Application digital rights management (DRM) and portability using a mobile device for authentication

• US 8,950,000 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Werner, Shane R., Cope, Warren B., McConnell, Von
• Primary Examiner(s): Zecher, Dede
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lakhia, Viral
• Application Number:
  US13/678,198
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4, 726 26- 27, 380/44, 380/249, 713/167, 455/411
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1012 to domains
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A method, system, and medium are provided for operating a computing device and a mobile device to access computer software with a secure access and to access a packet network, and for operating a computer software on a mobile device with different computing devices. A mobile device is used to authenticate a user'"'"'s access to computer software. The computer software may reside on the mobile device, the user'"'"'s computing device, or another computing device. A unique identifier is stored in the mobile device associated with the computer software to enable the authentication.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless communication device to provide wireless Internet access to another computing device, the method comprising:

storing communication software in the wireless communication device;

wirelessly transferring a user identifier from the wireless communication device to a wireless communication network, and in response, wirelessly receiving a network authorization for the wireless Internet access into the wireless communication device from the wireless communication network;

executing the communication software in the wireless communication device to use the wireless Internet access over the wireless communication network in response to the network authorization; and

wirelessly receiving an Internet access request including the user identifier into the wireless communication device from the other computing device, and in response, executing the communication software to provide the wireless Internet access to the other computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user identifier comprises a telephone number of the wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user identifier comprises a user name for the wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user identifier comprises a user password for the wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user identifier comprises an electronic serial number of the wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the user identifier comprises an international mobile equipment identifier of the wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications between the wireless communication device and the computing device comprise Wireless Fidelity communications.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication network comprise wireless Long Term Evolution communications.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications between the wireless communication device and the computing device comprise Wireless Fidelity communications and wherein the communications between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication network comprise wireless Long Term Evolution communications.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein executing the communication software to provide the wireless Internet access to the other computing device comprises transferring Internet data for delivery to the other computing device.

11. A wireless communication device configured to provide wireless Internet access to another computing device, the wireless communication device comprising:

a memory configured to store communication software in the wireless communication device;

a communication interface configured to wirelessly transfer a user identifier from the wireless communication device to a wireless communication network, and in response, to wireless receive a network authorization for the wireless Internet access into the wireless communication device from the wireless communication network;

the communication interface configured to execute the communication software in the wireless communication device to use the wireless Internet access over the wireless communication network in response to the network authorization;

the communication interface configured to wirelessly receive an Internet access request including the user identifier into the wireless communication device from the other computing device, and in response, execute the communication software to provide the wireless Internet access to the other computing device.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the user identifier comprises a telephone number of the wireless communication device.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the user identifier comprises a user name for the wireless communication device.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the user identifier comprises a user password for the wireless communication device.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the user identifier comprises an electronic serial number of the wireless communication device.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the user identifier comprises an international mobile equipment identifier of the wireless communication device.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the communications between the wireless communication device and the computing device comprise Wireless Fidelity communications.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the communications between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication network comprise wireless Long Term Evolution communications.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the communications between the wireless communication device and the computing device comprise Wireless Fidelity communications and wherein the communications between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication network comprise wireless Long Term Evolution communications.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 11 wherein the communication interface configured to execute the communication software to provide the wireless Internet access to the other computing device comprises the communication interface configured to transfer Internet data for delivery to the other computing device.