Generation of short key for communications

• US 9,602,481 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morum, LLC
• Original Assignee: Morum, LLC
• Inventors: Bernardino, Morum
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelagay, Shewaye
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIELDS, COURTNEY D
• Application Number:
  US14/515,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20160112388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/067 using one-time keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for generation of one-time passwords H04L9/0863
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

Systems and methods for generation and use of short keys are disclosed. The systems and methods include the generation of a short key based on the location of a first device that requests the generation of the key. The short key is sent to the first device, which in turn communicates the short key to a second device, through a display, print receipt, direct communication, or other means. The short key is entered into the second device, which in turn communicates the entered short key to a server along with location information corresponding to the second device. The server authorizes communication between the first and second devices after it determines that the short key sent by the second device matches one of the keys active in a region corresponding to the location of the second device.

Claims

1. A short key generation and use method comprising:

at a server, receiving a request for a short key from a first device, the request including location information;

at the server, determining whether the location information corresponds to one or more regions;

if the location information corresponds to only one region, creating a list of regions adjacent to said one region, defining a set A to include short keys active in said one region and said regions adjacent to said one region

or,

if the location information corresponds to more than one region, grouping said more than one region into a unified region, and creating a list of regions adjacent to said unified region, defining the set A to include short keys active in said unified region and said regions adjacent to said unified region;

creating a set B comprising short keys ranging from the smallest key, in value, that the server can generate and the next key, in value, following the largest key, in value, in set A;

creating a set C comprising key values that said set A and said set B do not have in common;

selecting the smallest key, in value, in set C and generating the short key requested by the first device based on said smallest key in set C and the time and date of said request; and

transmitting the short key requested by the first device to the first device for use as an authentication key to communicate with a second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for a short key further comprises at least one of the following:

a profile identifier code;

an expiration period;

a vitality attribute; and

identification of the application for use with the requested short key.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said vitality attribute is usable by the server to determine when said requested short key has been used.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said vitality attribute is usable by the server to disable said requested short key.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said vitality attribute is based on a purchase price.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said vitality attribute is based on a number of times said requested short key is used.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said vitality attribute comprises at least one of the following settings:

number of uses of the requested short key by a user;

number of different users that can use the requested short key;

data transfer size; and

use of the requested short key for payment when reaching a specific value.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising allowing use of said short key for the first device during the period between a time of said request and said expiration period.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said location information corresponds to a location for said first device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said location information corresponds to a location for a remote device associated with a user of said first device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing use of said short key for the first device

in said only one region if said location information corresponds to only one region,

or,

in said unified region if said location information corresponds to said more than one region.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a second device an identification of an application for use with the requested short key, a second short key, and second location information corresponding to a location of the second device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

at the server, determining whether the second location information corresponding to the location of the second device corresponds to one or more regions;

if the second location information corresponding to the location of the second device corresponds to only one region, comparing the second short key with active short keys in said one region corresponding to the second location information and in regions adjacent thereto to identify one or more active short keys that match the second short key,

or,

if the second location information corresponding to the location of the second device corresponds to more than one region, grouping said more than one region into a unified region, comparing the second short key with active short keys in said unified region corresponding to the second location information and in regions adjacent thereto to identify one or more active short keys that match the second short key.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

at the server, authorizing a communication between the first device and the second device when it is determined that a single active key identified matches the second short key.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending an error message to the second device when it is determined, for either said one region or for said unified region, that no active key identified matches the second short key.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when it is determined, for either said one region or for said unified region, that more than one active key identified matches the second short key, sending to the second device a list of devices associated with said more than one active keys so that the user of the second device selects a device from said list for communication.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

at the server, receiving from said second device a selected device for communication; and

authorizing a communication between the selected device and the second device.