US-12620045-B2 - System and method of identity verification

US12620045B2US 12620045 B2US12620045 B2US 12620045B2US-12620045-B2

Abstract

A system and method of verifying the identity of a user or registrant. The user or registrant provides identification information and registration information. The identification information may be a visual representation of an identifying item associated with location information. In some embodiments, the identification information may be a visual representation of a government issued identity. An identification module verifies the identification information and compares the verified identification information to the registration information.

Inventors

Donald E. Irwin
Paul Anthony Bernicchi
Nan K. MCKENZIE
William A. Tartal
Victoria K. Stephen
Michael J. Amato
William G. Ackerman
Robert E. Dixon
Daniel W. Smith
Gregory Crabb

Assignees

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20221121

Claims (20)

1 . A system for providing access to a secure locker, the system comprising: a user interface configured to receive registration information and an image of an identifying document, the user interface comprising an application installed on a mobile computing device associated with a registrant, the application configured to: receive, from the registrant, a registration request associated with the registration information and the image of the identifying document; in response to receiving the registration request, automatically access a memory of the mobile computing device storing a telephone number that uniquely identifies the mobile computing device; and cause the mobile computing device to transmit, to a distribution network, the telephone number, geographic location data corresponding to the mobile computing device, the registration information, and the image of the identifying document; a server in communication with the user interface, the server configured to: receive the registration request; process the image of the identifying document to detect a portion of the image containing a security feature of the identifying document; send the portion of the image containing the security feature to a government verification system; receive, from the government verification system, a verification that the security feature matches stored historical information; verify the registration information by comparing the registration information to the portion of the image containing the security feature; verify the telephone number by querying an external verification system; verify the registrant based on the received verification from the government verification system, on the verified telephone number, and on the verified registration information; in response to verifying the registrant, send a computer readable code to the user interface; receive, from the user interface, a photograph of the registrant's face; and perform facial recognition, based on the photograph and on biometric information stored in a database, for confirmation of the registrant's identity; and a plurality of secure lockers located in a plurality of geographic locations and accessible by the distribution network, a first secure locker of the plurality of secure lockers having stored therein a mail piece which has been delivered, by the distribution network, to the secure locker for delivery to the registrant, the first secure locker being selected by the distribution network for delivery of the mail piece to the registrant based on being located in a geographic region corresponding to the geographic location data received from the application, the first secure locker comprising: a scanner configured to scan the computer readable code from a display of the mobile computing device; and an access module in communication with the scanner, the access module configured to: receive the computer readable code from the scanner; verify the computer readable code with the server; confirm the registrant's identity based on the facial recognition; and unlock the first secure locker, in response to verifying the computer readable code with the server and confirming the registrant's identity based on the facial recognition, to allow the registrant to retrieve the mail piece from the first secure locker.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the registration information comprises address information and location information indicative of registrant location at a time of registration.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the access module is in wireless communication with the user interface.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the wireless communication is via a low power radio frequency connection.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable code is a digital token.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the digital token is received wirelessly by the scanner from a user device in proximity to the first secure locker.
7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a compartment within the first secure locker, wherein the compartment contains a parcel intended for a specific user.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the access module is further configured to open the compartment containing the parcel in response to receiving the computer readable code.
9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device displays the user interface.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the scanner is configured to scan the computer readable code by scanning the user interface on the mobile computing device.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface receives the registration information and the image of the identifying document from the registrant.
12 . A method for providing access to a secure locker, the method comprising: receiving, in a user interface, registration information and an image of an identifying document, the user interface comprising an application installed on a mobile computing device associated with a registrant; receiving, by the application from the registrant, a registration request associated with the registration information and the image of the identifying document; automatically accessing, by application in response to receiving the registration request, a memory of the mobile computing device storing a telephone number that uniquely identifies the mobile computing device; causing the mobile computing device to transmit, to a server, the telephone number, geographic location data corresponding to the mobile computing device, the registration information, and the image of the identifying document; processing, by the server, the image of the identifying document to detect a portion of the image containing a security feature in the identifying document; sending, by the server, the portion of the image containing the security feature to a government verification system; receiving, from the government verification system, a verification that the security feature matches stored historical information; verifying, by the server, the registration information by comparing the registration information to the portion of the image containing the security feature; verifying, by the server, the telephone number by querying an external verification system; verifying, by the server, the registrant based on the received verification from the government verification system, on the verified telephone number, and on the verified registration information; generating, by the server, a computer readable code in response to verifying