Architecture for general purpose trusted personal access system and methods therefor

• US 7,844,674 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fiserv Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Clairmail Incorporated (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Madams, Peter H. C., Salesky, Joseph H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao; Ranodhi N
• Application Number:
  US11/280,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/206, 709/219, 713/170, 726/12
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• 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 67/133 Protocols for remote procedure calls [RPC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A method for effecting the execution of an application function on an application server from a client device includes receiving from the client device at a proxy server a first message that pertains to a request to execute an application function, and that conforms to a text-based user-to-user messaging protocol, and that includes a human-readable input parameter. The method also includes authenticating a user associated with the first message origination address by sending an authentication message to the user at a message confirmation address, and receiving confirmation from the user responsive to the authentication message. If the user is authenticated, the method further includes generating a second message using the human-readable input parameter and transmitting the second message to the application server.

Claims

1. A method for effecting the execution of an application function on an application server from a client device, said client device being coupled to a proxy server, said proxy server being further coupled to said application server that executes said application function, said method comprising:

receiving at said proxy server from said client device a first message, wherein said first message includes a first message destination address and a first message origination address, and wherein said proxy server is a final destination of said first message, and wherein said first message pertains to a request to execute said application function, and wherein said first message includes a human-readable input parameter; and

wherein said first message conforms to a text-based user-to-user messaging protocol;

authenticating in said proxy server a user associated with said first message origination address by sending an authentication message to said user at a message confirmation address and receiving confirmation from said user responsive to said authentication message;

determining whether said user is authenticated by verifying whether said confirmation from said user is a message addressed to one of a plurality of special mailboxes with an encrypted name;

selecting in said proxy server said application server based at least on said human-readable input parameter of said first message;

selecting in said proxy server user associated information from a user profile database based at least on said first message;

generating in said proxy server a second message utilizing said human-readable input parameter and said user associated information, wherein said second message is for use by said application server; and

transmitting to said application server from said proxy server said second message, to cause said application server to execute said application function based on said second message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said client device is coupled to said proxy server via a first network, and said proxy server is coupled to said application server via a second network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first network and said second network are the same.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said first network and said second network are not the same.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said first network is one of a wide area network, and a wireless network.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said second network is one of a wide area network, a wireless network, and a local area network.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said first message further includes additional parameters in a body of said first message, and wherein said additional parameters are relevant to said execution of said application function, and wherein said additional parameters are expressed as alphanumeric text.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said authentication message is transmitted to said user using a first protocol that is different from a second protocol employed to transmit said first message from said user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said first protocol and said second protocol includes at least one of SMTP, SMS, MMS, IM, XMPP, web service, SOAP, XML, WAP, WML, HTTPS, and HTTP.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said message confirmation address represents a non-persistent message address that is configured to be inactivated after said authenticating.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said authenticating employs at least one of a time-sensitive authentication token, a personal identification number (PIN), and a password.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first message destination address is stored in a messaging address book on said client device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first message is created on said client device with a form.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said form is one of an XForm, a HTML form, and a WML form.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said message confirmation address is different from said first message origination address.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said message confirmation address is the same as said first message origination address.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said application server includes a graphical user interface, and wherein said proxy server is coupled to said application server through said graphical user interface.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said application server includes an API, and wherein said proxy server is coupled to said application server through said API.

19. An apparatus for enabling a client device to remotely execute an application function on an application server, said client device being coupled to a proxy server, said proxy server being further coupled to said application server that executes said application function, said apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

means for receiving at said proxy server from said client device a first message, wherein said first message includes a first message destination address and a first message origination address, and wherein said proxy server is a final destination of said first message, and wherein said first message pertains to a request to execute said application function, and wherein said first message includes a human-readable input parameter; and

wherein said first message conforms to a text-based user-to-user messaging protocol;

means for authenticating in said proxy server a user associated with said first message origination address by sending an authentication message to said user at a message confirmation address and receiving confirmation from said user responsive to said authentication message;

means for determining whether said user is authenticated by verifying whether said confirmation from said user is a message addressed to one of a plurality of special mailboxes with an encrypted name;

means for selecting in said proxy server said application server based at least on said human-readable input parameter of said first message;

means for selecting in said proxy server user associated information from a user profile database based at least on said first message;

means for generating in said proxy server a second message utilizing said human-readable input parameter and said user associated information, wherein said second message is for use by said application server; and

means for transmitting to said application server from said proxy server said second message, to cause said application server to execute said application function based on said second message.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said client device is coupled to said proxy server via a first network, and said proxy server is coupled to said application server via a second network.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said first network and said second network are the same.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said first network and said second network are not the same.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said first network is one of a wide area network, and a wireless network.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said second network is one of a wide area network, a wireless network, and a local area network.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said first message further includes additional parameters in a body of said first message, and wherein said additional parameters are relevant to said execution of said application function, and wherein said additional parameters are expressed as alphanumeric text.

26. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said authentication message is transmitted to said user using a first protocol that is different from a second protocol employed to transmit said first message from said user.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first protocol and said second protocol includes at least one of SMTP, SMS, IM, web service, SOAP, XML, HTTPS, and HTTP.

28. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said message confirmation address represents a non-persistent message address that is configured to be inactivated after said authenticating.

29. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said authenticating employs at least one of a time sensitive authentication token, a personal identification number (PIN), and a password.

30. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said first message destination address is stored in a messaging address book on said client device.

31. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said application server includes a graphical user interface, and wherein said proxy server is coupled to said application server through said graphical user interface.

32. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said application server includes an API, and wherein said proxy server is coupled to said application server through said API.