Patent Document ID: 8719911
Application ID: 12968964
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of authenticating an identity of a user, comprising: evaluating the identity of the user using a plurality of authentication techniques, the plurality of authentication techniques generating a plurality of numerical confidence indicators, respectively, of the identity of the user; associating a plurality of authentication technique weights with the plurality of numerical confidence indicators, respectively; and calculating a weighted combination of the respective numerical confidence indicators using the plurality of authentication technique weights to generate a composite numerical confidence indicator of the identity of the user; wherein the plurality of authentication techniques comprises an authentication technique based on knowledge associated with the user, an authentication technique based on a possession associated with the user, and an authentication technique based on an innate characteristic associated with the user; wherein one of the plurality of authentication techniques uses a plurality of authentication factors to generate one of the plurality of numerical confidence indicators, the method further comprising: using the plurality of authentication factors to generate a plurality of numerical confidence sub-indicators, respectively, of the identity of the user; associating a plurality authentication factor weights with the plurality of numerical confidence sub-indicators, respectively; and calculating a weighted combination of the respective numerical confidence sub-indicators to generate the one of the plurality of numerical confidence indicators; and wherein the authentication technique based on the possession associated with the user uses the plurality of authentication factors and wherein the plurality of authentication factors comprises a smart card and a hardware token.