Wireless Authentication via Location Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing biometrics-based authentication systems are slow, cumbersome, raise privacy concerns, and are vulnerable to theft and abuse, as users need to manually provide biometric data for access control.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses location data and AI to match individuals with their associated mobile devices by tracking movement patterns through images captured by cameras, allowing for hands-free authentication without compromising user privacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If biometric data is collected for authentication, then authentication capability is improved, but security risk increases due to vulnerability to theft and abuse

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication capabilityVSAvoidsecurity risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the authentication capability from direct biometric data storage and replaces it with location-based identification. Instead of storing and processing sensitive biometric information, the system uses mobile device location data and avatar matching to authenticate users, thereby removing the security vulnerability while preserving authentication functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates avatars as simplified representations of users based on their location patterns and physical appearance from images. These avatars serve as copies that capture essential identification characteristics without containing sensitive biometric data, enabling authentication while reducing security risks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If manual biometric input is required, then authentication accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual input requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication accuracyVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service authentication by automatically tracking user location through mobile devices and matching it with avatar data. Users simply need to be present at the resource location; the system automatically performs authentication without requiring manual biometric input, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously tracking user locations and pre-matching mobile devices with avatars before authentication is needed. This pre-processing eliminates the need for manual input during actual authentication, as the matching is already completed in advance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If biometric data is stored centrally, then authentication efficiency is improved, but vulnerability to data theft increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication efficiencyVSAvoiddata theft vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by distributing authentication data across multiple entities (mobile devices, access devices, and avatar databases) rather than centralizing biometric data. Each entity stores only necessary identification information locally, improving authentication efficiency through distributed processing while reducing vulnerability to centralized data theft

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3613229B1Wireless authentication based on location data
Publication Date: 2021.10.27 VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION
  • EP3613229B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3613229B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3613229B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments of the invention involve using location data to authenticate individuals wirelessly. In one embodiment, an access device may obtain, by one or more cameras, images of an area captured at different time points, the images including a first image at a first time and a second image at a second time, and where the first image shows the user at a first location and the second image shows the user at a second location. The access device may, based on a position of the user and an association between the user and a communication device, conduct a transaction between the access device and the communication device, where the association between the user and the communication device is based on the first location being proximate to the communication device at the first time and the second location being proximate to the communication device at the second time.