Methods of authorizing actions
First Claim
1. A method of authorizing an action, the method comprising, in any permissible order, at least the acts of:
- receiving from a person having authority to authorize the action, an identification of a first phone number for obtaining authorization for the action;
receiving a request for authorization and an indication of a criteria for obtaining authorization for the action;
encrypting a first message, wherein the first message contains the request for authorization of the action;
receiving at a first mobile phone having the first phone number, a first message that is encrypted and containing the request for authorization of the action;
decrypting the first message containing the request for authorization of the action;
after the receiving the identification of the first phone number, and after the receiving the request for authorization and the indication of the criteria for obtaining authorization for the action, and after encrypting the first message, and after the receiving of the first message containing the request for authorization, and after decrypting the first message, sending a second message through a mobile phone network and from the first mobile phone having the first phone number, whereinthe second message authorizes the action;
receiving an identification of a second phone number for advising a third person of the action, and further comprising automatically sending at least one of the first message, the second message, and a third message to the second phone number, wherein the at least one of the first message, the second message, and a third message includes at least a description of the action for which authorization is requested.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for authorizing actions using mobile phones. Embodiments include receiving from a person having authority to authorize the action, an identification of a phone number for obtaining authorization for the action, receiving from a person seeking the action a request for authorization of the action, sending an automated first message through a mobile phone network to the mobile phone, including a description of the action for which authorization is requested, and receiving, from the first mobile phone, a second message, which authorizes the action. Actions that are authorized, in different embodiments, include computer access, physical access, and financial transactions. In various embodiments, the phone number may be received through the mobile phone network through the Internet, through a local signal, or directly from the user.
134 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of authorizing an action, the method comprising, in any permissible order, at least the acts of:
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receiving from a person having authority to authorize the action, an identification of a first phone number for obtaining authorization for the action; receiving a request for authorization and an indication of a criteria for obtaining authorization for the action; encrypting a first message, wherein the first message contains the request for authorization of the action; receiving at a first mobile phone having the first phone number, a first message that is encrypted and containing the request for authorization of the action; decrypting the first message containing the request for authorization of the action; after the receiving the identification of the first phone number, and after the receiving the request for authorization and the indication of the criteria for obtaining authorization for the action, and after encrypting the first message, and after the receiving of the first message containing the request for authorization, and after decrypting the first message, sending a second message through a mobile phone network and from the first mobile phone having the first phone number, wherein the second message authorizes the action; receiving an identification of a second phone number for advising a third person of the action, and further comprising automatically sending at least one of the first message, the second message, and a third message to the second phone number, wherein the at least one of the first message, the second message, and a third message includes at least a description of the action for which authorization is requested. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of authorizing an action, the method comprising, in any permissible order, at least the acts of:
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receiving from a person having authority to authorize the action, an identification of a first phone number for obtaining authorization for the action; receiving from a person seeking the action, a request for authorization of the action; after the receiving the identification of the first phone number, and after the receiving of the request for authorization, sending an automated first message through a mobile phone network to a first mobile phone having the first phone number, wherein the first message includes a description of the action for which authorization is requested and wherein in the first message, asking a personal question about the person having authority to authorize the action; and after the sending of the first message, receiving from the first mobile phone, having the first phone number, a second message wherein in the second message, receiving a present answer to the personal question, comparing the present answer to a previous answer to the personal question provided by the person having authority to authorize the action, and wherein the second message authorizes the action.
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26. A method of authorizing an action, the method comprising, in any permissible order, at least the acts of:
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receiving from a person seeking an action and in an encrypted manner, an identification of a first phone number and a request for authorization of an action; receiving at a first mobile phone having the first phone number, a first message containing the request for authorization of the action and a password, wherein the first message is an SMS message; after the receiving the identification of the first phone number and the request for authorization of an action, and after the receiving of the first message that is the SMS message and containing the request for authorization of the action and the password, sending a second message that is encrypted and including the password through a mobile phone network and from the first mobile phone having the first phone number, wherein the second message authorizes the action.
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27. A method of authenticating access, the method comprising in any order at least the acts of:
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receiving from a person seeking access, identification indicia and a present password for the person seeking the access; comparing the present password to a previous password stored in memory; proceeding to provide the access only if the present password matches the previous password stored in memory; looking up an identification indicia in a database and obtaining the first phone number for obtaining authorization for the access from the database; sending a first automated message to the person seeking the access, the first automated message is encrypted and containing a password; receiving from the mobile phone of the person having authority for the access, a second message that is encrypted and containing the password indicating that the person having authority for the access has taken the affirmative action to indicate authorization of the access.
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Specification