Patent Application
20060153346
The present invention generally relates to on-line or web-site registration. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for verifying an on-line registration by a telephone connection separate from the on-line connection between the web-site and potential registrant.
With the increasing popularity of the Internet, and web-site surfing and usage, both commercial and personal, it has become increasingly popular to require user to register at the web-site in order to obtain information from the web-site, order goods through the web-site, etc. In some instances, the owners of the web-site wish to use the registrant's registration information to selectively target promotions, advertisements, etc. to the registrant and thus get a secondary gain in addition to having the registrant visit the web-site or use the services provided through the web-site. In other instances, the registrant's registration information is not used whatsoever, but instead, the registration information is kept completely confidential and is used only for the purposes of allowing the registrant to enter the web-site and obtain information or goods and services through the web-site.
Authentication is fundamental to every Internet transaction. Individuals and businesses who wish to engage in trade on-line must authenticate themselves by reliably establishing their identify, and presenting credentials as proof of that identity. However, when doing business on the Internet, potential registrants often register with untraceable or false e-mail addresses and phone numbers. This can compromise the intended purpose of the registration, create a breach of security and constitute fraud on the web-site owners.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a method of verifying a registrant's identity, such as through the registrant's telephone number. The present invention fulfills this need and provides other related advantages.
The present invention resides in a process for verifying an on-line registration by communicating with the registrant via telephone in addition to the on-line connection. The process generally comprises providing a web-site having an on-line registration form to a registrant. The registrant at least partially completes the on-line registration form. A telephonic connection is then established between the registrant and the verification system utilizing input or feedback from the web-site. A registration code is communicated to the registrant, and a registration code is subsequently inputted into at least one of the on-line registration forms or the verification system.
In one embodiment, the registrant provides a registrant telephone number, typically, while completing the on-line registration form at the web-site. The telephone verification system then contacts the registrant via the registrant telephone number.
In one form of this embodiment, the registration code is communicated to the registrant via the web-site before the registrant telephone number is called. The registrant can then input the registration code into the verification system by telephone when the registrant telephone number is called. This can be done by voice or keypad entry.
In another form of the embodiment, the registration code is communicated to the registrant by telephone when the registrant telephone number is called. The registration code is then input by the registrant into the on-line registration form, or otherwise at the web-site as part of the registration process.
In yet another form of this embodiment, the registrant is sent an electronic message, such as a Short Message Service (SMS message), using the registrant telephone number. Preferably, the registrant is informed via the web-site that the electronic message is being sent to the registrant via the telephone number. The electronic message may include a verification system telephone number for the registrant to call to receive the registration code, and subsequently input it into the on-line registration form; or the registration code is provided to the registrant at the web-site and the electronic message includes a verification system telephone number for the registrant to call to input the registration telephone number, such as by using voice or keypad entry.
In another embodiment, the registrant is provided a verification systems telephone number at the web-site. In one form of this embodiment, the registration code is communicated to the registrant at the web-site, and the registrant input the registration code by telephone when the verification telephone number is called, such as by voice or keypad entry using a telephone. Alternatively, the registration code is communicated to the registrant by telephone when the registrant calls the verification system telephone number, and the registration code is input into the on-line registration form.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrate, by way of example, the principals of the present invention.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
As shown in the accompanying drawings, for purpose of illustration, the present invention resides in a process for verifying an on-line registration utilizing a telephone connection separate from the on-line connection in order to verify the identity of the registrant.
With reference to
As described above, a present problem with on-line registrations is that the registrant often registers with untraceable and false e-mail addresses and telephone numbers. The present invention provides a process for verifying an on-line registration, or that at least the true identify of the registrant's telephone number so as to provide an additional layer of security and reduce fraud.
With reference now to
With reference now to
However, if the phone rings and a telephonic connection is established, the registrant answers the phone and gets a greeting which includes a prompting to enter the registration code obtained at the web-site (308). The registrant is then given the opportunity to enter the registration code by telephone (310), such as by speaking into the phone such that the verification system of the invention is enabled with speech recognition software, or by entering the code via keypad or the like. If the registration code is not entered correctly (312), the user or the registrant is given another opportunity to correctly enter the code. Preferably, as described above, the registrant is given a limited number of opportunities to insert the registration code correctly, such as two or three attempts, before the telephonic connection is disconnected and the registrant must begin the registration process over again. This is primarily to conserve system resources. However, if the registrant correctly enters the code via telephone, the registration is complete and the registrant typically obtains a message such as “you have been verified and can now log in” (314) or the like indicating that the authentication and verification process has ended and that the registrant is given access to the web-site for the particular services for which registration was initiated.
