DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
1.This action is responsive to the communication filed on August 25, 2025. At this time, claim 1 has been cancelled. Claims 2- 21 are pending and addressed below.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Double Patenting
2. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the "right to exclude" granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Omum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Claims 2-21 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of US Patent number 12368709 B2. The conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the current application contains claims that are narrower in scope than the claims of the patent number 12368709 B2 and are anticipated by the claims 1-20.
This is a Non-provisional double patenting rejection.
Claims Comparison Table
19/233948
US 12368709 B2
2. (New) A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising:
receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment;
determining, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the
communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the
participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a
number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in
the communication;
establishing a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level
associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level;
transmitting, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure
prior to initiating the communication;
receiving, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication procedure;
establishing the communication upon successful verification of the responses;
detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling below a threshold;
pausing the communication; and initiating a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant.
1. A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determining, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level is based on the participant's history in previous communications, and wherein the trust level indicates types of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication; establishing a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes the types of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmitting, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication; receiving, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication procedure; establishing the communication upon successful verification of the responses; detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling below a threshold; pausing the communication in response to the detecting; and initiating, in response to the pausing, a second authentication procedure to confirm an identity of the participant.
3. (New) The method of claim 2, further comprising:
receiving, from the communication device, one or more responses to the second
authentication procedure, and one of:
resuming the communication upon successful verification of the one or more
responses to the second authentication procedure; or
terminating the communication and reducing the trust level of the participant upon
unsuccessful verification of the one or more responses to the second authentication
procedure.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the communication device, one or more responses to the second authentication procedure, and one of: resuming the communication upon successful verification of the one or more responses to the second authentication procedure; or terminating the communication and reducing the trust level of the participant upon unsuccessful verification of the one or more responses to the second authentication procedure.
4. (New) The method of claim 2, wherein the detecting the change in the biometric of the
participant comprises detecting a change in a voice of the participant.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the change in the biometric of the participant comprises detecting a change in a voice of the participant.
5. (New) The method of claim 2, further comprising: updating the trust level based on the responses to the first authentication procedure, wherein the updating the trust level comprises adding another authentication step based on unsuccessful verification of the responses or removing at least one authentication step from the first authentication procedure based on the successful verification of the responses.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: updating the trust level based on the responses to the first authentication procedure, wherein the updating the trust level comprises adding another authentication step based on unsuccessful verification of the responses or removing an authentication step from the first authentication procedure based on the successful verification of the responses.
6. (New) The method of claim 2, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first
authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving the responses to the first
authentication procedure, the method further comprises: receiving a first response to the first authentication step; and receiving a second response to the second authentication step.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first authentication step and a second authentication step, and in the receiving the responses to the first authentication procedure, the method further comprises: receiving a first response to the first authentication step; and receiving a second response to the second authentication step.
7. (New) The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining that at least one response of the responses includes an authorization of payment for the communication.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that a response from among the responses includes an authorization of payment for the communication.
8. (New) The method of claim 2, wherein authentication steps in the first authentication
procedure are selected from: a biometric challenge, a password challenge, or a confirmation
challenge.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication steps in the first authentication procedure include a biometric challenge, a password challenge, or a confirmation challenge.
9. (New) The method of claim 2, wherein the communication involves a second participant, the
method further comprising, before the establishing the communication:
determining a second trust level associated with the second participant; and
transmitting a second-participant authentication procedure that is established based on the
second trust level to the second participant.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication involves a second participant, the method further comprising, before the establishing the communication: determining a second trust level associated with the second participant; and transmitting a second-participant authentication procedure that is established based on the second trust level to the second participant.
10. (New) A server for performing variable-step authentication, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: receive, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determine, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions
of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the
participant to participate in the communication;
establish a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust
level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes at
least one of the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level or the types of
the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmit, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication
procedure prior to initiating the communication;
receive, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication
procedure; establish the communication upon successful verification of the responses;
detect a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling
below a threshold; pause the communication; and
initiate a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant.
