CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLiCATIONS
This application claims priority to and the benefit of the filing date of
U.S. Patent Application No. 15/051,929, tiled February 24, 2016, which is hereby
5 incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments generally relate to systems and methods for using multiparty
computation for biometric authentication. More particularly, embodiments relate
to authenticating a user based on biometric data captured during a transaction.
10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many modern day transactions involve a user operating a mobile
device, such as a consumer operating a cellphone or smartphone, to purchase
merchandise or service(s). In other scenarios, a person may utilize his or her mobile
device to gain access or entry to, for example, an office building or mass
15 transportation station. When the transaction at hand is financial in nature, and/or
includes security concerns, the consumer or user is typically required to participate in
a user authentication process and/or transaction authorization process. Some
authentication systems in use today will thus typically require the user to provide a
personal identification number ("PTN") and/or a password and/or the like, which was
20 preset by the user during a registration process, in order to conduct the transaction. It
is also becoming increasingly common to utilize biometric technology to provide
improved security and/or improved user authentication.
Payment card issuers and other financial institutions now offer or use
standardized Internet purchase transaction protocols to improve online transaction
25 performance and to encourage and/or accelerate the growth of electronic commerce.
Under some standardized protocols, payment card issuers and/or issuing financial
institutions, such as banks, may authenticate purchase transactions thereby reducing
the likelihood of fraud and associated chargebacks attributed to payment card account
(cardholder) not-authorized transactions. One example of a standardized protocol is
30 the 3-D Secure Protocol, which leverages existing Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
3
encryption functionality and provides enhanced security through issuer authentication
of the cardholder during an online (i.e., over the Internet) shopping session. The 3-D
Secure protocol is consistent with and underlies the authentication programs offered
by many payment card issuers (for example, Verified by Visa™ and/or MasterCard:R'
5 SecureCodeTM) to authenticate customers for merchants during remote transactions
such as those associated with the Internet.
Many payment card issuers and/or issuing banks are now also
considering and/or implementing biometric technology to increase security for both
online transactions (card not present (CNP) transactions) and card present or face-to-
10 face transactions occurring, for example, in a merchant's retail store. However,
consumers and/or cardholders are sometimes hesitant or decline to enroll or register
for biometric authentication services because they are concerned about the security of
their biometric data. ln particular, if inadequately protected, a consumer's biometric
data may be stolen by vandals and then misappropriated throughout the consumer's
15 litetime to conduct fraudulent transactions. For example, if a biometric database
containing, for example, fingerprint data of a plurality of consumers is hacked, then
the hackers (thieves or vandals) have obtained access to that personal identification
biometric data (the fingerprint data) which is unique to those consumers (because
biometric data is not alterable or changeable). The stolen biometric data can then be
20 utilized for nefarious purposes by the hackers during the lifetime of those consumers
because it is not possible for the consumers to reset or otherwise change their
biometric data. In contrast, if a consumer authentication database containing personal
identif1cation numbers (PINs) and/or passwords is hacked, then consumers need only
change or replace their PINs and/or passwords upon being notified of the security
25 breach to thwart the hackers.
It would therefore be desirable to provide systems and/or methods
which provide improved security for user biometric data so as to encourage and/or
promote the adoption of biometric authentication services by users (such as
consumers and/or businesses).
30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Feahtres and advantages of some embodiments, and the manner in
which the same are accomplished, will become more readily apparent with reference
4
to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, which illustrate exempla1y embodiments, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a user biometric
authentication and transaction system operable for authenticating a user based on
5 biometric data obtained during a transaction in accordance with an embodiment of the
disclosure;
10
FlG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a user mobile device
illustrating some biometric hardware aspects in accordance with some embodiments
of the disclosure;
FIG. 3 is a flowchmi illustrates a user enrollment process in
accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an entity enrollment process
according to some embodiments of the disclosure; and
FlG. 5 is a tlowchart illustrating a method for utilizing biometric
15 feature data to authenticate a user in accordance with some embodiments of the
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In general. and for the purpose of introducing concepts of novel
embodiments described herein, provided are systems and methods for authenticating
20 users that involve obtaining user biometric data of a particular type during an
enrollment process, separating the biometric feature data into two or more user
biometric feature data portions, and then distributing the biometric feature data
portions among two or more separate biometric authentication system computers.
The separate biometric authentication system computers each store their respective
25 different user biometric feature data portion for future use to conduct user
authentication processing. Thus, when the user then engages in a transaction, in some
implementations a biometric authentication service system computer receives a
request for user authentication and then prompts the user to provide the biometric
feature data. Once received, that biometric feature data is separated into the two or
30 more biometric feature data p011ions and then the biometric authentication service
system computer transmits each biometric feature data portion to each of two or more
authentication systems for user authentication processing. ln particular, each of the
two or more authentication system computers operates separately and/or
5
independently of, and without any awareness of, the other authentication system
computer(s) to both store and then later validate a user biometric feature data portion
captured during a transaction by comparing it to a stored biometric feature data
portion. Thus, in some embodiments, the biometric authentication service system
5 computer functions as a processing interface to first obtain one or more particular
types of biometric feature data from a registered user during a transaction, then to
second separate the received user biometric feature data into two or more user
biometric data portions, then to third transmit each of the user biometric feature data
portions to an appropriate biometric authentication system computer for user
10 authentication processing. For example, the biometric authentication service system
computer may obtain fingerprint data from a registered user, then separate that data
into a first portion associated with the right side of the fingerprint and a second
portion associated with the left side of the fingerprint, and then transmit the first
portion to a first biometric authentication system computer and transmit the second
15 p01iion to a second biometric authentication system computer for authentication. lf
the biometric authentication service system computer then receives a positive user
authentication message from each one of the biometric authentication system
computers (which means that each of the user biometric feature data pm1ions has been
separately validated), then the biometric authentication service system computer
20 transmits a user authentication message to the entity (such as a merchant or issuer)
involved in the transaction. However, if any one of the biometric authentication
system computers transmits a mismatch message (which means that the user
biometric feature portion does not match stored data), then the biometric
authentication service system computer transmits a negative authentication message
25 to the entity involved in the transaction.
