System for ubiquitous network presence and access without cookies

• US 7,752,322 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gragossian, Seda, Abrahams, Marc David
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIU, HO T
• Application Number:
  US10/805,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,300 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/225, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A system for ubiquitous network presence and access without cookies utilizes a unique customer ID that is created for a customer using a client device connected to the Internet and is stored on the device and by other server applications for future automatic authentication and login of the customer when accessing the variety of services available on a business network.

Claims

1. A method for computer network access, comprising the steps of:

running a client application, wherein the client application is not a web browser, and wherein the client application runs on a customer device incapable of managing a cookie;

entering user information into the customer device;

communicating the entered user information to a first server;

storing the user information on the first server;

creating a unique customer identification for a user of the customer device, wherein the creating step comprises generating a random number;

storing the unique customer identification on the first server;

communicating the unique customer identification to the customer device running the client application and to a plurality of other servers running a plurality of server applications, thereby providing a unique customer identification communication, lacking a cookie, wherein the unique customer identification communication is sent to the customer device and to the plurality of other servers;

storing the unique customer identification on the customer device and on the plurality of other servers, thereby providing a stored unique customer identification;

communicating the unique customer identification from the customer device to at least one server selected from a group consisting essentially of the first server and the plurality of other servers; and

authenticating the user by matching the unique customer identification received by the at least one server with the unique customer identification stored on the at least one server,

thereby providing a ubiquitous presence on a network for facilitating provision of a service to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticating step comprises:

providing a particular service to the user; and

prohibiting the user from accessing the service if the unique customer identification received by the at least one server does not match the stored unique customer identification.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step comprises generating a random number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique customer identification communicating step comprises forgoing embedding a cookie.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique customer identification communicating step comprises forgoing transmitting a cookie.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the entered user information communicating step comprises transmitting an address and a phone number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer device comprises at least one electronic device selected from a group consisting essentially of a device capable of digital communication, a computer, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, and a television.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the entered user information communicating step comprises using at least one technique selected from a group consisting essentially of a common gateway interface standard, a JAVA servlet technology, and a Berkeley System Distribution socket interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique customer identification communicating step comprises using at least one technique selected from a group consisting essentially of a common gateway interface standard, a JAVA servlet technology, a Berkeley System Distribution socket interface, an extensible mark-up language, and a custom format.

10. A computer network system, comprising:

a server computer running a server software application operable to create a unique customer identification for a user, store the unique identification on the server computer, communicate the unique customer identification, lacking a cookie, to a client computer, wherein the unique customer identification communication, lacking a cookie, is sent to the client computer and to the server computer, and authenticate the user via the unique customer identification when the user communicates with the server computer;

a client computer, incapable of managing a cookie, running a client software application, said client computer being operably connected to the server computer over a network, wherein the client application is not a web browser, and wherein the client software application is operable to communicate user information to the server software application, store the unique customer identification, and provide the server with the unique customer identification to authenticate the user with the server application; and

at least one additional server computer running an additional server software application, said at least one additional server computer being operably connected to the server computer and client computer over a network, being operable to provide information services to the user, and being operable to receive the unique customer identification from the server computer and, being operable to authenticate the user via the unique customer identification when the user communicates with the at least one additional server software application,

whereby a ubiquitous presence on a network is provided for facilitating provision of a service to the user.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one additional server software application, running on the server computer, being operable to provide a plurality of information services to the user, being operable to receive the unique customer identification from the server computer, and being operable to authenticate the user via the unique customer identification when the user communicates with the at least one additional server software application.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the client software application forgoes storing a cookie.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one additional server computer is operably connected to the server computer through a business network.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a firewall disposed between the one server computer and the client computer.

15. A digital computer system, comprising:

a computer program embodied in a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium and adapted to;

run a client application, wherein the client application is not a web browser, and wherein the client application runs on a customer device incapable of managing a cookie;

receive user information entered into the customer device;

communicate the entered user information to a first server;

store the user information on the first server;

create a unique customer identification for a user of the customer device;

store the unique customer identification on the first server;

communicate the unique customer identification to the customer device running the client application and to a plurality of other servers running a plurality of server applications, whereby a unique customer identification communication is provided, wherein the communication, lacking a cookie, is sent to the customer device and to the plurality of other servers;

store the unique customer identification on the client and the plurality of other servers, whereby a stored unique customer identification is provided;

communicate the unique customer identification from the customer device to at least one server selected from a group consisting essentially of the first server and the plurality of other servers; and

authenticate the user by matching the unique customer identification received by the at least one server with the unique customer identification stored on the at least one server,

wherein each server of the plurality of other servers provides a particular service available to the user of the customer device,

wherein the user is prohibited from accessing the service if the unique customer identification received by the at least one server does not match the unique customer identification stored on the at least one server, and

whereby a ubiquitous presence on a network is provided for facilitating provision of a service to the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the customer device comprises at least one electronic device selected from a group consisting essentially of a device capable of digital communication, a computer, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, and a television.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the user information is entered by way of at least one element selected from a group consisting essentially of a keyboard, a mouse, a remote control, a touchpad, and means for recognizing a voice.

18. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium, comprising:

a computer program adapted to;

run a client application, wherein the client application is not a web browser, and

wherein the client application runs on a customer device incapable of managing a cookie;

receive user information entered into the customer device;

communicate the entered user information to a first server;

store the user information on the first server;

create a unique customer identification for a user of the customer device;

store the unique customer identification on the first server;

communicate the unique customer identification to the customer device running the client application and to a plurality of other servers running a plurality of server applications, whereby a unique customer identification communication, lacking a cookie is provided, wherein the communication is sent to the customer device and to the plurality of other servers;

store the unique customer identification on the customer device and the plurality of other servers;

communicate the unique customer identification from the client to at least one server selected from a group consisting essentially of the first server and one other server of the plurality of other servers; and

authenticate the user by matching the unique customer identification received by the at least one server with the unique customer identification stored on the at least one server,

wherein each server of the plurality of other servers provides a particular service available to the user of the customer device,

wherein the user is prohibited from accessing the service if the unique customer identification received by the at least one server does not match the unique customer identification stored on the at least one server, and

whereby a ubiquitous presence on a network is provided for facilitating provision of a service to the user.