Confirming identity of telephone caller

A method for verifying whether a person speaking during a telephone call is one of a plurality of authorized users of a system, comprising

• prior to the telephone call, storing, at a first processing station, data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for each of said authorized users, said valid signature and said caller identification information being sufficient to identify said person as being one of said users,
• receiving, via the public telephone system, at a second processing station, a telephone call comprising (i) a voice signal representing a signature of a possible user and (ii) a voice signal or a tone signal representing caller identification information for the possible user,
• digitally signal processing, at the second station, the signals received at the second station,
• based on signature data communicated via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, testing the signal representing the signature of the possible user against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the second processing station,
• causing data corresponding to the signal representing the signature of the possible user received at the second station to be stored in a signal cache at the second station for future reference, and
• receiving from the signal cache the data corresponding to the signal representing the signature of the possible user and transmitting the data corresponding to the signal representing the signature of the possible user to the first station to cause the data corresponding to the signal representing the signature of the possible user to be stored in the first station.

A method for verifying whether a person speaking during a telephone call is one of a plurality of authorized users of a system, comprising

• prior to the telephone call, storing, at a first processing station, data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for each of said authorized users, said valid signature and said caller identification information being sufficient to identify said person as being one of said authorized users,
• receiving, via the public telephone system, at a second processing station, a telephone call comprising (i) a voice signal representing a signature of a possible user and (ii) a voice signal or a tone signal representing caller identification information for the possible user,
• digitally signal processing, at the second station, the signals received at the second station,
• based on signature data communicated via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, testing the signal representing the signature of the possible user against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the second processing station, and
• confirming, at the second station, authorization of the possible user to engage in a subsequent transaction, the authorization being confirmed if and only if the signal representing the signature of the possible user matches the valid signature,
• wherein the subsequent transaction comprises recording a change to the data corresponding to the user's caller identification information.

A method for verifying whether a person speaking during a telephone call is one of a plurality of authorized users of a system, comprising

• prior to the telephone call, storing, at a first processing station, data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for each of said authorized users, said valid signature and said caller identification information being sufficient to identify said person as being one of said authorized users,
• receiving, via the public telephone system, at a second processing station, a telephone call comprising (i) a voice signal representing a signature of a possible user and (ii) a voice signal or a tone signal representing caller identification information for the possible user,
• digitally signal processing, at the second station, the signals received at the second station,
• based on signature data communicated via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, testing the signal representing the signature of the possible user against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the second processing station,
• storing, at the second station, a value indicating a level of matching between the signal representing the signature of the possible user and the valid signature, and
• reporting whether the signal representing the signature of the possible user matches the valid signature to the level necessary to establish a match.

An information processing system for verifying whether a person speaking during a telephone call is one of a plurality of authorized users of the system, comprising

• a first processing station, arranged for storing, prior to the call, data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for each of said authorized users, said valid signature and said caller identification information being sufficent to identify said person as being one of said authorized users, and
• a second processing station located at a remote location, the second station comprising
• a speaker verification unit, adapted for receiving, via the public telephone system, a telephone call comprising a voice signal representing a signature of a possible user, and for digitally signal processing the voice signal representing the signature, and
• a processor, connected to the speaker verification unit and adapted for connection to the first station via a telephone line between the first station and the second station, programmed to receive caller identification information for the possible user and to receive a digitally processed signature signal for the possible user from the speaker verification unit, and programmed to participate in a communication of signature data via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, in order to permit the signature signal for the possible user to be tested against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the processor,
• wherein the processor is programmed to cause a digitally processed signal representing the signature of the possible user and produced by the speaker verification unit to be stored in the first station for future reference, and wherein:
• the processor comprises a signal cache,
• the processor is programmed to cause the digitally processed signal representing the signature of the possible user and produced by the speaker verification unit to be stored in the signal cache for future reference, and
• the processor is programmed to receive from the signal cache the digitally processed signal representing the signature of the possible user and to transmit the digitally processed signal representing the signature of the possible user to the first station to cause the digitally processed signal representing the signature of the possible user to be stored in the first station for future reference.

An information processing system for verifying whether a person speaking during a telephone call is one of a plurality of authorized users of the system, comprising

• a first processing station, arranged for storing, prior to the call, data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for each of said authorized users, said valid signature and said caller identification information being sufficent to identify said person as being one of said authorized users, and
• a second processing station located at a remote location, the second station comprising
• a speaker verification unit, adapted for receiving, via the public telephone system, a telephone call comprising a voice signal representing a signature of a possible user and for digitally signal processing the signal representing the signature, and
• a processor, connected to the speaker verification unit and adapted for connection to the first station via a telephone line between the first station and the second station, programmed to receive caller identification information for the possible user and to receive a digitally processed signature signal for the possible user from the speaker verification unit, and programmed to participate in a communication of signature data via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, in order to permit the signature signal for the possible user to be tested against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the processor,
• wherein the processor is programmed to confirm authorization of the possible user to engage in a subsequent transaction, the authorization being confirmed if and only if the signal representing the signature of the possible user matches the valid signature, and
• wherein the subsequent transaction comprises recording a change to the data corresponding to the user's caller identification information.