In some embodiments, a biometric authentication service system
computer receives a user authentication request from an entity computer, wherein the
user authentication request includes transaction data, user identification data and
entity identification data. The biometric authentication service system computer then
30 determines, based on the user identification data, that the user is enrolled in a
biometric authentication service and transmits prompt messages to a user device of
the user requesting certain biometric feature int(mnation from the user. The biometric
authentication service system computer receives the requested biometric feature data,
separates that data into user biometric feature portion data and then determines which
6
two or more biometric authentication computer systems should receive the biometric
feature portion data. The biometric authentication service computer next transmits the
biometric feature data portions to the appropriate biometric authentication system
computer, and then receives t1·om each of the biometric authentication system
5 computers, an authentication message. When each of the authentication messages
tl-om the biometric authentication computer systems indicates a positive
authentication of the user, then the biometric authentication service system computer
transmits a positive user authentication response to the entity computer. However, if
any one of the authentication messages from the biometric authentication computer
10 systems indicates a mismatch ofbiometric data, then the biometric authentication
service system computer transmits a negative user authentication message to the
entity computer.
For ease of understanding, embodiments are described herein with
regard to payment transactions and/or purchase transactions and/or other financial
15 transactions. However, those skilled in the art, upon reading this disclosure, will
appreciate that the disclosed biometric user authentication systems and processes may
be used with desirable results to conduct other types of transactions that require
biometric authentication, such as a user or employee obtaining entry to a secure
building or a consumer and/or cardholder obtaining entry to a transportation hub such
20 as a train station or bus station. ln some embodiments, the user of the disclosed
biometric user authentication system may be an authority or government agency, such
as homeland security, having reasons for checking the biometrics of one or more
persons (e.g. at a border control crossing or, for example, when police arrest a person
on suspicion of criminal activity).A number ofterms will be used herein. The use of
25 such terms are not intended to be limiting, but rather are used for convenience and
ease of exposition. For example, as used herein, the term "user" may be used
interchangeably with the term "consumer" and/or the with the term "cardholder" and
these terms are used herein to refer to a person, individual, consumer, business or
other entity or organization that owns (or is authorized to use) a financial account
30 such as a payment card account (such as a credit card account or debit card account)
or some other type of account (such as a loyalty card account or mass transit access
account). ln addition, the term "payment card account" may include a credit card
account, a debit card account, a loyalty card account and/or a deposit account or other
type of financial account that an account holder or cardholder may access. The term
7
"payment card account number" includes a number that identifies a payment card
system account or a number caJTied by a payment card, and/or a number that is used
to route a transaction in a payment system that handles debit card and/or credit card
transactions and the like. Moreover, as used herein the terms "payment card system"
5 and/or "payment network" refer to a system and/or network for processing and/or
handling purchase transactions and/or related transactions, which may be operated by
a payment card system operator such as MasterCard international Incorporated, or a
similar system. In some embodiments, the term "payment card system" may be
limited to systems in which member financial institutions (such as banks) issue
10 payment card accounts to individuals, businesses and/or other entities or organizations
(and thus are known as issuer financial institutions or issuer banks). In addition, the
terms "payment system transaction data" and/or "payment network transaction data"
or "payment card transaction data" or "payment card network transaction data" refer
to transaction data associated with payment or purchase transactions that have been or
15 are being processed over and/or by a payment network or payment system. For
example, payment system transaction data may include a number of data records
associated with individual payment transactions (or purchase transactions) of
cardholders that have been processed over a payment card system or payment card
network. ln some embodiments, payment system transaction data may include
20 information such as data that identifies a cardholder, data that identifies a cardholder's
payment device and/or payment card account, transaction date and time data,
transaction amount data, and an indication of the merchandise and/or services that
have been purchased, and information identifying a merchant and/or a merchant
category. Additional transaction details and/or transaction data may also be available
25 and/or utilized for various purposes in some embodiments.