With reference now to
After the registrant has at least partially filled out the on-line web registration form, and entered his telephone number (400), the electronic message is sent to the registrant, prompting him to call a telephone number to receive a registration code in order to complete the on-line registration (402). The registrant is then given the opportunity to call the verification system (404). If the registrant does not, the registration is not accepted (406), and the registration and verification process ends. However, if the registrant calls the number given in the electronic message, the registrant is communicated a registration code (408). After obtaining the registration code, the registrant is given the opportunity to input the registration code correctly into the on-line web registration form (410). If the registrant does not correctly enter the registration code, the registrant is typically given additional opportunities to do so again (412). Preferably, as described above, the registrant is allowed a limited number of attempts to correctly enter the registration code. Typically, the registration code is short, such as three characters, so as to provide hundreds if not thousands of possible registration codes, but which is easy to write down and remember when properly obtained.
If the registrant correctly enters the registration code into the on-line registration form at the web-site, registration is complete and the registrant typically obtains message such as “you have been verified and can now log in” (414), which ends the verification and authentication process and enables the registrant to access the web-site or services provided to the web-site for which registration is required.
With reference now to
In this embodiment, the electronic message provides the registrant a registration code and prompts the registrant to call a verification system telephone number to enter the registration code in order to complete the on-line registration (502). The registrant is then given an opportunity to call the telephone number (504). If the registrant does not call the telephone number (506), the registration is unaccepted and the registration process ends. However, if the registrant does call the telephone number provided in the electronic message, the registrant is given the opportunity to enter the code correctly via telephone (508). This can incur in a variety of ways. Typically, the system will be enabled with speech recognition software or the like such that the registrant can simply speak the registration code into the telephone when calling the number. However, the system can also be devised such that the telephone keypad or the like is used to enter the previously communicated registration code. If the registrant does not correctly enter the code (510), the registrant is typically given a limited number of additional attempts to correctly enter the registration code. However, if the registrant correctly enters the registration code by telephone, registration is completed and the registrant typically obtains a message such as “you have been verified and can now log in” (512), thereby ending the verification and authentication process and enabling the registrant to complete the registration process, log into the web-site or obtain the necessary services that the registration requires.
With reference now to
The registrant is then given the opportunity to call the verification system telephone number previously provided at the web-site (604). If the registrant does not call the telephone number, the registration is not accepted (606) and the registration process ends. However, if the registrant does call and establish a telephonic connection between himself and the verification system, the registrant gets a greeting and is prompted to “enter registration code now” (608) or the like.
The registrant then enters the registration code provided at the web-site via telephone (610). If the registrant does so incorrectly (612) the registrant is given additional opportunities to do so. However, such opportunities are usually limited, as described above. If the registrant does enter the code correctly, such as by voice or keypad entry using the telephone, the registration is complete and the registrant typically obtains a message such as “you have been verified and can now log in” (614) so as to end the verification and authentication process. With the registration complete and the telephone number of the registrant verified, the registrant is given access to the web-site, or services offered through the web-site for which registration was acquired.
With reference now to
The registrant then calls the verification system telephone number (702). If the registrant does not (704), the registration is not accepted and the registration process ends. However, if the registrant does call the given verification system telephone number, the registrant is given a registration code (706).
The registrant then uses the registration code communicated by telephone and is given the opportunity to correctly enter the registration code into the on-line web registration form (708) at the web-site. If the registration code is not correctly entered, the registrant is typically given additional attempts to correctly do so (710). However, these attempts are typically limited in number so as to prevent fraud as unscrupulous registrants might attempt to randomly enter a registration code into the registration form at the web-site in an attempt to gain access without actually calling the verification system telephone number. It will be appreciated that by calling the verification system telephone number, the registrant's telephone number can typically be obtained by caller identification or the like. If the registrant correctly enters the registration code into the on-line registration form, registration is completed and the registrant obtains a message, typically, to the effect of “you have not been verified and can now log in” (712), thus ending the verification and registration process.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in all of the previously described embodiments, a telephone connection is established between the verification system and the potential registrant in order to either obtain a registration code or to input a registration code. This method of telephone verification, in real-time, provides an additional layer of security, and thereby reduces fraud. A system can be automated such so as to work twenty-four hours a day without the need to train employees or have staff on hand in order to create the telephone connection and complete registration.
Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
