PDA password management tool

• US 20030130957A1
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Best, Steven Francis, Cooper, Michael Richard, Wagner, Jonathan Mark, Gray, James Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for storing user identifications and passwords in a mobile device, such as a personal digital assistant. A modified keyboard device driver may be installed on each platform the user accesses. When the user is prompted for a password from a functioning terminal, the user may select the appropriate account on the mobile device. The mobile device then may send the user identification and password for the account to the terminal. The modified keyboard device driver receives the user identification and password from the mobile device and converts it into keyed text. The accounts with user identifications and passwords may be protected by a password. Thus, the user must only remember the one mobile device password to access a plurality of resources and computer systems. Furthermore, the communications between the mobile device and terminal may be encrypted to prevent snooping.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a user, comprising:

presenting at least one authentication information field for accessing a resource;

receiving mobile input including authentication information from a mobile device;

converting the mobile input to keyboard input; and

entering the keyboard input into the at least one authentication information field to access the resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is one of a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, and a telephony device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the terminal is one of a personal computer, a network computer, a notebook computer, a television Web appliance, an automatic teller machine, and a kiosk.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the converting the mobile input to keyboard input comprises decrypting the mobile input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one authentication information field comprises a user identification field and a password field.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of entering the authentication information into the at least one authentication information field comprises:

identifying a user identification and a password in the authentication information; and

mapping the user identification to the user identification field and the password to the password field.

8. A method for managing authentication information, comprising:

presenting a list of accounts, wherein each account is associated with a resource to be accessed using a terminal and authentication information for accessing the resource;

receiving a selection of an account; and

sending the authentication information corresponding to the selected account to the terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the terminal is one of a personal computer, a network computer, a notebook computer, a television Web appliance, an automatic teller machine, and a kiosk.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is performed by a mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile device is one of a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, and a telephony device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a user identification and a password.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of sending the authentication information comprises encrypting the authentication information.

14. A terminal for authenticating a user, comprising:

a display interface;

a mobile device interface; and

a controller, coupled to the display interface and the mobile interface, wherein the controller presents at least one authentication information field for accessing a resource;

receives mobile input including authentication information from a mobile device;

converts the mobile input to keyboard input; and

enters the keyboard input into the at least one authentication information field to access the resource.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the mobile device interface communicates with a mobile device.

16. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the mobile device interface comprises an infrared interface.

17. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the terminal is one of a personal computer, a network computer, a notebook computer, a television Web appliance, an automatic teller machine, and a kiosk.

18. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the controller decrypts the mobile input.

19. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the at least one authentication information field comprises a user identification field and a password field.

20. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the controller identifies a user identification and a password in the authentication information and maps the user identification to the user identification field and the password to the password field.

21. A mobile device for managing authentication information, comprising:

a user interface;

a display interface;

a terminal interface; and

a controller, coupled to the user interface, the display interface, and the terminal interface, wherein the controller presents a list of accounts using the display interface, wherein each account is associated with a resource to be accessed using a terminal and authentication information for accessing the resource;

receives a selection of an account from the user interface; and

sends the authentication information corresponding to the selected account to the terminal interface.

22. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the terminal interface communicates with a terminal.

23. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the terminal interface comprises an infrared interface.

24. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the mobile device is one of a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, and a telephony device.

25. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a user identification and a password.

26. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the controller encrypts the authentication information.

27. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for authenticating a user, comprising:

instructions for presenting at least one authentication information field for accessing a resource;

instructions for receiving mobile input including authentication information from a mobile device;

instructions for converting the mobile input to keyboard input; and

instructions for entering the keyboard input into the at least one authentication information field to access the resource.

28. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for managing authentication information, comprising:

instructions for presenting a list of accounts, wherein each account is associated with a resource to be accessed using a terminal and authentication information for accessing the resource;

instructions for receiving a selection of an account; and

instructions for sending the authentication information corresponding to the selected account to the terminal.