Systems and methods for real-time user verification in online education

• US 9,715,621 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2014
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Negi, Ansuya, Tatourian, Igor
• Primary Examiner(s): AHMED, SAMIR ANWAR
• Application Number:
  US14/579,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20160180150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/15 Biometric patterns based on physiological signals, e.g. heartbeat, blood flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/45 Detection of the body part being alive
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for real-time user verification in online education are disclosed. In certain example embodiments, user identifying information associated with a user and a request to access online education content may be received from a user device. A face template including historical facial image data for the user can be identified. Current facial image data can be compared to the face template to determine if a match exists. Biometric sensor data, such as heart rate data, may also be received for the user. The biometric sensor data may be evaluated to determine if the user is currently located at the user device. If the user is currently located at the user device and the current facial image data matches the face template, access to the online education content may be provided to the user at the user device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user device, a request to access online education content;

determining a face template based on historical facial image data for a user;

receiving, from the user device, a current facial image data for the user;

receiving, from the user device, user identifying information associated with the user at the user device;

determining, based at least in part on the user identifying information, a biometric data device associated with the user, wherein the biometric data device is configured to receive a biometric sensor data for the user;

determining a known pattern on an exterior of the biometric data device;

evaluating, the current facial image data to determine if the current facial image data comprises the known pattern on the exterior of the biometric data device;

comparing the current facial image data to the historical facial image data for the user to determine if the current facial image data matches the face template for the user;

receiving, at the biometric data device, the biometric sensor data for the user;

determining, based on the biometric sensor data, if the user is located at the user device; and

verifying the user to access the online education content, wherein verification comprises facilitating, based at least in part on the determination that the current facial image data matches the face template for the user and the biometric sensor data indicates the user is located at the user device, access to the online education content by the user device, wherein facilitating access to the online education content is further based at least in part on the determination that the current facial image data comprises the known pattern on the exterior of the biometric data device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the user device, user identifying information associated with the user at the user device;

determining, based at least in part on the user identifying information, a stored device ID for a first device associated with the user; and

comparing a current device ID for the user device to the stored device ID to determine if the current device ID matches the stored device ID;

wherein facilitating access to the online education content is further based at least in part on the determination that the current device ID matches the stored device ID.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the biometric sensor data comprises heart rate data of the user.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the user was verified to access the online education content;

receiving a current heart rate data for the user;

accessing historical heart rate data for the user;

comparing the current heart rate data for the user to the historical heart rate data for the user to determine if the historical heart rate data and the current heart rate data are from a same user; and

facilitating, based at least in part on the determination that the historical heart rate data and the current heart rate data are from the same user, access to the online education content by the user device.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying an online education course enrolled in by the user;

determining a test to be provided to the user for the online education course;

identifying a plurality of historical education data for the user in the online education course;

generating, based at least in part on the plurality of historical education data, a predictive model of success for the user on the test, wherein the predictive model comprises a test score range comprising a maximum test score threshold;

receiving a test result for the user on the test;

comparing the test result for the user to the maximum test score threshold; and

generating, based on the determination that the test result is greater than the maximum test score threshold, a notification that the test result violates the maximum test score threshold for the user in the online education course.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a score for the user on an online course assignment;

comparing the score for the user on the online course assignment to a minimum score threshold;

identifying, based on the determination that the score is less than the minimum score threshold, if the user is wearing a biometric data device; and

generating, based at least in part on the identification that the user is not wearing the biometric data device and the score is less than the minimum score threshold, a notification to the user to put on the biometric data device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying an online education course enrolled in by the user;

identifying a plurality of historical education data for the user in the online education course; and

generating, based at least in part on the plurality of historical education data, a probability score for the user on an online course assignment, wherein the probability score comprises the minimum score threshold.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

preventing user access to the online education content based at least in part on the determination that current facial image data does not match the face template for the user or the biometric sensor data does not indicate the user is located at the user device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the biometric data device comprises ear buds, wherein the ear buds comprise a heart rate monitor for receiving heart rate data of the user, and wherein the biometric sensor data comprises the heart rate data for the user.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by an education server comprising one or more processors from a user device, a request to access online education content;

determining, by the education server, a face template based on historical facial image data for a user;

receiving, by the education server from the user device, a current facial image data for the user;

receiving, by the education server from the user device, user identifying information associated with the user at the user device;

determining, by the education server and based at least in part on the user identifying information, a biometric data device associated with the user, wherein the biometric data device comprises ear buds comprising a heart rate monitor for receiving a biometric sensor data of the user;

determining, by the education server, a known pattern on an exterior of the ear buds;

evaluating, by the education server, the current facial image data to determine if the current facial image data comprises the known pattern on the exterior of the ear buds;

comparing, by the education server, the current facial image data to the historical facial image data for the user to determine if the current facial image data matches the face template for the user;

receiving, by the education server, the biometric sensor data for the user;

