METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BROWSER IDENTITY

• US 20140025949A1
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kay, Erik, Barth, Adam, Boodman, Aaron S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,887,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

A browser application programming interface is exposed to a web application to verify an identify of a user using user-specific identity information stored by the browser. Cryptographic information associated with the user is transmitted from the browser application programming interface to the web application. User-specific content is provided to the user through the web application if the web application verifies an identify of the user via the browser application programming interface using the cryptographic information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

exposing a browser application programming interface to a web application to verify an identify of a user using user-specific identity information stored by the browser;

transmitting, from the browser application programming interface, cryptographic information associated with the user to the web application; and

providing user-specific content to the user through the web application if the web application verifies an identity of the user via the browser application programming interface using the cryptographic information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cryptographic information includes a unique message and a public key associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

proving an installable web application, wherein installation of the installable web application within a browser includes granting a unique permission to the web application to access user-specific identity information; and

receiving an indication that the user has installed the web application and has granted the unique permission to the web application to access the user-specific identity information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the unique message is not shared with other web applications.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specific identity information includes a user name and email address.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specific identity information is stored on client device that executes the browser.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specific content is based on the user-specific identity information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specific identity information is stored on server that is remote from a client device that executes the browser, and wherein the user-specific identity information is provided to the browser upon the user logging into an account.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing login information for the user, including a username, to an online account associated with the user from a first client device;

associating the user'"'"'s installation of the web application with the online account;

providing login information for the user, including the username, to the online account associated with the user from a second client device controlled by the user;

upon providing the login information, automatically installing the web application within a browser executing on the second client device, wherein installing the web application includes granting permission to the web application to access the user-specific identity information, wherein the user-specific identity information is stored by the browser executing on the second client device;

launching the web application in the browser executing on the second client device;

automatically providing at least a portion of the user-specific identity information from the browser executing on the second client device to the web application based on the user'"'"'s launch of the web application; and

providing user-specific content to the user through the web application launched in the browser executing on the second client device, wherein the user-specific content is based on the portion of the user-specific identity information that is provided to the web application.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon approval by the user, receiving a request from the web application for stored user-specific identity information via an application programming interface call from the web application to the browser.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the web application includes a manifest file and at least a portion of a web site.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the web application was packaged as an installable entity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the web application is self contained and operates offline.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the cryptographic information persists within the browser after the user logs out of another web application or another website while using the browser.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon installation of the web application within the browser, automatically providing a pop-up window to notify the user that the web application will have access to at least a portion of the user-specific identity information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specific identity information includes account information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the account information includes private identifiers for multiple credit cards.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser operates as an operating system of a client device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions executable by a processor of a computing device, that when executed by the processor cause the computing device to:

expose a browser application programming interface to a web application to verify an identify of a user using user-specific identity information stored by the browser;

transmit, from the browser application programming interface, cryptographic information associated with the user to the web application; and

provide user-specific content to the user through the web application if the web application verifies an identify of the user via the browser application programming interface using the cryptographic information.

20. A system including:

a memory; and

a processor operably coupled to the memory and configured to execute code to;

expose a browser application programming interface to a web application to verify an identify of a user using user-specific identity information stored by the browser;

transmit, from the browser application programming interface, cryptographic information associated with the user to the web application; and

provide user-specific content to the user through the web application if the web application verifies an identify of the user via the browser application programming interface using the cryptographic information.