FREQUENCY BASED AGE DETERMINATION

• US 20100251336A1
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allen, Lloyd W. JR., Grigsby, Travis M., Jenkins, Jana H., Miller, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,375,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment

Abstract

Human ability to perceive higher audio frequencies diminishes with age. Functionality can be implemented to use a combination of audio tones with varying frequencies to identify an age range to which a user belongs and accordingly control access to age dependent access controlled information and services. The user'"'"'s ability to perceive one or more audio tones in the combination of audio tones depends on the user'"'"'s age. Thus, different users, depending on the users'"'"' age, may perceive the same combination of audio tones differently. Such an age verification system based on human perception of audio tones can minimize the need for identification cards and a reliance on the user providing accurate age information. This can prevent the user from misinterpreting his/her age to access the age dependent access controlled information and can ensure that only an authorized user gets access to the age dependent access controlled information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a request to access an age dependent access controlled resource hosted by at least one server, wherein access to the age dependent access controlled resource is restricted to users within a predetermined age range;

presenting, on a device, a set of one or more audio tones, wherein human ability to perceive each of the set of one or more audio tones is age dependent;

determining that at least a first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived, wherein the first audio tone corresponds to the predetermined age range;

denying the request to access the age dependent access controlled resource hosted by the at least one server based on said determining that at least a first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the age dependent access controlled resource comprises at least one of an online communication environment, a chat room, a message board, a virtual world, a part of a virtual world, an online game, a online social network, a website, an Internet based application, and a phone-based application.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an indication in response to a perception of at least a second audio tone of the set of one or more audio tones;

recording tone information associated with the second audio tone, wherein the tone information is one or more of an audio tone identification number, an audio tone frequency, a time instant at which the audio tone was perceived, and a reference to the perceived audio tone; and

transmitting the tone information associated with the second audio tone to the at least one server hosting the age dependent access controlled resource.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the denying the request to access the age dependent access controlled resource hosted by the at least one server further comprises:

estimating a second age range based, at least in part, on, the determining that at least the first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived;

comparing the second age range with the predetermined age range, wherein access to the age dependent access controlled resource is restricted to users within the predetermined age range;

determining that the second age range is outside the predetermined age range.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the at least one server storing, in a blocked user database, identification information associated with the denied request to access the age dependent access controlled resource, wherein the identification information comprises one or more of an Internet Protocol address associated with the age dependent access controlled resource, a client network address, a client device serial number, an identification number associated with a client account to access the age dependent access controlled resource, and a number of consecutive denied requests to access the age dependent access controlled resource

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a second request to access the age dependent access controlled resource hosted by the at least one server is denied;

determining that a number of consecutive denied requests to access the age dependent access controlled resource exceeds a number of allowable consecutive denied requests; and

closing a client account used to access the age dependent access controlled resource.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second request to access the age dependent access controlled resource on the at least one server;

presenting, on the device, a second set of one or more audio tones, wherein human ability to perceive each of the second set of one or more audio tones is age dependent;

determining a second age range based on receiving a response indicating a perception of each of the second set of one or more audio tones;

comparing the second age range with the predetermined age range associated with the age dependent access controlled resource;

determining that the second age range conforms to the predetermined age range; and

granting the second request to access the age dependent access controlled resource based, at least in part, on the determining that the second age range conforms to the predetermined age range.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting, on the device, the set of one or more audio tones comprises presenting the set of one or more audio tones in an increasing order of audio frequency.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting, on the device, the set of one or more audio tones comprises presenting the set of one or more audio tones a varying order of audio frequencies.

