Credential management system and peer detection

• US 10,257,179 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Inventors: Saylor, Michael J., Reyes, Benjamin, Taylor, Jeff, Galvez, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Phy Anh T
• Application Number:
  US15/006,300
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity

Abstract

A credential management system is described. The credential management system allows a user to identify peers and obtain additional information regarding the peers through the credential management system. The credential management system may perform user analytics and provide the requested additional information to the user. The credential management system may associate the discovered peers with a group or credential, and share information and data with one or more of the discovered peers associated with a particular group or credential in a convenient manner. The credential management system may also implement a hierarchical menu and/or conditions to determine which users of the credential management system may be able to view other users'"'"' information and to determine a type of information or data that is transmitted between users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a first user device, a request to identify devices that are associated with a credential management system and are located within a threshold distance of the first user device;

responsive to receiving the request, searching for one or more devices that are (i) associated with the credential management system, (ii) wirelessly connected to a computer network through a particular communication protocol, and (iii) are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

detecting, using the particular communication protocol, one or more wireless devices based on one more wireless signals received from the one or more wireless devices;

filtering the detected one or more wireless devices to identify a subset of wireless devices comprising one or more second devices that are (i) associated with the credential management system, (ii) wirelessly connected to the computer network through the particular communication protocol, and (iii) are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

obtaining identification information that includes one or more credential representations representative of one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, respectively;

validating the one or more credential representations included in the identification information by communicating with a validation server associated with the credential management system;

responsive to validation of the credential representations included in the identification information, controlling the first user device to display (i) an indication of the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, and (ii) an indication that the one or more second devices are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

receiving, by the first user device, a second request for activity data of a second user from among the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, wherein the activity data of the second user includes data indicating (I) one or more interactions of the second user with the credential management system, and (II) one or more respective locations of the one or more interactions of the second user;

responsive to receiving the second request, determining that a first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user;

responsive to determining that the first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user, obtaining the activity data of the second user; and

providing, for display at the first user device, the activity data of the second user.

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

obtaining, by a camera of the first user device, an image of at least one of the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices; and

transmitting the image of the at least one of the one or more users to the one or more second devices using contact information included in the identification information that includes the one or more credential representations representative of one or more users associated with the one or more second devices.

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

transmitting one or more data files to the one or more second devices using contact information included in the identification information that includes the one or more credential representations representative of one or more users associated with the one or more second devices.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the searching for the one or more devices comprises:

performing, using the particular communication protocol, a scan of devices within the threshold distance of the first user device, wherein the particular communication protocol includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, or near field communication protocols;

or

performing a search for devices within the first threshold distance of the first user device using IEEE 802.11, Long-Term Evolution (LTE), WiMAX, third generation (3G), 4G, or 5G wireless communication.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identification information includes information indicating a name, an occupational title, an image, and contact information for each of the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user comprises:

determining an access level of the first user to view the activity data of the second user; and

determining that the access level of the first user is sufficient for the first user to view the activity data of the second user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the determining the access level of the first user to view the activity data of the second user comprises:

determining an occupation of the first user; and

determining a professional association between the first user and the second user.

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

receiving a selection of a subset of users from the one or more users associated with one or more second devices; and

receiving a request to create a virtual group that includes the subset of users.

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

receiving a selection of a subset of users from the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices; and

receiving a request to create a credential for the subset of users, wherein the credential provides access to particular information for the subset of users.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more interactions of the second user associated with a second device with the credential management system include one or more of:

accessing a credential management application;

performing an operation of the credential management application;

accessing a computer device, door, room, or elevator;

accessing a database of the credential management system; and

transferring data between the second device associated with the second user and a device associated with another user of the credential management system.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, by the first user device, the second request for activity data of the second user from among the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices comprises:

receiving an input indicating a time period for which the activity data of the second user is to be provided.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the obtaining the activity data of the second user comprises:

filtering the activity data of the second user according to the time period; and

obtaining the one or more respective locations of the one or more interactions of the second user during the time period.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the providing, for display at the first user device, the activity data of the second user comprises:

generating a map indicating (i) the one or more respective locations of the one or more interactions of the second user during the time period, and (ii) respective times at which the second user was present at the one or more respective locations of the one or more interactions.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the obtaining the activity data of the second user comprises:

determining a type of activity data to obtain according to an access level of the first user; and

