Systems and methods for authenticating a user of a computer application, network, or device using a wireless device

• US 10,440,572 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dennis, Charles L., Snyder, Randall A., Boyle, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thiaw, Catherine
• Application Number:
  US15/711,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20180014193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method and system for authenticating a user includes providing an invocation element capable of being activated by a single user action, receiving an indication that the invocation element has been activated, obtaining a location of a wireless device associated with the user, determining whether the wireless device is associated with an authorized user, approving the user to use the application based on a predetermined location criterion, and producing an indication that the user has been authenticated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a location of a wireless device and wireless device identifier to an authentication system, the wireless device being in communication with a mobile access point via a short range wireless connection, where the authentication system (a) determines whether the wireless device is authorized based on a previously registered association between the wireless device identifier associated with the wireless device and an application identifier associated with an application, and approves a user to use the application based on a predetermined location criterion, wherein the predetermined location criterion is that the wireless device is within a predetermined distance of the mobile access point, and (b) produces an indication for one or more of the mobile access point or the wireless device that the user was authenticated when the user was approved; and

receiving, by the wireless device, the indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the short range wireless connection is a Bluetooth connection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically connecting the wireless device and the mobile access point using the short range wireless connection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a query by the wireless device from the authentication system.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the mobile access point is a terminal that is used to make a purchase.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device identifier is a phone number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a mobile phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is configured to communicate with the authentication system over a cellular network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is configured to communicate with the authentication system over a Wi-Fi connection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is on the mobile access point.

11. A system comprising:

a mobile access point;

a wireless device comprising a first processor, and a first non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the first processor, the first non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code, executable by the first processor, to implement a method comprising providing a location of the wireless device and a wireless device identifier associated with the wireless device to an authentication system, the wireless device being in communication with the mobile access point via a short range wireless connection, and receiving an indication; and

the authentication system comprising a second processor, and a second non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the second processor, the second non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code executable by the second processor to (a) determine whether the wireless device is authorized based on a previously registered association between the wireless device identifier associated with the wireless device and an application identifier associated with an application, and approves a user to use the application based on a predetermined location criterion, wherein the predetermined location criterion is that the wireless device is within a predetermined distance of the mobile access point, and (b) produce the indication, the indication being for one or more of the mobile access point or the wireless device and indicating that the user was authenticated when the user was approved.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the short range wireless connection is a Bluetooth connection.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

automatically connecting the wireless device and the mobile access point using the short range wireless connection.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a query by the wireless device from the authentication system.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile access point is a terminal that is configured to conduct a purchase transaction.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile access point comprises a personal computer comprising a processor and a memory.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless device is a mobile phone.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless device is configured to communicate with the authentication system over a cellular network.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless device is configured to communicate with the authentication system over a Wi-Fi connection.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the application is on the mobile access point.