determining, by the education server and based on the biometric sensor data, if the user is located at the user device; and

verifying, by the education server, the user for access to the online education content, wherein verifying comprises facilitating, by the education server and based at least in part on the determination that the current facial image data matches the face template for the user and the biometric sensor data indicates the user is located at the user device, access to the online education content by the user device, wherein facilitating access to the online education content is further based at least in part on the determination that the current facial image data comprises the known pattern on the exterior of the ear buds.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the biometric sensor data comprises heart rate data of the user and wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the education server, that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the user was verified to access the online education content;

receiving, by the education server, a current heart rate data for the user;

accessing, by the education server, historical heart rate data for the user;

comparing, by the education server, the current heart rate data for the user to the historical heart rate data for the user to determine if the historical heart rate data and the current heart rate data are from a same user; and

facilitating, by the education server and based at least in part on the determination that the historical heart rate data and the current heart rate data are from the same user, access to the online education content by the user device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying, by the education server, an online education course enrolled in by the user;

identifying, by the education server, a plurality of historical education data for the user in the online education course;

generating, by the education server and based at least in part on the plurality of historical education data, a probability score for the user on an online course assignment, wherein the probability score comprises a minimum score threshold;

receiving, by the education server, a score for the user on an online course assignment;

comparing, by the education server, the score for the user on the online course assignment to the minimum score threshold;

identifying, by the education server and based on the determination that the score is less than the minimum score threshold, if the user is wearing a biometric data device; and

generating, by the education server and based at least in part on the identification that the user is not wearing the biometric data device and the score is less than the minimum score threshold, a notification to the user to put on the biometric data device.

12. A system, comprising:

at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions;

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

receive, from a user device, a request to access online education content;

determine a face template based on historical facial image data for a user;

receive, by an education server from the user device, a current facial image data for the user;

receive, from the user device, user identifying information associated with the user at the user device;

determine, based at least in part on the user identifying information, a biometric data device associated with the user, wherein the biometric data device is configured to receive a biometric sensor data for the user;

determine a known pattern on an exterior of the biometric data device;

evaluate, the current facial image data to determine if the current facial image data comprises the known pattern on the exterior of the biometric data device;

compare the current facial image data to the historical facial image data for the user to determine if the current facial image data matches the face template for the user;

receive the biometric sensor data for the user;

determine, based on the biometric sensor data, if the user is located at the user device; and

verify the user to access the online education content, wherein verification comprises facilitating, based at least in part on the determination that the current facial image data matches the face template for the user and the biometric sensor data indicates the user is located at the user device, access to the online education content by the user device, wherein facilitating access to the online education content is further based at least in part on the determination that the current facial image data comprises the known pattern on the exterior of the biometric data device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

receive, from the user device, user identifying information associated with the user at the user device;

determine, based at least in part on the user identifying information, a stored device ID for a first device associated with the user; and

compare a current device ID for the user device to the stored device ID to determine if the current device ID matches the stored device ID;

wherein facilitating access to the online education content is further based at least in part on the determination that the current device ID matches the stored device ID.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the biometric sensor data comprises heart rate data of the user and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine that a predetermined amount of time has passed since the user was verified to access the online education content;

receive a current heart rate data for the user;

access historical heart rate data for the user;

compare the current heart rate data for the user to the historical heart rate data for the user to determine if the historical heart rate data and the current heart rate data are from a same user; and

facilitate, based at least in part on the determination that the historical heart rate data and the current heart rate data are from the same user, access to the online education content by the user device.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

identify an online education course enrolled in by the user;

determine a test to be provided to the user for the online education course;

identify a plurality of historical education data for the user in the online education course;

generate based at least in part on the plurality of historical education data, a predictive model of success for the user on the test, wherein the predictive model comprises a test score range comprising a maximum test score threshold;

receive a test result for the user on the test;

compare the test result for the user to the maximum test score threshold; and

generate, based on the determination that the test result is greater than the maximum test score threshold, a notification that the test result violates the maximum test score threshold for the user in the online education course.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

identify an online education course enrolled in by the user;

identify a plurality of historical education data for the user in the online education course;

generate, based at least in part on the plurality of historical education data, a probability score for the user on an online course assignment, wherein the probability score comprises a minimum score threshold;

receive a score for the user on an online course assignment;

compare the score for the user on the online course assignment to the minimum score threshold;

identify, based on the determination that the score is less than the minimum score threshold, if the user is wearing a biometric data device; and

generate, based at least in part on the identification that the user is not wearing the biometric data device and the score is less than the minimum score threshold, a notification to the user to put on the biometric data device.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to prevent user access to the online education content based at least in part on the determination that current facial image data does not match the face template for the user or the biometric sensor data does not indicate the user is located at the user device.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the biometric data device comprises ear buds, wherein the ear buds comprise a heart rate monitor for receiving heart rate data of the user, and wherein the biometric sensor data comprises the heart rate data for the user.