Mobile device password system

• US 8,200,582 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Zhu, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, II, Calvin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ravetti, Dante
• Application Number:
  US12/348,377
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 705/64
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

A mobile payment system password restriction system is provided. The system comprises a portable electronic device, an electronic wallet application, and an access restriction application that, when executed on the portable electronic device, monitors the network connection status of the portable electronic device. The system also disables password access to the electronic wallet application after a first predetermined number of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application when the network connection status is not connected. The system also re-enables password access to the electronic wallet application in response to receiving a key code entered into portable electronic device, wherein the key code is different from the password.

Claims

1. A mobile payment system password restriction system, comprising:

a portable electronic device;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium of the portable electronic device comprising an access restriction application that, when executed on the portable electronic device causes the portable electronic device to perform the steps of;

storing a security policy, the security policy prohibits further password access attempts to an electronic wallet application on the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is not connected to a network provider after a first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts that is less than a second quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts permitted when the portable electronic device is connected to the network provider;

detecting that the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider;

applying the security policy in response to detecting that the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider;

detecting the first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application based on applying the security policy when the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider;

disabling password access to the electronic wallet application based on applying the security policy when the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider after detecting the first predetermined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application;

receiving a key code entered into the portable electronic device after disabling password access to the electronic wallet application, wherein the key code is different from a password that enables access to the electronic wallet application;

in response to receiving the key code, determining a non-zero quantity of newly allowed password attempts to the electronic wallet application, based on whether or not the portable electronic device is detected to be connected to the network provider; and

based on the determining, providing the user of the portable electronic device a number of newly allowed password attempts.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is one of a mobile telecommunication device, a mobile handset, a personal digital assistant, a handheld gaming device, a handheld wireless mobile device, a pager, a digital camera, a digital music player, a media player, and a digital calculator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic wallet application electronically stores information of at least one of a debit card, a credit card, a transit card, a loyalty card, a gift card, and a product coupon for use in completing point of sale transactions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the access restriction application, when executed by the portable electronic device, further causes the portable electronic device to perform the steps of:

storing a second security policy, the second security policy prohibits further password access attempts to the electronic wallet application after a second predetermined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts that is greater than the first predetermined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts;

detecting that the portable electronic device is connected to the network provider;

applying the second security policy in response to detecting that the portable electronic device is connected to the network provider;

detecting the second predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application based on applying the second security policy when the portable electronic device is connected to the network provider; and

disabling password access to the electronic wallet application based on applying the second security policy when the portable electronic device is connected to the network provider after detecting the second predetermined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the access restriction application does not restrict access to other applications executing on the portable electronic device.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a key code server configured to provide the key code in response to an authenticated request, wherein the key code server is accessible through a telephone interface, and the key code server is configured to receive instructions as a voice instruction or push-button entry instruction through the telephone interface.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the network provider is a provider of a wireless network.

16. The system of claim 4, wherein the access restriction application, when executed by the portable electronic device, further causes the portable electronic device to perform the steps of:

disabling the second security policy in response to detecting that the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider.

6. A method of protecting access to an electronic wallet application executing on a portable electronic device, comprising:

storing a security policy on the portable electronic device, the security policy prohibits further password access attempts to the electronic wallet application after a first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application that is less than a second quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application permitted when the portable electronic device is connected to a network provider;

detecting, by an access restriction application stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium of the portable electronic device and executing on the portable electronic device, that the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider;

applying, by the access restriction application, the security policy in response to detecting that the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider;

detecting, by the access restriction application, the first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application based on applying the security policy when the portable electronic device is detected to not be connected to the network provider;

disabling, by the access restriction application, password access to the electronic wallet application based on applying the security policy when the portable electronic device is detected to not be connected to the network provider after detecting the first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application;

receiving, by the access restriction application, a key code entered into the portable electronic device after disabling password access to the electronic wallet application;

in response to receiving the key code, determining a non-zero quantity of newly allowed password attempts to the electronic wallet application, based on whether or not the portable electronic device is detected to be connected to the network provider; and

based on the determining, providing the user of the portable electronic device a number of newly allowed password attempts.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the key code is entered into a keypad of the portable electronic device.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

monitoring, by the access restriction application, the electronic wallet application for the first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a second security policy on the portable electronic device, the second policy prohibits further password access attempts to the electronic wallet application after a second predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application that is greater than the first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application;

detecting, by the access restriction application, that the portable electronic device is connected to the network provider;

applying, by the access restriction application, the second security policy in response to detecting that the portable electronic device is connected to the network provider.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the security policy prohibits further password access to the electronic wallet application first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application within a specified time interval.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

provisioning the key code into the portable electronic device during one of activating of the portable electronic device or provisioning the electronic wallet application on the portable electronic device.

11. A method of protecting access to an electronic wallet application executing on a portable electronic device, comprising:

storing a security policy on the portable electronic device, the security policy locks the electronic wallet application after a first predefined threshold quantity of failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application that is less than a quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application permitted when the portable electronic device is connected to a network provider;

detecting, by an access restriction application stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium of the portable electronic device and executing on the portable electronic device, that the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider;

activating, by the access restriction application, the security policy in response to detecting that the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider;

detecting, by the access restriction application, the first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application based on the activated security policy when the portable electronic device is detected to not be connected to the network provider;

locking the electronic wallet application based on the activated security policy when the portable electronic device is detected to not be connected to the network provider after detecting the first predefined threshold quantity of consecutive failed password access attempts to the electronic wallet application;

receiving, by the access restriction application, a key code entered into the portable electronic device after locking the electronic wallet application;

in response to receiving the key code, determining a non-zero quantity of newly allowed password attempts to the electronic wallet application, based on whether or not the portable electronic device is detected to be connected to the network provider; and

based on the determining, providing the user of the portable electronic device a number of newly allowed password attempts.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the key code is manually entered into a keypad of the portable electronic device or spoken into a microphone of the portable electronic device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting that the electronic wallet application has received a correct password for accessing the electronic wallet application after unlocking the electronic wallet application;

providing access to the electronic wallet application in response to detecting that the electronic wallet application has received the correct password after unlocking the electronic wallet application.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

disabling the second security policy in response to detecting that the portable electronic device is not connected to the network provider.