Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating seamless, virtual integration of online membership models and services

• US 7,337,468 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transunion Interactive, Inc. (TransUnion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Truelink, Inc.
• Inventors: Metzger, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrón, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, JUNG W
• Application Number:
  US10/778,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 726 5- 6, 713/185
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating integration of the functionality associated with a first on-line service entity with the functionality associated with a second on-line service entity. Embodiments of the present invention allow a first on-line service entity having its own membership model to efficiently collaborate with a second on-line service entity to offer its users the services of the second on-line service entity in a seamless and consistently branded manner. One implementation obviates the need for synchronization of the membership models between the first and second on-line service entities. One implementation allows the second on-line service entity to provide services to the users associated with the first on-line service entity in a seamless manner without the first on-line service entity having to proxy the session between the second on-line service entity and the users.

Claims

1. An apparatus facilitating integration of separate online services, comprising

a session state module operative to

generate session identifiers in response to requests for a session identifier;

maintain session state information in association with the session identifiers, wherein the session state information comprises a user identifier;

a server module operative to

receive requests for session identifiers from a third-party site, wherein the third-party requests include user identifiers;

authenticate the requests for session identifiers;

access the session state module to obtain session identifiers for authenticated requests;

transmit the session identifiers to the third-party site in response to the requests for session identifiers;

receive requests from users, wherein the requests include session identifiers transmitted to the third-party sites;

control access to resources available to the users by validating the session identifiers in the requests from users against the session state information maintained by the session state module;

wherein the requests for a session identifier are transmitted indirectly via a host system corresponding to a user of the third-party site; and

wherein the requests for session identifiers include a digital signatures created with an encryption key associated with the third-party site; and

wherein the server module is operative to authenticate the requests for session identifiers by validating the digital signature.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

an application module operative to provide an application service to at least one user;

and wherein the server module is operative to control access to the application module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the requests for session identifiers include a digital signatures created with an encryption key associated with the third-party site;

and wherein the server module is operative to authenticate the requests for session identifiers by validating the digital signature.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the requests for a session identifier are encrypted;

and wherein the server module is further operative to decrypt the requests for a session identifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the requests for a session identifier are encrypted;

and wherein the server module is further operative to decrypt the requests for a session identifier if the digital signature of the third-party web site is valid.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the requests for a session identifier further comprise a third-party site identifier, and wherein the state information maintained by state management module further comprises the third-party site identifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the requests for a session identifier are transmitted directly by the third-party site.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the requests for a session identifier are encrypted;

and wherein the server module is further operative to decrypt the requests for a session identifier.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the requests for a session identifier are encrypted;

and wherein the server module is further operative to decrypt the requests for a session identifier if the digital signature of the third-party web site is valid.

10. A method facilitating integration of separate online services, comprising

receiving, at a server, a request for a session identifier from a third-party site, wherein the request includes a user identifier and a third-party site identifier;

validating the request for a session identifier;

if the request for a session identifier is valid, creating a session and a session identifier in a session state database;

returning the session identifier to the third-party web sites;

receiving a request from a host system corresponding to a user, the request including the session identifier returned to the third-party web site;

verifying the session identifier against the session information maintained in the session state database; and

allowing the user access to functionality available through the server, if the session identifier is valid wherein allowing the user access comprises creating a user account corresponding to the user, wherein the user account is tagged with the third party site identifier.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the session is represented in a data structure stored on a computer readable medium, and wherein the information associated with the session includes the user identifier and the session identifier.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the request for a session identifier includes a digital signature created with an encryption key associated with the third-party web site;

and wherein the validating step comprises validating the digital signature.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the request for a session identifier is encrypted;

and wherein the method further comprises decrypting the request for a session identifier.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the request for a session identifier is encrypted;

and wherein the method further comprises decrypting the request for a session identifier if the digital signature of the third-party web site is valid.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising

receiving a request from a host system corresponding to a user, the request including the session identifier returned to the third-party web site;

verifying the session identifier against the session information maintained in the session state database;

allowing the user access to functionality available through the server, if the session identifier is valid.