Feahtres of some embodiments will now be described by reference to
FIG. I, which is a block diagram illustrating the components of a user biometric
authentication and transaction system 100 operable for authenticating a user based on
biometric data obtained during a transaction pursuant to some embodiments. As
30 shown, a transaction system pursuant to some embodiments involves a number of
devices and/or entities interacting to conduct a transaction. For example, users may
operate wireless mobile devices l 02 to interact with a biometric authentication service
system computer 104 and/or a merchant server computer 1 06 via the Internet 1 08 in
accordance with the novel aspects described herein. In addition, in some
8
implementations the biomctTic authentication service system computer 104 is
configured to communicate with a payment network 110 and/or the merchant server
computer 106 and/or the merchant retail system computer 112 and/or a merchant
device 114 and/or an entity device 116 via the T nternet 108 in accordance with aspects
5 described herein. In addition, in some implementations the user's mobile device 102
may be configured for wirelcssly communicating with a merchant's point-of-sale
(POS) device 118 to conduct a purchase transaction, and/or for communicating with
the entity device 116. As depicted in FIG. I, the POS device 118 is connected to the
merchant retail system computer 1 I 2, which is operably connected to a merchant
10 acquirer financial institution (Fl) computer 120, and the merchant acquirer Fl
computer 120 may also be operably connected to the payment network II 0. The
payment network 110 is operably connected to a plurality of issuer FI computers 122,
which hold customer financial accounts (such as consumer payment card accounts),
including Issuer! FI computer 122A, lssuer2 FI computer 1228 to TssuerN Fl
15 computer 122N. In addition, the biometric authentication service system computer
104 is shown operably connected to a plurality of biometric authentication system
computers 124, including biometric authentication system] computer 124A, biometric
authentication system2 computer 124B, biometric authentication system3 computer
124C, and biometric authentication systemN computers 124N. The biometric
20 authentication service system computer I 04 also may include an intermediary
application 126 stored in a system memory or storage device (not shown), and one or
more database(s) 128. The intermediary application 126 includes instmctions
configured to cause the biometric authentication service system computer 104 to
function in accordance with the processes and/or methods disclosed herein. It should
25 be understood that, while only a single user mobile device 102, a single merchant
server computer 1 06, a single payment network 110, a single merchant retail system
computer 112, a single merchant device 114, a single entity device 116, a single POS
device 118, and a single authentication service system computer 104 are shown in
FfG. 1, in practice a large number of such devices and/or components and/or elements
30 may be involved in a user biometric authentication and tmnsaction system in
accordance with the novel aspects disclosed herein. Thus, the various blocks or
components of the system shown in FIG. 1 may include or be comprised of one or
more computers, computer networks, and/or computer systems. Furthermore,
although the various components ofthe transaction system 100 are shown connected
9
via the lntcmct 108 for communications purposes, the components of a suitable
biometric authentication and transaction system may instead be configured for
communication with each other via other types of networks and/or network
connections, including proprietary and/or secure network connections.
5 Refening again to FIG. 1, the user mobile device 102 may be a smart
phone, tablet computer, digital music player, laptop computer, smart watch, personal
digital assistant (PDA), digital wearable device or the like, which includes hardware
and/or software components that can be configured to provide functionality and/or
operations in accordance with the characteristics (hardware and/or software) of that
10 particular type of mobile device in order to obtain and/or transmit biometric data and
to conduct transactions with entities, such as merchants (either in a retail location or
online or over another type of network connection) and/or transportation providers
(for example, via communications with an electronic turnstile to gain access to a mass
transit station or vehicle). For example, if the user mobile device is a tablet computer,
15 then it may include hardware and software components such as a touch screen
display, a microphone, a speaker, a digital camera, controller circuitry, one or more
sensor components, an antenna, a memory or storage device, and software stored in a
storage device and configured to provide tablet computer functionality. It also should
be understood that storage devices utilized in the electronic devices and/or system
20 components described herein may be composed oC or be any type of, non-transitory
storage device capable of storing instructions and/or software code for causing one or
more processors of such electronic user devices to function in accordance with the
novel aspects disclosed herein.
The mobile device I 02 of FIG. I may also include a number of logical
25 and/or functional components (in addition to the normal components found in a
mobile device), such as one or more biometric data acquisition applications (or other
software and/or middleware components to provide the functionality) and one or more
biometric authenticators (i.e., biometric sensors) for obtaining user biometric data.
Embodiments may also utilize secure push authentication technology and/or other
30 techniques or technology compatible with the user mobile device to deliver an optimal
user experience. Examples of biometric authenticators resident in the user mobile
device I 02 include, but are not limited to, a fingerprint reader, a microphone or voice
reader (including appropriate audio software), and/or a digital camera. The digital
camera may be utilized, for example, in some circumstances to capture a photograph
10
of one or more portions of the user's face during a transaction, and the facial feature
data transmitted by the user mobile device 102 to the biometric authentication service
system computer 104 for biometric authentication system processing via a facial
recognition process in accordance with the methods disclosed herein. lt should be
5 understood that some user mobile devices 1 02 may include two or more
authenticators (or components which may be used as authenticators) in different
combinations (for example, a smartphone may include a microphone and a camera,
but may lack a dedicated fingerprint reader and/or an iris scanner, while other types of
user mobile devices may include all ofthese authenticators). Moreover, some types
10 ofuser mobile devices may only include one type of authenticator, for example a
microphone which can be contigured to obtain user voice print data.
A user and/or consumer and/or cardholder may utilize the mobile
device 102 to communicate with the biometric authentication service system
computer 104 in order to enroll or register in a biometric authentication service to
15 perform a user authentication process pursuant to the novel aspects desc1ibed herein.
