Methods of using biometric data in a phone system and apparatuses to perform the methods

• US 8,374,324 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Suryanarayana, Lalitha, Grannan, Michael F., Vishik, Claire Svetana
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US11/143,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20060285659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,812 Days
• Field of Search: 379/52, 379 671- 8828, 379/90.01, 379 9301- 9337, 37910101-10207, 379/110.01, 379/201.01, 37914201-14218, 37916701-176, 37938701-38807, 370351-356, 370259-271, 455410-411, 4554121-417, 455418-420, 4554261-4262, 4554561-466, 4555501-560, 709201-207, 709217-248, 715716-717, 715719-722, 715738-739, 715741-747, 348 1401- 1416, 34821199-21114, 348/552, 340 58- 586, 340/825.19, 340 51- 533, 340 58- 585, 704270-278
• US Class Current: 379/102.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• 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: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A phone system can include a phone terminal that includes a biometric data input device. Methods of using the phone terminal can include receiving biometric data of a user at the phone terminal and comparing the biometric data to saved biometric data. A comparison of the received and saved biometric data can be performed to locate one or more configuration files for a user, to authenticate or otherwise confirm the identity of a party, perform another activity, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the biometric data, other data, or a combination thereof can be used to access one or more configuration files that can be used to configure a phone terminal or a data processing system outside of the phone terminal. In another embodiment, the identity of a calling party, a called party, one or more other parties, or any combination thereof can be authenticated or otherwise confirmed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving first biometric data at a set top box device from a remote control device, wherein the first biometric data is received at the remote control device via a biometric input device, wherein the biometric input device is activated in response to receiving an input that indicates a phone terminal communicatively coupled to the set top box device has been activated, and wherein the first biometric data received at the set top box device from the remote control device is associated with a fingerprint,

wherein the set top box device is coupled to a display device configured to display user information that is associated with one of a plurality of configuration files accessible at the set top box device;

using the first biometric data to confirm an identity of a first user and to locate a first configuration file associated with the first user, wherein the first configuration file includes a personal phone book of the first user; and

in response to confirming the identity of the first user based on the first biometric data received at the set top box device, activating a service at the set top box device based on the first configuration file associated with the first user, wherein activating the service at the set top box device comprises;

displaying the personal phone book of the first user at the display device coupled to the set top box device; and

displaying presence information associated with user specified contacts of the personal phone book of the first user at the display device that is coupled to the set top box device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein confirming the identity of the first user includes determining that the first biometric data matches second biometric data within a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating a second service at the set top box device, wherein the second service includes one of a calling feature, a dialing plan, caller-identification information, a call forwarding number, a number of rings before a call is forwarded, a preference for a long distance provider, a quality of service, an ability to make an international call, and an ability to make a 900 number call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the service further comprises configuring a font size of the display device based on the first configuration file.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second biometric data from a second user at the set top box device;

using the second biometric data to confirm an identity of the second user and to locate a second configuration file associated with the second user, wherein the second configuration file includes a personal phone book of the second user; and

in response to confirming the identity of the second user based on the second biometric data received at the set top box device, making the personal phone book of the first user unavailable at the set top box device and activating a second service at the set top box device based on the second configuration file associated with the second user, wherein the second service includes making the personal phone book of the second user available at the set top box device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a connection from the set top box device to a phone terminal associated with a second user in response to confirming the identity of the first user and providing, via the connection, a notification that indicates the identity of the first user has been confirmed.

5. An apparatus comprising:

an input port configured to receive first biometric data associated with a first user from a set top box device, wherein the first biometric data is received at the set top box device from a remote control device, wherein the first biometric data is received at the remote control device via a biometric input device, wherein the biometric input device is activated in response to receiving an input that indicates a phone terminal communicatively coupled to the set top box device has been activated, and wherein the first biometric data received at the set top box device from the remote control device is associated with a fingerprint, wherein the set top box device is coupled to a display device and configured to display user information that is associated with one of a plurality of configuration files accessible at the set top box device, and wherein the input port is adapted to communicate with the set top box device via a network;

a biometric data processing system coupled to the input port and configured to compare the first biometric data received from the set top box device to second biometric data stored at the network to confirm an identity of the first user;

a configuration retrieval module configured to;

retrieve a first configuration file associated with the first user in response to continuing the identity of the first user, wherein the first configuration file includes a personal phone book of the first user and a screen saver; and

a configuration module configured to activate a service at the set top box device, wherein activating the service causes the set top box device to;

display at least a portion of the personal phone book of the first user at the display device based on the first configuration file; and

display presence information associated with user specified selected contacts of the personal phone book of the first user at the display device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a storage module to:

store at least one configuration file, including the first configuration file; and

store biometric data, including the second biometric data.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the configuration module is further configured to activate a second service at the set top box device, wherein the second service includes one of a calling feature, a dialing plan, caller-identification information, a call forwarding number, a number of rings before a call is forwarded, a preference for a long distance provider, a quality of service, an ability to make an international call, and an ability to make a 900 number call.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising enabling a connection from the set top box device to a phone terminal in response to confirming the identity of the first user at the set top box device.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first biometric data includes an image of a physical feature associated with the first user.

10. A set top box device, comprising:

a biometric data input device, wherein the biometric data input device is activated in response to receiving an input that indicates a phone terminal communicatively coupled to the set top box device has been activated, and wherein biometric data received at the set top box device via the biometric data input device is associated with a fingerprint;

an output port coupled to a display device, the display device configured to display user information that is associated with one of a plurality of configuration files accessible at the set top box device;

a configuration module configured to activate a service at the set top box device based on a first configuration file of the plurality of configuration files that is associated with a first user, wherein the first configuration file is selected based at least in part on first biometric data received at the biometric data input device, wherein the first configuration file includes a personal phone book of the first user, and wherein activating the service at the set top box device comprises;

configuring a customized name for caller identification delivery based on the first configuration file; and

displaying presence information associated with user specific selected contacts of the personal phone book of the first user at the display device;

a processing unit configured to send data related to the first biometric data to a data processing system via a network to confirm an identity of the first user, wherein the service is activated at the set top box device in response to receiving confirmation of the identity of the first user from the data processing system via the network; and

an input port to receive data from a remote control device.

11. The set top box device of claim 10, wherein a connection from the set top box device to a phone terminal associated with a second user is enabled in response to receiving confirmation of the identity of the first user from the data processing system via the network.

12. The set top box device of claim 10, wherein the configuration module is further configured to activate a second service at the set top box device, wherein the second service includes one of a calling feature, a dialing plan, a call forwarding number, a number of rings before call is forwarded, a preference for a long distance provider, a quality of service, an ability to make an international call, and an ability to make a 900 number call.

13. The set top box device of claim 10, further comprising a storage device, wherein the storage device comprises:

configuration files, including the first configuration file; and

second biometric data of users, including the first user.

15. The set top box device of claim 10, wherein the configuration module is further configured to make the personal phone book of the first user unavailable at the set top box device in response to receiving second biometric data that is associated with a second user at the biometric data input device.

17. The set top box device of claim 10, wherein a camera is configured to capture images of a location of the first user of the set top box device, and wherein the images of the location of the first user are transmitted via the network to a second user.