9. A server for performing variable-step authentication, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: receive, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determine, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level is based on the participant's history in previous communications, and wherein the trust level indicates types of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication; establish a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes the types of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmit, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication; receive, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication procedure; establish the communication upon successful verification of the responses; detect a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling below a threshold; pause the communication in response to the detecting; and initiate, in response to the pausing, a second authentication procedure to confirm an identity of the participant.
11. (New) The server of claim 10, the processor further configured to: receive, from the communication device, one or more responses to the second authentication procedure, and one of:
resume the communication upon successful verification of the one or more responses
to the second authentication procedure; or
terminate the communication and reduce the trust level of the participant upon unsuccessful verification of the one or more responses to the second authentication procedure.
10. The server of claim 9, the processor further configured to: receive, from the communication device, one or more responses to the second authentication procedure, and one of: resume the communication upon successful verification of the one or more responses to the second authentication procedure; or terminate the communication and reduce the trust level of the participant upon unsuccessful verification of the one or more responses to the second authentication procedure.
12. (New) The server of claim 10, wherein the detecting the change in the biometric of the
participant comprises detecting a change in a voice of the participant.
11. The server of claim 9, wherein the detecting the change in the biometric of the participant comprises detecting a change in a voice of the participant.
13. (New) The server of claim 10, the processor further configured to:
update the trust level based on the responses to the first authentication procedure, wherein
updating the trust level comprises adding another authentication step based on unsuccessful
verification of the responses or removing at least one authentication step from the first authentication procedure based on the successful verification of the responses.
12. The server of claim 9, the processor further configured to: update the trust level based on the responses to the first authentication procedure, wherein the updating the trust level comprises adding another authentication step based on unsuccessful verification of the responses or removing at least one authentication step from the first authentication procedure based on the successful verification of the responses.
14. (New) The server of claim 10, wherein authentication steps in the first authentication
procedure are selected from: a biometric challenge, a password challenge, or a confirmation challenge.
13. The server of claim 9, wherein the authentication steps in the first authentication procedure include a biometric challenge, a password challenge, or a confirmation challenge.
15. (New) The server of claim 10, the processor further configured to:
determine that at least one response of the responses includes an authorization of payment for the communication.
14. The server of claim 9, the processor further configured to: determine that a response from among the responses includes an authorization of payment for the communication.
16. (New) The server of claim 10, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first
authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving responses to the authentication procedure, the processor is further configured to:
receive a first response to the first authentication step; and receive a second response to the second authentication step.
15. The server of claim 9, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving responses to the authentication procedure, the processor is further configured to: receive a first response to the first authentication step; and receive a second response to the second authentication step.
17. (New) A method for variable-step authentication at a communication device, comprising: transmitting, by the communication device to a server, a request for a communication
involving a participant associated with the communication device in a controlled environment, wherein the participant is associated with a trust level maintained at a database of the server, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication;
receiving, from the server, a first authentication procedure for the communication based on
the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes at least one of the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level or the types of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level;
presenting, by the communication device, a first authentication step included in the first
authentication procedure;
transmitting, to the server, a first response to the first authentication step;
receiving, from the server, a verification response indicating whether a second authentication
step is to be presented by the communication device;
presenting, by the communication device and based on the verification response, the second
authentication step included in the first authentication procedure;
transmitting, to the server, a second response to the second authentication step;
establishing the communication upon successful verification of the first and second responses;
and receiving a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant in
response to detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling
below a threshold, the second authentication procedure pausing the communication.
16. A method for variable-step authentication at a communication device, comprising: transmitting, by the communication device to a server, a request for a communication involving a participant associated with the communication device in a controlled environment, wherein the participant is associated with a trust level maintained at a database of the server, wherein the trust level is based on the participant's history in previous communications, and wherein the trust level indicates types of the authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication; receiving, from the server, a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes the types of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; presenting, by the communication device, a first authentication step included in the first authentication procedure; transmitting, to the server, a first response to the first authentication step; receiving, from the server, a verification response indicating whether a second authentication step is to be presented by the communication device; presenting, by the communication device and based on the verification response, the second authentication step included in the first authentication procedure; transmitting, to the server, a second response to the second authentication step; establishing the communication upon successful verification of the first and second responses; and receiving a second authentication procedure to confirm an identity of the participant in response to detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling below a threshold, the second authentication procedure pausing the communication.