Thus, in some implementations, the biometric authentication service system computer
104 includes one or more components (such as storage device(s) configured as
database(s)) for storing information associated with users, user devices and/or other
system participants (such as, for example, information associated with entities such as
20 merchants and/or transportation providers that wish to utilize the features of the novel
systems and /or processes disclosed herein). In particular, the biometric
authentication service system computer l 04 may include components including an
interface (not shown) that can be implemented as a Web service (which is a method of
communicating between two electronic devices over a network) using, for example, a
25 Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and/or Representational State Transfer
(REST) or other techniques. Thus, the interface may be a SOAP/REST interface
which allows communication between user mobile devices 1 02 and other entities
and/or their devices.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a user mobile device
30 200 illustrating hardware aspects that may be utilized to capture user biometric data,
for example, during an enrollment or registration process and/or during a transaction,
and to transmit the user biometric data to a biometric authentication service system
computer, for example, t(x use in authenticating the user in accordance with
embodiments described herein. ln this example, the user mobile device 200 is a
11
mobile telephone or smartphonc that is capable of conducting wireless transactions,
and that may (but need not) have capabilities for functioning as a contactless payment
device. In particular, the mobile device 200 may be a payment-enabled mobile
telephone capable of conducting purchase transactions at merchant retail locations,
5 and also capable of being utilized for online purchase transactions. For example, the
user mobile device 200 includes a proximity payment controller 220 and associated
antenna that can communicate with a merchant's reader device. Thus, the user mobile
device 200 may include hardware that is configured to provide novel functionality as
described herein. In some other embodiments, however, novel functionality as
10 described herein may result at least pmtially from novel software and/or middleware
and/or finmvare components that program or instruct one or more mobile device
processors of the mobile device 200.
The mobile telephone 200 may include a conventional housing
(indicated by dashed line 202) that contains and/or supp01ts the other components of
15 the mobile telephone. The mobile telephone 200 includes a mobile device processor
204 for controlling over-all operation. The mobile device processor 204 may be, for
example, suitably programmed to allow the mobile telephone to engage in data
communications and/or text messaging with other wireless devices and/or electronic
devices (such as proximity reader devices), and to allow for interaction with web
20 pages accessed via browser software over the Internet, as described herein. Other
components of the mobile telephone 200, which are in communication with and/or are
controlled by the mobile device processor 204 include one or more storage devices
206 (for example, program memory devices and/or working memory and/or secure
storage devices, and the like), a subscriber identification module (SIM) card 208, and
25 a touch screen display 210 configured to display information and/or to receive user
input.
The mobile telephone 200 also includes receive/transmit circuitry 212
that is also in communication with and/or controlled by the mobile device processor
204. The receive/transmit circuitry 212 is operably coupled to an antenna 214 and
30 provides the communication channel{s) by which the mobile telephone 200
communicates via a mobile network (not shown). The mobile telephone 200 further
includes a microphone 216 operably coupled to the receive/transmit circuitry 212,
which the microphone 216 is operable to receive voice input from the user. In
12
addition, a loudspeaker 218 is also operably coupled to the rccci vc/transmit circuitry
212 and provides sound output to the user.
As mentioned earlier, the mobile telephone 200 may also include a
proximity payment controller 220 which may be a specially designed integrated
5 circuit (I C) or chipset. The proximity payment controller 220 may be a specially
designed microprocessor that is operably connected to an antenna 222 and may
function to interact with a Radio Frequency Identification (RFTD) and/or Near Field
Communication (NFC) proximity reader (not shown), which may be associated, for
example, with a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal of a merchant. For example, the
10 proximity payment controller 220 may provide information and/or data, such as a
user's payment card account number, when the user is using the mobile device 200 to
conduct a purchase transaction to pay for merchandise, for example, by
communicating with a reader associated with a POS terminal of a merchant in a retail
store location.
15 The user's mobile device 200 may include one or more sensors and/or
circuitry that function to provide and/or obtain user identification data and/or user
biometric data from the user. For example, the user mobile device may be a
Smmtphone including one or more components and/or authenticators such as an
integrated camera 222, a microphone 216, global positioning sensor (UPS) circuitry
20 224, one or more motion sensors 226, a fingerprint sensor 228 and/or a biochemical
sensor 230 which are operably connected to the mobile device processor 204. Some
of the authenticators may be configured to obtain biometric data from the user of the
smartphone, such as the camera 222 (facial recognition data), the motion sensor 226
(gesture data and/or walking gait data), the fingerprint sensor 228 (fingerprint data),
25 the biochemical sensor 239 (breath data). One or more additional types of biometric
authenticators or components (not shown), such as heart rate sensors and/or hemt rate
monitors, blood pressure sensors, iris and/or retina detectors or sensors, oxygen
sensors, glucose and/or blood sugar sensors, pedometers and/or speed sensors, body
temperature sensors, and the like, could also be utilized to obtain biometric data from
30 the user for authentication processing in accordance with the processes described
herein. lt should also be understood that one or more of the biometric sensors might
not be included within the housing 202 of the mobile device 200, but may instead take
the form of a peripheral component that is operably connected (for example, via a
USB cable, or wirelessly using the BlueTooth protocol) to the mobile telephone.
13
Examples of such peripheral components include, but arc not limited to, plug-in or
otherwise operably connectable digital cameras, heart-rate sensors resident within
smart watches configured for communications with mobile telephones, and/or one or
more forms ofbiometric sensor(s) located in apparel such as smart bands (which can
5 be worn by a consumer, for example, as an armband, an ankle band, or a wristband).