obtaining the activity data of the second user according to the determined type of activity data,

wherein;

a first type of the activity data of the second user is obtained when the first user has a first access level;

a second type of the activity data of the second user is obtained when the first user has a second access level;

the first type of the activity data is different than the second type of the activity data; and

the first access level is different than the second access level.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a first user device, a request to identify devices that are associated with a credential management system and are located within a threshold distance of the first user device;

responsive to receiving the request, searching for one or more devices that are (i) associated with the credential management system, (ii) wirelessly connected to a computer network through a particular communication protocol, and (iii) and are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

detecting, using the particular communication protocol, one or more wireless devices based on one more wireless signals received from the one or more wireless devices;

filtering the detected one or more wireless devices to identify a subset of wireless devices comprising one or more second devices that are ( ) associated with the credential management system, (ii) wirelessly connected to the computer network through the particular communication protocol, and (iii) are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

obtaining identification information that includes one or more credential representations representative of one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, respectively;

validating the one or more credential representations included in the identification information by communicating with a validation server associated with the credential management system;

responsive to validation of the credential representations included in the identification information, controlling the first user device to display (i) an indication of the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, and (ii) an indication that the one or more second devices are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

receiving, by the first user device, a second request for activity data of a second user from among the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, wherein the activity data of the second user includes data indicating (I) one or more interactions of the second user with the credential management system, and (II) one or more respective locations of the one or more interactions of the second user;

responsive to receiving the second request, determining that a first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user;

responsive to determining that the first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user, obtaining the activity data of the second user; and

providing, for display at the first user device, the activity data of the second user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the determining that the first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user comprises:

determining an access level of the first user to view the activity data of the second user by determining an occupation of the first user and determining a professional association between the first user and the second user; and

determining that the access level of the first user is sufficient for the first user to view the activity data of the second user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the obtaining the activity data of the second user comprises:

determining a type of activity data to obtain according to an access level of the first user; and

obtaining the activity data of the second user according to the determined type of activity data,

wherein;

a first type of the activity data of the second user is obtained when the first user has a first access level;

a second type of the activity data of the second user is obtained when the first user has a second access level;

the first type of the activity data is different than the second type of the activity data; and

the first access level is different than the second access level.

18. A system comprising:

one or more computers; and

one or more storage devices storing instructions that upon execution by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by a first user device, a request to identify devices that are associated with a credential management system and are located within a threshold distance of the first user device;

responsive to receiving the request, searching for one or more devices that are (i) associated with the credential management system, (ii) wirelessly connected to a computer network through a particular communication protocol, and (iii) are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

detecting, using the particular communication protocol, one or more wireless devices based on one more wireless signals received from the one or more wireless devices;

filtering the detected one or more wireless devices to identify a subset of wireless devices comprising one or more second devices that are (i) associated with the credential management system, (ii) wirelessly connected to the computer network through the particular communication protocol, and (iii) are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

obtaining identification information that includes one or more credential representations representative of one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, respectively;

validating the one or more credential representations included in the identification information by communicating with a validation server associated with the credential management system;

responsive to validation of the credential representations included in the identification information, controlling the first user device to display (i) an indication of the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, and (ii) an indication that the one or more second devices are located within the threshold distance of the first user device;

receiving, by the first user device, a second request for activity data of a second user from among the one or more users associated with the one or more second devices, wherein the activity data of the second user includes data indicating (I) one or more interactions of the second user with the credential management system, and (II) one or more respective locations of the one or more interactions of the second user;

responsive to receiving the second request, determining that a first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user;

responsive to determining that the first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user, obtaining the activity data of the second user; and

providing, for display at the first user device, the activity data of the second user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the determining that the first user of the first user device is authorized to view the activity data of the second user comprises:

determining an access level of the first user to view the activity data of the second user by determining an occupation of the first user and determining a professional association between the first user and the second user; and

determining that the access level of the first user is sufficient for the first user to view the activity data of the second user.

20. The system of claim 18,

wherein the obtaining the activity data of the second user comprises:

determining a type of activity data to obtain according to an access level of the first user; and

obtaining the activity data of the second user according to the determined type of activity data,

wherein;

a first type of the activity data of the second user is obtained when the first user has a first access level;

a second type of the activity data of the second user is obtained when the first user has a second access level;

the first type of the activity data is different than the second type of the activity data; and

the first access level is different than the second access level.