Systems and methods for lightweight authentication

• US 20080141361A1
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Balfanz, Dirk
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries

Abstract

Techniques are provided for the lightweight authentication of a user to an application, a computer or other device. An interaction element such as a stylus, a pen or marker is uniquely identified. The interactive element is associated with a user. The interaction element provides a means for interacting with the application. The proximity of the identification element within the interaction element during data entry operations to the authentication sensor signals the controlled application that the user has been authenticated.

Claims

1. A system for light-weight authentication comprising:

a user manager circuit that associates a user with an interaction element;

a controlled application circuit that identifies a controlled application;

an authentication circuit that authenticates users to identified controlled applications based on the use of the interaction element and the controlled application.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the controlled application is at least one of:

a software application and a hardware device.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the controlled application is at least one of:

a business application and a medical application.

4. The system of claim 1, in which the interaction element is at least one of:

a stylus, a pen, a pencil and a pointing device.

5. The system of claim 4, in which the access to sub-portions of the controlled application is based on a user authority associated with a user.

6. The system of claim 5, in which the user authority is comprised of access levels.

7. The system of claim 6, in which the access levels are associated with controls which are at least one of:

read, write, delete, append, create and view.

8. The system of claim 1, in which the interaction element is associated with an identification element and the user is associated with a unique identification element.

9. The system of claim 1, in which an interaction element is associated with an identification element and the user is authenticated to the controlled application based on the identification element.

10. The system of claim 9, in which the controlled application determines a response based on the identification element sensed by an authentication sensor.

11. The system of claim 10, in which the authentication sensor creates an authentication field.

12. The system of claim 10, in which the authentication sensor is based on at least one of:

radio frequency identifiers, near field communication, blue tooth communication, WiFi communication and infra-red communication.

13. A method for light-weight authentication comprising the steps of:

associating a user with an interaction element;

identifying a controlled application;

authenticating the user to the controlled application based on the use of the interaction element within the controlled application.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the controlled application is at least one of:

a software application and a hardware device.

15. The method of claim 13, in which the controlled application is at least one of:

a business application and a medical application.

16. The method of claim 13, in which the interaction element is at least one of:

a stylus, a pen, a pencil and a pointing device.

17. The method of claim 16, in which the access to sub-portions of the controlled application is based on a user authority associated with a user.

18. The method of claim 17, in which the user authority is comprised of access levels.

19. The method of claim 18, in which the access levels are associated with controls which are at least one of:

read, write, delete, append, create and view.

20. The method of claim 13, in which the interaction element is associated with an identification element and the user is associated with a unique identification element.

21. The method of claim 13, in which an interaction element is associated with an identification element and the user is authenticated to the controlled application based on the identification element.

22. The method of claim 21, in which the controlled application determines a response based on the identification element sensed by an authentication sensor.

23. The method of claim 22, in which the authentication sensor creates an authentication field.

24. The method of claim 22, in which the authentication sensor is based on at least one of:

Radio Frequency Identifiers, near field communication, blue tooth communication, WiFi communication and infra-red communication.

25. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code embodied on the computer readable storage medium, the computer readable program code useable to program a computer for light-weight authentication comprising the steps of:

associating a user with an interaction device;

identifying a controlled application;

authenticating the user to the controlled application based on the use of the interaction device within the controlled application.