18. (New) The method of claim 17, further comprising: sending to the server one or more responses to the second authentication procedure, and one of:
resuming the communication upon successful verification of the one or more
responses to the second authentication procedure; or terminating the communication and the server reducing the trust level of the
participant upon unsuccessful verification of the one or more responses to the second
authentication procedure.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: sending to the server one or more responses to the second authentication procedure, and one of: resuming the communication upon successful verification of the one or more responses to the second authentication procedure; or terminating the communication and the server reducing the trust level of the participant upon unsuccessful verification of the one or more responses to the second authentication procedure.
19. (New) The method of claim 17, wherein the detecting the change in the biometric of the
participant comprises detecting a change in a voice of the participant.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the detecting the change in the biometric of the participant comprises detecting a change in a voice of the participant.
20. (New) The method of claim 17, wherein the first response and the second response include
information selected from: biometric information, a password, and alphanumeric sequence.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first response and the second response include biometric information, a password, or an alphanumeric sequence.
21. (New) The method of claim 17, wherein the first response and the second response are
selected from: an email message, a short message service (SMS) message, and a biometric response.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first response and the second response each comprise an email message, a short message service (SMS) message, or a biometric response.
Claims 2, 6, 10, 16-17 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 4, 9,12 of US Patent number 11,997,081. The conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the current application contains claims that are broader in scope than the claims of the patent number 11,997,081 and are anticipated by the claims 1, 4, 9, 12 .
This is a Non-provisional double patenting rejection.
Claims Comparison Table
Application Number
19233948
Patent Number
11,997,081
2. (New) A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment;
determining, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the
communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the
participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a
number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in
the communication;
establishing a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level
associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmitting, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication;
receiving, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication procedure;
establishing the communication upon successful verification of the responses; detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling below a threshold;
pausing the communication; and initiating a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant.
1. A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a first communication device associated with a first participant, a request for a communication session involving the first communication device in a controlled environment and a second communication device located outside of the controlled environment, wherein the second communication device is associated with a second participant; determining a first trust level of the first participant, wherein the first trust level indicates a first number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the first participant to participate in the communication session; determining a second trust level of the second participant, wherein the second trust level indicates a second number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the second participant to participate in the communication session; transmitting, by the server to the first communication device, a first authentication procedure, wherein the first authentication procedure is generated based on the first trust level, and wherein a first authentication step of the first number of authentication steps comprises a first type of authentication step and a second authentication step of the first number of authentication steps comprises a second type of authentication step; transmitting, by the server to the second communication device, a second authentication procedure, wherein the second authentication procedure is generated based on the second trust level; and permitting communications over the communication session between the first communication device and the second communication device upon successful verification of responses to the first authentication procedure and the second authentication procedure.
6. (New) The method of claim 2, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first
authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving the responses to the first
authentication procedure, the method further comprises: receiving a first response to the first authentication step; and receiving a second response to the second authentication step.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises the first authentication step and the second authentication step, and wherein receiving the responses to the first authentication procedure includes: receiving a first response to the first authentication step; and receiving a second response to the second authentication step.
10. (New) A server for performing variable-step authentication, comprising: a memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: receive, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determine, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions
of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the
participant to participate in the communication;
establish a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes at
least one of the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level or the types of
the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmit, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication
procedure prior to initiating the communication;
receive, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication
procedure;
establish the communication upon successful verification of the responses;
detect a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling
below a threshold; pause the communication; and
initiate a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant.
