Allowing an electronic device accessing a service to be authenticated

• US 20030236991A1
• Filed: 06/20/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Letsinger, Reed
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user

Abstract

A method for allowing an electronic device accessing a service to be authenticated. A communications device is loaded with a first identifier. To gain access to the service, the communications device transmits the first identifier to an authentication device which contains a second identifier. In response to receiving the first identifier from the communications device, the authentication device provides the communications device with the second identifier. The communications device forwards the second identifier to the service to authenticate the user in order to gain access to that service.

Claims

1. A method for allowing an electronic device accessing a service to be authenticated, comprising:

loading a communications device with a first identifier;

transmitting the first identifier to an authentication device;

receiving a second identifier from the authentication device;

transmitting the second identifier to a service to gain access to the service.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing said service only so long as said communications device remains within range of said authentication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said range of said second channel corresponds to an area which is within immediate control of a user of said communications device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

placing said authentication device in physical contact with said communications device to load said first identifier into said communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein only one first identifier can be stored at a time within said communications device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initiating a timer when said communications device is moved beyond said range of said authentication device;

erasing said first identifier from said communications device when said timer expires.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said communications device comprises a mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said communications device comprises a fixed device which is shared by a plurality of users.

9. An apparatus for accessing a remote service, comprising:

a first interface for accepting a first identifier sent by an authentication device over a first channel;

a memory coupled to said first interface which stores said first identifier;

a second interface coupled to said memory, wherein said second interface transmits said first identifier to said authentication device over a second channel and said second interface also receiving a second identifier from said authenticator in response to transmission of said first identifier;

a third interface coupled to said second interface which forwards said second identifier to a network, wherein transmission of said second interface gains access to said remote service.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a controller coupled to said third interface, wherein said controller determines when data is to be sent over said network, what data is to be sent over said network, and when data sent over said network needs user authentication.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising an authenticator coupled to said controller, wherein said authenticator transfers said first identifier from said first interface to said memory when said apparatus is placed within close enough proximity to said authenticating device to activate said first channel.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein in response to a request from said service, said authenticator reads said first identifier from said memory and sends said first identifier to said first interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said third interface continues to forward said second identifier to said network only so long as said second channel remains active.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a timer which causes said first identifier to be deleted from said memory after a pre-determined amount of time has elapsed from when said communications device is moved beyond a range of said second channel.

15. A method for providing authentication information used to authenticate electronic transmissions, comprising:

storing a first identifier and a second identifier in memory;

transmitting said first identifier to a communications device over a first channel when said first channel is activated;

receiving an identifier transmitted by said communications device;

comparing said identifier transmitted by said communications device to said first identifier stored in said memory;

transmitting said second identifier to said communications device only if said identifier transmitted by said communications device matches said first identifier stored in said memory, wherein said second identifier is transmitted to said communications device over a second channel.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising embedding an authentication device which performs said storing, transmitting, receiving, and comparing in a personal item of an owner of said communications device.

17. An authentication device which provides a first unique identifier and a second unique identifier used to authenticate electronic transmissions accessing a remote service, comprising:

a memory which stores said first unique identifier and said second unique identifier;

a first interface coupled to said memory, wherein said first interface transmits said first unique identifier to a communications device over a first channel when said authentication device and said communications device is within range of said first channel;

a second interface coupled to said memory, wherein said second interface receives an identifier from said communications device;

a controller coupled to said second interface, wherein said controller determines whether said identifier received from said communications device matches said second unique identifier stored in said memory and said controller provides said second unique identifier for transmission by said second interface only if there is a match.

18. The authentication device of claim 17, wherein said first interface requires physical contact with said communications device to be within range of said first channel.

19. The authentication device of claim 17, wherein a maximum range of said first channel is approximately two inches.

20. The authentication device of claim 17, wherein a maximum range of said second channel is approximately one meter.

21. The authentication device of claim 17 further comprising means for attaching said authentication device to a personal item belonging to a user of said communications device.

22. The authentication device of claim 17, wherein said authentication device is designed to be embedded in a person.