10. A method comprising:

a first communication device receiving a communication request from a second communication device to initiate communication between the first and the second communication devices;

presenting, on the first communication device, a challenge with a set of the one or more audio tones, wherein human perception of each of the set of one or more audio tones is age dependent; and

displaying a response to the challenge on the second communication device, wherein the response indicates which, if any, of the set of one or more audio tones were perceived.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication between the first and the second communication devices comprises one of an electronic mail, an instant message, a text message, and a voice communication.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the first communication device configuring a first age range, wherein communication received by the first communication device is controlled by the first age range.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

the first communication device determining a second age range associated with the second communication device based, at least in part, on the response to the challenge and the set of one or more perceived audio tones;

determining that the second age range is not contained in the first age range; and

denying the communication request from the second communication device to block communication between the first and the second communication devices.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the first communication device storing identification information associated with the denied communication request in a blocked user database, wherein the identification information comprises one or more of an access number associated with the second communication device, and a serial number associated with the second communication device.

15. One or more machine-readable media having stored therein a program product, which when executed a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

detecting a request to access an age dependent access controlled resource hosted by at least one server, wherein access to the age dependent access controlled resource is restricted to users within a predetermined age range;

presenting a set of one or more audio tones, wherein human ability to perceive each of the set of one or more audio tones is age dependent;

determining that at least a first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived, wherein the first audio tone corresponds to the predetermined age range; and

denying the request to access the age dependent access controlled resource hosted by the at least one server based on said determining that at least a first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived.

16. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 15, wherein the age dependent access controlled resource comprises at least one of an online communication environment, a chat room, a message board, a virtual world, a part of a virtual world, an online game, a online social network, a website, an Internet based application, and a phone-based application.

17. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 15, wherein said operation of denying the request to access the age dependent access controlled resource hosted by the at least one server further comprises:

estimating a second age range based, at least in part, on, the determining that at least the first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived;

comparing the second age range with the predetermined age range, wherein access to the age dependent access controlled resource is restricted to users within the predetermined age range;

determining that the second age range is outside the predetermined age range.

18. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that a second request to access the age dependent access controlled resource hosted by the at least one server is denied;

determining that a number of consecutive denied requests to access the age dependent access controlled resource exceeds a number of allowable consecutive denied requests; and

closing a client account used to access the age dependent access controlled resource.

19. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a second request to access the age dependent access controlled resource on the at least one server;

presenting a second set of one or more audio tones, wherein human ability to perceive each of the second set of one or more audio tones is age dependent;

determining a second age range based on receiving a response indicating a perception of each of the second set of one or more audio tones;

comparing the second age range with the predetermined age range associated with the age dependent access controlled resource;

determining that the second age range conforms to the predetermined age range; and

granting the second request to access the age dependent access controlled resource based, at least in part, on the determining that the second age range conforms to the predetermined age range.

20. One or more machine-readable media having stored therein a program product, which when executed a set of one or more processors causes the set of one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

receiving a communication request to initiate communication between communication devices;

presenting a challenge with a set of one or more audio tones, wherein human perception of each of the set of one or more audio tones is age dependent; and

displaying a response to the challenge, wherein the response indicates which, if any, of the set of one or more audio tones were perceived.

21. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise configuring a first age range, wherein the communication between the communication devices is controlled by the first age range.

22. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 21, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a second age range based, at least in part, on the response to the challenge and the set of one or more perceived audio tones;

determining that the second age range is not contained in the first age range; and

denying the communication request to block the communication between the communication devices.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory unit coupled with the processor;

an age verification unit configured to;

detect a request to access an age dependent access controlled resource hosted by at least one server, wherein access to the age dependent access controlled resource is restricted to users within a predetermined age range;

present a set of one or more audio tones, wherein human ability to perceive each of the set of one or more audio tones is age dependent;

determine that at least a first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived, wherein the first audio tone corresponds to the predetermined age range; and

deny the request to access the age dependent access controlled resource hosted by the at least one server based on the age verification unit determining that at least a first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the age verification unit configured to deny the request to access the age dependent access controlled resource hosted by the at least one server further comprises the age verification unit configured to:

estimate a second age range based, at least in part, on the age verification unit determining that at least the first of the set of one or more audio tones could not be perceived;

compare the second age range with the predetermined age range, wherein access to the age dependent access controlled resource is restricted to users within the predetermined age range;

determine that the second age range is outside the predetermined age range.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the age verification unit comprises one or more machine-readable media.