Methods And Apparatus For Reliable And Privacy Protecting Identification Of Parties' Mutual Friends And Common Interests

• US 20130185777A1
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Asokan, Nadarajah, Miettinen, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 9,003,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

Systems and techniques for authenticating joint friends of users of wireless devices. An authenticating authority delivers a token to a wireless device for each party identified as a friend of a user of the wireless device, such as through relationships in an online social network. Two wireless devices can use information relating to the tokens to determine information relating to joint friends of the users of the devices, such as the identities of joint friends or simply the numbers of joint friends. Tokens can be further refined to allow for analysis that provides information relating to the degree of intimacy of the relationship between a user and a party identified as a friend.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

memory;

at least one processor;

a program of instructions, configured to, with the memory and the at least one processor, configure the apparatus to at least;

receive at least one token from an authenticating authority, wherein the at least one token authenticates another party as a friend of a user of the apparatus; and

communicate with a wireless communication device of another user possessing at least one token authenticating at least one party as a friend of the user of the device; and

analyze information received in the communication to determine whether the information indicates that a joint friend exists between the user of the apparatus and the user of the device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the tokens includes an indicium indicating a degree of closeness between the user of the apparatus and a party identified as a friend of the user of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein analyzing the information comprises determining the identities of at least one joint friend of the user of the apparatus and the user of the device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein analyzing the information comprises determining the number of joint friends of the user of the apparatus and the user of the device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the tokens includes an indicium associating it with the authenticating authority.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the tokens includes an indicium associated with a validity period.

7. An apparatus comprising:

memory;

at least one processor;

a program of instructions, configured to, with the memory and the at least one processor, configure the apparatus to at least;

create at least one token authenticating a party as a friend of a user of a wireless communication device; and

deliver the at least one token to the device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein creating the at least one token comprises encrypting information with a key kept secret from the user of the device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the key comprises a key associated with a level of intimacy between the party and the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein creating the at least one token comprises creating multiple tokens, wherein each of the multiple tokens comprises an indicium indicating the intimacy of a relationship between the party and the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the indicium indicating the intimacy of the relationship between the party and the user comprises encryption of information with a key associated with the closeness of the relationship.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one token comprises an indicium associated with an interest shared between the party and the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein delivering the at least one token to the device comprises delivering the at least one token in response to a request by the device.

14. A method comprising:

configuring at least one processor to cause an apparatus to perform actions comprising;

creating at least one token authenticating a party as a friend of a user of a wireless communication device; and

delivering the at least one token to the device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein creating the at least one token comprises encrypting the at least one token with a key kept secret from the user of the device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the key comprises a key associated with a level of intimacy between the party and the user.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein creating the at least one token comprises creating multiple tokens, wherein each of the multiple tokens comprises an indicium indicating the intimacy of a relationship between the party and the user.

18. A computer readable medium storing a program of instructions, execution of which by a processor configures an apparatus to perform actions comprising at least:

creating at least one token authenticating a party as a friend of a user of a wireless communication device; and

delivering the at least one token to the device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein creating the at least one token comprises encrypting the at least one token with a key kept secret from the user of the device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the key comprises a key associated with a level of intimacy between the party and the user.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein creating the at least one token comprises creating multiple tokens, wherein each of the multiple tokens comprises an indicium indicating the intimacy of a relationship between the party and the user.