9. A server for performing variable-step authentication, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: receive, from a first communication device associated with a first participant, a request for a communication session involving the second communication device in a controlled environment and a first communication device located outside of the controlled environment, wherein the second communication device is associated with a second participant; determine a first trust level of the first participant, wherein the first trust level indicates a first number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the first participant to participate in the communication session; determine a second trust level of the second participant, wherein the second trust level indicates a second number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the second participant to participate in the communication session; transmit, by the server to the first communication device, a first authentication procedure, wherein the first authentication procedure is generated based on the first trust level, and wherein a first authentication step of the first number of authentication steps comprises a first type of authentication step and a second authentication step of the first number of authentication steps comprises a second type of authentication step; transmit, by the server to the second communication device, a second authentication procedure, wherein the second authentication procedure is generated based on the second trust level; and permit communications over the communication session between the first communication device and the second communication device upon successful verification of responses to the first authentication procedure and the second authentication procedure.
16. (New) The server of claim 10, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first
authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving responses to the authentication procedure, the processor is further configured to: receive a first response to the first authentication step; and receive a second response to the second authentication step.
12. The server of claim 11, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises the first authentication step and the second authentication step, and in receiving the responses to the first authentication procedure, the processor is further configured to: receive a first response to the first authentication step; and receive a second response to the second authentication step.
17. (New) A method for variable-step authentication at a communication device, comprising: transmitting, by the communication device to a server, a request for a communication
involving a participant associated with the communication device in a controlled environment, wherein the participant is associated with a trust level maintained at a database of the server, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication;
receiving, from the server, a first authentication procedure for the communication based on
the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes at least one of the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level or the types of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; presenting, by the communication device, a first authentication step included in the first
authentication procedure;
transmitting, to the server, a first response to the first authentication step;
receiving, from the server, a verification response indicating whether a second authentication
step is to be presented by the communication device;
presenting, by the communication device and based on the verification response, the second
authentication step included in the first authentication procedure;
transmitting, to the server, a second response to the second authentication step;
establishing the communication upon successful verification of the first and second responses;
and receiving a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant in
response to detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling
below a threshold, the second authentication procedure pausing the communication.
1. A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a first communication device associated with a first participant, a request for a communication session involving the first communication device in a controlled environment and a second communication device located outside of the controlled environment, wherein the second communication device is associated with a second participant; determining a first trust level of the first participant, wherein the first trust level indicates a first number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the first participant to participate in the communication session; determining a second trust level of the second participant, wherein the second trust level indicates a second number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the second participant to participate in the communication session; transmitting, by the server to the first communication device, a first authentication procedure, wherein the first authentication procedure is generated based on the first trust level, and wherein a first authentication step of the first number of authentication steps comprises a first type of authentication step and a second authentication step of the first number of authentication steps comprises a second type of authentication step; transmitting, by the server to the second communication device, a second authentication procedure, wherein the second authentication procedure is generated based on the second trust level; and permitting communications over the communication session between the first communication device and the second communication device upon successful verification of responses to the first authentication procedure and the second authentication procedure.
Claims 2,6, 10 and 16-17 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-2, 7, 11 and 12 of US patent number 11,388,159. The conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the current application contains claims that are narrower in scope than the claims of the patent number 11,388,159 and are anticipated by the claims 1-2, 7, 11 and 12.
This is a non- provisional double patenting rejection since the conflicting claims have in fact been patented.
Claims Comparison Table
Application Number
19/233,948
Patent Number
11,388,159
2. (New) A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment;
determining, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the
communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the
participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a
number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in
the communication;
establishing a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level
associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmitting, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication;
receiving, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication procedure;
establishing the communication upon successful verification of the responses; detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling below a threshold; pausing the communication; and initiating a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant.
1. A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determining a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication; establishing an authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the authentication procedure includes a number of authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmitting, by the server to the communication device, the authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication; receiving, from the communication device, responses to the authentication procedure; establishing the communication upon successful verification of the responses; and updating the trust level based on the responses to the authentication procedure, wherein the updating the trust level comprises adding another authentication step to the authentication procedure in response to unsuccessful verification of the responses or removing at least one authentication step from the authentication procedure in response to the successful verification of the responses.
