User authentication apparatus, controlling method thereof, and network system

• US 7,065,341 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ando, Norio, Ch'ng, Joohai, Kamiyama, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US10/416,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20040064730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 713/155, 713/168, 713/202
• US Class Current: 455/411
• 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 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a user authentication apparatus that is easy for the user of a mobile wireless communication terminal to use and that makes it possible to authenticate a user reliably, and to provide a method of controlling this apparatus. After authentication (S25) is performed based upon a user ID and password, e-mail that has been made to include a temporary URL that is valid for a fixed period of time is transmitted to a mobile station 11 (S30). The mobile station 11 is authenticated by determining (S32) whether it has accessed the temporary URL within the period of validity.

Claims

1. A user authentication apparatus for authenticating a mobile wireless communication terminal wherein in response to said mobile wireless communication terminal attempting to access a particular content server, said content server instructing said mobile wireless communication terminal to first perform authentication with said user authentication apparatus, said user authentication apparatus comprising:

address generating means for generating an URL address that is capable of being utilized by said mobile wireless communication terminal in response said mobile wireless communicating terminal attempting to access said content server, said URL address making it possible for said user authentication apparatus to detect an access request or data transmission to this URL address;

address notification means for notifying said mobile wireless communication terminal to be authenticated of the URL address that has been generated by said address generating means;

detection means for detecting an access request or data transmission from the wireless communication terminal to be authenticated to the URL address of which notification has been given; and

authentication means for authenticating the wireless communication terminal to be authenticated, based upon the access request or data transmission request detected by said detection means within a predetermined period of time wherein said authentication means further assigns a user id and password for subsequently authorizing access from said wireless communication terminal to said content server.

2. A user authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the URL address generated by said address generating means differs for each mobile wireless communication terminal that is to be authenticated and has a period of validity decided in advance.

3. A user authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said address generating means gives notification of said URL address by e-mail.

4. A user authentication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said authentication means performs said authentication by taking into consideration a transmission-source address of e-mail that has been transmitted from the mobile wireless communication terminal that is to be authenticated to the address of which notification has been given by said address notification means.

5. A user authentication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said URL address is an address indicating a file within said user authentication apparatus.

6. A user authentication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said URL address is an e-mail address that is capable of being received by said user authentication apparatus.

7. A user authentication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a user database means storing information relating to mobile wireless communication terminals that have already been registered.

8. A method of controlling a user authentication apparatus for authenticating a mobile wireless communication terminal wherein in response to said mobile wireless communication terminal attempting to access a particular content server, said content server instructing said mobile wireless communication terminal to first perform authentication with said user authentication apparatus, comprising the steps of:

generating an URL address that is capable of being utilized by said mobile wireless communication terminal in response to said mobile wireless communication terminal attempting to access said content server this URL address making it possible for said user authentication apparatus to detect an access request or data transmission to this URL address;

notifying said mobile wireless communication terminal to be authenticated of the URL address that has been generated at said address generating step;

detecting an access request or data transmission from the wireless communication terminal to be authenticated to the URL address of which notification has been given; and

authenticating the wireless communication terminal to be authenticated, based upon the access request or data transmission request detected within a predetermined period of time wherein said step of authenticating further assigns a user id and password for subsequently authorizing access from said wireless communication terminal to said content server.

9. A method of controlling a user authentication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the URL address generated at said address generating step differs for each mobile wireless communication terminal that is to be authenticated and has a period of validity decided in advance.

10. A method of controlling a user authentication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said address generating step gives notification of said URL address by e-mail.

11. A method of controlling a user authentication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said URL address is an address indicating a file within said user authentication apparatus.

12. A method of controlling a user authentication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said URL address is an e-mail address that is capable of being received by said user authentication apparatus.

13. A method of controlling a user authentication apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said authentication step performs said authentication by taking into consideration a transmission-source address of e-mail that has been transmitted from the mobile wireless communication terminal that is to be authenticated to the address of which notification has been given at said address notification step.

14. A method of controlling a user authentication apparatus of claim 8, wherein the address is a temporary URL address associated with the user authentication apparatus.

15. A method for authenticating a mobile wireless terminal requesting access to a particular content server, said mobile wireless terminal being served by a wireless network and said content server is communicably connected to said wireless network for providing particular content or service to said mobile wireless terminal, comprising the steps of:

receiving an authentication request from said mobile wireless terminal to access said content server, wherein said authentication request includes data identifying said mobile wireless terminal and wherein said authentication request is received by an authentication server associated with said content server;

verifying by said authentication server whether said mobile wireless terminal is a valid user previously registered with and authorized to access said content server, said step of verifying further comprises the steps of

receiving user id and password from said mobile wireless terminal and

comparing said received user id and password against previously stored user id and password;

creating by said authentication server a temporary URL address for said mobile wireless terminal;

communicating said temporary URL address from said authentication server to said mobile wireless terminal;

determining whether said mobile wireless terminal has accessed said temporary URL address within a predetermined time period;

in response to determining that said mobile wireless terminal has accessed said temporary URL address, allowing said mobile wireless terminal to directly access said content server.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said temporary URL, address created differs for each mobile wireless terminal that is to be authenticated.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said temporary URL address is communicated by an email to said mobile wireless terminal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said temporary URL address is communicated by a Short Message System (SMS) to said mobile wireless terminal.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said temporary URL address is a temporary email address that will remain accessible for a particular period of time.