Foundational Identity Linking for Anonymous Virtual Identity Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

The anonymity provided by virtual spaces makes it difficult to associate multiple identities of an individual, leading to network security concerns and fraud risks, as entities cannot verify the trustworthiness of all identities belonging to the same user.

Innovation Solution

Establish a foundational identity linked to other identities within virtual spaces, allowing direct or indirect connections to maintain user anonymity while ensuring trust verification across all identities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If anonymity is provided by virtual spaces, then user privacy is improved, but identity verification and fraud detection become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser privacyVSAvoidfraud risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a foundational identity as an intermediary element that connects multiple virtual identities to a verified real-world individual. This mediator allows entities to verify the trustworthiness of virtual identities without compromising user anonymity, as the foundational identity serves as a trusted bridge between the anonymous virtual persona and the verified individual.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the identity verification process into two distinct parts: a verified foundational identity (in the real world) and multiple virtual identities (in virtual spaces). This segmentation allows the system to maintain privacy for virtual interactions while establishing trust through the separate verified foundational identity, thereby reducing fraud risk without sacrificing anonymity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple virtual identities are maintained, then user versatility and anonymity are improved, but trust verification across identities becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser versatilityVSAvoidtrust verification
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The foundational identity serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a verified identifier for the real-world individual, serves as a trust anchor for multiple virtual identities, and enables cross-identity verification across different virtual spaces. This multi-functionality allows users to maintain versatility through multiple virtual identities while ensuring reliable trust verification through the universal foundational identity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If direct linking of all virtual identities is implemented, then fraud detection is improved, but user anonymity and privacy are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefraud detection capabilityVSAvoiduser anonymity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The foundational identity acts as an intermediary that enables fraud detection capability without directly exposing users' virtual identities. Entities can verify trust through the foundational identity without needing to see or link all virtual identities directly, thereby maintaining user anonymity while improving fraud detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the verification function from the virtual identities themselves and places it in the foundational identity. By taking out the trust verification responsibility from the virtual layer and placing it in the verified real-world layer, the system enables effective fraud detection without compromising the anonymity of virtual interactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12388820B1Systems and methods for identifying activities of individuals in virtual spaces using identity linking
Publication Date: 2025.08.12 WELLS FARGO BANK NA
  • US12388820B1 patent drawing
  • US12388820B1 patent drawing
  • US12388820B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for constructing a foundational identity to establish the identity of an individual and linking the foundational identity to various other identities of the individual in virtual spaces. An example method includes linking identities across virtual spaces. The example method further includes verifying identity activity associated with the various other identities using the link between the various other identities and the foundational identity, and based on the verification of the identity activity, generate outputs.