6. (New) The method of claim 2, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first
authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving the responses to the first
authentication procedure, the method further comprises: receiving a first response to the first authentication step; and receiving a second response to the second authentication step.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication procedure comprises a first authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving the responses to the authentication procedure, the method further comprises: receiving a first response to the first authentication step; and receiving a second response to the second authentication step.
10. (New) A server for performing variable-step authentication, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: receive, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determine, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions
of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the
participant to participate in the communication;
establish a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust
level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes at
least one of the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level or the types of
the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmit, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication;
receive, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication
procedure; establish the communication upon successful verification of the responses;
detect a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling
below a threshold; pause the communication; and
initiate a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant.
7. A server for performing variable-step authentication, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: receive, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determine a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication; establish an authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the authentication procedure includes the number of authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmit, by the server to the communication device, the authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication; receive, from the communication device, responses to the authentication procedure; establish the communication upon successful verification of the responses; and update the trust level based on the responses to the authentication procedure, wherein updating the trust level comprises adding another authentication step to the authentication procedure in response to unsuccessful verification of the responses or removing at least one authentication step from the authentication procedure in response to the successful verification of the responses.
16. (New) The server of claim 10, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first
authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving responses to the authentication procedure, the processor is further configured to: receive a first response to the first authentication step; and receive a second response to the second authentication step.
11. The server of claim 7, wherein the authentication procedure comprises a first authentication step and a second authentication step, and in receiving responses to the authentication procedure, the processor is further configured to: receive a first response to the first authentication step; and receive a second response to the second authentication step.
17. (New) A method for variable-step authentication at a communication device, comprising: transmitting, by the communication device to a server, a request for a communication
involving a participant associated with the communication device in a controlled environment, wherein the participant is associated with a trust level maintained at a database of the server, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication; receiving, from the server, a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes at least one of the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level or the types of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; presenting, by the communication device, a first authentication step included in the first authentication procedure;
transmitting, to the server, a first response to the first authentication step; receiving, from the server, a verification response indicating whether a second authentication step is to be presented by the communication device; presenting, by the communication device and based on the verification response, the second
authentication step included in the first authentication procedure;
transmitting, to the server, a second response to the second authentication step; establishing the communication upon successful verification of the first and second responses; and receiving a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant in response to detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling
below a threshold, the second authentication procedure pausing the communication.
12. A method for variable-step authentication at a communication device, comprising: transmitting, by the communication device to a server, a request for a communication involving a participant associated with the communication device in a controlled environment, wherein the participant is associated with a trust level maintained at the server and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication; receiving, from the server, an authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the authentication procedure includes a first authentication step, a second authentication step, and the number of authentication steps indicated by the trust level; presenting, by the communication device, the first authentication step included in the authentication procedure; transmitting, to the server, a first response to the first authentication step, wherein the first response is configured to cause an update to the trust level by increasing the number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in response to an unsuccessful verification of the first response; receiving, from the server and based on the update to the trust level, a verification response indicating whether the second authentication step is to be presented by the communication device; and presenting, by the communication device and based on the verification response, the second authentication step included in the authentication procedure.
Claims 2, 10 and 17 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 8 of US patent number 10728240. The conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the current application contains claims that are similar in scope than the claims of the patent number 10728240 and are anticipated by the claims 1 and 8.
This is a non- provisional double patenting rejection since the conflicting claims have in fact been patented.
Claims Comparison Table
Application Number
19/233,948
Patent Number
10728240
2. (New) A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determining, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the
participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a
number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in
the communication;
establishing a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level
associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmitting, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication;
receiving, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication procedure;
establishing the communication upon successful verification of the responses;
detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling below a threshold; pausing the communication; and initiating a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant.
1. A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determining a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device; establishing an authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the authentication procedure indicates authentication steps to be completed by the participant, wherein the authentication steps include a first authentication step and a second authentication step; selecting the authentication steps based on the trust level; transmitting, by the server, the authentication procedure to the communication device prior to initiating the communication, wherein transmitting the authentication procedure comprises: transmitting, by the server, the first authentication step to the communication device; and responsive to receiving a first response to the first authentication step, transmitting the second authentication step to the communication device; and updating the trust level based on at least one of the first response and a second response to the second authentication step, wherein updating the trust level comprises adding another authentication step or removing at least one of the authentication steps from the authentication procedure.
