US 9,426,137 B2Granted

Mobile device user authentication based on user behavior information

AssigneeVerizon Patent and Licensing Inc.

InventorsManuel Enrique Caceres, Yuk Lun Li

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Abstract

Authentication involves collecting information relating to a user's behavior relative to a mobile device carried by the user, over a number of time periods that correspond to each other. An authentication technique includes processing the collected information to generate baseline data representing typical user behavior. The authentication technique includes collecting additional information relating to the user's behavior relative to the mobile device over another time period that corresponds to the time periods used to generate the baseline data. The additional information relating to the user's behavior is compared to the baseline data, and a difference between the additional information and the baseline data is determined. An authentication procedure is then applied based on the difference. The authentication may be performed by a mobile device such as a smartphone.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device and at periodic intervals over a plurality of time periods, user information associated with a behavior of a user relative to a mobile device associated with the user,
the user information including:
information associated with locations of the mobile device during the periodic intervals over the plurality of time periods, and
other information associated with activities performed by the mobile device during the periodic intervals over the plurality of time periods;
generating, by the device, at least one frequency distribution based on the user information and as the user information is received at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods;
determining, by the device and as the user information is received at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods, whether user information, satisfying a predetermined threshold, is received to generate baseline user data that represents typical user behavior;
processing, by the device, the user information to generate the baseline user data, at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods, when the user information, satisfying the predetermined threshold, is received,
processing the user information comprising generating the baseline user data based on a most common behavior of the user relative to the mobile device during a particular time of day;
receiving, by the device and after the baseline user data is generated, additional user information associated with the behavior of the user relative to the mobile device,
the additional user information comprising different information associated with an activity performed by the mobile device after the baseline user data is generated,
the user being proximate to the mobile device during the activity;
comparing, by the device, the additional user information to the baseline user data;
determining, by the device, a difference between the additional user information and the baseline user data based on the comparing;
selecting, by the device, an authentication procedure, from a plurality of authentication procedures, based on the difference between the additional user information and the baseline user data;
and
applying, by the device, the authentication procedure to authenticate the user.

13 more elements

A mobile device, comprising:

at least one sensor to:
receive, at periodic intervals over a plurality of time periods, user information associated with a behavior of a user relative to the mobile device,
the user information including:
information associated with locations of the mobile device during the periodic intervals over the plurality of time periods, and
other information associated with activities performed by the mobile device during the periodic intervals over the plurality of time periods;
and
receive, over a time period occurring after the plurality of time periods, additional user information associated with the behavior of the user relative to the mobile device;
and
at least one processor to:
generate at least one frequency distribution based on the user information and as the user information is received at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods;
determine, as the user information is received at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods, whether user information, satisfying a predetermined threshold, is received to generate baseline user data that represents typical user behavior;
process the user information to generate the baseline user data, at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods, when the user information, satisfying the predetermined threshold, is received,
the at least one processor, when processing the user information, is to generate the baseline user data based on a most common behavior of the user relative to the mobile device during a particular time of day;
compare the additional user information to the baseline user data,
the additional user information comprising different information associated with an activity performed by the mobile device after the baseline user data is generated,
the user being proximate to the mobile device during the activity;
determine a difference between the additional user information and the baseline user data based on the comparing;
select an authentication procedure, from a plurality of authentication procedures, based on the difference between the additional user information and the baseline user data;
and
apply the authentication procedure to authenticate the user.

17 more elements

A computer-readable storage medium for storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the one or more processors to:
receive, at periodic intervals over a plurality of time periods, user information associated with a behavior of a user relative to a mobile device associated with the user,
the user information including:
information associated with locations of the mobile device during the periodic intervals over the plurality of time periods, and
other information associated with activities performed by the mobile device during the periodic intervals over the plurality of time periods;
generate at least one frequency distribution based on the user information and as the user information is received at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods;
determine, as the user information is received at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods, whether user information, satisfying a predetermined threshold, is received to generate baseline user data that represents typical user behavior;
process the user information to generate the baseline user data, at each periodic interval over the plurality of time periods, when the user information, satisfying the predetermined threshold, is received,
the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to process the user information, cause the one or more processors to generate the baseline user data based on a most common behavior of the user relative to the mobile device during a particular time of day;
receive, after the baseline user data is generated, additional user information associated with the behavior of the user relative to the mobile device,
the additional user information comprising different information associated with an activity performed by the mobile device after the baseline user data is generated,
the user being proximate to the mobile device during the activity;
compare the additional user information to the baseline user data;
determine a difference between the additional user information and the baseline user data based on the comparing;
select an authentication procedure, from a plurality of authentication procedures, based on the difference between the additional user information and the baseline user data;
and
apply the authentication procedure to authenticate the user.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/331,620Filed 15 Jul 2014
Published: US 2016/0021081 A121 Jan 2016
Granted: 23 Aug 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H04L 63/08
Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security: for authentication of entities
G06F 21/316
User authentication: by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
G06F 21/32
User authentication: using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
H04L 63/0861
For authentication of entities: using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan