Automated password reset via an interactive voice response system

• US 8,646,051 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Paden, Jonathan, Sams, Bobby, Joseph, Kurt M., McCaffrey, Donna, Harris, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Khoshnoodi, Nadia
• Application Number:
  US10/937,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20060059362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,434 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A method for resetting Internet access account passwords can include the step of connecting a user with an interactive voice response system (IVR). At least one access account associated with the user can be determined. The IVR can validate that the user is authorized to access the access account. The IVR can then cause a password associated with the at least one access account to be reset. The IVR can also present the reset password to the user.

Claims

1. A method for resetting dial-account passwords, comprising:

connecting, using a telephony network account, a user with an interactive voice response system (IVR) over a telephony network;

determining, using a server over a data network separate from the telephony network, at least one dial-up Internet access account required for a computer used by the user to access the Internet, separate from the telephony network account, and associated with the user, wherein the dial-up Internet access account is used by the user to access the Internet over a Public Switched Telephone Network;

using the server for validating that the user is authorized to access the at least one dial-up Internet access account;

generating, by the server, a new password from a group of letters that excludes similar sounding letters in the new password to assist the user in audibly discerning the new password, the generation of the new password and the exclusion of the similar sounding letters when generating the new password being independent of an existing password;

resetting the existing password of the at least one dial-up Internet access account with the new password;

providing the new password of the at least one dial-up Internet access account to the user over the telephony network using the IVR, and

e-mailing the new password to an e-mail address for the Internet access account registered prior to connecting the user with the IVR,

wherein access to the Internet using the at least one dial-up Internet access account is controlled in accordance with the new password.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the at least one dial-up Internet access account comprises a plurality of dial-up Internet access accounts consisting of a primary access account and at least one sub-account, and

wherein the new password is generated randomly.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the validating identifies one of the at least one sub-account,

wherein the resetting resets a password for the identified sub-account, and

wherein a password of the primary access account is not reset.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein the determining retrieves account data from an access account database of an Internet Service Provider,

wherein the retrieved account data is linked to the primary access account and is not directly linked to the at least one sub-account.

5. The method of claim 3,

wherein the primary access account selectively enables or disables permission for resetting the password of the at least one sub-account, and wherein the new password further excludes offensive passwords.

6. The method of claim 2,

wherein the validating authorizes the user to access the primary access account,

wherein the resetting automatically resets passwords for each of the plurality of dial-up Internet access accounts.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the IVR automatically discerns identification information from signaling information supplied via the telephony network, the method further comprising:

comparing the identification information against account data from an access account database; and

based upon the comparing, automatically determining the at least one dial-up Internet access account.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the determining further comprises:

the IVR prompting the user for identification information;

receiving the identification information from the user;

comparing the identification information against account data from an access account database; and

based upon the comparing, automatically determining the at least one dial-up Internet access account,

wherein the prompting occurs responsive to a failed attempt to automatically determine the at least one dial-up Internet access account based upon discerned identification information received over the telephony network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the IVR receiving an e-mail address associated with the user,

wherein the determining determines the at least one dial-up Internet access account based upon the e-mail address.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after determining the at least one dial-up Internet access account, prompting the user for additional user identification information; and

receiving the additional user identification information responsive to the prompting, wherein the validating comprises the IVR comparing the received additional user information against corresponding data associated with the at least one dial-up Internet access account.

11. The method of claim 10,

wherein the additional user identification information required by the IVR system depends upon the method of payment by which fees associated with the at least one dial-up Internet access account are paid.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein the resetting further comprises:

determining a confidence level from the validation;

preventing the resetting the password and connecting the user with a customer service representative responsive to the confidence level falling below a first threshold;

selecting a delivery mechanism for at least one among the reset password and a password change notification responsive to the confidence level exceeding the first threshold, wherein the delivery mechanism comprises one among;

audibly presenting the user the reset password by way of the IVR responsive to the confidence level exceeding a second threshold; and

conveying to the user at least one among the reset password and the password change notification over a secure mechanism of communications responsive to the confidence level falling below the second threshold but exceeding the first threshold.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a message including a password change notification; and

e-mailing the message to an e-mail account associated with the at least one dial-up Internet access account.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, the code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform:

determining, using a server over a data network, at least one dial-up Internet access account required for a computer used by the computer to access the Internet, wherein the user connects over a telephony network to an interactive voice response system (IVR) using a telephony network account separate from the dial-up Internet access account, and wherein the dial-up Internet access account is used by the user to access the Internet over a Public Switched Telephone Network;

validating, by the server, that the user is authorized to access the at least one dial-up Internet access account based upon data provided over the data network by the IVR;

generating, by the server, a new password that excludes similar sounding letters in the new password, the generation of the new password and the exclusion of the similar sounding letters when generating the new password being independent of an existing password;

resetting a password for accessing the at least one dial-up Internet access account;

providing the new password of the at least one dial-up Internet access account to the user over the telephony network using the IVR; and

e-mailing the new password to an e-mail address for the Internet access account registered prior to connecting the user with the IVR,

wherein the machine readable storage is disposed in the server,

wherein the IVR is configured to communicate with the user over the telephony network,

wherein access to the Internet using the at least one dial-up Internet access account is controlled in accordance with the new password, and

wherein the IVR is configured to communicate with the machine readable storage over the data network using a computer network connection.

15. The non-transitory machine readable storage of claim 14,

wherein the at least one dial-up Internet access account comprises a plurality of dial-up Internet access accounts consisting of a primary access account and at least one sub-account and wherein the password is generated randomly.

16. The non-transitory machine readable storage of claim 14,

wherein the IVR automatically discerns identification information from signaling information supplied over a telephony network between the user and the IVR and conveys the identification information to the machine readable storage, the code sections of the machine readable storage further causing the machine to perform:

comparing the identification information against account data from a dial-up Internet access account database; and

based upon the comparing, automatically determining the at least one dial-up Internet access account.

17. The non-transitory machine readable storage of claim 14,

wherein the validating depends upon the method of payment by which fees associated with the at least one dial-up Internet access account are paid.

18. The non-transitory machine readable storage of claim 14,

the code sections of the machine readable storage further causing the machine to perform:

randomly generating the password, wherein the randomly generated password excludes similar sounding letters;

associating the password with the at least one dial-up Internet access account;

conveying the password to the IVR so that the IVR can audibly present the password to the user.