Workstation and client device pairing

• US 10,187,791 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRB Innovations Incorporated (H&R Block, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HRB Innovations Incorporated (H&R Block, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jaman, Mani, Meade, Jr., Kenneth, Selvamoni, Umapathy, Nuetzmann, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US15/092,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20170295242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity

Abstract

To assist a professional with performing professional services, a client device is paired to a workstation via a server. The workstation creates a code indicative of the workstation and displays the code on a display of the workstation such that the client device can capture the code. The server is communicatively coupled with the workstation and the client device. The server is configured to receive a set of credentials from the client device, including information indicative of the code that was displayed on the workstation. The server analyzes the set of credentials to identify said workstation and pairs the client device with the workstation based upon said analysis of the code. The pairing allows the client device and the workstation to share information to assist the professional with performing professional services.

Claims

1. A system for pairing a client device to assist a professional with performing professional services, the system comprising:

a workstation associated with the professional,

wherein the workstation creates a code indicative of the workstation,

wherein the workstation displays the code on a display of the workstation such that the client device can capture the code; and

a server communicatively coupled with the workstation and the client device,

wherein the server is configured to receive a set of credentials from the client device,

wherein the set of credentials includes information indicative of the code that was displayed on the workstation,

wherein the server analyzes the set of credentials to identify said workstation,

wherein the server pairs the client device with the workstation based upon said analysis of the code,

wherein said pairing allows the client device to send, to the workstation, information entered into the client device to be utilized by the professional with performing professional services,

wherein said pairing allows the workstation to send, to the client device, information entered into the workstation to be reviewed by the client.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the client device is owned and controlled by the client.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein at least a portion of the information entered into the client device was entered prior to the workstation creating the code,

wherein at least a portion of the information entered into the workstation was entered after the workstation created the code.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the client device captures the code displayed on the display of the workstation by taking a photograph of said code utilizing a camera of the client device.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein the client device is controlled by the professional and allocated to the client while the client is at a professional location associated with the professional,

wherein the client device is a first client device and is member of a set of client devices,

wherein the first client device is assigned to the user from the set of client devices at the professional location,

wherein said set of credentials includes information indicative of the first client device such that the server can identify that the first client device is to be paired with the workstation.

6. The system of claim 1,

wherein said workstation is a first workstation and is a member of a set of workstations,

wherein the server identifies that the first workstation is to be paired with the client device based upon said analysis of the said information indicative of the code in said set of credentials.

7. The system of claim 1,

wherein at least a portion of the code that is displayed on the workstation is indicative of a portion of an internet protocol address of the workstation,

wherein the client device combines said portion of the internet protocol address of the workstation with an internet protocol of the client device to fully determine the internet protocol address of the workstation.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the server determines to pair the client device with the workstation based upon the client device providing said fully determined internet protocol address of the workstation.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the code that is displayed on the display of the workstation includes a security password.

10. The system of claim 9,

wherein the server verifies that the security password provided by the client device matches the security password displayed in the code,

wherein the server determines that the client device is physically proximate to the workstation based upon the client device providing the security password to the server.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the professional services are in a field that is selected from the group consisting of tax return preparation, financial services, medical services, government agencies, and commercial services.

12. A system to assist a professional with performing professional services, the system comprising:

a first computing device is configured to present a code indicative of the first computing device,

wherein the first computing device displays the code on a display of the first computing device;

a second computing device configured to capture the code displayed on the display of the first computing device; and

a server communicatively coupled with the first computing device and the second device,

wherein the server is configured to receive a set of credentials from the second computing device,

wherein the set of credentials includes information indicative of the code that was displayed on the first computing device,

wherein the server analyzes the set of credentials to identify the first computing device,

wherein the server pairs the first computing device with the second computing device based upon said analysis of the code,

wherein said pairing allows the first computing device to send, to the workstation, information entered into the client device to be utilized by the professional with performing professional services,

wherein said pairing allows the second computing device to send, to the first computing device, information entered into the second computing device to be reviewed by the client.

13. The system of claim 12,

wherein the first computing device is a workstation utilized by the professional in performing the professional services,

wherein the second computing device is a client device utilized by a client to provide information to the professional,

wherein at least a portion of the information entered into the client device was entered prior to the workstation creating the code,

wherein at least a portion of the information entered into the workstation was entered after the workstation created the code.

14. The system of claim 13,

wherein the workstation is selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer and a desktop computer,

wherein the client device is selected from the group consisting of a smart phone and a tablet computer.

15. The system of claim 12,

wherein the first computing device is a client device utilized by a client to provide information to the professional,

wherein the second computing device is a workstation utilized by the professional in performing the professional services,

wherein at least a portion of the information entered into the client device was entered prior to the workstation creating the code,

wherein at least a portion of the information entered into the workstation was entered after the workstation created the code.

16. The system of claim 12,

wherein at least a portion of the code that is displayed on the first computing device is indicative of a portion of an internet protocol address of the first computing device,

wherein the second computing device combines said portion of the internet protocol address of the first computing device with an internet protocol of the second computing device to fully determine the internet protocol address of the first computing device,

wherein the server determines to pair the second computing device with the first computing device based upon the second computing device providing said fully determined internet protocol address of the first computing device.

17. The system of claim 12,

wherein the code that is displayed on the display of the first computing device includes a security password,

wherein the server verifies that the security password provided by the client device matches the security password displayed in the code,

wherein the server determines that the second computing device is physically proximate to the first computing device based upon the second computing device providing the security password to the server.

18. A computerized method of pairing a client device to a workstation, wherein the client device is associated with a client and the workstation is associated with a professional performing professional services, the method comprising the following steps:

acquiring a set of workstation information from the workstation that is indicative of the workstation;

receiving a set of credentials from the client device,

wherein at least a portion of the set of credentials includes information indicative of a code displayed on a display of the workstation, said code being captured by the client device;

comparing the set of credentials to the set of workstation information to determine that the client device should be paired to the workstation; and

pairing the client device to the workstation such that the client device and the workstation are configured to exchange information,

wherein said pairing allows the client device to send, to the workstation, information entered into the client device to be utilized by the professional with performing professional services,

wherein said pairing allows the workstation to send, to the client device, information entered into the workstation to be reviewed by the client,

wherein at least a portion of the information entered into the client device was entered prior to the workstation creating the code,

wherein at least a portion of the information entered into the workstation was entered after the workstation created the code.

19. The computerized method of claim 18,

wherein at least a portion of the code that is displayed on the workstation is indicative of a portion of an internet protocol address of the workstation,

wherein the client device combines said portion of the internet protocol address of the workstation with an internet protocol of the client device to fully determine the internet protocol address of the workstation,

wherein the server determines to pair the client device with the workstation based upon the client device providing said fully determined internet protocol address of the workstation.