Method and apparatus for authentication and payment for devices participating in Jini communities

• US 6,877,094 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2000
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: DiGiorgio, Rinaldo, Uhler, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US09/627,848
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/180, 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/75 Account location specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8005 Flat-fee
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/72 Account specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7245 Shared by users, e.g. group accounts or one account for different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 : per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

Architectures that enable different types of security devices to operate interchangeably in very large network environments for authentication and metered access to services are described. The system relies on a lease-based access to the network services. The leasing model supports a smart card type payment for services allowing for payments to be automatically forwarded from the smart card type device to the service whenever a service is leased. To lease a service, the requesting service must first be authenticated using devices like cellular phones, smart cards, Personal Data Assistants, or similar devices that have processing and memory capabilities and in some instances, wireless communication capabilities. Services may enter or exit the environment at will. Devices and services in this environment have public certificates that are used for authentication. Services may customize access to its products to make them available only to desired services.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a federation of computers and computing devices, said federation appearing as a single system to a user of said federation;

providing a first service, said first service participating in said federation;

initiating a request for said first service;

said request being initiated by said user via a second service, said second service participating in said federation;

requesting authentication of said second service, said authentication being requested by said first service;

presenting authentication, said authentication being presented by said second service;

verifying said authentication, said authentication being verified by said first service; and

granting access to said first service, thereby enabling said second service to said first service.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting payment for said first service via said federation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second service is a cellular phone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said second service is a Personal Data Assistant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second service is a smart card.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said requesting authentication further comprises:

generating a digital signature; and

verifying said digital signature with a public certificate.