Virtual Item Transaction Security via Identity Confirmation Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high risk of fraud in virtual item transactions within massive multiplayer online games and virtual worlds due to the lack of robust authentication methods, where only one form of authentication (avatar) is required, leading to potential unauthorized access and transactions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize an identity confirmation device to provide a unique identity indicator for verifying user identity, which is communicated through a client device to a server, ensuring that transactions for virtual items are securely authenticated and authorized, potentially involving financial service provider verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If only avatar authentication is required for virtual item transactions, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to high fraud risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple authentication factors (avatar identity, biometric data, device identity) into a unified authentication system. The server correlates the avatar's biometric data with data from the confirmation device to verify identity, merging multiple authentication streams into a single secure transaction verification process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that coordinates between the virtual world system and the confirmation device. The server receives authentication requests, correlates biometric data from multiple sources, and verifies identity before authorizing transactions, acting as a trusted mediator that enhances security without requiring direct interaction between the avatar and confirmation device.
2Reliability
If multiple authentication methods are implemented, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The confirmation device is designed to perform multiple functions: storing biometric data, generating authentication requests, and communicating with both the virtual world system and the server. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate dedicated devices for each authentication function, thereby managing complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service authentication where the user's biometric data is automatically captured and verified without manual intervention. The confirmation device automatically provides authentication information to the server, and the server automatically correlates this data with the avatar's biometric profile, reducing the need for complex manual authentication processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method (400, 500) and a system (100) of conducting transactions for acquisition of virtual items. The method can include receiving from a user (108) a request to acquire the virtual item. Responsive to an identity indicator (112) that is exclusively unique to an identity confirmation device (110) being communicated from the identity confirmation device, a determination can be made whether the identity indicator corresponds to the user. Responsive to determining that the identity indicator corresponds to the user, the virtual item can be provided to the user. The method also can include receiving from a user a request to acquire the virtual item, receiving from an identity confirmation device an identity indicator exclusively unique to the identity confirmation device, and communicating the request and the identity indicator from the client device to a server (104).