at the voice input mechanism, user inputs for the voice chat session, encrypt and hash the user voice inputs, and communicate the user voice inputs via one of the SSL protocol tunneled network connection or the TLS protocol tunneled network connection to the network entity.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the online financial customer service application further comprises signed code.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the gaming console device is further defined as configured to execute only signed code.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the voice chat computer instructions are further operable to send and receive voice chat streams via one of the SSL protocol tunneled network connection or the TLS protocol tunneled network connection using Voice Over IP (VOIP).

10. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising game console executable instructions configured to perform a method of;

executing an online financial institution service application;

receiving a user request to initiate a voice chat session via the online financial institution service;

establishing one of a Secured Socket Layer (SSL) protocol tunneled network connection or a Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol tunneled network connection between a game console device and a network entity associated with the financial institution, wherein the network connection is established by communicating a game console identifier from the game console device to the network entity and bi-directional exchanging of digital certificates between the game console device and the network entity;

accessing and controlling, on behalf of the voice chat session, a voice input mechanism associated with the gaming console device and a voice output mechanism associated with the game console device based on receipt of the user request;

receiving, at the voice input mechanism, user voice inputs for the voice chat session encrypting and hashing the user voice inputs; and

communicating the user voice inputs via one of the SSL protocol tunneled network connection or the TLS protocol tunneled network connection to a network entity associated with the financial institution.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, comprising the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising the game console executable instructions configured to further perform executing the online financial institution service application that includes signed code.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, comprising the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising the game console executable instructions configured to further perform executing the online financial service application on the game console device that is configured to execute only signed code.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, comprising the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising the game console executable instructions configured to further perform receiving, at the voice output mechanism, financial institution voice inputs for the voice chat session.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, comprising the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising the game console executable instructions configured to further perform communicating the user voice inputs via one of the SSL protocol tunneled secure network connection or the TLS protocol tunneled network connection using Voice Over IP (VOIP) to the network entity associated with the financial institution.