69voice authentication system and method for regulating border crossing

• US 6,463,415 B2
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: St. John, Vicki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B.
• Application Number:
  US09/387,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20010056349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 704/273, 704/231, 704/274, 704/272, 600/300, 600/407
• US Class Current: 704/273
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for regulating border crossing based on voice signals. First, voice signals are received from a person attempting to cross a border. The voice signals of the person are analyzed to determine whether the person meets predetermined criteria to cross the border. Then, an indication is output as to whether the person meets the predetermined criteria to cross the border. In one embodiment of the present invention, an identity of the person is determined from the voice signals. In another embodiment of the present invention, emotion is detected in the voice signals of the person.

Claims

1. A method for regulating border crossing based on voice signals, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving voice signals from a person attempting to cross a border;

(b) analyzing the voice signals of the person to determine whether the person meets predetermined criteria to cross the border utilizing at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein a first voice authentication algorithm determines an identity of the person using said voice signals and a second voice authentication algorithm detects an emotion associated with said voice signals using said voice signals; and

(c) outputting an indication as to whether the person meets the predetermined criteria to cross the border based on authentication of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein the person is positively identified only when each of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms provides a positive authentication.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined criteria includes having the identity on a list of persons allowed to cross the border.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising comparing the voice signals of the person to a plurality of stored voice samples for determining the identity of the person, wherein each of the voice samples is associated with an identity of a person, and outputting the identity of the person if the identity of the person is determined from the comparison of the voice signal with the voice samples.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined criteria includes emotion-based criteria.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein a level of nervousness of the person is detected.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising detecting a voice accent in the voice signals, wherein the predetermined criteria includes criteria regarding voice accents.

7. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for regulating border crossing based on voice signals, comprising:

(a) a code segment that receives voice signals from a person attempting to cross a border;

(b) a code segment that analyzes the voice signals of the person to determine whether the person meets predetermined criteria to cross the border utilizing at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein a first voice authentication algorithm determines an identity of the person using said voice signals and a second voice authentication algorithm detects an emotion associated with said voice signals using said voice signals; and

(c) a code segment that outputs an indication as to whether the person meets the predetermined criteria to cross the border based on authentication of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein the person is positively identified only when each of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms provides a positive authentication.

8. A computer program as recited in claim 7, wherein the predetermined criteria includes having the identity on a list of persons allowed to cross the border.

9. A computer program as recited in claim 8, further comprising a code segment that compares the voice signals of the person to a plurality of stored voice samples for determining the identity of the person, wherein each of the voice samples is associated with an identity of a person, and outputting the identity of the person if the identity of the person is determined from the comparison of the voice signal with the voice samples.

10. A computer program as recited in claim 7, wherein the predetermined criteria includes emotion-based criteria.

11. A computer program as recited in claim 10, wherein a level of nervousness of the person is detected.

12. A computer program as recited in claim 7, further comprising a code segment that detects a voice accent in the voice signals, wherein the predetermined criteria includes criteria regarding voice accents.

13. A system for regulating border crossing based on voice signals, comprising:

(a) logic that receives voice signals from a person attempting to cross a border;

(b) logic that analyzes the voice signals of the person to determine whether the person meets predetermined criteria to cross the border utilizing at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein a first voice authentication algorithm determines an identity of the person using said voice signals and a second voice authentication algorithm detects an emotion associated with said voice signals using said voice signals; and

(c) logic that outputs an indication as to whether the person meets the predetermined criteria to cross the border based on authentication of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein the person is positively identified only when each of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms provides a positive authentication.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the predetermined criteria includes having the identity on a list of persons allowed to cross the border.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, further comprising logic that compares the voice signals of the person to a plurality of stored voice samples for determining the identity of the person, wherein each of the voice samples is associated with an identity of a person, and outputting the identity of the person if the identity of the person is determined from the comparison of the voice signal with the voice samples.

16. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the predetermined criteria includes emotion-based criteria.

17. A system as recited in claim 16, wherein a level of nervousness of the person is detected.

18. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising logic that detects a voice accent in the voice signals, wherein the predetermined criteria includes criteria regarding voice accents.

19. A method for regulating border crossing based on voice signals, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving voice signals from a person attempting to cross a border;

(b) analyzing the voice signals of the person to determine whether the person meets predetermined criteria to cross the border utilizing at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein a first voice authentication algorithm determines an identity of the person using said voice signals and a second voice authentication algorithm detects an emotion associated with said voice signals using said voice signals; and

,

(c) outputting an indication as to whether the person meets the predetermined criteria to cross the border based on authentication of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein each of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms comprises a false rejection threshold below or equal to 0.5 percent.

20. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for regulating border crossing based on voice signals, comprising:

(a) a code segment that receives voice signals from a person attempting to cross a border;

(b) a code segment that analyzes the voice signals of the person to determine whether the person meets predetermined criteria to cross the border utilizing at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein a first voice authentication algorithm determines an identity of the person using said voice signals and a second voice authentication algorithm detects an emotion associated with said voice signals using said voice signals; and

,

(c) a code segment that outputs an indication as to whether the person meets the predetermined criteria to cross the border based on authentication of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein each of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms comprises a false rejection threshold below or equal to 0.5 percent.

21. A system for regulating border crossing based on voice signals, comprising:

(a) logic that receives voice signals from a person attempting to cross a border;

(b) logic that analyzes the voice signals of the person to determine whether the person meets predetermined criteria to cross the border utilizing at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein a first voice authentication algorithm determines an identity of the person using said voice signals and a second voice authentication algorithm detects an emotion associated with said voice signals using said voice signals; and

,

(c) logic that outputs an indication as to whether the person meets the predetermined criteria to cross the border based on authentication of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms, wherein each of the at least two different voice authentication algorithms comprises a false rejection threshold below or equal to 0.5 percent.