Automated password reset via an interactive voice response system

• US 20060059362A1
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Joseph, Kurt M., Sams, Bobby, Paden, Jonathan, Harris, Jon, McCaffrey, Donna
• Granted Patent: US 8,646,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/184
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A method for resetting Internet access account passwords can include the step of connecting a user with an interactive voice response system (IVR). At least one access account associated with the user can be determined. The IVR can validate that the user is authorized to access the access account. The IVR can then cause a password associated with the at least one access account to be reset. The IVR can also present the reset password to the user.

Claims

1. A method for resetting dial-account passwords comprising the steps of:

connecting a user with an interactive voice response system (IVR);

determining at least one dial-up access account associated with the user;

validating that the user is authorized to access said at least one access account; and

resetting a password for accessing said at least one access account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one access account comprises a plurality of access accounts consisting of a primary access account and at least one sub-account.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the validating step identifies one of said at least one sub-account, wherein said resetting step resets a password for the identified sub-account, and wherein a password of the primary access account is not reset.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining step retrieves account data from an access account database of an Internet Service Provider, wherein the retrieved account data is linked to the primary access account and is not directly linked to said at least one sub-account.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the validating step utilizes a password associated with the primary access account to authorize the user to reset the sub-account.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the validating step authorizes the user to access the primary access account, wherein the resetting step automatically resets passwords for each of said plurality of access accounts.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the IVR automatically discerns identification information from a telephony connection associated with the connecting step, said method further comprising the steps of:

comparing the identification information against account data from an access account database; and

based upon the comparing step, automatically determining said at least one access account.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of:

the IVR prompting the user for identification information;

receiving the identification information from the user;

comparing the identification information against account data from an access account database; and

based upon the comparing step, automatically determining said at least one access account, wherein the prompting step occurs responsive to a failed attempt to automatically determine said at least one access account based upon discerned identification information from a telephony connection associated with the connecting step.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

the IVR receiving an e-mail address associated with the user, wherein the determining step determines said at least one access account based upon the e-mail address.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

after determining said at least one access account, prompting the user for additional user identification information; and

receiving the additional user identification information responsive to the prompting, wherein the validating step comprises the step of the IVR comparing the received additional user information against corresponding data associated with said at least one access account.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the additional user identification information required by the IVR system depends upon the method of payment by which fees associated with said at least one access account are paid.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the resetting step further comprises the step of:

a service providing server randomly generating the password; and

said server associating the password with said at least one access account, wherein the method further comprises the steps of;

securely conveying the password to the IVR via a network connection; and

said IVR presenting the new password to the user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

generating a message including a password change notification; and

e-mailing the message to an e-mail account associated with the at least one access account.

14. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

determining at least one dial-up access account associated with a user connected to an interactive voice response system (IVR);

validating that the user is authorized to access said at least one access account based upon data provided by the IVR; and

resetting a password for accessing said at least one access account, wherein the machine readable storage is disposed in a different computing space from the IVR, wherein the IVR is configured to communicate with the user over a telephony connection, and wherein the IVR is configured to communicate with the machine readable storage over a computer network connection.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 14, wherein said at least one access account comprises a plurality of access accounts consisting of a primary access account and at least one sub-account.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 14, wherein the IVR automatically discerns identification information from a telephony connection between the user and the IVR and conveys this identification information to the machine readable storage, said code sections of the machine readable storage further causing the machine to perform the steps of:

comparing the identification information against account data from an access account database; and

based upon the comparing step, automatically determining said at least one access account.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 14, wherein the validating step depends upon the method of payment by which fees associated with said at least one access account are paid.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 14, said code sections of the machine readable storage further causing the machine to perform the steps of:

randomly generating the password;

associating the password with said at least one access account; and

conveying the password to the WR so that the IVR can audibly present the password to the user.

19. A system for resetting dial-account passwords comprising:

a service provider system configured to provide network access across a phone line after receiving a user identifier and an associated password; and

an interactive voice response system (IVR) configured as an interface through which authorized users connected to the IVR via the phone line are permitted to reset passwords of the service provider system, and wherein reset passwords are randomly generated and audibly presented to authorized users that requested that the IVR perform a password reset operation.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the IVR is configured to e-mail a password change notification to at least one access accounts associated with a reset password responsive to the password reset operation.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein a user account provided by the service provider system comprises a primary account and at least one sub-account, wherein the IVR is configured to permit authorized users to selectively reset passwords for the primary account and said at least one sub-account.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the service provider system authorizes the IVR to reset passwords based upon an e-mail address corresponding to a user account for which a reset operation applies.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the randomly generated passwords consist of a predetermined number of digits, wherein the predetermined number is audibly presented to a user by the IVR.