Automated identity assessment method and system

Abstract

A method, system and software for assessing an entity (15) at a first user terminal (13) connected to a data network (10). A control system (11) is used to receive an access request (101) from the entity (15) or an assessing user (16) at a second user terminal (14). The control system (11) invokes or facilitates transmission of unpredictable challenge prompts (18) to the entity (15) for a performance of corresponding visible response actions (20). A video recording (21) of the prompted action performance is stored in a data store (61) and the control system performs an automated assessment of the video recording (21) by a gesture recognition system (67d) and a facial recognition system (67c) and then generates an assessment signal respectively including a positive or negative indication of whether or not said entity (15) validly performed the response actions and there is a face match.

1 . A method of assessing an entity at a first user terminal, the method using a control system including a gesture recognition system and a facial recognition system, the control system operable to perform the method of assessing an entity, the method including:
 invoking or facilitating transmission of at least one unpredictable challenge prompt to said entity for prompting a performance of a corresponding visible prompted response action;   capturing at least one video recording of the entity's performance;   performing an automated assessment of said recording using the gesture recognition system and facial recognition system, the assessment by the facial recognition system including comparing at least one portion of said video recording with at least part of a reference image, video or biometric data to determine a correlation indicative of the similarity between the recorded face and the reference image, video or biometric data;   generating one or more assessment signals indicative of said assessment, the one or more assessment signals respectively indicating a positive, negative or other determination of whether or not the entity validly performed the prompted response action and whether said correlation exceeds a threshold indicating a match between the video recording with said at least part of the reference image, video or biometric data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said reference image, video or biometric data comprises a reference image sent to said control system by said entity. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said reference image is sent to said control system by said entity during a step preceding said step of capturing at least one video recording. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the entity is communicating on a data network via a first user terminal connected to the data network, wherein the data network includes one or more user records, collectively forming a “user account”, in a database in a data store accessible by a control system and wherein the user account includes a set of identifying characteristics relating to a registered user, the method utilising the control system operable to perform the steps of:
 a) receiving an access request from at least one of, the entity, or an assessing user at a second user terminal connected to the data network; 
 b) invoking or facilitating transmission of the at least one unpredictable challenge prompt to the entity for a performance of the corresponding response action, the transmission invoked by providing computer-executable code or computer-readable data to software on the first user terminal. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the data network includes a “virtual network” formed from connections between multiple users connected to the data network, said virtual network embodied in related data records in the database, each data record corresponding to a registered user or a user terminal. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the facial recognition or gesture recognition system utilises anatomical geometry recognition as part of the assessment. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises invoking or facilitating transmission a sequence of at least two said unpredictable challenge prompts, provided to prompt the entity to perform a sequence of corresponding response actions. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the assessment is conducted after each individual prompt and corresponding recording. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein, the prompts are provided to the entity with a time delay between each prompt, the time delays between each prompt being selected from the range between zero seconds and five seconds. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , including the further step of c) invoking or facilitating transmission of the video recording from said first user terminal and details of said prompt to a second user terminal for viewing and assessment by an assessing user at a second user terminal connected to the data network. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein steps b) and c) include invoking storage of the video recording in memory for streaming over the data network to the second user terminal. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said prompts describe, portray or relate to the actions to be performed. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein a data store for storing the recording is provided separately to a user data store containing the database of user account records. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one unpredictable challenge prompt includes an instruction to perform movements or gestures of the eyes. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the method includes instructing the entity to look at a user interface element on a display and the prompt includes a change in displayed position of the user interface element on the display. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control system includes one or more additional user identification systems selected from the group including:
 fingerprint scanner;   iris scanner;   fingerprint identification;   hand geometry;   palm vein authentication;   retina scanner;   voice recognition system;   any combination or permutation of the above.   
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control system performs said method upon receiving an access request, the access request including a request to make a purchase or sale of a good or service. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first user terminal includes the control system. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the video recording and at least one challenge prompt collectively comprise a digital signature indicating acceptance of a contract. 
     
     
         20 . A method of digital onboarding, including assessing an entity at a first user terminal, the method using a control system including a gesture recognition system and a facial recognition system, the control system operable to perform the method of assessing an entity, the method including:
 receiving an access request from the entity;   invoking or facilitating transmission of at least one unpredictable challenge prompt to said entity for prompting a performance of a corresponding visible prompted response action;   capturing at least one video recording of the entity's performance;   performing an automated assessment of said recording using the gesture recognition system and facial recognition system, said assessment by the facial recognition system including comparing at least a portion of said video recording with at least part of a reference image, video or biometric data to determine a correlation indicative of the similarity between the recorded face and the reference image, video or biometric data;   generating one or more assessment signals indicative of said assessment, the one or more assessment signals respectively indicating a positive, negative or other determination of whether or not the entity validly performed the prompted response action and whether said correlation exceeds a threshold indicating a match between the video recording with said at least part of the reference image, video or biometric data.