User authentication based on established network activity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015278504-A1
Application number	US-201414224270-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2014
Priority date	Mar 25, 2014
Publication date	Oct 1, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device may determine that a user device should be authenticated; and determine a confidence measurement based on an established activity pattern of the user device. The confidence measurement may relate to a likelihood that an authorized user of the user device is in possession of the user device. The device may authenticate the user device based on the confidence measurement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
determining, by a device, that a user device should be authenticated; determining, by the device, a confidence measurement based on an established activity pattern of the user device,
the confidence measurement relating to a likelihood that an authorized user of the user device is in possession of the user device; and
authenticating, by the device, the user device based on the confidence measurement.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the authenticating includes:
determining whether the confidence measurement satisfies a threshold; authenticating the user device when the confidence measurement satisfies the threshold; and initiating an authentication process when the confidence measurement does not satisfy the threshold.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein initiating the authentication process includes at least one of:
causing the user device to obtain authentication information, or providing a request to an authentication service provider to authenticate the user device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the user device should be authenticated includes:
identifying a current activity of the user device; and determining that the user should be authenticated based on the current activity.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the established activity pattern of the user device is based at least one of:
calling activity patterns associated with the user device; messaging activity patterns associated with the user device; application usage patterns associated with the user device; web browsing patterns associated with the user device; device connectivity patterns associated with the user device; or geographic location patterns associated with the user device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the authenticating includes:
authenticating, without user input, the user device when the confidence measurement satisfies the threshold.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving information regarding communications of the user device; and determining the established activity pattern based on the communications of the user device, wherein determining the confidence measurement is based on determining the established activity pattern.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the user device should be authenticated is based on receiving a request to authenticate the user when the user selects to access information that requires user authentication.

9 . A system comprising:
a device, comprising:
a non-transitory memory device storing a plurality of processor-executable instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the processor-executable instructions, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions causes the processor to:
determine that a user device should be authenticated;
determine a confidence measurement based on an established activity pattern of the user device,
the confidence measurement relating to a likelihood that an authorized user of the user device is in possession of the user device; and

authenticate the user device based on the confidence measurement.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, to authenticate the user, further cause the processor to:
determine whether the confidence measurement satisfies a threshold; authenticate the user device when the confidence measurement satisfies the threshold; and initiate an authentication process when the confidence measurement does not satisfy the threshold.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, to initiate the authentication process, cause the processor to:
cause the user device to obtain authentication information, or provide a request to an authentication service provider to authenticate the user device.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, to determine that the user device should be authenticated, cause the processor to:
identify a current activity of the user device; and determine that the user should be authenticated based on the current activity.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the established activity pattern of the user device is based at least one of:
calling activity patterns associated with the user device; messaging activity patterns associated with the user device; application usage patterns associated with the user device; web browsing patterns associated with the user device; device connectivity patterns associated with the user device; or geographic location patterns associated with the user device.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, to authenticate the user, further cause the processor to:
authenticate, without user input, the user device when the confidence measurement satisfies the threshold.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the processor to:
receive information regarding communications of the user device; and determine the established activity pattern based on the communications of the user device, wherein determining the confidence measurement is based on determining the established activity pattern.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, to determine that the user device should be authenticated, causes the processor to determine that the user device should be authenticated based on receiving a request to authenticate the user when the user selects to access information or services that requires user authentication.

17 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a device, information regarding communications of a user device over a period of time; determining, by the device, an established activity pattern based on the communications of the user device; determining, by the device, a confidence measurement based on current activity of the user device and the established activity pattern,
the confidence measurement relating to a likelihood that an authorized user of the user device is in possession of the user device; and
storing or outputting, by the device, the confidence measurement.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
authenticating the user device based on the confidence measurement, the authenticating including:
determining whether the confidence measurement satisfies a threshold;
authenticating the user without user input relating to the authenticating when the confidence measurement satisfies the threshold; and
initiating an authentication process when the confidence measurement does not satisfy the threshold.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein initiating the authentication process includes at least one of:
causing the user device to obtain authentication information, or providing a request to an authentication service provider to authenticate the user.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the established activity pattern of the user device is based at least one of:
calling activity patterns, messaging activity patterns, application usage patterns, web browsing patterns, device connectivity patterns, or geographic location patterns.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Azim Rezwanul
• Gaviria Rafael A
• Javaregowda Gowtham
• Ni James J
• Sartini Robert A
• Schultz Paul T
• Su Wenbo
• Eichen Elliot G

Classifications

• G06F21/44 Primary

  Program or device authentication · CPC title

• G06F21/316

  by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour · CPC title

• H04L63/0876

  based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint · CPC title

• H04L63/0884

  by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity · CPC title

• H04W12/065

  Continuous authentication · CPC title