MULTIDEVICE AUTHENTICATION

• US 20160057140A1
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: HEETER, ROSS DAVID, TUCK, JASON ROBERT, KANGA, CYRUS
• Granted Patent: US 10,111,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• 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: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• 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

Abstract

Aspects of the invention can log a user into a primary device in a more efficient manner. For example, aspects of the invention may eliminate the need for the user to supply user credentials directly to a primary device. Instead, the companion device recognizes relevant primary devices located proximate to the companion device and automatically initiates a user login to the primary device without user intervention. Aspects of the invention can automatically login a user to known and unknown primary devices.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a companion device to a primary device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the companion device, a user credential for a media service, the user credential granting a user of the companion device permission to access a media content provided by the media service;

storing the user credential on the companion device;

detecting that a primary device is connected to a local area network to which the companion device is connected, the primary device running a media application that facilitates access to the media content through the primary device;

initiating, at the companion device, a wireless communication session with the primary device over the local area network; and

without user intervention, automatically communicating the user credential for the media service to the primary device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said automatically communicating, determining that the primary device is an unknown primary device because the companion device does not have access to a record that indicates the primary device is a known primary device that the user has previously accessed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a security challenge message from the primary device, the security challenge message requesting a code for access to the primary device that is separate from the user credential for the service;

outputting for display on the companion device a connection interface including a text entry interface for the user to enter the code;

receiving the code from the text entry interface; and

communicating the code from the companion device to the primary device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, at the companion device, one or more primary devices running the media application;

receiving a user selection of the primary device from a connection interface that identifies the one or more primary devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the local area network is a Wi-Fi direct connection between the companion device and the primary device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media service consists of one or more of a video streaming service, a video game service, and a productivity service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving a record at the companion device that the primary device is a known primary device.

8. One or more computer storage media comprising computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device, performs a method for connecting a companion device to a primary device, the method comprising:

determining, at the primary device, that the companion device is located proximate to the primary device, the primary device having a media application for a media service that requires a user credential to access a service provided by the media service;

receiving information from the companion device identifying a user of the companion device;

determining that the companion device is associated with a user account for the media service; and

without user intervention, automatically logging the user into the media service by communicating the user credential associated with the user account to the service.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a biometric template for the user from the media service;

receiving a biometric reading for the user; and

validating the biometric reading against the biometric template prior to logging the user into the service, wherein the biometric template is additional to the user credential.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein the biometric reading is an image of a face of the user.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein method further comprises receiving a connection request from the companion device;

determining that the companion device is not currently authorized to access the primary device;

communicating a challenge message to the companion device requesting a code that is different from the user credential;

receiving the code from the companion device;

authorizing the companion device to access the primary device; and

adding the companion device to a list of authorized companion devices that are able to automatically connect with the primary device.

12. The media of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises receiving, at the primary device, a control instruction from the companion device and manipulating a video game state for a video game running on the primary device on behalf of the user, wherein multiple users are logged into the primary device with different user accounts.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises communicating a progress report to the media service that communicates progress made on a media title.

14. The media of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the companion device is unknown to the primary device;

communicating identification information for the companion device to the service; and

receiving identification information from the service for the user account associated with the companion device.

15. One or more computer storage media comprising computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device, performs a method for connecting a companion device to a primary device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the primary device, a request from the companion device to connect with the primary device, the primary device running a media application for a media service that requires a user credential to access the media service;

receiving an identity information from the companion device identifying a user of the companion device;

determining that the companion device is unknown to the primary device;

communicating the identity information to the media service;

receiving a confirmation that the companion device is associated with a user account for the media service; and

without user intervention, granting the user of the companion device access to a resource regulated by the media service.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the user credential for the media service from the companion device; and

storing the user credential on the primary device in association with the identity information.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a subsequent request from the companion device to connect with the primary device;

receiving the identity information from the companion device identifying the companion device a second time;

determining that the companion device is known to the primary device because the user credential is associated with the identity information; and

without user intervention, automatically logging the user into the service by communicating the user credential associated with the user account to the service.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a biometric template for the user from the media service, receiving a biometric reading for the user; and

validating the biometric reading against the biometric template prior to granting the companion device access to the primary device, wherein the biometric template is additional to the user credential.

19. The media of claim 18, wherein the biometric reading is an image of a face of the user.

20. The media of claim 15, wherein the primary device is a game console.