System and method of authentication

• US 8,255,981 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pearson, Larry B., Sarpal, Jitender S., Quick, Mari Sue
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Eleni
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, PHY ANH TRAN
• Application Number:
  US11/314,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,442 Days
• Field of Search: 725/21, 725 62- 63, 725/30, 726 1- 5, 726/21, 726 27- 30, 713182-186, 713/176, 380/200, 380/210, 709/225
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215

Abstract

A method of resetting authentication token prompts a user of a computing device to transmit a first authentication token associated with an Internet account. The method also prompts the user to transmit a second token associated with the Internet account. The method receives the second authentication token via the computing device and transmitting a temporary authentication token to a set-top box device of the user.

Claims

1. An authentication method, comprising:

prompting a user of a computing device to transmit a first authentication token associated with an Internet account;

performing a first authentication in response to receiving the first authentication token via the computing device;

in response to the first authentication indicating an invalid first authentication token was received, prompting the user to transmit a second authentication token associated with the Internet account;

performing a second authentication in response to receiving the second authentication token via the computing device;

in response to the second authentication indicating a valid second authentication token was received via the computing device, transmitting a temporary authentication token to a set-top box device associated with the user via a private access network of an Internet Protocol Television system;

prompting the user to input a set-top box authentication token via a display interface that is displayed at a display device coupled to the set-top box device, wherein the set-top box authentication token is required to access the Internet Protocol Television system, and wherein the set-top box authentication token is different from the temporary authentication token; and

displaying the temporary authentication token via the display interface in response to receiving the set-top box authentication token at the set-top box device.

2. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the first authentication token is a password, a personal identification number, a pass key, a pass code, a biometric input, or any combination thereof.

3. The authentication method of claim 2, wherein the first authentication token has been forgotten or misplaced by the user.

4. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the second authentication token is an answer to a security question.

5. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the temporary authentication token is a one-time access key.

6. The authentication method of claim 1, further comprising providing access to the Internet account after receiving the temporary authentication token from the computing device.

7. The authentication method of claim 6, further comprising prompting the user to reset the first authentication token after receiving the temporary authentication token from the computing device.

8. The authentication method of claim 6, wherein access to the Internet account is provided in response to a server of the Internet Protocol Television system receiving the temporary authentication token from the computing device.

9. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the set-top box authentication token includes one of a set-top box password and a set-top box personal identification number.

10. The authentication method of claim 9, wherein the set-top box authentication token that is required to access the Internet Protocol Television system is stored at the set-top box device.

11. The authentication method of claim 9, wherein the set-top box authentication token is stored at a subscriber and system store that is located at an application tier of the Internet Protocol Television system that is accessible to the set-top box device via the private access network of the Internet Protocol Television system.

12. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the set-top box authentication token that is required to access the Internet Protocol Television system is stored at the set-top box device.

13. The authentication method of claim 1, wherein the set-top box authentication token is stored at a subscriber and system store that is located at an application tier of the Internet Protocol Television system that is accessible to the set-top box device via the private access network of the Internet Protocol Television system.

14. An authentication system, comprising:

a processor and

a memory device accessible to the processor, wherein the memory device includes an authentication module that is executable by the processor to;

transmit instructions from a server to a computing device to prompt a user of the computing device for a first authentication token associated with an Internet account;

perform a first authentication in response to receiving the first authentication token via the computing device;

in response to the first authentication indicating an invalid first authentication token was received, transmit instructions from the server to the computing device to prompt the user of the computing device for a second authentication token associated with the Internet account;

perform a second authentication in response to receiving the second authentication token via the computing device;

in response to the second authentication indicating a valid second authentication token was received, transmit a temporary authentication token from the server to a set-top box device associated with the user, wherein the temporary authentication token is transmitted to the set-top box device via a private access network of an Internet Protocol Television system;

receive a set-top box authentication token at the server from the set-top box device, wherein the set-top box authentication token is required to access the Internet Protocol Television system, and wherein the set-top box authentication token is different from the temporary authentication token;

transmit instructions from the server to the set-top box device to display the temporary authentication token via a display interface that is displayed at a display device coupled to the set-top box device in response to receiving the set-top box authentication token at the server.

15. The authentication system of claim 14, wherein the authentication module is further executable by the processor to:

store data associated with the first authentication token is stored at an authentication data server within the Internet Protocol Television system; and

the data associated with the first authentication token to the first authentication token received via the computing device.

16. The authentication system of claim 15, wherein the authentication module is further executable by the processor to:

store data associated with the second authentication token at the authentication data server; and

compare the second authentication token received via the computing device to the data associated with the second authentication token.

17. The authentication system of claim 15, wherein the authentication data server resets the first authentication token to the temporary authentication token.

18. The authentication system of claim 14, wherein the temporary authentication token is generated randomly.

19. The authentication system of claim 14, wherein the temporary authentication token is generated at least partially based on a variable.

20. The authentication system of claim 19, wherein the variable is a time at which the temporary authentication token is generated.

21. The authentication system of claim 14, wherein the computing device transmits the temporary authentication token to the server of the Internet Protocol Television system in order to gain access to the Internet account.

22. A set-top box device, comprising:

a processor and a memory device accessible to the processor;

wherein the memory device includes instructions to;

receive a temporary authentication token via a private access network of an Internet Protocol Television system, wherein the temporary authentication token is associated with an Internet account of a user, wherein the temporary authentication token is received from a server in response to a determination at the server that a second authentication token sent by the user via a computing device is valid, the second authentication token sent after the user sent an invalid first authentication token;

prompt the user to input a set-top box authentication token via a display interface that is displayed at a display device coupled to the set-top box device, wherein the set-top box authentication token is required to access the Internet Protocol Television system, and wherein the set-top box authentication token is different from the temporary authentication token; and

transmit the temporary authentication token to the display device in response to receiving the set-top box authentication token via the display interface, wherein the user is provided access to the Internet account in response to the server of the Internet Protocol Television system receiving the temporary authentication token from the computing device that is different from the set-top box device.

23. The set-top box device of claim 22, wherein the temporary authentication token is generated at the server.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

prompt a user of a computing device to transmit a first authentication token associated with an Internet account;

perform a first authentication in response to receiving the first authentication token via the computing device;

in response to the first authentication indicating an invalid first authentication token was received, prompt the user to transmit a second authentication token associated with the Internet account;

perform a second authentication in response to receiving the second authentication token via the computing device;

in response to the second authentication indicating a valid second authentication token was received via the computing device, transmit a temporary authentication token to a set-top box device associated with the user via a private access network of an Internet Protocol Television system;

prompt the user to input a set-top box authentication token via a display interface that is displayed at a display device coupled to the set-top box device, wherein the set-top box authentication token is required to access the Internet Protocol Television system, and wherein the set-top box authentication token is different from the temporary authentication token; and

display the temporary authentication token via the display interface in response to receiving the set-top box authentication token at the set-top box device.