Systems and methods for multifactor authentication

Abstract

The invention provides an authentication system and method. In particular, the invention provides a method for performing a financial authentication utilizing a token associated with a user, the method comprising the token generating a set of display characters that are viewable by the user, the token generating the display characters using logic; the user transforming a portion of the set of display characters using a transformation process, based on knowledge of the user, so as to form a display character sequence; the user outputting the display character sequence to an authentication entity; and the authentication entity authenticating the display character sequence using the logic and knowledge of the transformation.

1 . A system for processing authentication information associated with a transaction effected by a user, the system comprising:
 a user authentication device comprising:
 a display comprising a plurality of display positions; and 
 a user authentication device computer processor generating a display character for each display position based on logic and a predetermined progression, and outputting the display characters to the display positions so as to be readable by the user; and 
   an authentication entity system comprising:
 an input portion that receives an input character sequence consisting of fewer than all of the display characters displayed on the user authentication device; and 
 an authentication system computer processor that:
 generates a set of authenticating characters based on the logic and the predetermined progression and uses a stored user-selected pattern to select fewer than all of the authenticating characters as an authorizing character sequence, the stored user-selected pattern specifying an order of the authentication characters in the authentication character sequence relative to the display positions; 
 compares the authorizing character sequence to the input character sequence; and 
 authenticates the transaction based on the comparison. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The authentication system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic further comprises a transformation of data. 
     
     
         4 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The authentication system of  claim 1 , wherein the user authentication device is associated with credit card user; and the authentication entity system being maintained by a bank. 
     
     
         7 . The authentication system of  claim 6 , wherein the logic uses an algorithm to generate the plurality of display characters, the algorithm generating the plurality of display characters in a predetermined manner known to the authentication entity system. 
     
     
         8 . The authentication system of  claim 1 , wherein the user authentication device further includes a display button, and the user authentication device operable such that pressing of the display button by the user results in the display characters being displayed in the respective display positions. 
     
     
         9 . The authentication system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication channel is one selected from the group consisting of a telephone line channel, radio signal, infrared and network. 
     
     
         10 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The authentication system of  claim 1 , wherein each display character is a number. 
     
     
         13 . The authentication system of  claim 1 , wherein the user authentication device is in the form of a handheld token. 
     
     
         14 . The authentication system of  claim 1 , wherein the user authentication device is in the form of a program running on a computer, the computer is connected to a network. 
     
     
         15 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The authentication system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined transformation includes adding a value of 1 (one) to select characters in the display portion. 
     
     
         40 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . An authentication system maintained by an authentication entity that processes authentication information associated with a transaction effected by a user, the authentication system comprising:
 an input portion that receives an input character sequence from a customer consisting of fewer than all of the display characters displayed by a user authentication device associated with the customer using a plurality of display positions;   a processing portion comprising at least one computer processor that generates a set of authenticating characters based on logic and users a stored user-selected pattern to select fewer than all of the authenticating characters as an authorizing character sequence, the stored user-selected pattern specifying an order of the authenticating characters in the authenticating character sequence relative to the display positions; and   a comparison portion that compares the authorizing character sequence to the input character sequence and authenticates the transaction based on the comparison;   wherein the display characters and the authenticating characters are generated using the same logic.   
     
     
         45 . (canceled)