Patent Issued for Methods And Systems For Multiple Channel Authentication (USPTO 10,965,810)

2021 APR 09 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors Farnsworth, Anthony Scott (San Antonio, TX); Johnson, Zakery Layne (San Antonio, TX); Kerr, Joshua S. (San Antonio, TX); Smith, Eric (Helotes, TX); Oakes, III, Charles Lee (Boerne, TX); Buckingham, Thomas Bret (Fair Oaks Ranch, TX); Mortensen, Maland Keith (San Antonio, TX); Harris, John Raymond (San Antonio, TX); Leonard, Joshua Samuel (San Antonio, TX); Jayapalan, Vijay (San Antonio, TX); Liang, Minya (McKinney, TX); Haslam, Justin Dax (San Antonio, TX); Barner, Robert (San Antonio, TX); Thiele, Ross Andrew (San Antonio, TX), filed on July 2, 2019, was published online on April 12, 2021, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 10,965,810 is assigned to United Services Automobile Association (San Antonio, Texas, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Organizations strive to ensure secure and convenient user access to services and accounts. With the proliferation of identity theft and the growing emphasis on convenience, organizations are forced to find a balance between sufficient security procedures and accessibility of services/accounts. Many systems sacrifice convenience and efficiency of use for security measures, such as by requesting authentication information several times during the course of an interaction with the user. As such, techniques are needed that provide for improved security without sacrificing ease of use and time for the customer.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “In some embodiments, a method and system of user authentication is described. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving authentication information of a user into a mobile application that allows the user to engage in activities through the mobile application on a mobile device. The user may be authenticated to the mobile application, and in response to receiving a request from the user, a voice and data call to an organization may be initiated from within the mobile application. Initiating the voice and data call may include transferring the authentication information in connection with the voice and data call to allow pass-through authentication to a representative of the organization.

“The method may further include determining whether a connection between the mobile device and a communications network can support the voice and data call. In some embodiments, the method includes indicating, to the user, that the representative of the organization could not be contacted through the voice and data call and presenting additional channels for the user to communicate with the organization. The additional channels may include at least one of: text messaging, a voice call, chat, web, video call, or electronic mail. Initiating the voice and data call may further include transferring, in connection with the voice and data call, data related to existing or prior activities on the mobile device. The data related to the activities may comprise a webpage or a view that the user was accessing within the mobile application. The data related to the activities may include media (e.g., insurance document, photographs of an accident, etc.) relating to the activities.

“In some embodiments, the voice and data call is routed based on a content of the data related to the activities the user was engaging in prior to the voice and data call. In other embodiments, the voice and data call is routed based on an assumption of user intent, where the assumption of user intent is determined using predictive analytics (e.g., based on what the user has done in the past, what other users have done in similar situations, patterns, etc.). The voice and data call may be suspended when the user answers an incoming legacy phone call on the mobile device. After the voice and data call has ended, the user may be returned to the activity within the mobile application that the user was engaging in prior to the voice and data call. The method may further include presenting information relating to the representative to the user.

“In other embodiments, a computerized method may include receiving authentication information from a user on a first channel; authenticating the user on the first channel thereby initiating a session between the user and an organization; allowing the user to engage in activities with the organization through the first channel; receiving a request to communicate with the user on a second channel; and transferring the session to the second channel in response to receiving the request. Transferring the session to the second channel may include passing authentication information to authenticate the user to the second channel. Transferring the session to the second channel may further include transferring data relating to the activities the user was engaging in prior to receiving the request to transfer the session.

“In some embodiments, the first channel and the second channel are not the same type of channel. The types of channels may include: a mobile application, a voice and data call, a voice call, a webpage, a web portal, a mobile device, ATM, watch, vehicle, television, game console, connected smart devices, and a personal computer. In some embodiments, the first channel is a mobile application and the second channel is voice and data call with a representative of the organization. The voice and data call may be initiated from within the mobile application. The user may be authenticated to the second channel using the authentication information.

“A method may include receiving a request for a combined voice and data call initiated from within a mobile application. The request may include authentication information and contextual information relating to a current exchange between the mobile application and an organization. The user may be authenticated with the authentication information and the combined voice and data call may be routed to a uniquely skilled representative based on the contextual information to continue the current exchange. In some embodiments, the method may further include displaying the contextual information, the authentication information, and a method of authentication (e.g., PIN, username/password, biometric scan, etc.) on a screen to the representative, where the contextual information may include an activity of the mobile application.

“The activity may include one of the following: submitting an insurance claim, applying for a loan, transferring money, applying for insurance coverage, checking a bank statement, or setting up a new financial account. In some embodiments, the method further includes determining that the uniquely skilled representative is currently unavailable, indicating this to the user, and suggesting alternative channels to continue the interactive exchange.

