IVR Authentication via Hash Code for Secure Web Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems lack the capability to securely authenticate user devices for web services, exposing personal information during access requests.

Innovation Solution

The IVR system dynamically authenticates user devices by creating a hash code based on identification information and communicating it to an authentication system, which verifies the identity using a hash table, ensuring secure access to web services without exposing personal information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the IVR system directly transmits user identification information to authenticate for web services, then authentication can be performed, but personal information security is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication reliabilityVSAvoidpersonal information exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a hash code as an intermediary element between the user's identification information and the authentication system. The IVR system transmits only the hash code (generated from the user's phone number) instead of the actual identification information. This intermediary mechanism allows authentication to proceed while keeping the original personal information confidential and protected from exposure during the authentication process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a cryptographic copy (hash code) of the user's identification information that can be used for authentication purposes without exposing the original data. The hash code serves as a representative copy that preserves the authentication functionality while eliminating the security risk of transmitting sensitive personal information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the IVR system implements secure authentication using hash codes, then personal information security is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepersonal information exposureVSAvoidauthentication system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-generating hash codes from user identification information before the authentication process begins. The hash code is created in advance using a hashing algorithm, and this pre-computed value is what gets transmitted during authentication. This preliminary preparation simplifies the actual authentication interaction while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10447689B2Systems and methods for authenticating a user device for a web service

Publication Date: 2019.10.15 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

An instant access device may receive a request from a user device to access secure content corresponding to a particular web service. The instant access device may create a hash code based on a telephone number of the user device and a hash code, and may communicate the hash code to an authentication system. The authentication system may authenticate the user device by comparing the hash code to a hash table that includes a list of hash codes associated with user devices that are authorized to access the secure content. Based on whether the user device is authenticated by the authentication system, the instant access device may cause the user device to access the secure content, whether by accessing the secure content directly (when the user device authentication is successful) or by creating a new user account (when the user device authentication is unsuccessful).