Method and system for single sign-on in a network

• US 20060185004A1
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Messer, Alan, Song, Yu
• Application Number:
  US11/056,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20060185004A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/8
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations

Abstract

A user identity authentication system in a network is implemented on a device or multiple devices in the network. The authentication system employs a map that translates device-specific user IDs to system-wide user IDs and vice versa. A user is authenticated on a device with a device-specific authentication method. Once a user is authenticated on a specific device, a device-specific user ID is translated into a system-wide user ID. This system-wide user ID is further translated into other device-specific user IDs such that other devices can authenticate the user based on the device-specific user IDs. Further, if a device is not capable of authenticating a user, it can delegate authentication to another device or a proxy.

Claims

1. A method for single sign-on (SSO) user authentication among multiple devices in a network of devices, one or more of the devices including a device-specific authentication control, comprising the steps of:

authenticating a user on a device having a device-specific authentication control based on a user provided device-specific user ID;

once the user is authenticated on a specific device, translating the device-specific user ID into a network-wide user ID; and

translating the network-wide user ID into another device-specific user ID;

wherein that other device can authenticate that user based on the device-specific user ID for that other device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of utilizing a map for translating device-specific user IDs to network-wide user IDs and vice versa.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of authenticating a user on a device having a device-specific authentication control further includes the steps of:

in a device having a device-specific authentication control, requesting device-specific user ID from the user; and

verifying the device-specific user ID using the device-specific authentication control in that device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of translating the device-specific user ID into a network-wide user ID further includes the steps of:

mapping the device-specific user ID to a network-wide user ID using a system ID map.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of translating the network-wide user ID into other device-specific user IDs further includes the steps of:

retrieving a device-specific ID for another device from the system ID map.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

authenticating the retrieved device-specific ID in the other device using the device-specific authentication control in that other device, wherein that other device authenticates the user based on the device-specific user ID.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

if a device is not capable of authenticating a user, then delegating authentication to another device for authenticating the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of delegating authentication to another device for authenticating the user further includes the steps of:

delegating authentication to a device having a device-specific authentication control for authenticating the user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

the device having device-specific authentication control for authenticating the user, requesting device-specific user ID from the user; and

verifying the device-specific user ID using the device-specific authentication control in that device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing SSO user authentication in a session or across multiple sessions in an application.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing said other device-specific user to said other device;

said other device using its device-specific authentication control to authenticate the user based on the provided device-specific user ID for that device.

12. A system for user authentication in a network of multiple devices, one or more of the devices including a device-specific authentication control, the system comprising:

an authentication agent in a device that authenticates a user based on a user provided device-specific user ID, using a device-specific authentication control for that device;

a controller that, once the user is authenticated, translates the device-specific user ID into a network-wide user ID, and translates the network-wide user ID into another device-specific user ID;

wherein that other device can authenticate that user based on the device-specific user ID for that other device, providing single sign-on (SSO) user authentication among multiple devices.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the controller utilizes a map for translating device-specific user IDs to network-wide user IDs and vice versa.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the authentication agent authenticates the user by requesting device-specific user ID from the user, and verifying the device-specific user ID using a device-specific authentication control.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the controller translates the device-specific user ID into a network-wide user ID by mapping the device-specific user ID to a network-wide user ID using a system ID map.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the controller translates the network-wide user ID into other device-specific user IDs by retrieving a device-specific ID for another device from the system ID map.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein if a device is not capable of authenticating a user, the device delegates authentication to another device for authenticating the user.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the delegating device delegates authentication to another device having a device-specific authentication control for authenticating the user.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the device having device-specific authentication control for authenticating the user, requests device-specific user ID from the user and verifies the device-specific user ID using the device-specific authentication control in that device.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the controller provides said other device-specific user to said other device and said other device uses its device-specific authentication control to authenticate the user based on the provided device-specific user ID for that device, providing single sign-on (SSO) user authentication among multiple devices.

21. A network comprising:

multiple devices, one or more of the devices including a device-specific authentication control;

an authentication agent in a device that authenticates a user based on a user provided device-specific user ID, using a device-specific authentication control for that device;

a controller that, once the user is authenticated, translates the device-specific user ID into a network-wide user ID, and translates the network-wide user ID into another device-specific user ID;

wherein that other device can authenticate that user based on the device-specific user ID for that other device, providing single sign-on (SSO) user authentication among multiple devices.

22. The network of claim 21 wherein the controller utilizes a map for translating device-specific user IDs to network-wide user IDs and vice versa.

23. The network of claim 21 wherein the authentication agent authenticates the user by requesting device-specific user ID from the user, and verifying the device-specific user ID using a device-specific authentication control.

24. The network of claim 23 wherein the controller translates the device-specific user ID into a network-wide user ID by mapping the device-specific user ID to a network-wide user ID using a system ID map.

25. The network of claim 24 wherein the controller translates the network-wide user ID into other device-specific user IDs by retrieving a device-specific ID for another device from the system ID map.

26. The network of claim 21 wherein if a device is not capable of authenticating a user, the device delegates authentication to another device for authenticating the user.

27. The network of claim 26 wherein, the delegating device delegates authentication to another device having a device-specific authentication control for authenticating the user.

28. The network of claim 27 wherein the device having device-specific authentication control for authenticating the user, requests device-specific user ID from the user and verifies the device-specific user ID using the device-specific authentication control in that device.

29. The network of claim 21 wherein the controller provides said other device-specific user to said other device and said other device uses its device-specific authentication control to authenticate the user based on the provided device-specific user ID for that device, providing single sign-on (SSO) user authentication among multiple devices.