Locking an online account based on a public cryptocurrency address

• US 10,528,947 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2016
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howard H. Sheerin
• Original Assignee: Howard H. Sheerin
• Inventors: Sheerin, Howard H
• Primary Examiner(s): McAtee, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fenstermacher, Jason B
• Application Number:
  US15/331,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20180082268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,171 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05

Abstract

A method of configuring an online account of a user is disclosed. A service provider receives a public cryptocurrency address from a user'"'"'s computer and associates the public cryptocurrency address with the online account of the user. The service provider establishes a secure communication session between the user'"'"'s computer and the service provider based on the user logging into a first area of the online account of the user. After establishing the secure communication session, the service provider determines that a second area of the online account is in a locked state. The service provider determines that the user has reduced a balance associated with the public cryptocurrency address during the secure communication session, and in response to determining that the balance associated with the public cryptocurrency address has been reduced during the secure communication session, unlocks the second area of the online account.

Claims

1. A method of configuring an online account of a user, the method executed at a service provider side of a network of computers, the method comprising:

receiving, by a service provider, a public cryptocurrency address from the user'"'"'s computer;

associating, by the service provider, the public cryptocurrency address with the online account of the user;

establishing, by the service provider, a secure communication session between the user'"'"'s computer and the service provider based on the user logging into a first area of the online account of the user;

determining, by the service provider after establishing the secure communication session, that a second area of the online account is in a locked state;

determining, by the service provider, that the user has reduced a balance associated with the public cryptocurrency address during the secure communication session; and

in response to determining that the balance associated with the public cryptocurrency address has been reduced during the secure communication session, unlocking, by the service provider, the second area of the online account.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user logs into the first area of the online account using a password.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user logs into the first area of the online account using a pin number of an automated teller machine (ATM) access card.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using, by the service provider, an Internet to increase the balance associated with the public cryptocurrency address when the user is logged off of the online account.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the user logs into the first area of the online account using a pin number of an automated teller machine (ATM) access card.

6. A computer comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising non-transitory computer readable instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of;

receiving a public cryptocurrency address from a user'"'"'s computer;

associating a public cryptocurrency address with an online account of the user;

establishing a secure communication session between the user'"'"'s computer and the service provider based on the user logging into a first area of the online account of the user;

determining, after establishing the secure communication session, that a second area of the online account is in a locked state;

determining that the user has reduced a balance associated with the public cryptocurrency address during the secure communication session; and

in response to determining that the balance associated with the public cryptocurrency address has been reduced during the secure communication session, unlocking the second area of the online account.

7. The computer as recited in claim 6, wherein the user logs into the first area of the online account using a password.

8. The computer as recited in claim 6, wherein the user logs into the first area of the online account using a pin number of an automated teller machine (ATM) access card.

9. The computer as recited in claim 6, wherein the steps further comprise using an Internet to increase the balance associated with the public cryptocurrency address when the user is logged off of the online account.

10. The computer as recited in claim 9, wherein the user logs into the first area of the online account using a pin number of an automated teller machine (ATM) access card.