Token authentication using spatial characteristics
First Claim
1. A method for characterizing a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on a magnetic stripe of the card, the method comprising the steps of:
- using a magnetic stripe reader to read a waveform of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card;
parameterizing the waveform of the data encoded on the card to determine spatial features of the waveform;
characterizing a subset of the spatial features of the waveform to determine spatial characteristics of the waveform, comprising computing a function of the spatial parameters for a plurality of bits in a segment of the data, wherein computing the function comprises comparing a bit width to other bit widths, comparing a bit width to an average of bit widths, computing a ratio of bit widths, comparing bit averages to other bit averages, comparing median bit widths to average bit widths, or comparing ratios of bit widths to peak widths; and
determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the characterization signature characterizes the magnetic stripe card.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for token authentication analyze token data over one or more read operations to compute a characteristic master signature for the token. This can be accomplished, for example by analyzing the token data statistically to compute a characteristic signature for the token. Similar techniques can be used to generate a subsequent signature that can be verified against the original characteristic signature to authenticate the token. For example, a signature can be generated on a per use basis and that signature verified against the characteristic signature to validate the token upon use.
200 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for characterizing a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on a magnetic stripe of the card, the method comprising the steps of:
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using a magnetic stripe reader to read a waveform of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card; parameterizing the waveform of the data encoded on the card to determine spatial features of the waveform; characterizing a subset of the spatial features of the waveform to determine spatial characteristics of the waveform, comprising computing a function of the spatial parameters for a plurality of bits in a segment of the data, wherein computing the function comprises comparing a bit width to other bit widths, comparing a bit width to an average of bit widths, computing a ratio of bit widths, comparing bit averages to other bit averages, comparing median bit widths to average bit widths, or comparing ratios of bit widths to peak widths; and determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the characterization signature characterizes the magnetic stripe card. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for characterizing a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on a magnetic stripe of the card, the method comprising the steps of:
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using a magnetic stripe reader to read a waveform of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card; parameterizing the waveform of the data encoded on the card to determine spatial features of the waveform; characterizing a subset of the spatial features of the waveform to determine spatial characteristics of the waveform, comprising; calculating an average bit width for a segment of the data; determining a deviation between individual bits in the segment and the average bit width calculated for the segment; and averaging the deviations determined for the individual ones of the bits in the segment to determine an average deviation for the segment; and determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the characterization si nature characterizes the magnetic stripe card. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for characterizing a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on a magnetic stripe of the card, the method comprising the steps of
using a magnetic stripe reader to read a waveform of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card; -
parameterizing the waveform of the data encoded on the card to determine spatial features of the waveform; characterizing a subset of the spatial features of the waveform to determine spatial characteristics of the waveform, comprising performing a spectral analysis of the spatial features of the waveform; determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the characterization signature characterizes the magnetic stripe card; and discarding unreliable spectral components.
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14. A method for characterizing a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on a magnetic stripe of the card, the method comprising the steps of:
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using a magnetic stripe reader to read a waveform of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card; parameterizing the waveform of the data encoded on the card to determine spatial features of the waveform for multiple read operations; characterizing a subset of the spatial features of the waveform to determine spatial characteristics of the waveform, comprising; identifying consistent variations across all bits of the waveform; and disregarding inconsistent variations for purposes of authenticating the magnetic stripe card; and determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the characterization signature characterizes the magnetic stripe card. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium having computer program code embodied therein for enabling a processing device to characterize a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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a computer program code portion for reading data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card; a computer program code portion for calculating spatial characterstics of the data encoded on the card, comprising; a computer program code portion for calculating spatial characteristics of a bit waveform of the encoded data in a segment of the data; and a computer program code portion for computing a function of bit spatial characteristics for bits in the segment, wherein the computer program code for computing the function comprises a computer program code portion for comparing a bit width to other bit widths, a computer program code portion for comparing a bit width to an average of bit widths, a computer program code portion for computing a ratio of bit widths, a computer program code portion for comparing bit averages to other bit averages, a computer program code portion for comparing median bit widths to average bit widths, or a computer program code portion for comparing ratios of bit widths to peak widths; and a computer program code portion for determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the signature characterizes the magnetic stripe card. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium having computer program code embodied therein for enabling a processing device to characterize a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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a computer program code portion for reading data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card; a computer program code portion for calculating spatial characteristics of the data encoded on the card, comprising; a computer program code portion for calculating spatial characteristics of a bit waveform of the encoded data in a segment of the data; a computer program code portion for computing a function of bit spatial characteristics for bits in the segment; a computer program code portion for calculating an average bit width for a segment of the data; a computer program code portion for determining a deviation between individual bits in the segment and the average bit width calculated for the segment; and a computer program code portion for averaging the deviations determined for the individual ones of the bits in the segment to determine an average deviation for the segment; and a computer program code portion for determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the signature characterizes the magnetic stripe card. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium having computer program code embodied therein for enabling a processing device to characterize a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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a computer program code portion for calculating spatial characteristics of the data encoded on the card, comprising; a computer program code portion for calculating a characteristics of the data bit encoded on the card, comprising; a computer program code portion for calculating spatial characteristics of the bit waveform of the encoded data for a segment of the data; and a computer program code portion for performing a spectral analysis of the bit widths calculated in the segment; and a computer program code portion for determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the signature characterizes the magnetic stripe card. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium having computer program code embodied therein for enabling a processing device to characterize a magnetic stripe card based on spatial characteristics of data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card, the computer-readable program code comprising:
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a computer program code portion for reading data encoded on the magnetic stripe of the card; a computer program code portion for calculating spatial characteristics of the data encoded on the card, comprising; a computer program code portion for measuring a spatial parameter of data bits encoded on the magnetic stripe for multiple read operations; a computer program code portion for identifying consistent variations across all bits; and a computer program code portion for disregarding inconsistent variations for purposes of authenticating the magnetic stripe card; and a computer program code portion for determining a characterization signature of the magnetic stripe card using the spatial characteristics, wherein the signature characterizes the magnetic stripe card. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification