Electronic password wallet

• US 20030159071A1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rahn, Michael D., Martinez, Anthony Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,136,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication

Abstract

A convenient and secure system and method for access to any number of password-protected computer applications, web sites and forms without adding to the user cognitive load and without circumventing the inherent security of such password-protection schemes. An existing password field on a device display is overlaid with password wallet pop-up field which allows a wallet “master” key to unlock the wallet. An application-specific and/or user-specific password is automatically retrieved from the wallet and entered into the password field with no other user action required.

Claims

1. A method within a computing platform of graphically providing a secure field value retrieval and entry, wherein said computing platform includes a display device, a field activation device and a user selection device, said method comprising:

displaying a user dialogue to receive a master key value from a user responsive to activation of a field;

receiving a computing context indicator regarding the context of said activated field;

determining said master key value is a correct master key value;

retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which is associated with said computing context, said activated field and a user identification; and

automatically entering said retrieved field value into said activated field.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of displaying a user dialogue comprises receiving a user identification value.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises retrieving a field value which is associated with an application program.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises retrieving a field value which is associated with a web site.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises retrieving a field value which is associated with a web form.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of automatically entering said retrieved field value into said activated field comprises automatically entering a password value.

7. A computer readable medium encoded with software for graphically providing a secure field value retrieval and entry, wherein said computing platform includes a display device, a field activation device and a user selection device, said software causing the computing platform to perform the steps of:

displaying a user dialogue to receive a master key value from a user responsive to activation of a field;

receiving a computing context indicator regarding the context of said activated field;

determining said master key value is a correct master key value;

retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which is associated with said computing context, said activated field and a user identification; and

automatically entering said retrieved field value into said activated field.

8. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 wherein said software for displaying a user dialogue comprises software for receiving a user identification value.

9. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 wherein said software for retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises software for retrieving a field value which is associated with an application program.

10. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 wherein said software for retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises software for retrieving a field value which is associated with a web site.

11. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 wherein said software for retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises software for retrieving a field value which is associated with a web form.

12. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 7 wherein said software for automatically entering said retrieved field value into said activated field comprises software for automatically entering a password value.

13. A system for graphically providing a secure field value storage, retrieval and entry within a computing platform, wherein said computing platform includes a display device, a field activation device, a user selection device and a data storage medium, said system comprising:

a secure field value store disposed within said data storage medium;

a user dialogue display on said display device adapted to receive a master key value from a user responsive to activation of a field on said display device;

a computing context indicator regarding the context of said activated field;

a master key value evaluator for determining if an master key value entered via said user dialogue display is a correct master key value for said secure field value store;

a field value retriever for finding in and retrieving from said secure field value store a field value which is associated with said computing context, said activated field and a user identification; and

a field value inputter for automatically entering said retrieved field value into said activated field.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said user dialogue display is further adapted to receive a user identification value, and wherein said field value retriever is further adapted to find and retrieve a field value which is associated with a user identification value.

15. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of retrieving a password from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises retrieving a field value which is associated with an application program.

16. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises retrieving a field value which is associated with a web site.

17. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of retrieving a field value from a secure field value store which correlates to a computing context comprises retrieving a field value which is associated with a web form.

18. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of automatically entering said retrieved field value into said activated field comprises automatically entering a password value.

19. The system as set forth in claim 13 where said field value store is a database.