Authentication via mobile telephone

• US 9,578,500 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yeduvakula, Kamesh Rao
• Primary Examiner(s): Arani, Taghi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Phy Anh
• Application Number:
  US14/033,268
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/313 using a call-back technique via a telephone network
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication

Abstract

A technology to authenticate a user is described. A mobile telephone number associated with a user identification is identified. A message including a confirmation telephone number for authorization is sent to a mobile telephone, and a mobile telephone reply is initiated to the confirmation telephone number from the mobile telephone number to authenticate the user identification.

Claims

1. A method of authentication, comprising:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions;

receiving a user identification for an electronic site accessed from a browser via a first network over internet, wherein the user identification comprises a device International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI);

retrieving a mobile telephone number associated with the user identification;

sending a text message from the electronic site wirelessly to the mobile telephone number using a simple message service (SMS), the text message containing a confirmation telephone number of a telephone bank to call for authorization, wherein the text message is sent via a second network;

identifying an incoming telephone call at the confirmation telephone number of the telephone bank from the mobile telephone number;

authenticating the incoming telephone call with a predetermined number of rings to authenticate the user identification to the electronic site; and

upon successful authentication of the incoming telephone call, allowing access to the electronic site via the browser over the first network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a passcode with the text message and receiving the passcode in the incoming telephone call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the confirmation telephone number is randomly selected from a group of telephone numbers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein authentication of the user identification to the electronic site using the confirmation telephone number is limited in duration.

5. A method of authentication, comprising:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions;

identifying a mobile telephone number associated with a user identification via a second network, wherein the user identification comprises a device International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI);

sending a text message from an electronic site accessed via a first network over internet to the mobile telephone number, the text message including a confirmation telephone number of a telephone bank for authorization, wherein the text message is sent wirelessly using a simple message service (SMS);

initiating a mobile telephone reply to the confirmation telephone number of the telephone bank from the mobile telephone number to authenticate the user identification for the electronic site accessed via internet;

authenticating the mobile telephone reply with a predetermined number of rings to authenticate the user identification to the electronic site; and

upon successful authentication of the mobile telephone reply, allowing access to the electronic site via the second network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile telephone reply is an incoming telephone call at the confirmation telephone number from the mobile telephone number to authenticate the user identification.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising sending a passcode with the text message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mobile telephone reply is an incoming text message at the confirmation telephone number from the mobile telephone number with the passcode to authenticate the user identification.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the confirmation telephone number is valid for authentication for a predetermined amount of time.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising associating a device International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) with the mobile telephone number, wherein initiating the mobile telephone reply includes verifying the IMEI of the mobile telephone reply.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile telephone reply is a semi-automated reply by an application on the device in which a user interacts with the application to effectuate the mobile telephone reply.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the confirmation telephone number is dynamically selected from a group of telephone numbers.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein authentication of the user identification to is limited in duration and functionality.

14. A mobile telephone device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device including instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

provide communication between the mobile telephone device and a wireless mobile network;

interact with an electronic site via a first network over internet and request for authentication, wherein the request for authentication includes a user identification comprises a device International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI);

receive a text message from the electronic site via a second network, the text message including a confirmation telephone number of a telephone bank for authorization in response to initiating the request for authentication, wherein the text message is received wirelessly using a simple message service (SMS);

send a mobile telephone reply to the confirmation telephone number of the telephone bank from the mobile telephone device; and

receive access to the electronic site via the first network after the mobile telephone reply is authenticated with a predetermined number of rings to authenticate the user identification to the electronic site.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the mobile telephone reply is a telephone call to the confirmation telephone number from the mobile telephone device.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the message includes a passcode.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the mobile telephone reply is a text message to the confirmation telephone number from the mobile telephone device with the passcode included in the text message.