Modifiable authentication levels in authentication systems for transactions

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a processing device, a first request for a transaction from a communications device, the first request comprising information of a customer to be authenticated and a price of a product or service to be purchased by the customer;

setting, using the processing device, an authentication level based on the price;

transmitting, from the processing device, a second request for identification information of the customer to a mobile communications device of the customer;

receiving, at the processing device, the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request;

generating authentication information at the processing device; and

transmitting, from the processing device, the authentication information to the communications device in response to the first request.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting comprises:

selecting a first authentication level in response to the price being equal to or less than a first threshold;

selecting a second authentication level in response to the price being greater than the first threshold and equal to or less than a second threshold; and

selecting a third authentication level in response to the price being greater than the second threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

storing a purchase history of the customer in the processing device or the communications device, wherein the purchase history comprises a frequency of purchase and a purchase amount of the product or service; and

setting the first threshold and the second threshold based on the purchase history.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selecting further comprises:

analyzing, using the processing device, a purchasing trend of the customer for the product or service;

increasing, using the processing device, the first threshold to be the price in response to the price approximating the purchasing trend; and

decreasing, using the processing device, the first threshold to be below the price in response to the price not approximating the purchasing trend.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

unconditionally authenticating the transaction before transmitting the second request using the authentication information in response to the first authentication level being selected and transmitting the second request after completion of the transaction;

authenticating the transaction after receiving the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request, in response to the second authentication level being selected by generating the authentication information based on the identification information; and

authenticating the transaction, in response to the third authentication level being selected, after:

receiving the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request;

transmitting, from the processing device, a third request to the communications device for additional identification information; and

receiving the additional identification information from the communications device, the authentication information being generated based on the identification information and the additional identification information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication level is further based on at least one of:

a location of the communications device;

a physical characteristic of the product or service; and

a frequency of purchase of the product or service.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, at a host computer, a first request for a transaction from a communications terminal, the first request comprising information of a customer to be authenticated and information identifying a parameter of the transaction;

setting an authentication level based on the parameter of the transaction;

transmitting, from the host computer, a second request for identification information of the customer to a mobile communications device of the customer;

receiving, at the host computer, the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request;

generating authentication information at the host computer; and

transmitting, from the host computer, the authentication information to the communications terminal in response to the first request.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the setting comprises:

selecting a first authentication level in response to the parameter being within a first threshold;

selecting a second authentication level in response to the parameter exceeding the first threshold and being within a second threshold; and

selecting a third authentication level in response to the parameter exceeding the first threshold and the second threshold.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

unconditionally authenticating the transaction before transmitting the second request using the authentication information in response to the first authentication level being selected and transmitting the second request after completion, of the transaction;

authenticating the transaction after receiving the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request, in response to the second authentication level is being selected by generating the authentication information based on the identification information; and

authenticating the transaction, in response to the third authentication level being selected, after:

receiving the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request;

transmitting, from the host computer, a third request to the communications, terminal for additional identification information; and

receiving the additional identification information from the communications terminal, the authentication information being generated based on the identification information and the additional identification information.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the parameter is one or more of:

a price of the transaction for a product or service;

a location of the service terminal;

a physical characteristic of the product or service; and

a frequency of purchase by the customer of the product or service.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

storing a purchase history of the customer in the host computer or the communications terminal, wherein the purchase history comprises the frequency of purchase and the price of the transaction; and

setting the first threshold and the second threshold based on the purchase history.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

storing a transaction history of the customer in the host computer or the mobile communications device, wherein the transaction history comprises a location of the communications terminal; and

setting the first threshold and the second threshold based on a geographic area produced from the transaction history.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

storing the frequency of purchase of the product or service by the customer in the host computer or the communications terminal; and

setting the first threshold and the second threshold based on the frequency of purchase of the product or service.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

analyzing, using the host computer, a purchasing trend of the customer for the product or service;

increasing, using the host computer, the first threshold to be the price in response to the price approximating the purchasing trend; and

decreasing, using the host computer, the first threshold to be below the price in response to the price not approximating the purchasing trend.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a host device, cause the host device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first request for a transaction from a communications device, the first request comprising information of a customer to be authenticated and information identifying a price of a product or service to be purchased in the transaction;

setting an authentication level based on the price of the transaction;

transmitting a second request for identification information of the customer to a mobile communications device of the customer;

receiving the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request;

generating authentication information at the processing device; and

transmitting the authentication information to the communications device in response to the first request.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the setting comprises:

selecting a first authentication level in response to the price being equal to or less than a first threshold;

selecting a second authentication level in response to the price being greater than the first threshold and equal to or less than a second threshold; and

selecting a third authentication level in response to the price being greater than the second threshold.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , further comprising:

unconditionally authenticating the transaction before transmitting the second request using the authentication information in response to the first authentication level being selected and transmitting the second request after completion of the transaction;

authenticating the transaction after receiving the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request in response to the second authentication level being selected by generating the authentication information based on the identification information; and

authenticating the transaction, in response to the third authentication level being selected, after:

receiving the identification information from the mobile communications device in response to the second request;

transmitting a third request to the communications device for additional identification information; and

receiving the additional authentication information from the communications device, the authentication information being generated based on the identification information and the additional identification information.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , further comprising:

storing a purchase history of the customer in the host device or the communications device, wherein the purchase history comprises the frequency of purchase and the price of the transaction; and

setting the first threshold and the second threshold based on the purchase history.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the selecting further comprises:

analyzing a purchasing trend of the customer for the product or service;

increasing the first threshold to be the price in response to the price approximating the purchasing trend; and

decreasing the first threshold to be below the price in response to the price not approximating the purchasing trend.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the setting of the authentication level is based on one or more of:

a location of the communications device;

a physical characteristic of the product or service; and

a frequency of purchase of the product or service.