Online Pseudonym Verification and Identity Validation

摘要

Methods, systems, and computer program products for authenticating an online user. Authentication involves sending a code from a server to a user device equipped with a source of illumination and a camera capable of capturing video imagery of the online user. The user device receives the code, modulates the source of illumination in accordance with the code, and captures video imagery of the user while the source of illumination is being modulated according to the code. The captured video imagery of the online user is sent to the server where it is analyzed to detect evidence of changes in illumination that correspond to the code. If good correspondence is found, the user may be authenticated. Similar methods may be applied to other biometric data. Applications of the authentication include identify validation, pseudonym verification, and distinguishing human from non human access attempts.

主权项

1. A method of authenticating a presence of an online user, the method comprising:
sending control signals from a server to a user device, wherein the user device includes:
a source of illumination;a camera capable of capturing video imagery of the online user; andwherein the user device is capable of:
receiving the control signals;modulating the source of illumination in accordance with the received control signals; andtransmitting captured video imagery of the online user to the server; receiving at the server video imagery transmitted by the user device, wherein the video imagery is captured by the camera while the source of illumination is being modulated in accordance with the control signals during authentication of the online user; in a first analyzing step, analyzing the received video imagery to detect frames that show changes in reflected illumination in temporal correspondence with the control signals; in a second analyzing step, determining a spatial arrangement of the brightness changes in reflected illumination in the detected frames and determining a degree of consistency of the spatial arrangement of the brightness changes in reflected illumination with a spatial arrangement of brightness changes that would be expected from a three-dimensional shape comprising a plurality of features of a human body part present during authentication; using results of the first analyzing step to determine a first likelihood that the received video imagery was captured from an object viewed by the camera in real time, wherein the determination of the first likelihood is independent of video imagery captured during enrollment of the online user; using results of the second analyzing step to determine a second likelihood that the received video imagery captured a human body part present during authentication, wherein determination of the second likelihood is independent of movement of the online user in response to the modulation of the illumination; and generating an authentication response based on the first likelihood and the second likelihood.