Multi-sample conversational voice verification

• US 9,251,792 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palo Alto Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Inventors: Scheffer, Nicolas, Lei, Yun, Bercow, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thuykhanh
• Application Number:
  US13/560,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20130339018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/22 Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/24 the user being prompted to utter a password or a predefined phrase
• 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 of verifying the identity of an authorized user in an authorized user group through a voice user interface for enabling secure access to one or more services via a mobile device includes receiving first voice information from a speaker through the voice user interface of the mobile device, calculating a confidence score based on a comparison of the first voice information with a stored voice model associated with the authorized user and specific to the authorized user, interpreting the first voice information as a specific service request, identifying a minimum confidence score for initiating the specific service request, determining whether or not the confidence score exceeds the minimum confidence score, and initiating the specific service request if the confidence score exceeds the minimum confidence score.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of verifying the identity of a speaker as an authorized user in an authorized user group through a voice user interface to a level necessary for enabling secure access to one or more services via a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving first voice information comprising a specific service request from a speaker through the voice user interface of the mobile device before verifying the identity of the speaker as an authorized user;

calculating, by at least one processor, a confidence score that the speaker is an authorized user based on a comparison of the first voice information comprising the specific service request received before verifying the identity of the speaker as an authorized user with a stored voice model associated with the authorized user group and specific to the authorized user, wherein the at least one processor is included in at least one of the mobile device and a server operatively coupled to the mobile device through a communication network;

interpreting, by the at least one processor, the first voice information as a specific service request;

identifying, by the at least one processor, a type of service request comprising the specific service request;

identifying, by the at least one processor, a minimum confidence score for initiating the type of service request comprising the specific service request;

determining, by the at least one processor, whether or not the confidence score exceeds the minimum confidence score; and

if the confidence score exceeds the minimum confidence score, initiating the specific service request;

if the confidence score does not exceed the minimum confidence score, obtaining second voice information concerning the specific service request from the speaker through the voice user interface;

calculating a confidence score based on a comparison of a combination of the first voice information comprising the specific service request and the second voice information concerning the specific service request with the stored voice model associated with the authorized user group and specific to the authorized user; and

repeating the determining step.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising constructing, by the at least one processor, the stored voice model based on voice information representing a set of service requests spoken by the speaker prior to receiving the first voice information.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising updating, by the at least one processor, the stored voice model based on the first voice information.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising storing, in the mobile device, a plurality of minimum confidence scores each corresponding to a type of service request.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising prompting the speaker, using a user interface of the mobile device, for the second voice information if the confidence score does not exceed the minimum confidence score.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein prompting the speaker for the second voice information includes prompting the speaker to speak specific words based on the specific service request.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein prompting the speaker for the second voice information includes:

looking up, in a database, options related to fulfillment of a type of service corresponding to the specific service request; and

constructing, by the at least one processor, the prompt based on at least one of the options.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising denying access to the mobile device if the confidence score does not exceed the minimum confidence score.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising denying access to the mobile device if the confidence score does not exceed the minimum confidence score subsequent to receiving a predetermined amount of voice information from the speaker.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising interpreting, by the at least one processor, the second voice information as additional information related to the specific service request.

11. A system for verifying the identity of a speaker as an authorized user in an authorized user group through a voice user interface to a level necessary for enabling secure access to one or more services via mobile device, the system comprising:

at least one processor included in at least one of the mobile device and a server operatively coupled to the mobile device through a communication network, the mobile device including the voice user interface operatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to receive voice information from a speaker; and

a memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor, the memory including computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to;

receive first voice information comprising a specific service request from a speaker through the voice user interface of the mobile device before verifying the identity of the speaker as an authorized user;

calculate a confidence score based on a comparison of the first voice information comprising the specific service request received before verifying the identity of the speaker as an authorized user with a stored voice model associated with the authorized user group and specific to the authorized user;

interpret the first voice information as a specific service request;

identifying, by the at least one processor, a type of service request comprising the specific service request;

identify a minimum confidence score for initiating the type of service request comprising the specific service request;

determine whether or not the confidence score exceeds the minimum confidence score; and

if the confidence score exceeds the minimum confidence score, initiate the specific service request;

if the confidence score does not exceed the minimum confidence score, obtain second voice information concerning the specific service request from the speaker through the voice user interface;

calculate a confidence score based on a comparison of a combination of the first voice information comprising the specific service request and the second voice information concerning the specific service request with the stored voice model associated with the authorized user group and specific to the authorized user; and

repeat the determining step.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further includes computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to construct the stored voice model based on voice information representing a set of service requests spoken by the speaker prior to receiving the first voice information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory further includes computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to update the stored voice model based on the first voice information.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further includes computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to prompt the speaker for the second voice information if the confidence score does not exceed the minimum confidence score.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further includes computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to interpret the second voice information as additional information related to the specific service request.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to:

receive first voice information comprising a specific service request from a speaker through a voice user interface of a mobile device before verifying the identify of the speaker as an authorized user;

calculate a confidence score that the speaker is an authorized user based on a comparison of the first voice information comprising a specific service request received before verifying the identity of the speaker as an authorized user with a stored voice model associated with an authorized user group and specific to an authorized user in the authorized user group;

interpret the first voice information as a specific service request;

identifying, by the at least one processor, a type of service request comprising the specific service request;

identify a minimum confidence score for initiating the type of service request comprising the specific service request;

determine whether or not the confidence score exceeds the minimum confidence score; and

if the confidence score exceeds the minimum confidence score, initiate the specific service request;

if the confidence score does not exceed the minimum confidence score, obtain second voice information concerning the specific service request from the speaker through the voice user interface;

calculate a confidence score based on a comparison of a combination of the first voice information comprising the specific service request and the second voice information concerning the specific service request with the stored voice model associated with the authorized user group and specific to the authorized user; and

repeat the determining step.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to:

construct the stored voice model based on voice information representing a set of service requests spoken by the speaker prior to receiving the first voice information; and

update the stored voice model based on the first voice information.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to prompt the speaker for the second voice information if the confidence score does not exceed the minimum confidence score.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to interpret the second voice information as additional information related to the specific service request.