In some embodiments, the authenticators can be used to perform
multiple tasks. For example, the integrated camera 222 functions normally to take
digital pictures, and may also be utilized to obtain facial data of the user, and may be
operable to read two-dimensional (2D) and/or three-dimensional (3D) barcodes to
10 obtain information. Moreover, the camera may be conf1gured as a thermal imaging
device and/or a digital camera and/or a webcam to capture video images. Thus, the
camera may be used to take a picture or video footage of the user's face (and/or of
other relevant portions of the user) in accordance with processes described herein. In
addition, the microphone 216 may be utilized by a user, for example, during a
15 telephone call and additionally during a user biometric authentication service
enrollment process (discussed in more detail below), wherein user voice print data is
obtained from the user and then stored according to the processes described herein.
Referring again to FIG. 2, the GPS circuitry 224 may be operable to
generate information concerning the location of the user and/or user mobile telephone
20 200. In addition, the motion sensor(s) 226 may be operable to generate motion data,
for example, that may be transmitted to the biometric authentication service system
computer 104 for processing during a transaction and used to authenticate a user. For
example, data may be generated that can be used to identify the user's walking style
or gait. ln another example, the motion sensor(s) 226 may operate to generate force
25 data associated with, for example, the force generated by the user's finger when he or
she touches the touch screen 21 0.
Refening again to FIG. 2, the fingerprint sensor 228 may include a
touch pad or other component (not shown) for use by the user to touch or swipe his or
her index finger when fingerprint data is required to identify the user in order to
30 conduct a transaction (such as provide entry to a building). The biochemical sensor
230 may include one or more components and/or sensors operable to obtain user
biological data, such as breath data and/or saliva f]·om the user for biometric analysis.
Other types of biological data could be obtained as well, which may be analyzed in
14
some embodiments by the biometric authentication service system computer during a
transaction.
ln some embodiments, the data obtained by the motion sensor(s) 226,
fingerprint sensor 228 and/or biochemical sensor 230 is transmitted from the user's
5 mobile device 200 to the biometric authentication service system computer 104 (See
FTG. 1 ), which may be a cloud-based computer system, for enrollment purposes
and/or for processing to authenticate the user. fn addition, in some embodiments, the
mobile device processor 204 and receiver/transmitter circuitry 212 may be operable to
transmit cardholder data and/or user financial transaction data and/or user mobile
10 device data to the biometric authentication service system computer for use in
authentication processing during a transaction.
It should also be understood that, in some implementations, more than
one form of user identification data and/or user biometric data may be required to
authenticate a user, for example, when certain types of transactions occur. For
15 example, if a consumer is attempting to utilize a mobile device to purchase an
expensive item from an online merchant (for example, a wristwatch valued at more
than one thousand dollars) then several different types of user biometric data may be
required by the biometric authentication service system computer in accordance with
one or more merchant business rules in order to authenticate the user. For example,
20 fingerprint data, photographic data representing the user's face to permit facial
recognition processing, and global positioning service (GPS) data may be required in
accordance with a merchant's business rules to securely authenticate the user before a
purchase transaction is presented for purchase transaction authorization processing.
ln some embodiments, users or consumers or cardholders may be
25 required to enroll or register with the biometric authentication service system
computer before being permitted to participate in the user biometric authentication
service in accordance with methods described herein. Thus, FIG. 3 illustrates a user
enrollment process 300 according to some embodiments. fn particular, an
authentication service computer receives 302 a user enrollment request fl·om a user
30 device, which may be a user mobile device as described above or some other type of
electronic device, such as a desktop computer. The enrollment request may include
user identification data, such as the user's name and residence address, a cardholder
account number, and an e-mail address. In some embodiments, the biometric
authentication service system computer may prompt 304 the user to provide user
15
mobile device identification data, such as the mobile device type and/or the name of
the model device and/or a serial number. The biometric authentication service system
computer may then attempt to identify 306 the mobile device based on the provided
mobile device identification data, for example, by checking a database containing
5 mobile device type information. If the mobile device is identified, then the biometTic
authentication service system computer deteTmines 308 if the mobile device includes
one or more biometric components and/or biometric sensor(s). lf so, then the
biometric authentication service system computer prompts 310 the user to provide
biometric feature(s) data in accordance with the one or more biometric components of
10 the user's device.
ln some embodiments, the user may be prompted to provide biometric
feature data for each type of biometric sensor and/or biometric component supported
by the user's mobile device. For example, if the user's mobile device includes a
camera and a microphone, then the user may be prompted to take a picture of his or
15 her face (i.e., for facial recognition purposes) and to say one or more sentences tor
capture by the microphone (i.e., for voice print and/or other type of audio
authentication processing). ln this manner biometric feature data associated with the
user's face and with the user's voice is captured. For example, the biometric
authentication service system computer may transmit a prompt for display on a
20 display screen ofthe user's mobile device instructing the user to snap a picture of his
or her face without a hat and without glasses, in addition to instructions tor the user to
recite a sentence or a combination of words in a normal voice into the microphone.
The user's mobile device then transmits the photographic data of the user's face and
the audio data of the user's voice to the biometric authentication service system
25 computer for further processing as described herein. The same process may be
repeated to obtain other types of user biometric feature data, and may only be limited
by the type(s) of biometric components and/or sensors associated with the user's
device. For example, if the user's device also includes a heart rate monitor, then he or
she may be prompted to utilize that heartbeat monitor to provide heaJibeat data while
30 at rest.
