Methods, apparatus and systems for securely authenticating a person depending on context

• US 9,977,881 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mathew, Bejoy
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gao, Shu Chun
• Application Number:
  US14/514,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• 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 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity

Abstract

Methods, apparatus and systems are described for securely authenticating a person at an appropriate level of security depending on context without having to enter any passwords. In some embodiments, a meta-wallet processor receives a request for user authentication from a user device which includes a meta-wallet identifier, an entity identifier, a context identifier and user biometric data and/or user personal assets data, and/or user social media data. The meta-wallet processor determines that the user is registered meta-wallet user and is engaging in a predetermined type of activity, selects an authentication protocol, determines that the user biometric data and/or user personal assets data, and/or user social media data matches stored personal meta-wallet data and satisfies the authentication protocol, and then transmits a user authentication confirmation message to one of the user device and an entity computer associated with the entity identifier.

Claims

1. A method for providing user authentication services at an appropriate level of security comprising:

receiving, by a meta-wallet processor of a meta-wallet computer from a user mobile device, a request for user authentication comprising a meta-wallet identifier, an entity identifier, a context identifier defining an activity the user is engaging in as determined by a meta-wallet application resident on the user mobile device, and at least one of user biometric data, user personal assets data, and user social media data;

determining, by the meta-wallet processor based on the meta-wallet identifier and the context identifier, that the user is a registered meta-wallet user and is engaging in a predetermined type of activity defined by the context identifier;

selecting, by the meta-wallet processor, a pre-set authentication protocol based on the type of activity defined by the context identifier, wherein the pre-set authentication protocol was defined by the user during a meta-wallet enrollment process;

determining, by the meta-wallet processor, that a combination of personally identifiable assets data and at least one of user biometric data and user social media data matches stored personal meta-wallet data associated with the registered meta-wallet user and thus satisfies the pre-set authentication protocol; and

transmitting, by the meta-wallet processor to at least one of the user mobile device and to an entity computer associated with the entity identifier, a user authentication confirmation message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, subsequent to selecting the authentication protocol:

determining, by the meta-wallet processor, that the at least one of user biometric data, user personal assets data, and user social media data does not match stored personal meta-wallet data associated with the registered meta-wallet user and thus does not satisfy the authentication protocol; and

transmitting, by the meta-wallet processor to at least one of the user device and the entity computer, a user authentication denied message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving authentication data further comprises receiving, by the meta-wallet processor from the user mobile device, location data indicating a current location of the user mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining, by the meta-wallet processor based on the location data, that the user mobile device is located in an area having an increased rate of fraudulent activity; and

modifying, by the meta-wallet processor, at least one meta-wallet authentication data requirement.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, transmitting, by the meta-wallet processor, a prompt to the user mobile device for the meta-wallet user to provide further user identification data to satisfy the at least one modified meta-wallet authentication data requirement.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the request for user authentication:

receiving, by a meta-wallet processor from a user device, a meta-wallet service enrollment request;

determining, by the meta-wallet processor, that the user device includes at least one of a biometric sensor and a camera;

prompting, by the meta-wallet processor, the user to provide at least one of biometric data and visual data;

receiving, by the meta-wallet processor from the user device, at least one of user biometric data and user visual data; and

storing the at least one of user biometric data and user visual data in a storage device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining a meta-wallet user authentication protocol with regard to at least one type of activity that comprises at least one of the biometric data and the visual data; and

storing, by the meta-wallet processor, the meta-wallet user authentication protocol in the storage device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the request for user authentication:

receiving, by a meta-wallet processor from a user device, a meta-wallet service enrollment request;

prompting, by the meta-wallet processor, the user to provide at least one of biometric data, personal assets data, and social media data;

receiving, by a meta-wallet processor from the user device, at least one of the biometric data, the personal assets data, and the social media data of the meta-wallet user; and

storing, by the meta-wallet processor in a storage device, the at least one of the biometric data, the personal assets data, and the social media data of the meta-wallet user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a meta-wallet user authentication protocol with regard to at least one type of activity that comprises at least one of the biometric data, the personal assets data, and the social media data of the meta-wallet user; and

