Identity Document Authentication via Intermediary Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to authenticate physical identity documents in online transactions, as automated systems cannot detect security features or verify the authenticity of IDs provided as images, and users may be uncomfortable sharing ID images.

Innovation Solution

A system that captures images of physical IDs, verifies their authenticity with an identity provider, generates an electronic ID representation without personal info, and links it to biometric data for secure online verification, allowing users to confirm ID validity during transactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automated systems are used to verify ID images in online transactions, then authentication efficiency is improved, but the ability to detect security features and verify authenticity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication efficiencyVSAvoidauthenticity verification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an identity provider as an intermediary between the user and the automated system. The identity provider receives ID images from users, performs comprehensive authenticity verification including security feature detection, and returns verification results. This mediator approach allows automated processing while maintaining high verification accuracy through specialized authentication expertise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If ID images are shared with service providers for verification, then authentication capability is improved, but user privacy and security deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication capabilityVSAvoidprivacy exposure risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the personal information and ID image data from the user's direct interaction with service providers. Instead of sharing ID images with multiple service providers, users only share them with the identity provider. The identity provider then verifies authenticity and returns only verification results, extracting and removing sensitive personal information from the transaction flow to protect user privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If manual ID verification is performed by trained personnel, then security feature detection accuracy is improved, but operational complexity and time consumption deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity feature detection accuracyVSAvoidverification system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical verification processes with automated digital image analysis systems. The identity provider uses computational algorithms to detect security features, verify holograms, and authenticate ID images automatically. This substitution maintains high detection accuracy while eliminating the need for trained personnel and reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3899764B1Identity document authentication
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 APPLE INC
  • EP3899764B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3899764B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3899764B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A device implementing a system for authenticating an identity document includes at least one processor configured to receive, from a service provider, a request associated with verifying an integrity of an identity document, and capture, responsive to receiving the request, image data of the identity document. The at least one processor is further configured to generate a representation based on the image data, the representation comprising form factor data of the identity document, and compare the representation with a prior representation of the identity document, the prior representation comprising prior form factor data of the identity document. The at least one processor is further configured to provide, to the service provider, a response to the request based on comparing the representation with the prior representation.