Referring again to FlG. 3, when the required andior appropriate
biometric feature data is received 312, then the biometric authentication service
system computer separates 324 the biometric feature data into two or more portions,
thus generating a plurality of biometric feature portions data. For example, caph1red
16
biometric feature data of a user's face for usc in facial recognition may be divided up
into user biometric data portions (i.e., facial data portions) such that a first data
portion includes the eyes, a second data portion includes the nose, and a third data
portion includes the mouth of the user. Tn another example, capture biometric feature
5 data of a user's fingerprint may be fed or input to a separation algorithm configured
for separating the fingerprint data into two or more pre-defined amounts (for example,
pixel amounts or bytes), wherein each amount corresponds to a different portion of
the overall fingerprint (for example, a left top quadrant pm1ion, a right top quadrant
portion, a lower left quadrant portion and a lower right quadrant p011ion). Each
10 biometric feature portion is then transmitted 326 to separate biometric authentication
system computers and stored by each, wherein the separate biometric authentication
system computers are not informed of the existence of, and/or do not have the
address( es) ot~ any of the other authentication system computers. Thus, continuing
with the example above, the user biometric feature data portions corresponding to the
15 user's eyes, nose and mouth are transmitted to separate first second and third
biometric authentication system computers where they are stored. Next, the biometric
authentication service system computer stores 328 an indication, such as the internet
protocol (lP) address, of each of the biometric authentication system computers that
received a portion ofthe user biometric n~ature data in association with one or more
20 user identifiers, and the process ends. In some implementations, the biometric
authentication service system computer transmits a biometric authentication service
enrollment success message to the user device so that the user is notit1ed that his or
her user device (for example, a mobile telephone) has been successfully enrolled in
the biometric authentication service. In this manner, when the biometric
25 authentication service system computer receives a request for user authentication
during a transaction, the biometric authentication service system computer will be
able to determine which biometric authentication system computers contain the
portions of the user's biometric feature data, and then can conduct user authentication
processing.
30 Referring again to FIG. 3, if in step 312 the biometric data is not
received within a predetermined amount of time (typically in the range of about 15-30
seconds), and a time-out limit 316 has not been reached (typically in the range of
about 30-90 seconds), then the user is again prompted 310 to provide the biometric
data. However, if the required user biometric data again is not provided in step 312
17
and the time out limit is reached, then in some embodiments the authentication service
computer transmits 318 an enrollment denied message to the user's mobile device,
and the process ends. The enrollment denied message may serve as a prompt for the
user to try again (by transmitting another enrollment request), and/or as an indication
5 that one or more of the biometric sensors of the user's mobile device is not operating
properly. Refening again to step 306 of FIG. 3, if the biometric authentication service
system computer cannot identify the user's mobile device, then the user is prompted
320 to provide infonnation concerning the biometric sensor(s) capabilities of his or
her mobile device. If biometric sensors are available in step 308, then the biometric
10 authentication service system computer prompts 310 the user tor the appropriate
biometric data and the process continues as explained above. However, if in step 308
it is detennined that the user's mobile device does not contain any biometric sensors,
then the biometric authentication service system computer transmits 322 an
enrollment denied message stating that the user device is ineligible for use with the
15 biometric authentication service because it does not contain any biometric sensors and
the process ends. However, in some implementations, a user may be denied
enrollment if his or her user device contains only one type of biometric sensor, such
as a microphone, which may be due to business mles or other criteria associated with
various types of transactions that require two or more forms of biometric data to be
20 obtained during such transactions in order to authenticate a user.
Tims, a user may follow a process flow such as that illustrated by FIG.
3 to register or enroll by providing user biometric data that may include one or more
different types of biometric data items. For example, a user may utilize his or her user
mobile device to capture voice data (i.e., a voice print), and/or facial data, and/or
25 other types of biometric data which then can be uploaded to the biometric
authentication service system computer. Other types of user biometric data that can
be utilized to authenticate the user includes, but is not limited to pulse data (i.e.,
heartbeat data), gait data (i.e., walking style data), iris scan data, and/or the like. The
biometric authentication service system computer then separates each type of user
30 biometric feature data into two or more biometric feature data pmtions and transmits
the portions to separate biometric authentication system computers, which function in
accordance with processes disclosed herein to perform user authentication processing
on behalf of a plurality of different types of entities, and for a wide variety of different
types of transactions and/or applications.
18
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustmting an entity biometric authentication
service enrollment process 400 in accordance with some embodiments. ln particular,
a biometric authentication service system computer receives 402 an enrollment
request from an entity, for example, from an entity device such as a merchant server
5 computer hosting a merchant website, or a merchant retail system computer, or a
transit system server computer. The enrollment request may include entity
identification data, such as the name of the entity, entity business address data,
website identification data, and/or entity contact information. The biometric
authentication service system computer may then prompt 404 the entity computer for
10 one or more business rules and/or policies of the entity that are to be utilized when
conducting transactions involving the entity and users. For example, if the entity is a
merchant having a server computer hosting an online store, the merchant may specify
or institute one or more business rules for authenticating consumers who shop online
at the merchant's website and have loaded a shopping cmi with merchandise to
15 purchase. In such a case, an example of a business rule is one in which the merchant
requires the user to be authenticated via one form of biometric feature data (such as
via a facial recognition process) when the total purchase transaction price is greater
than $50 but less than $250, but when the purchase transaction price exceeds $250 the
user must also provide a second form of biometric feature data for authentication (for
20 example, voice data so that a voice recognition process must be satisfied). It should
be understood that many other types of business rules and/or policies can be provided
and/or required by one or more entities for satisfaction with regard to authenticating a
user during a pmiicular type of transaction, which may which may depend on the
entity involved in the transaction and/or fhe type oftransaction.