storing, by the meta-wallet processor, the meta-wallet user authentication protocol in the storage device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication protocol comprises at least one of voice data, face data, gait data, email data, license plate data, and social media data associated with the meta-wallet user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity computer comprises at least one of a merchant computer, a transportation authority computer, and an employer computer.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to cause a processor to:

receive a request for user authentication from a user mobile device, the request comprising a meta-wallet identifier, an entity identifier, a context identifier defining an activity the user is engaging in as determined by a meta-wallet application resident on the user mobile device, and at least one of user biometric data, user personal assets data, and user social media data;

determine based on the meta-wallet identifier and the context identifier, that the user is a registered meta-wallet user and is engaging in a predetermined type of activity defined by the context identifier;

select a pre-set authentication protocol based on the type of activity defined by the context identifier, wherein the pre-set authentication protocol was defined by the user during a meta-wallet enrollment process;

determine that a combination of personally identifiable assets data and at least one of user biometric data and user social media data matches stored personal meta-wallet data associated with the registered meta-wallet user and thus satisfies the pre-set authentication protocol; and

transmit a user authentication confirmation message to at least one of the user mobile device and to an entity computer associated with the entity identifier.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising, subsequent to the instructions for selecting the authentication protocol, instructions configured to cause the processor to:

determine that the at least one of user biometric data, user personal assets data, and user social media data does not match stored personal meta-wallet data associated with the registered meta-wallet user and thus does not satisfy the authentication protocol; and

transmit a user authentication denied message to at least one of the user device and the entity computer.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for receiving authentication data further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to receive location data from the user mobile device indicating a current location of the user mobile device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:

determine, based on the location data, that the user mobile device is located in an area having an increased rate of fraudulent activity; and

modify at least one meta-wallet authentication data requirement.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to transmit a prompt to the user mobile device for the meta-wallet user to provide further user identification data to satisfy the at least one modified meta-wallet authentication data requirement.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising, prior to the instructions for receiving the request for user authentication, instructions configured to cause the processor to:

receive a meta-wallet service enrollment request from a user device;

determine that the user device includes at least one of a biometric sensor and a camera;

prompt the user to provide at least one of biometric data and visual data;

receive at least one of user biometric data and user visual data from the user device; and

store the at least one of user biometric data and user visual data in a storage device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:

determine a meta-wallet user authentication protocol with regard to at least one type of activity that comprises at least one of the biometric data and the visual data; and

store the meta-wallet user authentication protocol in the storage device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising, prior to the instructions for receiving the request for user authentication, instructions configured to cause the processor to:

receive a meta-wallet service enrollment request from a user device;

prompt the user to provide at least one of biometric data, personal assets data, and social media data;

receive at least one of the biometric data, the personal assets data, and the social media data of the meta-wallet user from the user device; and

store the at least one of the biometric data, the personal assets data, and the social media data of the meta-wallet user in a storage device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:

determine a meta-wallet user authentication protocol with regard to at least one type of activity that comprises at least one of the biometric data, the personal assets data, and the social media data of the meta-wallet user; and

store the meta-wallet user authentication protocol in the storage device.

21. An apparatus for providing user authentication services at an appropriate level of security comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer medium operably coupled to the processor, the non-transitory computer medium storing instructions configured to cause the processor to;

receive a request for user authentication from a user mobile device, the request comprising a meta-wallet identifier, an entity identifier, a context identifier defining an activity the user is engaging in as determined by a meta-wallet application resident on the user mobile device, and at least one of user biometric data, user personal assets data, and user social media data;

determine based on the meta-wallet identifier and the context identifier, that the user is a registered meta-wallet user and is engaging in a predetermined type of activity defined by the context identifier;

select a pre-set authentication protocol based on the type of activity defined by the context identifier, wherein the pre-set authentication protocol was defined by the user during a meta-wallet enrollment process;

determine that a combination of personally identifiable assets data and at least one of user biometric data and user social media data matches stored personal meta-wallet data associated with the registered meta-wallet user and thus satisfies the pre-set authentication protocol; and

transmit a user authentication confirmation message to at least one of the user mobile device and to an entity computer associated with the entity identifier.