IDENTIFICATION OF CALL PARTICIPANTS

• US 20150382191A1
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musarubra US LLC (Musarubra US SellCo LLC)
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Muttik, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 9,462,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

In an example, an audio stream such as a voice call or live-streaming service may have mixed therein a user identification, which may identify the user as an authorized participant in the audio stream. For example, a user may identify himself to a smart phone, and then initiate a call with his bank. The smart phone may mix a user identification into the voice stream. A receiving device at the bank may demix the identification, and determine that the user is authorized to call about this account. In another example, identification may be used for DRM purposes, to identify a user as a legitimate participant in an audio stream. When a user is not authorized, an appropriate action may be taken, such as dropping the user, degrading the quality of the audio stream, or providing a notification that the user is not authorized.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an audio telecommunication driver providing an audio stream;

a mixer/demixer operable to mix digital data into an audio stream of the audio telecommunication driver, and to demix the digital data from the audio stream; and

an identification engine operable to receive an identification credential of one or more remote users from the mixer/de-mixer, and authorize the one or more remote users as a participant in the audio stream.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio stream is a voice call.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification engine is further operable to:

identify a local user; and

send a user identification credential of the local user to the mixer/demixer for insertion into the audio stream.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein identifying the local user comprises receiving a token selected from the group consisting of a username, password, pattern, and biometric feature.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the identification engine is further operable to send a device identification credential.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification engine is further operable to receive an identification credential of a remote device and authorize the remote device as a participant in the audio stream.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identifying the remote user comprises exchanging a pre-shared secret.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identifying the remote user comprises assigning the remote user a reputation.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification engine is further operable to:

determine that the remote user is not authorized as a participant in the audio stream; and

act on the determination.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein acting on the determination comprises dropping the audio stream.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein acting on the determination comprises degrading the quality of the audio stream.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein acting on the determination comprises providing a notification that the remote user is not authorized.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification engine is further operable to re-authorize the remote user as a participant in the audio stream periodically or in response to a stimulus.

14. One or more computer-readable mediums having stored thereon instructions operable to instruct a processor to:

demix an identification of a remote user from digital data encoded in an audio stream; and

authorize the remote user as a participant in the audio stream.

15. The one or more mediums of claim 14, wherein the audio stream is a voice call.

16. The one or more mediums of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further operable to instruct the processor to:

identify a local user; and

mix a user identification of the local user into the audio stream.

17. The one or more mediums of claim 16, wherein identifying the local user comprises a method selected from the group consisting of receiving a password, receiving a username and password, receiving a pre-shared secret, receiving multi-factor identification, receiving a biometric identification, and receiving an electronic identification signal.

18. The one or more mediums of claim 14, wherein identifying the remote user comprises assigning the remote user a reputation.

19. The one or more mediums of claim 14, further operable to instruct the processor to:

determine that the remote user is not authorized as a participant in the audio stream; and

act on the determination.

20. The one or more mediums of claim 19, wherein acting on the determination comprises dropping the audio stream.

21. The one or more mediums of claim 19, wherein acting on the determination comprises degrading the quality of the audio stream.

22. The one or more mediums of claim 21, wherein degrading the quality of the audio stream comprises lossily compressing the audio stream.

23. The one or more mediums of claim 19, wherein acting on the determination comprises providing a notification that the remote user is not authorized.

24. A method comprising:

demixing an identification of a remote user from digital data encoded in an audio stream; and

authorizing the remote user as a participant in the audio stream.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

identifying a local user; and

mixing an identification of the local user into the audio stream.