Method and apparatus in combination with a storage means for carrying out an authentication process for authenticating a subsequent transaction

• US 20110083171A1
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adrian David Lincoln, Charles William Debney, Ian Ronald Maxwell, Jonathan Lawrence Viney
• Original Assignee: Adrian David Lincoln, Charles William Debney, Ian Ronald Maxwell, Jonathan Lawrence Viney
• Inventors: Lincoln, Adrian David, Viney, Jonathan Lawrence, Maxwell, Ian Ronald, Debney, Charles William
• Granted Patent: US 8,677,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10237 the reader and the record carrier being capable of selectively switching between reader and record carrier appearance, e.g. in near field communication [NFC] devices where the NFC device may function as an RFID reader or as an RFID tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• 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 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

A computer, such as a WINDOWS® operating system-based PC, has associated with it a Subscriber Identity Module (or SIM), such as of the type used in a GSM cellular telephone system. The SIM can be authenticated by the telephone network, in the same way as for authenticating SIMs of telephone handset users in the network, and can in this way authenticate the user of the PC or the PC itself. Such authentication can, for example, permit use of the PC in relation to a particular application which is released to the PC after the authentication is satisfactorily completed. The application may be released to the PC by a third party after and in response to the satisfactory completion of the authentication process. A charge for the session can be debited to the user by the telecommunications network and then passed on to the third party.

Claims

1. A method for carrying out an authentication process for authenticating a subsequent transaction by any one of a plurality of users with data processing apparatus, including

the step during the authentication process of operatively associating with the data processing apparatus a selected one of a plurality of authentication storage means respective to the users, each authentication storage means storing predetermined authentication information and being registerable with a common telecommunications system for which the users have respective telecommunications terminals, and

the step of carrying out the authentication process via a communications link with the common telecommunications system,

the authentication process being carried out by authenticating means incorporated in the telecommunications system and involving the use of the predetermined authentication information stored by the selected one of the plurality of authentication storage means,

the predetermined authentication information stored by each authentication storage means corresponding to information which is used to authenticate that user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal in relation to the telecommunications system but the authentication process for authenticating the transaction by that user with the data processing apparatus not requiring use of that user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal nor requiring the telecommunications terminal to be actually authenticated by that information in relation to the telecommunications systems.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the authentication storage means is associated with the data processing apparatus by being associated with data or software for use by that data processing apparatus.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the authentication storage means is incorporated on a data carrier for the data or software.

4. A method according to claim 1, in which the authentication storage means includes processing means.

5. A method according to claim 4, in which each user is authenticated in the telecommunications system by means of the use of a smart card or subscriber identity module, and in which the authentication storage means respective to that user corresponds to or simulates the smart card for that user.

6. A method according to claim 1 in which the authentication process involves the sending of a message and the generation of a response dependent on the message and the predetermined information.

7. A method according to claim 1, including the step of levying a charge for the transaction when authenticated.

8. A method according to claim 7, in which the step of levying the charge is carried out by the said system.

9. A method according to claim 1 in which the data processing apparatus is a personal computer.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication storage means communicates wirelessly to authenticate the transaction.

11. A method according to claim 5, wherein the authentication storage means is one of a smart card and SIM that is operable to authenticate the user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal for use in the system.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication storage means is provided with a carrier coupleable to the data processing apparatus.

13. Data processing apparatus in combination with a selected one of a plurality of authentication storage means which are respective to users and are each for storing predetermined authentication information relating to the carrying out of an authentication process for authenticating a subsequent transaction by the users with the data processing apparatus,

the authentication storage means all being registerable with a common telecommunications system for which the users have respective telecommunications terminals,

the authentication storage means when operatively associated with the data processing apparatus being operative to carry out the authentication process via a communications link with that system,

the authentication process being carried out by authenticating means incorporated in the system and involving the use of the predetermined information stored by the selected one of the plurality of authentication storage means,

the predetermined authentication information stored by each authentication storage means corresponding to information which is used to authenticate that user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal in relation to the telecommunications system but the authentication process for authenticating the transaction by that user with the data processing apparatus not requiring that use of user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal nor requiring the telecommunications terminal to be actually authenticated by that information in relation to the telecommunications system.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, in which the authentication storage means includes processing means.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13, in which each user is authenticated in the telecommunications system by means of the use of a smart card or subscriber identity module, and in which the authentication storage means respective to that user corresponds to or simulates the smart card for that user.

16. Apparatus according to claim 13, in which the authentication process involves the sending of a message and the generation of a response dependent on the message and the predetermined information.

17. Apparatus according to claim 13, including means for levying a charge for the transaction when authorized.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, in which the means for levying the charge is part of the common system.

19. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the authentication storage means communicates wirelessly to authenticate the transaction.

20. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the authentication storage means is one of a smart card and SIM that is further operable to authenticate the user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal for use in the system.

21. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the authentication storage means is provided with a carrier coupleable to the data processing apparatus.

22. A data carrier carrying data for use in and by a data processing apparatus after an authentication process involving the use of the data processing apparatus and separate authenticating means,

the data carrier also incorporating authentication storage means storing predetermined authentication information respective to a user,

the authentication storage means being registered with a telecommunications system which includes the authenticating means and for which the user has a telecommunications terminal,

the authentication storage means being responsive to an input message for deriving a response dependent on the input message and on the authentication information for enabling the authenticating means to carry out the authentication process via a communication link with the authenticating means in the said system whereby to authenticate a subsequent transaction by the user with the data processing apparatus and which involves use of the data carried by the data carrier,

the predetermined authentication information stored by the authentication storage means corresponding to information which is used to authenticate the user registered with the telecommunications system in relation to use of that user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal in the telecommunications system, but the authentication process for authenticating the transaction by that user with the data processing apparatus not requiring use of the user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal nor requiring the telecommunications terminal to be actually authenticated by that information in relation to the telecommunications system.

23. A data carrier according to claim 22, in which the authentication storage means corresponds to or simulates respective subscriber identity modules in the form of smart cards.

24. A data carrier according to claim 22, in which the data carried by the data carrier includes software.

25. A data carrier according to claim 22, wherein the authentication storage means communicates wirelessly to authenticate the transaction.

26. A data carrier according to claim 23, wherein the authentication storage means is one of a smart card and SIM that is further operable to authenticate the user'"'"'s telecommunications terminal for use in the system.