Authentication Apparatus Using Segmented User Data Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing authentication systems face challenges in balancing cost, ease of use, security, and privacy, with centralized servers being a single point of failure that can be hacked, compromising user data.
Innovation Solution
The proposed authentication method splits user data into two parts, storing one part on a security token and the other on a server, requiring both for authentication, using biometric data and holographic encryption to enhance security, and employs a comparison algorithm to verify user identity within a selected error threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If centralized servers store complete user authentication data, then authentication process is simple and fast, but security is compromised as servers become single points of failure vulnerable to hacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides user authentication data into multiple separate parts (first SUD part, second SUD part, third SUD part) and stores them in different locations (user's device, first server, second server). This segmentation ensures that no single server contains complete authentication data, eliminating the single point of failure vulnerability while maintaining authentication functionality through the combination of parts.
2Reliability
If users carry security tokens with authentication data, then security is improved through distributed storage, but ease of use deteriorates as users must carry additional devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the first SUD part from centralized server storage and places it on the user's existing device (such as a smartphone or computer). This allows the user to participate in distributed authentication without needing to carry separate security tokens, as their existing device already serves as the portable storage medium for the first data part.
3Productivity
If complete user data is stored in one location, then data access and comparison is efficient, but privacy is compromised as that location becomes a target for unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments user data into multiple parts stored across different servers and locations. This segmentation protects privacy by ensuring that no single location contains complete sensitive information, while still enabling efficient authentication through the coordinated combination of distributed parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces combination logic as an intermediary process that assembles the complete user data profile only when needed for authentication, by combining parts from multiple sources. This intermediary mechanism enables efficient data access for legitimate purposes while maintaining privacy protection during normal data storage and transmission.
Data Source
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AI summary
An authentication method comprising obtaining (S101) a first stored user data, SUD, part provided by a user; obtaining (S102) a second SUD part from a storage location (152; 752); combining (S103) the first SUD part and the second SUD part to obtain a combined SUD; obtaining (S104) live user data (154; 756) from the user; comparing (S105) the live user data and the combined SUD; and, determining whether to authenticate (S105) based on the comparison.