User Authentication

• US 20160134612A1
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Novack, Brian M., Birkes, Jerry, Drake, Alton, Toretti, Gary
• Application Number:
  US14/962,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20160134612A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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

Abstract

A user may be authenticated using credentials associated with online retailers. A username and password associated with an online retailer, for example, may be submitted to a different online retailer. The different online retailer may thus use the username and password to verify the user, even though the username and password are associated with the online retailer. A single user identity, in other words, is more convenient for the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a server, an electronic authentication request requesting an authentication associated with an online retailer, the electronic authentication request specifying a user identity associated with a different online retailer;

querying, by the server, an electronic database for the user identity associated with the different online retailer, the electronic database having electronic database associations between user identities and global identities;

retrieving, by the server from the electronic database, a global identity of the global identities having an electronic database association with the user identity associated with the different online retailer; and

authenticating, by the server, access to a restricted access zone associated with the online retailer based on the global identity having the electronic database association with the user identity associated with the different online retailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating the access to the restricted access zone comprises authenticating the access to a website.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating the access to the restricted access zone comprises authenticating the access to a website associated with the online retailer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating the access to the restricted access zone comprises authenticating the access to a software application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating the access to the restricted access zone comprises authenticating the access to a software application associated with the online retailer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating the access to the restricted access zone comprises authenticating the access to data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating the access to the restricted access zone comprises authenticating the access to data associated with the online retailer.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving an electronic authentication request requesting an authentication associated with an online retailer, the electronic authentication request specifying a user identity associated with a different online retailer;

querying an electronic database for the user identity associated with the different online retailer, the electronic database having electronic database associations between user identities and global identities;

retrieving a global identity of the global identities having an electronic database association with the user identity associated with the different online retailer; and

authenticating access to a restricted access zone associated with the online retailer based on the global identity having the electronic database association with the user identity associated with the different online retailer.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to a website.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to a website associated with the online retailer.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to a software application.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to a software application associated with the online retailer.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to data.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to data associated with the online retailer.

15. A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving an electronic authentication request requesting an authentication associated with an online retailer, the electronic authentication request specifying a user identity associated with a different online retailer;

querying an electronic database for the user identity associated with the different online retailer, the electronic database having electronic database associations between user identities and global identities;

retrieving a global identity of the global identities having an electronic database association with the user identity associated with the different online retailer; and

authenticating access to a restricted access zone associated with the online retailer based on the global identity having the electronic database association with the user identity associated with the different online retailer.

16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to a website.

17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to a website associated with the online retailer.

18. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to a software application.

19. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to a software application associated with the online retailer.

20. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating the access to data associated with the online retailer.