“While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments. As will be realized, embodiments of the present disclosure are capable of modifications in various aspects, all without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A method comprising: receiving a request to initiate a session with an organization over a first channel, the request initiated within an application on a device associated with a user; transferring the session from the first channel to a second channel, the transferring of the session initiated from within the application, wherein the application allows the user to engage in an activity through the application after authentication, wherein transferring the session from the first channel to the second channel includes: transferring, from the first channel to the second channel, A) authentication information associated with the request and B) an indication of the activity, to allow pass-through authentication to the organization, wherein the authentication information provides a level of authentication for the user; comparing the level of authentication from the authentication information with a level of authentication required for the activity; and determining, based on the comparison, that additional authentication information is required to complete the activity, wherein: responsive to determining that the additional authentication information is required to complete the activity, a request for the additional authentication information is sent over the second channel.

“2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: indicating, to the user, that a representative of the organization could not be contacted via the second channel; and presenting, to the user, additional channels for the user to communicate with the organization, wherein the additional channels include at least one of: text messaging, chat, web, video call, or electronic mail.

“3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first channel is a call, wherein the call is routed to a representative specializing in a subject matter associated with a specific tab within the application.

“4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring the session is initiated via an icon to contact a representative, and wherein the icon is located on a specific tab within the application.

“5. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting data related to an existing or prior activity, wherein the data related to the existing or prior activity comprises at least one of: media relating to the activities or a webpage or view the user was accessing within the application.

“6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first channel is a call, wherein the call is routed to a representative based on a content of the data related to the existing or prior activity the user was engaging in on the device.

“7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining an assumption of user intent based on predictive analytics, wherein routing the call to a representative is further based on the assumption of the user intent.

“8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a machine to: receive a request to initiate a session with an organization over a first channel, the request initiated within an application on a device associated with a user; transfer the session from the first channel to a second channel, the transferring of the session initiated from within the application, wherein the application allows the user to engage in an activity through the application after authentication, wherein transferring the session from the first channel to the second channel includes: transferring, from the first channel to the second channel, A) authentication information associated with the request and B) an indication of the activity, to allow pass-through authentication to the organization, wherein the authentication information provides a level of authentication for the user; compare the level of authentication from the authentication information with a level of authentication required for the activity; and determine, based on the comparison, that additional authentication information is required to complete the activity, wherein: responsive to determining that the additional authentication information is required to complete the activity, a request for the additional authentication information is sent over the second channel.

“9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the machine to: indicate, to the user, that a representative of the organization could not be contacted via the second channel; and present, to the user, additional channels for the user to communicate with the organization, wherein the additional channels include at least one of: text messaging, chat, web, video call, or electronic mail.

“10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first channel is a call, wherein the call is routed to a representative specializing in a subject matter associated with a specific tab in the application.

“11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the transfer is initiated via an icon to contact a representative, and wherein the icon is located on the specific tab in the application.

“12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first channel is a call, wherein the call is routed to a representative based on a content of data related to an existing or prior activity the user was engaging in on the device, wherein the data related to the existing or prior activity comprises at least one of: media relating to the activities or a webpage or view the user was accessing within the application.

“13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the machine to: determine an assumption of user intent based on predictive analytics, wherein routing the call to a representative is further based on the assumption of the user intent.

“14. A system comprising: a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, the processor operable to execute software modules, the software modules comprising: a channel communication module configured to: receive a request to initiate a session with an organization over a first channel, the request initiated within an application on a device associated with a user, and transfer the session from the first channel to a second channel, the transferring of the session initiated from within the application, wherein the application allows the user to engage in an activity through the application after authentication, wherein transferring the session from the first channel to the second channel includes: transferring, from the first channel to the second channel, A) authentication information associated with the request and B) an indication of the activity, to allow pass-through authentication to the organization, wherein the authentication information provides a level of authentication for the user; a router configured to: compare the level of authentication with a level of authentication required for the activity, and determine, based on the comparison, that additional authentication information is required to complete the activity, wherein: responsive to determining that the additional authentication information is required to complete the activity, a request for the additional authentication information is sent over the second channel.

“15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first channel is a call, wherein the call is routed to a representative specializing in a subject matter associated with a specific tab in the application, wherein the transfer is initiated via an icon to contact the representative, wherein the icon is located on the specific tab.

“16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first channel is a call, wherein the call is routed to a representative based on a content of data related to an existing or prior activity the user was engaging in on the device, wherein the data related to the existing or prior activity comprises at least one of: media relating to the activities or a webpage or view the user was accessing within the application.”

URL and more information on this patent, see: Farnsworth, Anthony Scott; Johnson, Zakery Layne; Kerr, Joshua S.; Smith, Eric; Oakes, III, Charles Lee; Buckingham, Thomas Bret; Mortensen, Maland Keith; Harris, John Raymond; Leonard, Joshua Samuel; Jayapalan, Vijay; Liang, Minya; Haslam, Justin Dax; Barner, Robert; Thiele, Ross Andrew. Methods And Systems For Multiple Channel Authentication. U.S. Patent Number 10,965,810, filed July 2, 2019, and published online on April 12, 2021. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,965,810.PN.&OS=PN/10,965,810RS=PN/10,965,810

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