METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SECURE KEY ENTRY VIA COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

• US 20100024022A1
• Filed: 07/22/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Next Access Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Next Access Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Loop, Jack, Bakes, Charles, Wells, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,528,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• 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 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a member authentication request is received at a security server from a client server. The member authentication request may be associated with, for example, a member attempting to access confidential information from the client server. A secure key associated with the member may be determined and data associated with that key may be transmitted to the member (e.g., via his or her wireless device or computer). Secure key information may be received from the member and validated. Based on the validated secure key information, it may be arranged for the member to receive the confidential information from the client server.

Claims

1. A member authentication method, comprising:

receiving, at a security server from a client server, a member authentication request associated with a member attempting to access confidential information from the client server;

determining at the security server a secure key associated with the member;

transmitting data associated with the secure key from the security server to the member;

receiving from the member secure key information;

validating the secure key information at the security server; and

based on the validated secure key information, arranging for the member to receive the confidential information from the client server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure key comprises an ordered sequence of symbols, the symbols including at least one of:

(i) numbers, (ii) letters, (iii) pictures, (iv) images, (v) animated images, (vi) advertisements, (vii) videos, (viii) sound files, (ix) user-generated content, or (x) logos.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said transmitting data associated with the secure key to the member comprises:

determining a one-time plurality of symbol sets, wherein the ordered sequence of symbols is included within the plurality of symbol sets.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data associated with the secure key comprises a matrix, each column in the matrix representing one of the symbol sets.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the symbols in the one of the symbol sets comprises an advertising image.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said advertising image is selected based at least in part on a preference indicated by said member.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said advertising image is formed as an animated image, said animating image displaying a plurality of different images.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said advertising image is associated with an advertising message, said advertising message displayed to said member if said member selects said advertising image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said member authentication request is received from a member operating a client device, said client device including at least one of:

(i) a computer;

(ii) a Personal Digital Assistant, (iii) a mobile telephone, or (iv) an automated teller device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said member authentication request is received from a member operating a mobile telephone having a display, said secure key information entered using a touch screen keypad on said display.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein said member authentication request is received from a member operating a computing device having a display, wherein said size of said matrix is selected at least in part based on a size of said display.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from said member, a selection of said secure key information;

wherein said selection is received from said member prior to said receiving said member authentication request.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said selection of said secure key information includes a selection of at least one brand preference.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the secure key information received from the member comprises an ordered list of column identifiers and said validating the secure key information comprises:

comparing the ordered list of columns identifiers, the symbol sets associated with those columns, and the ordered sequence of symbols representing the secure key.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the member communicates with (i) the client server via a first communication band, and (ii) the security server via a second communication band.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the member communicates with (i) the client server via the Internet using a web browser application executing on a personal computer, and (ii) the security server via a wireless telephone network using a wireless telephone.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to said receiving of the member authentication request:

transmitting, from a member device associated with the member to the client server, a primary key; and

validating the primary key at the client server.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure key comprises an ordered sequence of symbols and further comprising:

enabling a highlight feature for at least one of the symbol.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving is associated with a security application display and further comprising:

associating a user-selected background with the security application display.

20. A mobile user device, comprising:

a communication device to receive and transmit information via a communication network;

a processor coupled to the communication device; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

receive from a user a sequence of selected symbols, the sequence of selected symbols including at least some corporate logos;

validate the received sequence of selected symbols; and

responsive to said validation, allow access to the mobile user device.

21. A computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, said method comprising:

receiving, at a security server from a client server, a member authentication request associated with a member attempting to access confidential information from the client server;

determining at the security server a secure key associated with the member;

transmitting matrix data associated with the secure key from the security server to the member;

receiving from the member an ordered list of column or row identifiers associated with the matrix data;

validating the ordered list of identifiers at the security server; and

based on the validated ordered list of identifiers, arranging for the member to receive the confidential information from the client server.