Method and apparatus for providing multi-sensor multi-factor identity verification

• US 9,391,986 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• 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., Hahn, Mark J., Sartini, Robert A., Swinton, Jeffrey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tri
• Application Number:
  US13/907,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20140359722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• 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 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/66 Trust-dependent, e.g. using trust scores or trust relationships

Abstract

An approach for multi-sensor multi-factor identity verification. An identity verification platform determines biometric data associated with a user from one or more sources. The one or more sources are associated with one or more respective network sessions. The platform generates one or more respective trust scores for the one or more sources, the one or more respective network sessions, or a combination thereof based on one or more contextual parameters associated with the user, the one or more sources, the one or more respective network sessions, or a combination thereof. Then the platform verifies an identity of the user based on the biometric data and the one or more respective trust scores.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining biometric data associated with a user from one or more sources, wherein the one or more sources are associated with one or more respective network sessions, and

wherein the one or more respective network sessions include communications sessions from the one or more sources providing the biometric data;

generating one or more respective trust scores for the one or more sources and for the one or more respective network sessions based on one or more contextual parameters associated with the user, the one or more sources, the one or more respective network sessions, or a combination thereof,

wherein the one or more respective trust scores for the one or more respective network sessions are associated with signal characteristics of the communication sessions providing the biometric data,

wherein the signal characteristics include strength of signal, communication loss, or combination thereof; and

verifying an identity of the user based on the biometric data and the one or more respective trust scores.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more confidence scores for one or more respective legs of the one or more network sessions,

wherein the one or more respective trust scores are further based on the one or more confidence scores.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first set of the biometric data through a first one of the one or more respective network sessions; and

determining a second set of the biometric data through a second one of the one or more respective network sessions,

wherein the verifying of the identity of the user is further based on the first set and the second set.

4. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the biometric data to determine duress information associated with the user,

wherein the duress information affects the one or more respective trust scores for the one or more sources and is used in verifying the identity of the user and the duress information is reported to the user or third parties.

5. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining non-biometric data associated with the user, an environment associated with the user, or a combination thereof,

wherein the verifying of the identity of the user is further based on the non-biometric data.

6. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an identity claim associated with the user, the one or more respective network sessions, or a combination thereof; and

notarizing the identity claim based on the verifying of the identity, the biometric data, the one or more respective trust scores, or a combination thereof.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein the identity claim is associated with a document, a transaction, a physical identity artifact, or a combination thereof.

8. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a personal health record for the user based on the biometric data, the verifying of the identity, or a combination thereof.

9. A method of claim 8, further comprising:

causing a semantic tagging of the personal health record, the biometric data, or a combination thereof; and

determining a privacy policy, a security policy, or a combination thereof for the personal health record, the biometric data, or a combination thereof based on the semantic tagging.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sources include a device sensor, a network-based location associated with the user, a communication history associated with the user, or combination thereof.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine biometric data associated with a user from one or more sources, wherein the one or more sources are associated with one or more respective network sessions, and

wherein the one or more respective network sessions include communications sessions from the one or more sources providing the biometric data;

generate one or more respective trust scores for the one or more sources and for the one or more respective network sessions based on one or more contextual parameters associated with the user, the one or more sources, the one or more respective network sessions, or a combination thereof,

wherein the one or more respective trust scores for the one or more respective network sessions are associated with signal characteristics of the communication sessions providing the biometric data,

wherein the signal characteristics include strength of signal, communication loss, or combination thereof; and

verify an identity of the user based on the biometric data and the one or more respective trust scores.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more confidence scores for one or more respective legs of the one or more network sessions,

wherein the one or more respective trust scores are further based on the one or more confidence scores.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a first set of the biometric data through a first one of the one or more respective network sessions; and

determine a second set of the biometric data through a second one of the one or more respective network sessions,

wherein the verifying of the identity of the user is further based on the first set and the second set.

14. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

process the biometric data to determine duress information associated with the user,

wherein the duress information affects the one or more respective trust scores for the one or more respective network sessions and is used in verifying the identity of the user.

15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine non-biometric data associated with the user, an environment associated with the user, or a combination thereof,

wherein the verifying of the identity of the user is further based on the non-biometric data.

16. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determining an identity claim associated with the user, the one or more respective network sessions, or a combination thereof; and

notarizing the identity claim based on the verifying of the identity, the biometric data, the one or more respective trust scores, or a combination thereof.

17. A method of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

create a personal health record for the user based on the biometric data, the verifying of the identity, or a combination thereof.

18. A method of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause a semantic tagging of the personal health record, the biometric data, or a combination thereof; and

determine a privacy policy, a security policy, or a combination thereof for the personal health record, the biometric data, or a combination thereof based on the semantic tagging.

19. A system comprising:

a sensor device configured to determine biometric data associated with a user from one or more sources, wherein the one or more sources are associated with one or more respective network sessions, and

wherein the one or more respective network sessions include communications sessions from the one or more sources providing the biometric data; and

an identity verification platform configured to generate one or more respective trust scores for the one or more sources and the one or more respective network sessions based on one or more contextual parameters associated with the user, the one or more sources, the one or more respective network sessions, or a combination thereof, wherein the one or more respective trust scores for the one or more respective network sessions are associated with signal characteristics of the communication sessions providing the biometric data, wherein the signal characteristics include strength of signal, communication loss, or combination thereof; and

verify an identity of the user based on the biometric data and the one or more respective trust scores.

20. A system of claim 19, wherein the identity verification platform is further caused to:

determine one or more confidence scores for one or more respective legs of the one or more network sessions,

wherein the one or more respective trust scores are further based on the one or more confidence scores.