On-Demand Secure Data Entry via DTMF Tone Masking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies for secure data entry during representative-assisted transactions often require the entire merchant transaction system to be secured for all calls or transfer the customer to a different system, making it difficult to allow representatives to assist customers while preventing exposure of private information.
Innovation Solution
An on-demand secure data entry system and method that places a call between a representative and customer on hold, establishes a secure call platform, and bridges separate calls to connect the representative and customer securely, masking sensitive information like DTMF tones entered by the customer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire merchant transaction system is secured for all calls at all time, then data security is improved, but system complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the call flow into distinct phases: initial customer-representative call, secure DTMF entry phase, and post-entry phase. Security measures are applied only during the specific DTMF entry phase rather than continuously across all system operations, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining security where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The security configuration is made dynamic rather than static. The system activates secure DTMF capture and masking only when a customer initiates a payment transaction, and deactivates it otherwise. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain high security during critical moments while remaining simple during normal operations.
2Reliability
If the customer is transferred to a different system for secure data entry, then data security is improved, but loss of time and disruption to customer service increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a secure DTMF capture intermediary that acts as a mediator between the customer's phone and the merchant's system. This intermediary captures and masks DTMF tones in real-time during the call, allowing secure data entry without transferring the customer to a different system or interrupting the ongoing conversation.
Solution Approach 2:
The secure data entry process maintains continuity of the customer-representative conversation. The representative can continue to assist the customer verbally while the secure DTMF capture operates in the background, eliminating the need to pause or transfer the call for security purposes.
3Ease of operation
If DTMF tones are captured and transmitted to the representative, then customer assistance is improved, but exposure of private information to the representative increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and isolates the DTMF tones from the overall call audio stream. By separating the DTMF capture function from the general audio transmission, the system can selectively mask or block only the DTMF portion while allowing normal conversation to proceed, thus protecting sensitive information while maintaining service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality treatments are applied to different parts of the audio stream. Normal conversation audio is transmitted clearly to the representative for customer service, while DTMF tones containing sensitive information are masked or blocked. This local differentiation of audio quality ensures both service effectiveness and information security.
Data Source
AI summary
An on-demand secure data entry system and method for representative-assisted transactions that allows for a representative to be present on a call during the entry of private information to assist the customer while still preventing exposure of the private information to the representative. The system and method involve placing an existing call between a representative and customer on hold, creating a secure call “secure call platform,” placing and parking separate calls secured by the secure call platform from the system to the representative and from the system to the customer, bridging the separate calls such that the representative and customer are connected through the calls secured by the secure call platform, and then masking portions of information received on the system-to-customer call from information transmitted to the system-to-representative call.