# US 10,122,711 B2 · Secure communications methods for use with entrepreneurial prediction systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,711 B2 - Document ID: US10122711B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/835,671 - Filed: 2015-08-25 - Published: 2015-12-24 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-31 - Assignees: Kountable, Inc. - Applicants: Kountable, Inc. - Inventors: Christopher Hale; Craig M. Allen; Catherine Nomura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122711B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/32: using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints - G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication - G06F 21/606: {by securing the transmission between two devices or processes} - G06Q 10/06375: {Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change} - H04L 9/3231: {Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861)} - H04L 63/0861: {using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231)} - H04L 63/123: {received data contents, e.g. message integrity} - H04W 12/062: Pre-authentication - G06F 2221/2129: Authenticate client device independently of the user - G06Q 10/42: Determination of affinities or common interests between users - G06Q 10/46: Determination of level of influence of users within social networking services - G06Q 10/48: using social graphs - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Secure communications methods for use with entrepreneurial prediction systems and methods are provided herein. An example method can include a two factor authentication of both a communications channel used by the entrepreneur (either by device or message attributes) and an identification of an identity of the entrepreneur from biometric parameters. This allows for secure communication with an entrepreneur when the entrepreneur is communicating from a geographical location of low trust, such as where device or identity theft is common. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for verifying secure communications between a sending party and a receiving party over a communications network, the method comprising: determining if the sending or receiving parties are accessing the communications network from a geographical location of low trust, the geographical location of low trust comprising any location where malicious behavior such as identity theft or device theft occurs, the geographical location of low trust being determined from an inspection of global positioning system information of communications devices used by any of the sending or receiving parties; verifying a communications channel of the communications network by two-factor authentication, a first factor of the two-factor authentication comprising any of: authenticating the communications devices used by the sending party and the receiving party; and authenticating a message transmitted from the sending party to the receiving party using an encryption scheme and an error detection block associated with the message; and a second factor of the two-factor authentication comprising verifying the sending party by: receiving current biometric information for the sending party comprising any of a photograph of a face of the sending party, a fingerprint of the sending party, or a combination thereof, the current biometric information comprising biometric parameters that are compared to biometric parameters of pre-stored biometric information; authenticating the current biometric information against the pre-stored biometric information for the sending party to authenticate or reject the transmitted message; extracting meta-data from the current biometric information; and authenticating the meta-data of the current biometric information against pre-stored meta-data for the sending party to authenticate or reject the transmitted message; and transmitting the message to the receiving party if the communications channel and the sending party are verified. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the photograph is verified by comparing an image file timestamp to a timestamp threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising extracting location information from the image file as the meta-data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the image file is verified by comparing the location information of the image file to expected location information for the sending party. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the expected location information for the sending party is obtained from the communications device of the sending party. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the geographical location of low trust includes any location where device or identity theft are common. ### Claim 7 A method for verifying secure communications between a sending party and a receiving party over a communications network, the method comprising: determining if the sending or receiving parties are accessing the communications network from a geographical location of low trust, the geographical location of low trust comprising any location where malicious behavior such as identity theft or device theft occurs; verifying a communications channel of the communications network by: authenticating communications devices used by the sending party and the receiving party; or authenticating a message transmitted from the sending party to the receiving party using an encryption scheme and an error detection block associated with the message; and verifying the sending party by: receiving current biometric information for the sending party comprising any of a photograph of a face of the sending party, a fingerprint of the sending party, or a combination thereof; authenticating the current biometric information against pre-stored biometric information for the sending party to authenticate or reject the transmitted message; extracting meta-data from the current biometric information; and authenticating the meta-data of the current biometric information against pre-stored meta-data for the sending party to authenticate or reject the transmitted message; and transmitting the message to the receiving party if the communications channel and the sending party are verified. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising storing identifying information for the communications devices, wherein the identifying information associates the sending party and the receiving party with their respective device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein authenticating communications devices used by the sending party and the receiving party comprises verifying the identifying information of the communications device by comparing received identifying information to pre-stored identifying information. ### Claim 10 A method for verifying secure communications between a sending party and a receiving party over a communications network, the method comprising: receiving a message transmitted between the sending party and the receiving party; encrypting the message and associating the message with an error detection block; determining if the sending or receiving parties are accessing the communications network from a geographical location of low trust, the geographical location of low trust comprising any location where malicious behavior such as identity theft or device theft occurs; verifying a communications channel of the communications network by: authenticating communications devices used by the sending party and the receiving party; and verifying the sending party by: receiving current biometric information for the sending party comprising any of a photograph of a face of the sending party, a fingerprint of the sending party, or a combination thereof; authenticating the current biometric information against pre-stored biometric information for the sending party to authenticate or reject the transmitted message; extracting meta-data from the current biometric information; and authenticating the meta-data of the current biometric information against pre-stored meta-data for the sending party to authenticate or reject the transmitted message; and transmitting the message to the receiving party if the communications channel and the sending party are verified. ### Claim 11 A method for verifying secure communications over a communications network, the method comprising: pre-storing entrepreneur data that comprises location information and biometric information for an entrepreneur, as well as identifying information for a communications device used by the entrepreneur to access the communications network; receiving a message transmitted from the entrepreneur using their communications device to a receiving party; verifying a communications channel of the communications network used by the entrepreneur by: authenticating the communications device used by the entrepreneur; and verifying an identity of the entrepreneur by: receiving current biometric information for the entrepreneur comprising any of a photograph of a face of the entrepreneur, a fingerprint of the entrepreneur, party, or a combination thereof; and authenticating the current biometric information against the pre-stored biometric information for the entrepreneur to authenticate or reject the transmitted message; and encrypting the message and associating the message with an error detection block; and transmitting the message to the receiving party if the communications channel and the identity of the entrepreneur are verified. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: extracting meta-data from the current biometric information; and authenticating the meta-data of the current biometric information against pre-stored meta-data for the entrepreneur to authenticate or reject the transmitted message. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: authenticating a current location of the communications device of the entrepreneur by comparing the current location with the location information that is pre-stored for the entrepreneur, wherein the current location is authenticated if the current location falls within a range of location coordinates relative to the location information that is pre-stored.