Methods and systems for multi-factor authentication in secure media-based conferencing

• US 9,338,285 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2015
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edifire LLC
• Original Assignee: Edifire LLC
• Inventors: Anderson, Eric, Goepp, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L
• Application Number:
  US14/834,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20150365522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 370260-261
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for multi-factor authentication of media-based (e.g., video and/or audio) conferencing between a plurality of end point devices. The methods and apparatuses provide for analysis of an end point media stream using a matrix of authentication factors, where the authentication factors include user-specific factors, environment factors, and technical factors, to determine an authentication score for the first end point device.

Claims

1. A computerized method for authenticating an end point device participating in a media-based conference call, the method comprising:

receiving, by a call processing module of a server computing device, a request to join a conference call between a plurality of end point devices, the request including a media stream associated with the first end point device;

analyzing, by the call processing module, the media stream using a matrix of authentication factors, wherein the authentication factors include

a) user-specific factors comprising facial recognition attributes, audio recognition attributes, and user gesture attributes;

b) environment factors comprising (i) acoustic attributes of a device used to capture audio during the call and of a room in which the first end point device is located, wherein the call processing module analyzes a waveform associated with the captured audio to determine the acoustic attributes, and (ii) lighting hues of the room in which the first end point device is located, wherein the call processing module analyzes video images in the media stream to determine the lighting hues; and

c) technical factors comprising technical attributes of the end point device and technical attributes of the media stream;

determining, by the call processing module, an authentication score for the first end point device based upon the media stream analysis; and

determining, by the call processing module, whether to connect the first end point device to the conference call, another media resource, or another user of a network or communication system based upon the authentication score.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the call processing module, an identity of a user of the first end point device based upon the media stream analysis; and

retrieving, by the call processing module, a user profile based upon the identity of the user, the user profile including a set of permissions associated with conference call functionality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the technical attributes of the first end point device include an image resolution of a camera coupled to the first end point device, a device identifier, a location, and an originating address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the technical attributes of the media stream include a media format and a media quality.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the call processing module, the media stream associated with the first end point device to one or more other end point devices connected to the conference call;

receiving, by the call processing module, a validation signal from the one or more other end point devices to confirm an identity of a user of the first end point device; and

adding, by the call processing module, the received validation signal to the matrix of authentication factors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream analysis includes comparing the matrix of authentication factors for the media stream to a matrix of authentication factors for prior media streams associated with the first end point device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the media stream analysis includes analyzing the matrix of authentication factors for the media stream based upon user- and/or system-specified preferences.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, by the call processing module, the media stream analysis and authentication score for the media stream in a database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream analysis and authentication score determination occur periodically during the conference call.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication score is below a predetermined threshold, the method further comprising transmitting, by the call processing module, a request for user credentials to the first end point device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the call processing module, the authentication score for the first end point device for display on one or more other end point devices connected to the conference call.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

denying, by the call processing module, the request to join the conference call when the authentication score is below a predetermined threshold; and

disconnecting, by the call processing module, the first end point device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing, by the call processing module, the request to join the conference call when the authentication score is at or above a predetermined threshold; and

connecting, by the call processing module, the first end point device to the conference call.

14. A system for authenticating an end point device participating in a media-based conference call, the system comprising a server computing device having a call processing module configured to:

receive a request to join a conference call between a plurality of end point devices, the request including a media stream associated with the first end point device;

analyze the media stream using a matrix of authentication factors, wherein the authentication factors include

a) user-specific factors comprising facial recognition attributes, audio recognition attributes, and user gesture attributes;

b) environment factors comprising (i) acoustic attributes of a device used to capture audio during the call and of a room in which the first end point device is located, wherein the call processing module analyzes a waveform associated with the captured audio to determine the acoustic attributes, and (ii) lighting hues of the room in which the first end point device is located, wherein the call processing module analyzes video images in the media stream to determine the lighting hues; and

c) technical factors comprising technical attributes of the end point device and technical attributes of the media stream;

determine an authentication score for the first end point device based upon the media stream analysis; and

determine whether to connect the first end point device to the conference call, another media resource, or another user of a network or communication system based upon the authentication score.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the call processing module is further configured to:

determine an identity of a user of the first end point device based upon the media stream analysis; and

retrieve a user profile based upon the identity of the user, the user profile including a set of permissions associated with conference call functionality.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the technical attributes of the first end point device include an image resolution of a camera coupled to the first end point device, a device identifier, a location, and an originating address.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the technical attributes of the media stream include a media format and a media quality.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the call processing module is further configured to:

transmit the media stream associated with the first end point device to one or more other end point devices connected to the conference call;

receive a validation signal from the one or more other end point devices to confirm an identity of a user of the first end point device; and

add the received validation signal to the matrix of authentication factors.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the media stream analysis includes comparing the matrix of authentication factors for the media stream to a matrix of authentication factors for prior media streams associated with the first end point device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the media stream analysis includes analyzing the matrix of authentication factors for the media stream based upon user- and/or system-specified preferences.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the call processing module is further configured to store the media stream analysis and authentication score for the media stream in a database.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the media stream analysis and authentication score determination occur periodically during the conference call.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the authentication score is below a predetermined threshold, the call processing module further configured to transmit a request for user credentials to the first end point device.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the call processing module is further configured to:

deny the request to join the conference call when the authentication score is below a predetermined threshold; and

disconnect the first end point device.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the call processing module is further configured to:

allow the request to join the conference call when the authentication score is at or above a predetermined threshold; and

connect the first end point device to the conference call.

26. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage device, for authenticating an end point device participating in a media-based conference call, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a call processing module of a server computing device to:

receive a request to join a conference call between a plurality of end point devices, the request including a media stream associated with the first end point device;

analyze the media stream using a matrix of authentication factors, wherein the authentication factors include

a) user-specific factors comprising facial recognition attributes, audio recognition attributes, and user gesture attributes;

b) environment factors comprising (i) acoustic attributes of a device used to capture audio during the call and of a room in which the first end point device is located, wherein the call processing module analyzes a waveform associated with the captured audio to determine the acoustic attributes, and (ii) lighting hues of the room in which the first end point device is located, wherein the call processing module analyzes video images in the media stream to determine the lighting hues; and

c) technical factors comprising technical attributes of the end point device and technical attributes of the media stream;

determine an authentication score for the first end point device based upon the media stream analysis; and

determine whether to connect the first end point device to the conference call, another media resource, or another user of a network or communication system based upon the authentication score.