Universal Authentication and Data Exchange Method, System and Service

• US 20140380445A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nxt-Id, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nxt-Id, Inc.
• Inventors: Tunnell, David, Mitchell, Justin, Zurasky, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US14/217,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20140380445A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0869 involving random numbers or seeds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/16 the keys or algorithms being changed during operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3215 using a plurality of channels network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18

Abstract

A method for securely communicating information between an authenticator at a local endpoint and a remote device at a remote endpoint and for authenticating to the remote device. The method comprises activating the authenticator; determining at least one communication scheme useable at the local or remote endpoints or any midpoints between the local and the remote endpoints on a communication channel; determining authentication schemes and authentication credentials usable at the local or remote endpoints or any midpoints on the communication channel; determining data encryption schemes useable at the local or remote endpoints or any midpoints on the communication channel; a user supplying authentication credentials to the authenticator; the authenticator supplying determined authentication credentials to the remote device; and responsive to a successful authentication, the authenticator and remote device exchanging information according to a determined communication scheme and a determined encryption scheme.

Claims

1. A method for securely communicating information between an authenticator at a local endpoint and a remote device at a remote endpoint and for authenticating to the remote device, the method comprising:

activating the authenticator;

determining at least one communication scheme useable at the local or remote endpoints or any midpoints between the local and the remote endpoints on a communication channel;

determining authentication schemes and authentication credentials usable at the local or remote endpoints or any midpoints on the communication channel;

determining data encryption schemes useable at the local or remote endpoints or any midpoints on the communication channel;

a user supplying authentication credentials to the authenticator;

the authenticator supplying determined authentication credentials to the remote device; and

responsive to a successful authentication, the authenticator and remote device exchanging information according to a determined communication scheme and a determined encryption scheme.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the authenticator communicates with the local endpoint over a wireless link, and wherein wireless protocol signals from the authenticator appear as keyboard protocol input signals to the local endpoint.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the keyboard input protocol signals populate authentication credential fields of the local endpoint.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the wireless protocol signals comprise one or more of a human interface device (HID) protocol signal, a serial port protocol (SPP) signal , a wireless keyboard protocol signal, a wireless protocol signal interpreted by the local endpoint as a keyboard protocol signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the authenticator communicates with the remote endpoint and supplies authentication credentials of a user of the local endpoint.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the user requests authentication credentials from the authenticator, wherein requested authentication credentials are responsive to a remote device that the user desires to access.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the authenticator and the remote device exchange information over a wireless link.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the authenticator is enclosed within one of a ring, a bracelet, a necklace, a wallet, a smart card, a watch, a wearable item, a key fob, a key ring attachment, a USB device, a dongle, a mobile device, and a static device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the many midpoints comprises a midpoint device that communicates with the authenticator or the remote device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications scheme comprises a communications link, the communications link further comprising one of a radio frequency link, a Bluetooth link, a Bluetooth LE link, a WiFi link, a radio frequency identification link, a near field communications link, an audio link, and a wireless link, and wherein the communications scheme comprises one of sound signals, radio frequency signals, image signals, QR codes, optical signals, serial signals and parallel signals.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication credentials comprise one or more of one-time-pass codes, challenge/response queries and dynamic pairing.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining authentication credentials comprises the authenticator automatically detecting the endpoint device and requesting the authentication credentials, automatically choosing the authentication credentials, and the user selecting specific authentication credentials.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote device comprises one of an application, website, service, software application, a cloud-based device, and cloud-based software.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a data compression scheme useable at the local or remote endpoints or any midpoints, and wherein the authenticator and remote device exchange information according to a determined data compression scheme.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of activating the authenticator comprises one of activating the authenticator by the remote device and manually activating the authenticator by a user.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein a step of determining authentication schemes and authentication credentials comprises reviewing a history of prior access to the remote device, a user selecting authentication credentials, and the authenticator negotiating the authentication credentials with the remote device.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein for predetermined remote devices the authenticator automatically authenticates a user to the remote device without user action.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication credentials comprise one or a combination of one-time-passcodes, challenge/response queries, multi-factor authentication, asymmetric authentication, symmetric authentication, PKI, PGP, and dynamic pairing.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the authenticator detects environmental conditions to reduce required authentication credentials or authentication schemes.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein a user interface at the local endpoint provides the user with a choice of authentication credentials or authentication schemes.

21. A method for protecting authentication credentials, the method comprising:

a user recognizing that authentication credentials are required for accessing a remote device;

the user providing authentication credentials associated with the remote device to an authenticator;

the user authenticating to the authenticator; and

the authenticator supplying the authentication credentials for use by the remote device to permit the user to access to the remote device.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of the user providing authentication credentials comprises the authenticator becoming aware that the remote device requires authentication credentials for accessing the remote device.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of the user authenticating to the authenticator comprises the user authenticating to a first device, after which the first device and the authenticator exchange information.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein a step of the user authenticating to the authenticator comprises the user supplying one or more of an item known by the user, a user location, a biometric, and an item the user possesses.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the item known by the user comprises one or more of a PIN, a password, a pattern, a gesture, a random number, and a sequence, and wherein the biometrics item comprises one or more of a gesture, a finger print, a facial print, a 3D facial print, an eye scan , an eye characteristic, an eye vein, DNA, a vein pattern, a palm print, a heartbeat characteristic, a skin pore characteristic, vibrometry, and a scent, and wherein the item the user possesses comprises a serialized device, a wallet having a user identification.