Authentication transfer across electronic devices

• US 10,205,718 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Tony, Kane, Nathan R., DeBaun, Morgan, McDonald, Brendan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schmidt, Kari L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohammadi, Fahimeh
• Application Number:
  US14/487,977
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that authenticates a user. During operation, the system obtains a request to transfer an authentication of the user on a first electronic device to a second electronic device. Next, the system enables, in response to the request, an authentication mechanism for transferring the authentication of the user from the first electronic device to the second electronic device. Upon detecting use of the authentication mechanism on the first electronic device or the second electronic device, the system authenticates the user on the second electronic device without requiring authentication credentials for the user from the second electronic device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for transferring an authentication of a user performed on a first electronic device to at least a second electronic device, the method comprising:

obtaining, via a processor, a request to transfer the authentication of the user from the first electronic device to the second electronic device;

verifying the authentication of the user on the first electronic device by evaluating a list specifying authenticated devices associated with the user, wherein the user is authenticated with a first service on the first electronic device;

detecting, via a sensor associated with the first electronic device, a specified physical motion to initiate a transferring of a first token comprising a passcode from the first electronic device to the second electronic device, wherein the first electronic device initiates the transferring of the first token upon determining, based on a detected signal from the second electronic device, that the second electronic device has detected the specified physical motion within a time interval; and

upon detecting that the second electronic device has received the first token, authenticating the user on the second electronic device based on an access level of the user on the first electronic device without requiring authentication credentials for the user from the second electronic device, wherein the user is authenticated with a second service on the second electronic device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying a proximity of the second electronic device to the first electronic device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the proximity of the second electronic device to the first electronic device is verified using at least one of a geolocation technique, a wireless network, a sensor, and a near-field communication (NFC) mechanism.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying an approval from the user to transfer the authentication from the first electronic device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein enabling the authentication mechanism comprises:

providing information about the specified physical motion to the first electronic device or the second electronic device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises an identifier for the user.

7. A system for transferring an authentication of a user performed on a first electronic device to at least a second electronic device, comprising:

a verification apparatus configured to verify the authentication of the user from the first electronic device by evaluating a list specifying authenticated devices associated with the user, wherein the user is authenticated with a first service on the first electronic device; and

an authentication apparatus configured to;

obtain a request to transfer the authentication of the user on the first electronic device to the second electronic device;

detect, via a sensor associated with the first electronic device, a specified physical motion to initiate a transferring of a first token comprising a passcode from the first electronic device to the second electronic device, wherein the first electronic device initiates the transferring of the first token upon determining, based on a detected signal from the second electronic device, that the second electronic device has detected the specified physical motion within a time interval; and

upon detecting that the second electronic device has received the first token, authenticate the user on the second electronic device based on an access level of the user on the first electronic device without requiring authentication credentials for the user from the second electronic device, wherein the user is authenticated with a second service on the second electronic device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the verification apparatus is further configured to:

verify a proximity of the second electronic device to the first electronic device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein enabling the authentication mechanism comprises:

providing information about the specified physical motion to the first electronic device or the second electronic device.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for transferring an authentication of a user performed on a first electronic device to at least a second electronic device, the method comprising:

obtaining, via a processor, a request to transfer the authentication of the user from the first electronic device to the second electronic device;

verifying the authentication of the user on the first electronic device by evaluating a list specifying authenticated devices associated with the user, wherein the user is authenticated with a first service on the first electronic device;

detecting, via a sensor associated with the first electronic device, a specified physical motion to initiate a transferring of a first token comprising a passcode from the first electronic device to the second electronic device, wherein the first electronic device initiates the transferring of the first token upon determining, based on a detected signal from the second electronic device, that the second electronic device has detected the specified physical motion within a time interval; and

upon detecting that the second electronic device has received the first token, authenticating the user on the second electronic device based on an access level of the user on the first electronic device without requiring authentication credentials for the user from the second electronic device, wherein the user is authenticated with a second service on the second electronic device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, the method further comprising:

verifying at least one of;

a proximity of the second electronic device to the first electronic device; and

an approval from the user to transfer the authentication from the first electronic device.