METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING ONLINE USER ACCOUNT USING A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20150095984A1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: ADSULE, Dharmendra Prakash
• Granted Patent: US 9,686,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2131 Lost password, e.g. recovery of lost or forgotten passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for controlling online user account using a mobile device. The method includes receiving an option to lock an online account of a user from a service provider. The computer-implemented method also includes locking the online user account by using a mobile device. Further, the computer-implemented method includes initiating a user action at a later point of time. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method includes receiving an alert to unlock the online user account in order to perform the user action and obtaining an unlock password from the service provider. Moreover, the computer-implemented method includes unlocking the online user account with the unlock password by using the mobile device and performing the user action subsequent to the unlocking, thereby controlling the online user account using the mobile device. The system includes a computing device, a web browser, a service provider and a mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling online user account using a mobile device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving an option to lock an online user account of a user from a service provider;

locking the online user account by using a mobile device;

initiating a user action at a later point of time;

receiving an alert to unlock the online user account in order to perform the user action;

obtaining an unlock password from the service provider;

unlocking the online user account with the unlock password by using the mobile device; and

performing the user action subsequent to the unlocking, thereby controlling the online user account using the mobile device.

2. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

registering the mobile device with the service provider.

3. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking is accomplished by one of using a service provider web site and by sending a Short Message Service from the mobile device registered to the service provider number.

4. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

providing authorization with the unlock password while the mobile device is located in an off-network environment.

5. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying occurrence of a user action to be performed by the service provider.

6. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising:

storing a mobile device number with the service provider for authorization; and

receiving an unlock password when the service provider identifies the user action.

7. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising:

receiving a request from the service provider to unlock the user online account;

discarding the request by the user; and

denying the user action identified.

8. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a message from the user upon discarding the request.

9. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 7 wherein denying further comprising:

blocking requests by the service provider.

10. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing online services subsequent to the locking.

11. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that when executed by a processor, performs a for controlling online user account using a mobile device, comprising:

receiving an option to lock an online user account of a user from a service provider;

locking the online user account by using a mobile device;

initiating a user action at a later point of time;

receiving an alert to unlock the online user account in order to perform the user action;

obtaining an unlock password from the service provider;

unlocking the online user account with the unlock password by using the mobile device; and

performing the user action subsequent to the unlocking, thereby controlling the online user account using the mobile device.

12. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

registering the mobile device with the service provider.

13. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11, wherein the locking is accomplished by one of using a service provider web site and by sending a Short Message Service from the mobile device registered to the service provider number.

14. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

providing authorization with the unlock password even while the mobile device is located in an off-network environment.

15. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

identifying occurrence of a user action by the service provider.

16. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

storing mobile device number with the service provider for authorization; and

receiving an unlock password at the point of identifying from the service provider.

17. The computer program product as claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a request from the service provider to unlock the user online account;

discarding the request by the user; and

denying the user action identified.

18. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a message from the user upon discarding the request.

19. The computer program product as claimed in claim 17 further comprising:

blocking the request by the service provider.

20. The computer program product as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

utilizing online services subsequent to the locking.

21. A system for controlling online user account using a mobile device, the system comprising:

a computing device to perform user actions on an online user account;

a web browser installed on the computing device to load a plurality of web pages to a user;

a service provider, communicatively coupled to the mobile device; and

a mobile device in electronic communication with the service provider, to lock and unlock the online user account thereby controlling the online user account.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the mobile device is operable to perform:

receiving an option to lock the online user account from the service provider; and

receiving an alert from the service provider to unlock the online user account.