Method for Authenticating Use of an Activity Tracking Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017120106-A1
Application number	US-201615340668-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Nov 2, 2015
Publication date	May 4, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A data processor implemented method for authenticating use of an activity tracking device by a user is provided. The method includes obtaining a plurality of first markers, wherein each of the first markers includes a location and time-stamp of the activity tracking device when the activity tracking device is tracking at least one parameter of the user. The method also includes obtaining a plurality of second markers from a transaction data storage, wherein each of the second markers includes a location and time-stamp of an electronic transaction made by the user using at least one payment device of the user. The method further includes comparing the locations of the plurality of first markers with the locations of the plurality of second markers, and determining, based on the comparison, whether the activity tracking device is regularly in use by the user.

First claim

1 . A data processor implemented method for authenticating use of an activity tracking device by a user, the method comprising:
obtaining a plurality of first markers, each of the first markers including a location and time-stamp of the activity tracking device when the activity tracking device is tracking at least one parameter of the user; obtaining a plurality of second markers from a transaction data storage, each of the second markers including a location and time-stamp of an electronic transaction made by the user using at least one payment device of the user; comparing the locations of the plurality of first markers with the locations of the plurality of second markers; and determining, based on the comparison, whether the activity tracking device is regularly in use by the user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison provides an affirmative outcome if comparison findings lie within a threshold band, and provides a negative outcome if comparison findings lie outside of the threshold band.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining a confidence metric, wherein authenticating use of the activity tracking device by the user is dependent on the confidence metric.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the confidence metric is a ratio of a number of affirmative outcomes to a sum of the number of affirmative outcomes and a number of negative outcomes over a pre-defined period of time.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a value of the confidence metric of above 0.7 indicates regular use of the activity tracking device by the user.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a value of the confidence metric of below 0.4 indicates non-regular use of the activity tracking device by the user.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the activity tracking device is configured to provide a location of the user.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transaction data storage is a payment gateway.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter of the user is at least one of heart rate, respiration rate, number of footsteps, number of climbing steps, distance ran, distance swam, and distance cycled.

10 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying thereon a program of computer readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a first server in communication with at least one other server, cause the first server to perform a method for authenticating use of an activity tracking device by a user, the method including:
obtaining a plurality of first markers, each of the first markers including a location and time-stamp of the activity tracking device when the activity tracking device is tracking at least one parameter of the user; obtaining a plurality of second markers from a transaction data storage, each of the second markers including a location and time-stamp of an electronic transaction made by the user using at least one payment device of the user; comparing the locations of the plurality of first markers with the locations of the plurality of second markers; and determining, based on the comparison, whether the activity tracking device is regularly in use by the user.

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19 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying thereon a program of computer readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a mobile device in communication with at least one other server, cause the mobile device to perform a method for authenticating use of an activity tracking device by a user, the method including:
obtaining a plurality of first markers, each of the first markers including a location and time-stamp of the activity tracking device when the activity tracking device is tracking at least one parameter of the user; obtaining a plurality of second markers from a transaction data storage, each of the second markers including a location and time-stamp of an electronic transaction made by the user using at least one payment device of the user; comparing the locations of the plurality of first markers with the locations of the plurality of second markers; and determining, based on the comparison, whether the activity tracking device is regularly in use by the user.

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28 . A system for authenticating use of an activity tracking device by a user, the system comprising:
at least one activity tracking device configured to track at least one parameter of the user; a first server configured to store a plurality of first markers, each of the first markers including a location and time-stamp of the activity tracking device when the activity tracking device is tracking at least one parameter of the user; a transaction data storage configured to store a plurality of second markers, each of the second markers including a location and time-stamp of an electronic transaction made by the user using at least one payment device of the user; and a second server configured to compare the locations of the plurality of first markers with the locations of the plurality of second markers, and based on the comparison, determining whether the activity tracking device is regularly in use by the user.

29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the comparison provides an affirmative outcome if comparison findings lie within a threshold band, and provides a negative outcome if comparison findings lie outside of the threshold band.

30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein authenticating use of the activity tracking device by the user is dependent on a confidence metric.

31 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the confidence metric is a ratio of a number of affirmative outcomes to a sum of the number of affirmative outcomes and a number of negative outcomes over a pre-defined period of time.

32 . The system of claim 30 , wherein a value of the confidence metric of above 0.7 indicates regular use of the activity tracking device by the user.

33 . The system of claim 30 , wherein a value of the confidence metric of below 0.4 indicates non-regular use of the activity tracking device by the user.

34 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the activity tracking device is configured to provide a location of the user.

35 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the transaction data storage is a payment gateway.

36 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the at least one parameter of the user is at least one of heart rate, respiration rate, number of footsteps, number of climbing steps, distance ran, distance swam, and distance cycled.

Assignees

• Mastercard Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Puehse Tobias
• Tan Sin Jian
• Zhang Jie
• Tan Douglas Teck Yong
• Ali Noor Ali Nizar
• Aggarwal Naman
• Chin Yong Wei

Classifications

• A63B24/0021 Primary

  Tracking a path or terminating locations · CPC title

• G06Q20/405

  Establishing or using transaction specific rules · CPC title

• A63B2220/17

  Counting, e.g. counting periodical movements, revolutions or cycles, or including further data processing to determine distances or speed · CPC title

• A63B2230/42

  rate · CPC title

• A63B2230/04

  heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulations · CPC title