Methods and systems for secure voice-authenticated electronic payment

• US 9,092,781 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Schultz, Paul T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, II, Calvin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Neubig, Margaret
• Application Number:
  US11/769,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,953 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 79
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques

Abstract

This application discloses systems, methods, and processes for providing a secure, voice-authenticated form of electronic payment from a device. The described exemplary system provides an infrastructure for receiving an electronic payment request, verifying the request using voice authentication, and allowing or denying the request based on the authentication or non-authentication of the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, by a payment validator, a voice print of a user uttering a first content, wherein the payment validator comprises at least one processor and at least one memory;

receiving, by a payment validator, information relating to an identity token from a device of the user;

in response to receiving the information, receiving, by the payment validator, an electronic payment transaction request from the user device;

establishing a voice link between the payment validator and the user device directly in response to the electronic payment transaction request via the payment validator, wherein the establishing the voice link comprises the payment validator calling the user device;

generating, by the payment validator, a pseudo-random sequence, and transmitting the pseudo-random sequence over the voice link, wherein the generated pseudo-random sequence is substantially different from the first content;

receiving, by the payment validator, from the user, via the user device, over the voice link, an utterance, by the user, of the generated pseudo-random sequence;

comparing, by the payment validator, the user'"'"'s utterance of the generated pseudo-random sequence to the voice print of the user uttering the first content; and

authorizing, by the payment validator, the electronic payment transaction based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

billing the user for the electronic payment transaction if the electronic payment transaction is

authorized following the comparison.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

storing, by a payment validator, a voice print of a user uttering a first content, wherein the payment validator comprises at least one processor and at least one memory receiving, by a payment validator, information relating to an identity token from a device of the user;

in response to receiving the information, receiving, by the payment validator, an electronic payment transaction request from the user device;

establishing a voice link between the payment validator and the user device directly in response to the electronic payment transaction request via the payment validator, wherein the establishing the voice link comprises the payment validator calling the user device;

generating, by the payment validator, a pseudo-random sequence, and transmitting the pseudo-random sequence over the voice link, wherein the generated pseudo-random sequence is substantially different from the first content;

receiving, by the payment validator, from the user, via the user device, over the voice link, an utterance, by the user, of the generated pseudo-random sequence;

comparing, by the payment validator, the user'"'"'s utterance of the generated pseudo-random sequence to the voice print of the user uttering the first content; and

authorizing, by the payment validator, the electronic payment transaction based on the comparison.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the instructions are further executable for performing:

billing the user for the electronic payment transaction if the electronic payment transaction is authorized following the comparison.

5. A system comprising:

a payment validator comprising a processor configured for and memory storing executable instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform the steps of;

storing a voice print of a user uttering a first content;

receiving information relating to an identity token from a device of the user;

receiving an electronic payment transaction request from the user;

establishing a voice link between the payment validator and the user device directly in response to the electronic payment transaction request, wherein the establishing the voice link comprises the payment validator calling the user device;

generating a pseudo-random sequence, and transmitting the pseudo-random sequence over the voice link, wherein the generated pseudo-random sequence is substantially different from the first content;

receiving, from the user, via the user device, over the voice link, an utterance by the user, of the generated pseudo-random sequence;

comparing the user'"'"'s utterance of the generated pseudo-random sequence to the voice print of the user uttering the first content; and

authorizing the electronic payment transaction based on the comparison.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the step of:

billing the user for the electronic payment transaction if the electronic payment transaction is authorized following the comparison.