An information processing system for verifying whether a person speaking during a telephone call is one of a plurality of authorized users of the system, comprising

• a first processing station, arranged for storing, prior to the call, data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for each of said authorized users, said valid signature and said caller identification information being sufficient to identify said person as being one of said authorized users, and
• a second processing station located at a remote location, the second station comprising
• a speaker verification unit, adapted for receiving, via the public telephone system, a telephone call comprising a voice signal representing a signature of a possible user and for digitally signal processing the signal representing the signature, and
• a processor, connected to the speaker verification unit and adapted for connection to the first station via a telephone line between the first station and the second station, programmed to receive caller identification information for the possible user and to receive a digitally processed signature signal for the possible user from the speaker verification unit, and programmed to participate in a communication of signature data via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, in order to permit the signature signal for the possible user to be tested against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the processor,
• wherein the processor is programmed to confirm authorization of the possible user to engage in a subsequent transaction, the authorization being confirmed if and only if the signal representing the signature of the possible user matches the valid signature, and
• wherein the subsequent transaction comprises recording a change to the data corresponding to the user's valid signature.

An information processing system for verifying whether a person speaking during a telephone call is one of a plurality of authorized users of the system, comprising

• a first processing station, arranged for storing, prior to the call, data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for each of said authorized users, said valid signature and said caller identification information being sufficent to indentify each of said authorized users as being an authorized user, and
• a second processing station located at a remote location, the second station comprising
• a speaker verification unit, adapted for receiving, via the public telephone system, a telephone call comprising a signal representing a signature of a possible user wherein the signal representing the signature comprises a voice signal or a tone signal, and for digitally signal processing the signal representing the signature, and
• a processor, connected to the speaker verification unit and adapted for connection to the first station via a telephone line between the first station and the second station, programmed to receive caller identification information for the possible user and to receive a digitally processed signature signal for the possible user from the speaker verification unit, and programmed to participate in a communication of signature data via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, in order to permit the signature signal for the possible user to be tested against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the processor, and
• wherein the subsequent transaction comprises recording a change to the data corresponding to the user's caller identification information.

A signal processing station for processing information, comprising

• a speaker verification unit, adapted for receiving, via the public telephone system, a telephone call from a possible user comprising a signal representing a signature of the possible user wherein the signal is comprised of a voice signal or a tone signal, and for digitally signal processing the signal representing the signature, and
• a processor, adapted for connection to the speaker verification unit, and adapted for connection to a database station via a telephone line between the signal processing station and the database station, the database station being arranged for storing data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for respective users, the processor being programmed to receive caller identification information for the possible user and to receive a digitally processed signature signal for the possible user from the speaker verification unit, and programmed to participate in a communication of signature data via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, in order to permit the signature of the possible user to be tested against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the processor,
• wherein the processor is programmed to confirm authorization of the possible user to engage in a subsequent transaction, the authorization being confirmed if and only if the signal representing the signature of the possible user matches the valid signature, and
• wherein the subsequent transaction comprises recording a change to the data corresponding to the user's caller identification information.

A signal processing station for processing information, comprising

• a speaker verification unit, adapted for receiving, via the public telephone system, a telephone call from a possible user comprising a signal representing a signature of the possible user wherein the signal is comprised of a voice signal or a tone signal, and for digitally signal processing the signal representing the signature, and
• a processor, adapted for connection to the speaker verification unit, and adapted for connection to a database station via a telephone line between the signal processing station and the database station, the database station being arranged for storing data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for respective users, the processor being programmed to receive caller identification information for the possible user and to receive a digitally processed signature signal for the possible user from the speaker verification unit, and programmed to participate in a communication of signature data via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, in order to permit the signature of the possible user to be tested against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the processor,
• wherein the processor is programmed to confirm authorization of the possible user to engage in a subsequent transaction, the authorization being confirmed if and only if the signal representing the signature of the possible user matches the valid signature, and
• wherein the subsequent transaction comprises recording a change to the data corresponding to the user's valid signature.

A signal processing station for processing information, comprising

• a speaker verification unit, adapted for receiving, via the public telephone system, a telephone call from a possible user comprising a signal representing a signature of the possible user wherein the signal is comprised of a voice signal or a tone signal, and for digitally signal processing the signal representing the signature, and
• a processor, adapted for connection to the speaker verification unit, and adapted for connection to a database station via a telephone line between the signal processing station and the database station, the database station being arranged for storing data corresponding to a valid signature and to caller identification information for respective users, the processor being programmed to receive caller identification information for the possible user and to receive a digitally processed signature signal for the possible user from the speaker verification unit, and programmed to participate in a communication of signature data via a telephone line from the first station to the second station either before the telephone call or after the telephone call, in order to permit the signature of the possible user to be tested against the valid signature of the authorized user whose caller identification information corresponds to the caller identification information received at the processor, and
• wherein the signal processing station is programmed to store a value indicating a level of matching between the signal representing the signature of the possible user and the valid signature, and to report whether the signal representing the signature of the possible user matches the valid signature to the level necessary to establish a match.