Passive Multi-Factor Authentication System for Seamless User Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional computer security systems require extensive user input for authentication, balancing security with efficiency, and there is a need for a more streamlined method that reduces user input while maintaining seamless authentication.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses passively gathered data, such as facial recognition, beacon information, and user patterns, to authenticate users within a virtual center, increasing a confidence value to authorize transactions without requiring active credential input, with multiple authentication methods integrated to enhance security and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional authentication methods are used, then security is maintained through credential verification, but user input requirements increase and authentication efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoiduser input requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs authentication automatically using passively captured biometric data (facial recognition, voice patterns, gait analysis) without requiring active user participation. The user simply needs to be present in the facility, and the system autonomously verifies their identity through multiple biometric modalities, eliminating the need for users to manually input credentials or follow complex authentication procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical authentication systems (keyboards, card readers, biometric scanners requiring active engagement) with passive optical and acoustic sensing systems. Cameras and microphones continuously capture biometric data in the background, and image/audio processing algorithms automatically extract authentication features, substituting active mechanical interaction with passive field-based sensing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If multiple authentication factors are collected passively, then authentication accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines multiple biometric authentication modalities (facial recognition, voice pattern analysis, gait recognition) into a unified authentication framework. These different sensing mechanisms and processing algorithms are merged to evaluate a single confidence score, allowing the system to leverage complementary information from each modality while presenting a unified user experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication system is designed to support multiple authentication modalities through a common processing architecture. The same confidence evaluation framework and decision-making logic handle different biometric types uniformly, allowing the system to adapt to various authentication scenarios without requiring separate processing pipelines for each modality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If passive authentication is implemented, then user efficiency improves, but security risks from misidentification may increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication efficiencyVSAvoidmisidentification risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary authentication using passive biometric data collection before granting access or authorizing transactions. By continuously monitoring and evaluating biometric features in advance, the system establishes a baseline confidence level that can be quickly verified when authentication is needed, reducing both time and misidentification risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication system continuously updates confidence scores based on incoming biometric data and compares them against dynamically adjusted thresholds. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to varying authentication scenarios, increasing security confidence when needed and maintaining efficiency when confidence is already high, while providing audit trails for review.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11171963B2System for authentication of a user based on multi-factor passively acquired data

Publication Date: 2021.11.09 BANK OF AMERICA CORP

AI summary

A multi-factored authentication system is provided to identify users. Accordingly, the authentication system may utilize a combination of multiple authentication methods to identify and authenticate a user, such as facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint/retinal recognition, detection of cards/chips or smartphones located with the user, PINs, passwords, cryptographic keys, tokens, and the like. The various authentication methods may be used to calculate a confidence value for the authentication system, where the confidence value reflects the degree of certainty of the user's identity. Each authentication method may, upon identifying a positive match for a user, increase the confidence value by a certain degree.