Dynamic authentication of mark use

• US 20060236103A1
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starr, Robert J., Zellner, Samuel N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for authenticating use of a mark. In one embodiment, a system for facilitation, authentication, and authorization of the use of a mark comprises a mark owner server that receives registration information from a reseller server via a network that requests to use a mark. The mark owner server determines whether the reseller server is authenticated to use the mark. If the reseller server is authenticated to use the mark, the mark owner server sends a key to the reseller server. The mark owner server receives the key from the reseller server to access the mark via the network and determines whether the reseller server is authorized to use the mark based on the key. If the reseller server is authorized to use the mark, the mark owner server sends a first mark via the network to be displayed.

Claims

1. A manager that facilitates authenticating and authorizing the use of a mark, the manager stored in a computer-readable medium, the manager comprising:

logic configured to receive a request from a reseller server to use the mark;

logic configured to receive registration information from the reseller server;

logic configured to determine whether there is a successful registration;

logic configured to transmit a key to the reseller server, the key enabling the reseller server to access the mark for transmitting the mark to a network client for display;

logic configured to receive the key from the reseller server to access the mark via the network;

logic configured to determine whether the reseller server is authorized to use the mark based on the key; and

logic configured to, responsive to the reseller server being authorized to use the mark, send the mark to the reseller server to be transmitted to a network client for display.

2. The manager as in claim 1, wherein the logic configured to transmit the key to the reseller server further comprising logic configured to send the key as a part of a public-key certificate.

3. The manager as in claim 2, wherein the registration manager further comprising logic configured to send a certificate to the reseller server, the certificates containing the identity of the mark owner, the public key, and the identity of the reseller that is attesting to the validity of the public key and the identity of the mark owner, and wherein the certificate is in a format under the International Telecommunication Union.

5. The manager as in claim 1, further comprising logic configured to receive authorization information via the network from the reseller server that requests for a backup key or an updated mark;

and

if the reseller server is authorized, logic configured to send the backup key or the updated mark to the reseller via the network.

6. The manager as in claim 1, further comprising logic configured to retrieve the key from a key recovery database and retrieving the mark from a mark database.

7. The manager as in claim 1, further comprising logic configured to receive a request to obtain a backup the key or an updated mark from a reseller.

8. The manager as in claim 1, further comprising logic configured to send information of unsuccessful verification or revoked authorization to the registration manager if the reseller is not verified or authorized to use the mark based on the registration or authorization information received from the registration manager.

4. The manager as in claim 4, wherein the certificate includes information relating to the version of the certificate, certificate serial number, signature algorithm identifier, the identity of the mark owner, validity date/time values, the identity of the reseller, and a subject public key information.

9. A method for facilitating authenticating and authorizing the use of a mark, comprising:

receiving registration information from a reseller server via a network that requests to use a mark;

determining whether the reseller server is authenticated to use the mark;

responsive to the reseller server being authenticated to use the mark, sending a key to the reseller server;

receiving the key from the reseller server to access the mark via the network;

determining whether the reseller server is authorized to use the mark based on the key; and

responsive to the reseller server being authorized to use the mark, sending a first mark via the network to be displayed.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the key is a public key used as part of a public-key certificate.

11. The method as in claim 10, further comprising issuing a certificate by the mark owner server to the reseller server, wherein the certificate includes information relating to the version of the certificate, certificate serial number, signature algorithm identifier, the identity of the mark owner, validity date/time values, the identity of the reseller, and a subject public key information.

12. The method as in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request to obtain a backup key and updated mark from the reseller server;

sending a request for authorization information to the reseller server;

receiving the registration or authorization information from the reseller server and determining whether the reseller server is authorized; and

transmitting backup key and updated mark to the reseller server if the reseller server is authorized.

13. The method as in claim 12, further comprising determining by a certification manager whether the reseller is authenticated or authorized to use the mark based on the registration or authorization information.

14. The method as in claim 13, further comprising:

retrieving the key or backup key from a key recovery database; and

retrieving the mark or updated mark from a mark database.

15. The method as in claim 13, further comprising sending information of unsuccessful authentication or revoked authorization to the reseller if the reseller is not authenticated or authorized to use the mark based on the registration or authorization information received from the registration manager.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising a revocation list that contains a time-stamped list of revoked authorization, wherein the revoked authorization occurs when an authorized entity informs the certification manager of an abnormal situation requiring revoked authorization.

17. The method as in claim 11, wherein the first mark being capable of being encrypted such that the reseller server can decrypt the first mark using the key and capable of automatically time expiring such that the first mark cannot be displayed by the reseller server after being displayed for a period of time.

18. The method as in claim 17, further comprising:

determining whether the reseller is authorized to use the mark after the first mark has automatically expired; and

if the reseller is authorized to use the mark, sending a second mark to be displayed, the second mark being capable of being encrypted such that the reseller server can decrypt the second mark using the key and capable of automatically time expiring such that the second mark cannot be displayed by the reseller server after being displayed for a period of time, wherein the period of time that the mark expires includes monthly, quarterly, and yearly.

19. The method as in claim 9, further comprising watermarking the first mark that includes information to identify the mark owner and, after identifying the mark owner, deter the use of the mark in unauthorized way.

20. A system for authenticating use of a mark, comprising:

a mark owner server configured to receive the information from a reseller server via a network and determine whether the reseller server is authenticated to register and authorized by the trademark owner to use the mark,

wherein the mark owner server transmit a key to the reseller server based on whether the reseller server is authenticated to register and authorized by the trademark owner to use the mark, the key allowing the reseller server to display the mark,

wherein the mark owner server sends a first encrypted mark to be displayed, the first encrypted mark being capable of being decrypted using the key and capable of automatically time expiring such that the first encrypted mark cannot be displayed by the reseller server after being displayed for a period of time.