Function-Based Authorization to Access Electronic Devices

• US 20100229226A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, James, Yasrebi, Mehrad, Sheth, Niral
• Granted Patent: US 8,789,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

Systems and methods to secure authorized access are disclosed. A method includes receiving, an electronic device, a request to generate function-authorization settings including function-access data associated with a particular function of the electronic device to be protected. The method also includes prompting for and receiving function-access data. The received function-access data includes first function-access data that specifies access credentials of a first user to access the particular function and second function-access data that specifies access credentials of a second user to access the particular function. The method also includes associating the received function-access data with the particular function and storing the function-authorization settings including the received function-access data at a memory of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at an electronic device, a request to generate function-authorization settings including function-access data associated with a particular function of the electronic device to be protected;

prompting for the function-access data;

receiving the function-access data, wherein the received function-access data includes first function-access data that specifies access credentials of a first user to access the particular function and second function-access data that specifies access credentials of a second user to access the particular function;

associating the received function-access data with the particular function; and

storing the function-authorization settings including the function-access data at a memory of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular function enables access to the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular function comprises access to a subscription service associated with the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein performing the particular function accrues charges to a subscriber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular function enables sending and receiving email messages.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to perform the particular function; and

prompting for user access credentials in response to receiving the request to perform the particular function.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving the user access credentials in response to prompting for user access credentials;

determining whether the received user access credentials match the function-access data associated with the particular function; and

when the received user access credentials match the function-access data associated with the particular function, performing the particular function in accordance with usage restrictions of the function-access data associated with a particular user identified by the received user access credentials.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the received user access credentials include a user-id and a password and wherein determining whether the received user access credentials match the function-access data associated with the particular function includes determining whether the function-access data includes a user-id and a password that match the user-id and the password included in the received user access credentials.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the usage restrictions associated with the particular user indicate a limited amount of time for which the particular function is authorized to be performed.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically terminating the particular function when the particular function has been performed for an amount of time that exceeds the limited amount of time.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the usage restrictions associated with the particular user indicate a time frame during which the particular function is authorized to be performed.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically terminating the particular function when the time frame expires.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the usage restrictions associated with the particular user indicate that the particular function can be performed regardless of a current time.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the usage restrictions associated with the particular user indicate that the particular function can be performed without restriction.

16. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause an electronic device to perform operations of:

receiving a request to generate function-authorization settings including function-access data associated with a particular function of the electronic device to be protected;

prompting for the function-access data;

receiving the function-access data, wherein the function-access data includes first function-access data that specifies access credentials of a first user to access the particular function and second function-access data that specifies access credentials of a second user to access the particular function;

associating the received function-access data with the particular function; and

storing the function-authorization settings including the received function-access data at a memory of the electronic device.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a personal computer.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile communication device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a set top box.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the particular function comprises access to a subscription service associated with the set top box.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the subscription service includes access to certain menu functions.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations include prompting for and receiving user-authorization credentials identifying a particular user authorized to generate the function-authorization settings prior to prompting for the function-access data.

23. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, wherein the data structure comprises:

computer-executable instructions to perform a particular function associated with an electronic device;

function-authorization settings including function-access data associated with the particular function, wherein the function-access data includes first function-access data that specifies access credentials of a first user to access the particular function and second function-access data that specifies access credentials of a second user to access the particular function; and

computer-executable instructions to perform operations including;

receiving, at the electronic device, a request to perform the particular function;

prompting for user access credentials in response to receiving the request;

receiving the user access credentials in response to the prompting for user access credentials;

determining whether the received user access credentials match the function-access data associated with the particular function; and

when the received user access credentials match the function-access data associated with the particular function, performing the particular function in accordance with usage restrictions of the function-access data associated with a particular user identified by the received user access credentials.

24. A mobile communication device comprising:

an antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna;

an input/output (I/O) interface;

a processor coupled to the transceiver and to the I/O interface;

a memory device accessible to the processor and including executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile communication device to perform operations of;

receiving, via the I/O interface, a request to generate function-authorization settings including function-access data associated with a particular function of the mobile communication device;

prompting, via the I/O interface, for the function-access data; and

receiving, via the I/O interface, the function-access data, wherein the received function-access data includes first function-access data that specifies access credentials of a first user to access the particular function and second function-access data that specifies access credentials of a second user to access the particular function;

wherein the function-authorization settings are stored at the memory device.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 24, wherein the particular function enables sending and receiving email messages.