the registrant; sending the computer readable code to the user interface; receiving, from the user interface, a photograph of the registrant's face; performing facial recognition, based on the photograph and on biometric information stored in a database, for confirmation of the registrant's identity; receiving, from the application at a distribution network, the geographic location data; selecting, by the distribution network, a first secure locker of a plurality of secure lockers located in a plurality of geographic locations, wherein the first secure locker is selected based on being located in a geographic region corresponding to the geographic location data received from the application; delivering a mail piece, by the distribution network, to the first secure locker; scanning, by a scanner on the secure locker, the computer readable code from a display of the mobile computing device; transmitting, to the server, the computer readable code from an access module in communication with the scanner; verifying, by the server, the computer readable code; confirming the registrant's identity based on the facial recognition; and unlocking the first secure locker, in response to verifying the computer readable code by the server and confirming the registrant's identity based on the facial recognition, to allow the registrant to retrieve the mail piece from the first secure locker.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the registration information and the image of the identifying document comprises receiving the registration information and the image of the identifying document from the registrant.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the user interface is usable on a mobile computing device.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the computer readable code is a digital token stored on the mobile computing device.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein scanning the digital token comprises receiving the digital token via a low power radio frequency connection between the mobile computing device and the scanner.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein receiving the digital token comprises automatically receiving the digital token when the registrant is in proximity to the scanner.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein scanning the computer readable code comprises scanning a displayed graphic on the mobile computing device.
19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving, in a compartment of the first secure locker, a parcel.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising opening the compartment containing the parcel in response to verifying the computer readable code.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF PRIORITY APPLICATIONS Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57. This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/239,386, filed Apr. 23, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/967,083, filed Dec. 11, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,991,061, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/208,421, filed Mar. 13, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,311,646, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Application No. 61/792,749, filed Mar. 15, 2013, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field This disclosure relates to identity verification and mobile applications. Specifically, the disclosure relates to verifying an individual's identity using electronic means. Background Institutions are increasingly providing access for a user to conduct transactions and exchange information using an application available on a mobile electronic device or a home computer. Frequently, the transactions or information is confidential, and may be subject to institutional or legal requirements, such as opening an account or signing up with or to provide or receive services from an entity. Customers like the convenience and access offered by mobile applications and, the institutions like the simplified transactions and/or increased revenues. Transactions conducted online or via mobile applications often require a new customer to apply for enrollment which may include applying for an account. To apply for the enrollment, an applicant typically must provide positive proof of identity. Providing proof of identity online or via a mobile application is made more difficult by growing concern regarding fraud. Identity thieves can steal or otherwise gain access to personal information of a victim and use the information to fraudulently obtain an enrollment in a membership, a merchant or a commercial account, under a victim's name. Additionally, some information and transactions are regulated by state and/or federal law such as, for example, information and transactions involving the U.S. Mail, or other entities. Accordingly, a system for verifying identity online or through a mobile application is desirable. SUMMARY In one aspect described herein a system for verifying identity comprises a server configured to receive registration information and identification information from a registrant; an identification module in communication with the server, wherein the identification module is configured to receive the registration information and the identification information, and wherein the identification module is configured to verify the identification information, and to compare the verified identification information to the registration information; and wherein the server is configured to verify the identity of the registrant based on the comparison of the verified identification information to the registration information. In some embodiments, the identification information comprises a visual indication of a government issued identification. In some embodiments, the identification information comprises a visual representation of an identifying item. In some embodiments, the visual representation of the identifying item is associated with location information. In some embodiments, the identification module is configured to verify the visual representation of the identifying item by comparing location information in the identification module with the location information associated with the visual representation of the identifying item. In some embodiments, the identification module comprises more than one identification module. In some embodiments, wherein the identification module is in communication with a third party verification database or government agency verification database. In some embodiments, the identification module comprises a plurality of identification modules, and wherein another of the plurality of identification modules is in communication with a location verification database. In another aspect, a system for verifying identity comprises a server configured to receive registration information from a registrant; an identity proofing system in communication with the server, wherein the identity proofing system is configured to receive a first portion of the identification information from the server and provide a first verification of the first portion of the registration information to the server; an identity database in communication with the server, wherein the identity database is configured to receive a second portion of the identification information from the server and provide a second verification of the second portion of the registration information to the server; and wherein the server is further configured to receive the fir