Systems and methods for a wearable user authentication factor

• US 8,371,501 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Hopkins, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, SONJI N
• Application Number:
  US12/258,588
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 5/00 Methods or arrangements for verifying the correctness of markings on a record carrier; Column detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• 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: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-usable medium are disclosed for providing multi-factor authentication with a wearable user authentication factor. A multi-factor authentication module is implemented to use a plurality of authentication factors, including a unique tag identifier associated with an electronic tag embedded within a wearable article, such as a ring or watch, for the authentication of a user. A user of a wearable user authentication factor approaches a multi-factor terminal, which detects the electronic tag and reads its unique identifier. The user is then requested to provide a predetermined biometric feature, such as a fingerprint, to a biometric reader. The biometric feature is processed to generate a unique biometric identifier. The unique identifier of the electronic tag and the unique biometric identifier is then submitted to a multi-factor authentication module, which compares it to authentication information associated with the user. If the submitted unique identifiers match the user'"'"'s authentication information, then the user is authenticated.

Claims

1. A system for authenticating a user, comprising:

an authentication terminal comprising;

a biometric feature reader operable to read a biometric feature of said user and to generate a unique biometric identifier therefrom;

an electronic tag reader operable to read a first electronic tag to obtain a first unique tag identifier therefrom and a second electronic tag to obtain a second unique tag identifier therefrom, wherein the second unique tag identifier is different from the first unique tag identifier, and wherein said electronic tags are attached to different articles worn by said user at a location proximate to said biometric feature and wherein said electronic tag reader receives said unique tag identifier in an identification signal from said electronic tag;

wherein said authentication terminal is operable to provide said unique tag identifiers to a multi-factor authentication module operable to process said unique tag identifier information to generate a first authentication action associated with the first unique tag identifier and a second authentication action associated with the second unique tag identifier and present said authentication actions to said user on a user interface for a period of time equal to a period of time that said electronic tag reader receives said identification signal from said electronic tag; and

wherein said authentication actions request said user to provide a predetermined biometric feature as a biometric authentication factor to the multi-factor authentication module operable to process said biometric feature to authenticate said user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said authentication terminal is further operable to receive a personal identification code from said user and to provide said personal identification code to said multi-factor authentication module and wherein said multi-factor authentication module is further operable to use said personal identification code to generate said user authentication information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic tag comprises read-only memory, wherein said unique tag identifier is stored in said read-only memory.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic tag comprises rewritable memory, wherein said unique tag identifier is stored in said rewritable memory.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said rewritable memory is operable to store a plurality of said unique tag identifiers, wherein said authentication terminal is operable to provide said plurality of unique identifiers to said multi-factor authentication module for processing to generate said user authentication information.

7. A computer-implementable method for authenticating a user, comprising:

using a biometric feature reader to read a biometric feature of said user and to generate a unique biometric identifier therefrom;

using an electronic tag reader to read a first electronic tag to obtain a first unique tag identifier therefrom and a second electronic tag to obtain a second unique tag identifier therefrom, wherein the second unique tag identifier is different from the first unique tag identifier, and wherein said electronic tags are attached to different articles worn by said user at a location proximate to said biometric feature;

providing said unique tag identifiers to a multi-factor authentication module operable to process said unique tag identifier information to generate a first authentication action associated with the first unique tag identifier and a second authentication action associated with the second unique tag identifier and presenting said authentication actions to said user on a user interface for a period of time equal to a period of time that said electronic tag reader receives said identification signal from said electronic tag; and

requesting said user to provide a predetermined biometric feature as a biometric authentication factor to the multi-factor authentication module operable to process said biometric feature to authenticate said user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a personal identification code from said user; and

providing said personal identification code to said multi-factor authentication module and wherein said multi-factor authentication module is further operable to use said personal identification code to generate said user authentication information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said electronic tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said electronic tag comprises read-only memory, wherein said unique tag identifier is stored in said read-only memory.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said electronic tag comprises rewritable memory, wherein said unique tag identifier is stored in said rewritable memory.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

storing a plurality of said unique tag identifiers in said rewritable memory; and

providing said plurality of unique identifiers to said multi-factor authentication module for processing to generate said user authentication information.

13. A non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

using a biometric feature reader to read a biometric feature of a user and to generate a unique biometric identifier therefrom;

using an electronic tag reader to read a first electronic tag to obtain a first unique tag identifier therefrom and a second electronic tag to obtain a second unique tag identifier therefrom, wherein the second unique tag identifier is different from the first unique tag identifier, and wherein said electronic tags are attached to different articles worn by said user at a location proximate to said biometric feature;

providing said unique tag identifiers to a multi-factor authentication module operable to process said unique tag identifier information to generate a first authentication action associated with the first unique tag identifier and a second authentication action associated with the second unique tag identifier and presenting said authentication actions to said user on a user interface for a period of time equal to a period of time that said electronic tag reader receives said identification signal from said electronic tag; and

requesting said user to provide a predetermined biometric feature as a biometric authentication factor to the multi-factor authentication module operable to process said biometric feature to authenticate said user.

14. The computer-usable medium of claim 13, wherein said computer executable instructions are further configured for:

receiving a personal identification code from said user; and

providing said personal identification code to said multi-factor authentication module and wherein said multi-factor authentication module is further operable to use said personal identification code to generate said user authentication information.

15. The computer-usable medium of claim 13, wherein said electronic tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

16. The computer-usable medium of claim 13, wherein said electronic tag comprises read-only memory, wherein said unique tag identifier is stored in said read-only memory.

17. The computer-usable medium of claim 13, wherein said electronic tag comprises rewritable memory, wherein said unique tag identifier is stored in said rewritable memory.

18. The computer-usable medium of claim 17, wherein said computer executable instructions are further configured for:

storing a plurality of said unique tag identifiers in said rewritable memory; and

providing said plurality of unique identifiers to said multi-factor authentication module for processing to generate said user authentication information.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided to a client computer from a server, wherein said server is located at a remote location.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided as a service on an on-demand basis, wherein said service is provided by a service provider.