EXTENDED SECURITY FOR WIRELESS DEVICE HANDSET AUTHENTICATION

• US 20120151210A1
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Perez, John Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,323,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/43 wireless channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• 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 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• 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 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication

Abstract

A mobile device is related to a user account. An agent implemented as processor instructions on a computing device sends login information to a service provider server. The service provider server compares the login information to the user account, performs a proximity check of the mobile device and the computing device, and sends authorization to the agent to approve an exchange of data with an application on the computing device.

In some implementations the service provider may be an authorization service provider. Alternatively the service provider may be a wireless communications service provider and the mobile device is a cellular phone. In some implementations the mobile device is one of a card or a keyfob that may include a biometric reader.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving login information from an agent;

determining from the login information that a valid account exists and is related to a mobile device;

performing a proximity check of the mobile device and a computing device;

determining that the mobile device is proximate the computing device; and

providing authorization to the agent to approve an exchange of data with an application on the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a proximity check comprises:

sending a request for information via a first network; and

receiving a reply in response to the request for information via a second network;

wherein either the sending is to the mobile device and the receiving is from the computing device, or the sending is to the computing device and the receiving is from the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein one of the first network and the second network is a cellular communications network and the other of the first network and the second network is a high frequency low energy network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a proximity check comprises:

sending a request for information to the mobile device via a wireless network; and

receiving from the agent a reply to the request for information, following the agent receiving the reply from the mobile device over a short range network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a proximity check comprises:

comparing a geographic location of the computing device to a last known location of the mobile device; and

determining that the mobile device is proximate the computing device based on the comparing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a proximity check comprises:

comparing a geographic location of the computing device to a current location of the mobile device; and

determining that the mobile device is proximate the computing device based on the comparing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a service provider provides communication service to the mobile device over a wireless network using a cellular communication protocol and the mobile device is a cellular phone.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

encoding a challenge question using a Walsh code and a pseudo-random noise (PN) long code;

providing the challenge question to the agent to send to the mobile device;

receiving a reply submitted in response to the challenge question; and

verifying that the reply was a correct response to the challenge question.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a reply is following the agent receiving the reply from the mobile device, the reply having been encrypted by the mobile device using the Walsh code and the pseudo-random noise (PN) long code.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a reply is following the agent receiving the reply at a user interface of the computing device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

encrypting a request message including a request for a token using a Walsh code and a pseudo-random noise (PN) long code;

providing the request message to the agent to send to the mobile device;

receiving from the agent a reply message including a token relayed by the agent from the mobile device, wherein the reply message is responding to the request for the token; and

verifying that the token matches a token listed in the user account for the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

encrypting a request message including a request for a token using a Walsh code and a pseudo-random noise (PN) long code;

providing to the agent the request message to send to the mobile device;

receiving from the agent a reply message including a token, relayed by the agent from the mobile device; and

verifying that the token matches a token listed in the account for the mobile device.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving login information related to an account;

sending the login information over a packet-switched network to a provider of authorization services;

receiving a response from the authorization service provider requesting a proximity check of a mobile device related to the account;

performing a proximity check of the mobile device;

sending a notice to the authorization service provider indicating proximity of the mobile device; and

receiving authorization from the authorization service provider to approve information exchange with an application.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a challenge question encrypted using a Walsh code and a pseudo-random noise (PN) long code;

receiving a reply submitted in response to the challenge question, wherein the reply is encrypted using the Walsh code and the PN long code.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the challenge question to the mobile device and receiving the reply from the mobile device are sending and receiving, respectively, via a high frequency, low energy communication protocol.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the high frequency, low energy communication protocol is one of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving from the authorization service provider a challenge question to send to the mobile device, wherein the challenge question is encrypted using a Walsh code and a pseudo-random noise (PN) long code;

sending the challenge question to the mobile device;

receiving at a user interface a reply to the challenge question; and

sending the response to the authorization service provider.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving from the authorization service provider a request message to send to the mobile device, the request message including a request for a token and encrypted using a Walsh code and a pseudo-random noise (PN) long code;

sending to the mobile device the encrypted request message;

receiving from the mobile device a reply message in response to the request message, the reply message including a token and encrypted using the Walsh code and the PN long code; and

sending the reply message to the authorization service provider to verify that the token included in the reply message matches a token listed in the user account for the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein sending the request message to the mobile device and receiving the reply message from the mobile device are sending and receiving, respectively, via a high frequency, low energy communication protocol.

20. A system, comprising:

a mobile device related to a user account;

a service provider server; and

an agent implemented as processor instructions on a computing device;

wherein the agent sends login information to the service provider server; and

wherein the service provider server compares the login information to the user account, performs a proximity check of the mobile device and the computing device, and sends authorization to the agent to approve an exchange of data with an application on the computing device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the service provider is a wireless communications service provider and the mobile device is a cellular phone.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the service provider is an authorization service provider.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the mobile device is a cellular phone, and wherein the authorization service provider communicates with a wireless communications provider to verify an account related to the user and the mobile device.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the mobile device is one of a card or a keyfob.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the mobile device includes a biometric reader.