Method and System for Multi-Authentication Logon Control

• US 20080109895A1
• Filed: 08/05/2005
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Janevski, Angel
• Application Number:
  US11/573,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly

Abstract

A method and system for multi-authentication log-on control are provided. The method and system include two authentication mechanisms. The first one is a device that provides a physical key, and the other one is a proximity device, which identifies a user when in the proximity of a reader. These devices allow the user to log in to a computer system (100) effortlessly just by touching a reader with the physical key, and the user will be automatically logged off when they step away from the computer. A method includes the steps of verifying the user physically at the at least one terminal (340, 342); granting access to the at least one terminal if the user is verified (344); detecting the user within a predetermined distance of the at least one terminal (360); and logging off the user when the user is outside the predetermined distance (366).

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a user in a computer system including at least one terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

verifying the user physically at the at least one terminal (340, 342);

granting access to the at least one terminal if the user is verified (344);

detecting the user within a predetermined distance of the at least one terminal (360); and

logging off the user when the user is outside the predetermined distance (366).

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the detecting step includes detecting a user-specific tag having a unique user identification code.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the user-specific tag is detected via radio frequency waves.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the verifying step comprises entering an id and password associated with the user (342).

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the verifying step comprises the step of reading a unique user identification code from a physical identification device (340).

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein the physical identification device (104) is a biometric identification device, a contact reader, or a smartcard reader.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of logging in the user if the user is detected within the predetermined distance with a predetermined period of time after being logged off (364).

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the granting access step further comprises the steps of:

determining if at least one other user is logged in to the at least one terminal; and

logging off the at least one other user.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the verifying step includes detecting the user within the predetermined distance before granting access to the at least one terminal (350).

10. A system for authenticating a user in a computer system including at least one terminal, the system comprising:

a proximity identification reader (102) for detecting a user within a predetermined distance of the at least one terminal (100);

a physical identification reader (104) for verifying the user physically at the at least one terminal (100); and

a processor 202 for granting access to the at least one terminal if the detected user is verified.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein the proximity identification reader (102) detects a user-specific tag having a unique user identification code.

12. The system as in claim 11, wherein the user-specific tag is detected wirelessly.

13. The system as in claim 10, wherein the physical identification device (104) is a biometric identification device, a contact reader, or a smartcard reader.

14. The system as in claim 10, wherein the physical identification device (104) verifies the user by reading a physical key.

15. The system as in claim 14, wherein the physical key is a secure token or a smartcard.

16. The system as in claim 11, wherein the physical identification device (104) verifies the user by reading a physical key, and the user-specific tag and physical key are an integrated device.

17. The system as in claim 16, wherein the proximity identification reader (102) and physical identification reader (104) are an integrated device.

18. The system as in claim 10, wherein the processor logs off the user if the user is no longer detected.

19. The system as in claim 10, wherein the physical identification reader is an input device for entering a user id and password.

20. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for authenticating a user, the method steps comprising:

verifying the user physically at the at least one terminal;

granting access to the at least one terminal if the user is verified;

detecting the user within a predetermined distance of the at least one terminal; and

logging off the user when the user is outside the predetermined distance.