System and method for user authentication using non-language words

• US 8,082,448 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Vandervort, David Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Chai, Longbit
• Application Number:
  US12/259,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 713/186
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/24 the user being prompted to utter a password or a predefined phrase
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/34 Encoding or coding, e.g. Huffman coding or error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A system and method for user authentication include a user instructing component and a voice authentication component. The user instructing component generates an instruction for authenticating a voice of a user. The instruction includes a first instruction to recite one or more non-language words. The voice authentication component analyzes a sound signal which includes a response to the instruction. The voice authentication component can authenticate the voice of the user using the response to the instruction including a response to the first instruction to recite the one or more non-language words.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a user, comprising:

receiving, by an authentication system, an electronic indication that a user is attempting to engage in a transaction;

using one or more processors, authenticating the user'"'"'s voice via a telephonic network connection, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice comprises;

dynamically generating one or more non-language words from the authentication system, wherein the generated non-language words comprising concatenating randomly generated syllabi;

transmitting an instruction to the user to speak the generated one or more non-language words over the telephonic network connection;

receiving a signal over the telephonic network connection representing a vocal response by the user to the instruction to speak the one or more non-language words; and

analyzing the vocal response to determine that the vocal response matches characteristics of a voice associated with an authorized user; and

permitting the user to engage in the transaction in response to authenticating the voice of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the electronic indication that the user is attempting to engage in a transaction;

receiving one or more samples of the user'"'"'s voice during a registration process; and

generating a digital voiceprint associated with the user using the one or more samples.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining that the vocal response matches characteristics of a voice associated with an authorized user further comprises:

determining that the vocal response matches the digital voiceprint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice further comprises:

selecting one or more language words;

transmitting a second instruction to the user to speak the one or more language words over the telephonic network connection;

receiving a second signal over the telephonic network connection representing a second vocal response by the user to the second instruction to speak the one or more language words; and

analyzing the second vocal response to determine that the second vocal response matches characteristics of a voice associated with an authorized user.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

randomly selecting the one or more language words.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice further comprises:

transmitting a second instruction to the user to speak a password over the telephonic network connection;

receiving a second signal over the telephonic network connection representing a second vocal response by the user to the second instruction to speak the password; and

analyzing the second vocal response to determine that the second vocal response matches a password associated with an authorized user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice further comprises:

transmitting a second instruction to the user to provide a personal identification number (PIN) over the telephonic network connection;

receiving a second signal over the telephonic network connection representing a PIN provided by the user in response to the second instruction; and

determining that the PIN provided by the user matches a PIN associated with an authorized user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the PIN provided by the user is received as a vocal response by the user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the PIN provided by the user is received through entry on a keypad.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice further comprises:

receiving a second signal over the telephonic network connection representing a telephone number associated with the user as part of the telephonic network connection; and

determining that telephone number associated with the user matches a telephone number associated with an authorized user.

11. A system configured to authenticate a user, comprising:

a processing system comprising one or more processors; and

a memory system comprising one or more computer-readable media, wherein the computer-readable media contain computer instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by an authentication system, an electronic indication that a user is attempting to engage in a transaction;

using one or more processors, authenticating the user'"'"'s voice via a telephonic network connection, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice comprises;

dynamically generating one or more non-language words from the authentication system, wherein the generated non-language words comprising concatenating randomly generated syllabi;

transmitting an instruction to the user to speak the generated one or more non-language words over the telephonic network connection;

receiving a signal over the telephonic network connection representing a vocal response by the user to the instruction to speak the one or more nonlanguage words; and

analyzing the vocal response to determine that the vocal response matches characteristics of a voice associated with an authorized user; and

permitting the user to engage in the transaction in response to authenticating the voice of the user.

12. The system of claim 11, the operations further comprising:

prior to receiving the electronic indication that the user is attempting to engage in a transaction;

receiving one or more samples of the user'"'"'s voice during a registration process; and

generating a digital voiceprint associated with the user using the one or more samples.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining that the vocal response matches characteristics of a voice associated with an authorized user further comprises:

determining that the vocal response matches the digital voiceprint.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice further comprises:

selecting one or more language words;

transmitting a second instruction to the user to speak the one or more language words over the telephonic network connection;

receiving a second signal over the telephonic network connection representing a second vocal response by the user to the second instruction to speak the one or more language words; and

analyzing the second vocal response to determine that the second vocal response matches characteristics of a voice associated with an authorized user.

15. The system of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

randomly selecting the one or more language words.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice further comprises:

transmitting a second instruction to the user to speak a password over the telephonic network connection;

receiving a second signal over the telephonic network connection representing a second vocal response by the user to the second instruction to speak the password; and

analyzing the second vocal response to determine that the second vocal response matches a password associated with an authorized user.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice further comprises:

transmitting a second instruction to the user to provide a personal identification number (PIN) over the telephonic network connection;

receiving a second signal over the telephonic network connection representing a PIN provided by the user in response to the second instruction; and

determining that the PIN provided by the user matches a PIN associated with an authorized user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the PIN provided by the user is received as a vocal response by the user.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the PIN provided by the user is received through entry on a keypad.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein authenticating the user'"'"'s voice further comprises:

receiving a second signal over the telephonic network connection representing a telephone number associated with the user as part of the telephonic network connection; and

determining that telephone number associated with the user matches a telephone number associated with an authorized user.