Claims
- 1. A method of authenticating a user on a network, the method comprising:
based on identity information received from the user, accessing at least one data source to retrieve data associated with the user, comparing the retrieved data against a listing of possible questions associated with the retrieved data to determine associations between the retrieved data and the listing of possible questions, based on a ranking of the listing of possible questions, formulating at least one question set using questions within the listing of possible questions for which retrieved data is available, where each of the at least one question set includes at least two different questions, causing at least some of the questions from the at least one question set to be presented to the user, and, based on responses to the questions from the user, determining whether the user is authenticated.
- 2. The method of claim 1, where determining includes determining based on at least one of: a correct answer, a partially correct answer, and an incorrect answer.
- 3. The method of claim 2, where the correct answer is associated with at least one of: a point, a multiplier, and a threshold.
- 4. The method of claim 2, where the partially correct answer is associated with at least one of: a point, a multiplier, and a threshold.
- 5. The method of claim 1, where determining includes comparing the responses to the retrieved data associated with the at least some of the questions presented to the user.
- 6. The method of claim 1, where comparing the retrieved data includes parsing the retrieved data.
- 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving configuration data, where the configuration data includes at least one of: a priority ranking for the listing of potential questions, a number of question sets, a number of questions for each question set, and at least one authentication criteria.
- 8. The method of claim 7, where the at least one authentication criteria includes at least one of: a number of questions to correctly answer, a percentage of questions to answer correctly, a number of questions to answer partially correct, and a percentage of questions to answer partially correct.
- 9. The method of claim 1, where determining includes returning to causing at least some of the questions from the at least one question set to be presented to the user.
- 10. The method of claim 1, where determining includes at least one of: causing the user to be informed on non-authentication, and causing the user to be provided with instructions to proceed to a manual method of authentication.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the manual method comprises:
prompting the user for at least one access criteria, based on the access criteria, retrieving data associated with the user, based on the data, causing at least some of the questions from the at least one question set to be presented to the user, and, based on the responses to the questions from the user, and the data, determining whether the user is authenticated.
- 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, based on whether the user is authenticated, providing instructions to the user to proceed to a mail method of authentication.
- 13. The method of claim 12, where the mail method comprises:
obtaining physical specimens from the user, and, comparing the physical specimens to the retrieved data.
- 14. The method of claim 1, where the at least one data source includes personal information.
- 15. The method of claim 14, where the at least one data source includes at least one database.
- 16. The method of claim 15, where the personal information includes at least one of: credit data, debit data, demographic data, and household data.
- 17. The method of claim 1, where the at least one data source includes corporate information.
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims priority to, and incorporates herein by reference, the entire disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/432,487, filed on Dec. 11, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60432487 |
Dec 2002 |
US |