# US 12,120,114 B2 · Email processing for improved authentication question accuracy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,114 B2 - Document ID: US12120114B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/243,334 - Filed: 2023-09-07 - Published: 2023-12-28 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-07 - Assignees: Capital One Services, LLC - Applicants: Capital One Services, LLC - Inventors: Viraj Chaudhary; Vyjayanthi Vadrevu; Tyler Maiman; David Septimus; Samuel Rapowitz; Jenny Melendez; Joshua Edwards - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120114B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/31: User authentication - H04L 63/0876: {based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint} - G06F 18/214: Generating training patterns; Bootstrap methods, e.g. bagging or boosting - G06N 20/00: Machine learning - G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] - H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles} - H04L 63/123: {received data contents, e.g. message integrity} - G06F 2221/2103: Challenge-response - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - 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 ## Abstract Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for improving the accuracy of authentication questions using e-mail processing. A request for access to an account may be received from a user device. A plurality of organizations may be identified. One or more e-mail associated with the account may be identified. The e-mails may be processed to identify one or more organizations that correspond to transactions conducted by a user. A modified plurality of organizations may be generated by removing, from the plurality of organizations, the one or more organizations. An authentication question may be generated and provided to the user device. A response to the authentication question may be received, and the user device may be provided access based on the response. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, from a user device, a request for access to an account associated with a user; identifying a plurality of organizations by querying an organizations database; receiving, from an e-mail server, one or more e-mails associated with the account; identifying one or more e-mail templates corresponding to the plurality of organizations; processing, based on the one or more e-mail templates, the one or more e-mails to identify at least one e-mail associated with one or more organizations of the plurality of organizations; generating a modified plurality of organizations by removing, from the plurality of organizations, the one or more organizations; generating an authentication question related to at least one of the modified plurality of organizations; receiving, from the user device, a response to the authentication question; and providing, based on the response to the authentication question, the user device access to the account. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein processing the one or more e-mails to identify the one or more organizations comprises: identifying, based on comparing at least one of the one or more e-mail templates to at least one of the one or more e-mails, a second organization. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein processing the one or more e-mails to identify the one or more organizations comprises: training, using input data comprising a plurality of e-mails with tagged organizations, a machine learning model to identify indicators of organizations in e-mail data; providing, as input to the machine learning model, the one or more e-mails; and receiving, as output from the machine learning model, an indication of the one or more organizations. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying, based on the one or more e-mails, a good or service, wherein generating the authentication question is based on the good or service. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying, based on the one or more e-mails, an average expenditure associated with the user, wherein generating the authentication question is based on the average expenditure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of organizations comprises: randomly selecting, from the organizations database, a predetermined quantity of organizations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying one or more aliases associated with the one or more organizations, wherein generating the modified plurality of organizations comprises removing, from the plurality of organizations and based on the one or more aliases, at least one of the plurality of organizations. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more e-mails associated with the account comprises: querying the e-mail server for e-mails associated with a time period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein removing the one or more organizations comprises: determining that a quantity of the modified plurality of organizations satisfies a threshold; and adding, to the modified plurality of organizations, indicators of additional organizations. ### Claim 10 A computing device comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to: receive, from a user device, a request for access to an account associated with a user; identify a plurality of organizations by querying an organizations database; receive, from an e-mail server, one or more e-mails associated with the account; identify one or more e-mail templates corresponding to the plurality of organizations; process, based on the one or more e-mail templates, the one or more e-mails to identify at least one e-mail associated with one or more organizations of the plurality of organizations; generate a modified plurality of organizations by removing, from the plurality of organizations, the one or more organizations; generate an authentication question related to at least one of the modified plurality of organizations; receive, from the user device, a response to the authentication question; and provide, based on the response to the authentication question, the user device access to the account. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computing device of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to process the one or more e-mails to identify the one or more organizations by causing the computing device to: identify, based on comparing at least one of the one or more e-mail templates to at least one of the one or more e-mails, a second organization. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computing device of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to process the one or more e-mails to identify the one or more organizations by causing the computing device to: train, using input data comprising a plurality of e-mails with tagged organizations, a machine learning model to identify indicators of organizations in e-mail data; provide, as input to the machine learning model, the one or more e-mails; and receive, as output from the machine learning model, an indication of the one or more organizations. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The computing device of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to: identify, based on the one or more e-mails, a good or service, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to generate the authentication question based on the good or service. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The computing device of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to: identify, based on the one or more e-mails, an average expenditure associated with the user, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to generate the authentication question based on the average expenditure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The computing device of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to identify the plurality of organizations by causing the computing device to: randomly select, from the organizations database, a predetermined quantity of organizations. ### Claim 16 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing device to: receive, from a user device, a request for access to an account associated with a user; identify a plurality of organizations by querying an organizations database; receive, from an e-mail server, one or more e-mails associated with the account; identify one or more e-mail templates corresponding to the plurality of organizations; process, based on the one or more e-mail templates, the one or more e-mails to identify at least one e-mail associated with one or more organizations of the plurality of organizations; generate a modified plurality of organizations by removing, from the plurality of organizations, the one or more organizations; generate an authentication question related to at least one of the modified plurality of organizations; receive, from the user device, a response to the authentication question; and provide, based on the response to the authentication question, the user device access to the account. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to process the one or more e-mails to identify the one or more organizations by causing the computing device to: identify, based on comparing at least one of the one or more e-mail templates to at least one of the one or more e-mails, a second organization. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to process the one or more e-mails to identify the one or more organizations by causing the computing device to: train, using input data comprising a plurality of e-mails with tagged organizations, a machine learning model to identify indicators of organizations in e-mail data; provide, as input to the machine learning model, the one or more e-mails; and receive, as output from the machine learning model, an indication of the one or more organizations. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to: identify, based on the one or more e-mails, a good or service, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to generate the authentication question based on the good or service. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to: identify, based on the one or more e-mails, an average expenditure associated with the user, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to generate the authentication question based on the average expenditure.