UNIVERSAL SECURE REGISTRY

• US 20070289000A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Universal Secure Registry LLC
• Original Assignee: Kenneth P. Weiss
• Inventors: WEISS, KENNETH
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/26 using a biometric sensor integrated in the pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 : Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 : Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 : using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 : Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication

Abstract

A method and system for controlling access to a plurality of secure computer networks using a secure registry system is disclosed. The secure registry system includes a database containing selected data of a plurality of users each authorized to access at least one of the plurality of secure computer networks. The method and system facilitate receiving authentication information from an entity at a secure computer network, communicating the authentication information to the secure registry system, validating the authentication information at the secure registry system, receiving from the secure registry system an indication of whether the entity is authorized to access the secure computer network, and granting the entity access to the secure computer network when the authentication information of the entity corresponds to one of the plurality of users.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access to a plurality of secure computer networks using a secure registry system located remotely from the secure computer networks, the secure registry system including a database containing selected data of a plurality of users each authorized to access at least one of the plurality of secure computer networks, the method comprising:

receiving authentication information from an entity at a secure computer network of the plurality of secure computer networks;

communicating the authentication information to the secure registry system;

validating the authentication information at the secure registry system;

receiving from the secure registry system an indication of whether the entity is authorized to access the secure computer network; and

granting the entity access to the secure computer network when the authentication information of the entity corresponds to one of the plurality of users and denying the entity access to the secure computer network when the authentication information of the user does not correspond to one of the plurality of users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the database includes information to authenticate each of the plurality of secure computer networks, the method further comprising an act of communicating validation information concerning the secure computer network to the secure registry system.

3. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising an act of determining, by the secure registry system, whether the secure computer network is authorized to access the secure registry system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of generating a non-predictable code from the authentication information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-predictable code is a time-varying code.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising acts of:

communicating the time-varying code to the secure registry system; and

determining from the time-varying code whether the entity is authorized to access the secure computer network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of generating the authentication information with an electronic ID device possessed by the entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information received from the entity is a first code that authenticates the identity of the entity, wherein the method further comprises an act of generating a second code based at least in part on the first code, and wherein the act of communicating includes an act of communicating the second code to the secure registry system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure registry system is external from the plurality of secure computer networks.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of communicating includes an act of communicating the authentication information to the secure registry system over the Internet.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of maintaining, by the secure registry system, an audit trail concerning a use by one of the plurality of users of the secure computer network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising an act of maintaining an audit trail concerning the use of the plurality of secure computer networks by a plurality of entities, respectively.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure computer network is a first computer network and the entity is a first entity, the method further comprising acts of:

receiving authentication information from a second entity at a second secure computer network of the plurality of secure computer networks;

communicating the authentication information to the secure registry system;

validating the authentication information at the secure registry system;

receiving from the secure registry system an indication of whether the second entity is authorized to access the second secure computer network; and

granting the second entity access to the second secure computer network when the authentication information of the second entity corresponds to one of the plurality of users and denying the second entity access to the second secure computer network when the authentication information of the user does not correspond to one of the plurality of users.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising an act of controlling access to a physical facility using the secure registry system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the act of receiving from the secure registry system includes an act of receiving an indication of whether the entity is authorized to access the physical facility.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising acts of locating at least one of the secure computer networks at a first location at a site;

and locating the secure registry system at a second location at the site, wherein access to the second location is, at least in part, controlled independently of access to the first location.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of secure computer networks are located geographically remote from the secure registry system.

18. A method of controlling access to a secure computer network using a secure registry system, the secure registry system including a database containing selected data of a plurality of users authorized to access the secure computer network and selected data identifying the secure computer network, the method comprising:

receiving an access request including authentication information and a computer network ID from an entity;

determining whether the authentication information is valid for any of the plurality of users;

accessing data when the authentication information of the entity is valid for one of the plurality of users to determine whether the entity is authorized to access the computer network identified by the computer network ID; and

allowing the entity to access the secure computer network when the authentication information of the entity is valid for one of the plurality of users authorized to access the computer network identified by the computer network ID.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the act of receiving includes an act of receiving a public ID code for the entity.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of receiving includes an act of receiving an alleged identity of the entity.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the public ID code and the alleged identity are the authentication information, and wherein the act of allowing includes an act of allowing the entity to access the secure computer network when the public ID code matches the public ID code of an entity identified by the alleged identity.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising an act of communicating to the entity an indication that the entity is denied access to the secure computer network when the public ID code is not a public ID code of an entity identified by the alleged identity.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the public ID code is the authentication information, the method further comprising acts of:

mapping the public ID code to further authentication information located in the database for the entity; and

communicating the further authentication information to the secure computer network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the act of mapping includes the act of mapping the public ID code to a user name and password of the entity, and wherein the act of communicating includes the act of communicating the user name and password to the secure computer network.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising an act of routing communications between the entity and the secure computer network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the act of routing includes an act of routing the communications over a selected communication path.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising an act of communicating to the entity an indication that the entity is denied access to the secure computer network when the authentication information of the entity is not valid for one of the plurality of users who is authorized to access the computer network identified by the computer network ID.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected data identifying a secure computer network includes an indication concerning a security level within the secure computer network to limit access available to one or more of the plurality of users to a portion of the secure computer network.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising an act of controlling access to a plurality of secure computer networks using the secure registry system.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising an act of mapping the computer network ID to an identity of one of the plurality of secure computer networks.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising an act of locating the secure registry system remotely from the plurality of secure computer networks.

32. The method of claim 18, further comprising an act of maintaining, by the secure registry system, an audit trail concerning a use by one of the plurality of users of the secure computer network.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising an act of communicating information concerning the use to the secure registry system.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of communicating includes an act of intermittently communicating the information concerning the use to the secure registry system.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the act of maintaining an audit trail includes an act of maintaining a record of a login period of the one of the plurality of users.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the act of maintaining an audit trail includes an act of maintaining a record of information accessed with the secure computer network by the one of the plurality of users.