10. (New) A server for performing variable-step authentication, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: receive, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determine, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions
of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the
participant to participate in the communication;
establish a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust
level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes at
least one of the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level or the types of
the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmit, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication; receive, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication procedure; establish the communication upon successful verification of the responses; detect a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling
below a threshold; pause the communication; and
initiate a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant.
8. A server for performing variable-step authentication, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to: receive a request for a communication involving a first communication device in a controlled environment and a second communication device outside of the controlled environment; determine a first trust level associated with a first participant of the first communication device; determine a second trust level associated with a second participant of the second communication device; establish a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the first trust level associated with the first participant, wherein the first authentication procedure comprises a first number of authentication steps to be completed by the first participant; establish a second authentication procedure for the communication based on the second trust level associated with the second participant, wherein the second authentication procedure comprises a second number of authentication steps to be completed by the second participant; transmit the first authentication procedure to the first communication device by separately transmitting each authentication step of the first number of authentication steps; transmit the second authentication procedure to the second communication device by separately transmitting each authentication step of the second number of authentication steps; and updating the first trust level based on receiving a response to at least one authentication step in the first authentication procedure, wherein updating the first trust level comprises changing the first number of authentication steps in the first authentication procedure.
17. (New) A method for variable-step authentication at a communication device, comprising: transmitting, by the communication device to a server, a request for a communication
involving a participant associated with the communication device in a controlled environment, wherein the participant is associated with a trust level maintained at a database of the server, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to
be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication;
receiving, from the server, a first authentication procedure for the communication based on
the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes at least one of the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level or the types of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; presenting, by the communication device, a first authentication step included in the first
authentication procedure; transmitting, to the server, a first response to the first authentication step; receiving, from the server, a verification response indicating whether a second authentication step is to be presented by the communication device; presenting, by the communication device and based on the verification response, the second
authentication step included in the first authentication procedure; transmitting, to the server, a second response to the second authentication step;
establishing the communication upon successful verification of the first and second responses;
and receiving a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant in
response to detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling
below a threshold, the second authentication procedure pausing the communication.
1. A method for variable-step authentication at a server, comprising: receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determining a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device; establishing an authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the authentication procedure indicates authentication steps to be completed by the participant, wherein the authentication steps include a first authentication step and a second authentication step; selecting the authentication steps based on the trust level; transmitting, by the server, the authentication procedure to the communication device prior to initiating the communication, wherein transmitting the authentication procedure comprises: transmitting, by the server, the first authentication step to the communication device; and responsive to receiving a first response to the first authentication step, transmitting the second authentication step to the communication device; and updating the trust level based on at least one of the first response and a second response to the second authentication step, wherein updating the trust level comprises adding another authentication step or removing at least one of the authentication steps from the authentication procedure.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: As to claim 2, Polk, US pat.No 20080133761 discloses receiving, from a communication device, a request for a communication involving the communication device in a controlled environment; determining, from a database of the server, a trust level associated with a participant of the communication device, wherein the trust level is based at least in part on previous actions of the participant with regard to past authentication procedures, and wherein the trust level indicates a number of authentication steps to be successfully verified in order for the participant to participate in the communication.
Polk does not appear to explicitly disclose establishing a first authentication procedure for the communication based on the trust level associated with the participant, wherein the first authentication procedure includes the number of the authentication steps indicated by the trust level; transmitting, by the server to the communication device, the first authentication procedure prior to initiating the communication; receiving, from the communication device, responses to the first authentication procedure; establishing the communication upon successful verification of the responses; detecting a change in a biometric of the participant based on a confidence value falling below a threshold; pausing the communication; and initiating a second authentication procedure to confirm the identity of the participant as similarly recited in independent claims 10 and 17.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US8156543, title “ Method and system for authenticating a party to a transaction.”
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Date: 9/18/2026 /JOSNEL JEUDY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2438
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