25 Referring again to FIG. 4, after the biometric authentication service
system computer next receives 406 and stores the business rule(s) data and/or policy
data, for example, in an entity database. The business rules data and/or policy data
may also be stored along with user identification data and/or entity identification data
for use when the biometric authentication service system computer receives a request
30 to authenticate a user during a transaction. When a user is authenticated, in some
embodiments the biometric authentication service system computer transmits a user
authentication message to the entity so that further transaction processing can occur.
For example, if the entity is a merchant, then when the merchant receives a positive
user authentication message (meaning that the user has been authenticated) with
19
regard to a purchase transaction, then the merchant transmits the purchase transaction
details to a payment network for authorization processing.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for authenticating a user
according to an embodiment. A biometric authentication service system computer
5 receives 502 a user authentication request regarding a transaction from an entity
computer. In some implementations, the user authentication request includes
transaction data (such as a transaction amount, time of day, and/or merchandise or
items involved in the transaction), user identification data, and/or entity identification
data, and/or user device identification data. The biometric authentication service
10 system computer then determines 504 (based on the user identification data) if the
user is enrolled in a biometric authentication service, and if not prompts 506 the user
to enroll. In some embodiments, the user enrolls in accordance with the process
described above concerning FIG. 3, or does not enroll within a predetermined amount
of time so the process ends (not shown). Once a determination is made that the user is
15 enrolled 504, the biometric authentication service system computer transmits 508 a
prompt message to a user device of the user, wherein the prompt message asks the
user to provide at least one type of user biometric feature data (for example, the
prompt message may be displayed on a display component of the user's mobile
device for the user to state his or her name into a microphone for voice recognition
20 processing). Next, the biometric authentication service system computer receives 510
the user biometric feature data from the user device and then determines 512 that at
least two biometric authentication computer system computers are associated with the
user identification data. The biometric authentication service system computer the
separates 514 the user biometric feature data into at least two user biometric data
25 portions, and transmits 51 6 each user biometric data portion to a separate biometric
authentication system computer. The biometric authentication service system
computer then receives 518 an authentication message tl·om each of the at least two
biometric authentication computer systems, and determines 520 whether each offhe
authentication messages from the at least two biometric authentication computer
30 systems indicates positive authentication of the user. If so, then the biometric
authentication service system computer transmits 522 a positive user authentication
response to the entity computer. Jf in step 520 a determination is made that one or
more of the authentication messages indicates a mismatch between the user biometric
feature data portion captured during the transaction and stored data, then the biometric
20
authentication service computer transmits a negative user authentication message to
the entity involved in the transaction. Depending on the type of transaction, the
biometric authentication service system computer may receive the user authentication
request from a merchant device, a merchant acquirer financial institution (Fl)
5 computer, a merchant retail system computer, a mass transit server computer, an
issuer financial institution (Fl) computer, or other entity computer or server and the
like. In addition, in some embodiments, the prompt message transmitted by the
biometric authentication service system computer may be based on one or more
business rules associated with and/or promulgated by the entity involved in the
10 transaction. In such a case, the biometric authentication service system computer may
generate a prompt message requesting user biometric feature data from the user as
specified by the business rule(s) and then transmit it to the user device.
The above descriptions and illustrations of processes herein should not
be considered to imply a fixed order for performing the process steps. Rather, the
15 process steps may be performed in any order that is practicable, including
simultaneous performance of at least some steps.
Although the present invention has been described in connection with
specific exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that various changes,
substitutions, and alterations apparent to those skilled in the art can be made to the
20 disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
set forth in the appended claims.
We claim:
21
I. A biometric authentication method, comprising:
receiving, by a biometric authentication service system computer from an
entity computer, a user authentication request, the user authentication request
5 comprising transaction data, user identification data and entity identification data;
determining, by the biometric authentication service system computer based
on the user identification data, that the user is en_rolled in a biometric authentication
servtce;
transmitting, by the biometric authentication service system computer to a user
10 device of the user, a prompt message for the user to provide at least one type of·user
biometric feature data;
receiving, by the biometric authentication service system computer from the
user device, the user biometric feature data;
determining, by the biometric authentication service computer, at least two
15 biometric authentication computer system computers associated with the user
identification data;
separating, by the biometric authentication service system computer, the user
biometric feature data into at least two user biometric data porti ons;
transmitting, by the biometric authentication service system computer, each of
20 the at least two user biometric data potiions to a separate biometric authentication
system computer;
receiving, by the biometric authentication service system computer from each
of the at least two biometric authentication computer systems, an authentication
message; and
25 transmitting, by the biometric authentication service system computer to the
entity computer, a positive user authentication response when the authentication
message from each of the at least two biometric authentication computer systems
indicates positive authentication of the user.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the biometTic
30 authentication service computer to the entity computer, a transaction decline message
when at least one authentication message from the at least two biometric
authentication system computers indicates a mismatch between a stored biometric
22
feature data poliion and a user biometric feature data portion captured during the
transaction.
3. The method of claim I, wherein the biometric authentication service system
computer receives the user authentication request from one of a merchant device, a
5 merchant financial institution (FI) computer, or a merchant retail system computer.
10
4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the prompt message for user
biometric data further comprises:
determining, by the biometric authentication service system computer, that at
least one business rule of an entity applies to the transaction;
generating, by the biometric authentication service system computer, a prompt
message requesting user biometric feature data trom the user as specified by the at
least one business rule; and
transmitting, by the biometric authentication service system computer to the
user device, the prompt message.
15 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user authentication request further
comprises user device identification data.
6. A biometric authentication system comprising:
a biometric authentication service computer;
a plurality of separate biometric authentication system computers operably
20 connected to the biometric authentication service computer;
25
a payment network operably connected to the biometric authentication service
computer;
a user mobile device configured for communications with the payment
network and with the authentication service computer; and
a merchant computer operably connected to the biometric authentication
service computer;
wherein the biometric authentication service computer includes at least one
storage device storing instructions cont1gured to cause the biometric authentication
service computer to:
30 receive a user authentication request from the merchant computer, the
user authentication request comprising transaction data, user identification
data and entity identification data;
determine, based on the user identification data, that the user is
enrolled in a biometric authentication service;
23
5
10
15
transmit a prompt message to the user mobile device for the user to
provide at least one type of user biometric feature data;
receive the user biometric feature data from the user mobile device;
identify at least two biometric authentication computer system
computers of the plurality of separate biometric authentication system
computers that are associated with the user identification data;
separate the user biometric feature data into at least two user biometric
data p01iions;
transmit each of the at least two user biometric data portions to the
identified biometric authentication system computers;
receive an authentication message trom each of the at least two
biometric authentication system computers; and
transmit a positive user authentication response to the merchant
computer when the authentication message from each of the at least two
biometric authentication system computers indicates positive authentication of
the user.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one storage device stores further
instmctions configured to cause the biometric authentication service computer to
transmit a transaction decline message to the merchant computer when at least one
20 authentication message from the at least two biometric authentication system
computers indicates a mismatch between a stored biometric feature data p01iion and a
user biometric feature data portion captured during the transaction.
8. The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions for transmitting the prompt
message for user biometric data further comprises instructions configured to cause the
25 biometric authentication service computer to:
30
determine that at least one business rule of an entity applies to the transaction;
generate a prompt message requesting user biometric feature data from the
user as specified by the at least one business mle; and
transmit the prompt message to the user mobile device.
9. A biometric authentication service enrollment method, comprising:
receiving, by a biometric authentication service system computer from a user
device, a user enrollment request;
transmitting, by the biometric authentication service system computer to the
user device, a prompt tor user mobile device data;
24
determining, by the biometric authentication service system computer, based
on the user mobile device data that the mobile device is associated with at least one
biometric sensor;
transmitting, by the biometric authentication service system computer to the
5 user device, a prompt message for the user to provide at least one type of user
biometric feature data;
receiving, by the biometric authentication service system computer fi·om the
user device, the user biometric feature data;
separating, by the biometric authentication service system computer, the user
10 biometric feature data into at least two user biometric data po1iions; and
transmitting, by the biometric authentication service system computer, each of
the at least two user biometric data portions to a separate biometric authentication
system computer.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting, by the biometric
15 authentication service system computer, a biometric authentication service enrollment
success message to the user device.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the user enrollment request comprises user
identification data and entity identification data, and further comprising:
identifying, by the biometric authentication service system computer based on
20 at least one of the user identification data and entity identification data, at least one
business rule of an entity associated with at least one type of transaction to associate
with the user; and
storing, by the biometric authentication service system computer, the at least
one business rule in association with the user identification data.
25 12. A biometric authentication service system comprising:
a biometric authentication service computer;
a plurality of separate biometric authentication system computers operably
connected to the biometric authentication service computer; and
a user mobile device configured for communications with the payment
30 network and with the authentication service computer;
wherein the biometric authentication service computer includes at least one
storage device storing instructions configured to cause the biometric authentication
service computer to:
receive a user enrollment request from the user mobile device;
transmit to the user mobile device, a prompt for user mobile device
data;
determine, based on the user mobile device data, that the mobile device
is associated with at least one biometric sensor;
transmit a prompt message to the user mobile device for the user to
provide at least one type of user biometric feature data;
receive the user biometric feature data from the user device;
separate the user biometric feature data into at least two user biometric
data portions; and
transmit each of the at least two user biometric data portions to a
separate biometric authentication system computer.
13. The system of claim 12. wherein the at least one storage device stores further
inslruelions configured to cause the biometric authentication service computer to
transmit a biometric authentication service enrollment success message to the user
device.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the user enrollment request comprises user
identification data and entity identification data and the at least one storage device
stores further instructions configured to cause the biometric authentication service
computer to:
identify, based on at least one of the user identification data and entity
identification data, at least one business rule of an entity associated with at least one
type of transaction to associate with the user; and
store the at least one business rule in association with the user identification
data.