Personal communicator authentication

• US 7,260,221 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1999
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonixio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beepcard Limited (Beepcard, Inc.)
• Inventors: Atsmon, Alon
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEMMA, SAMSON B
• Application Number:
  US09/831,935
• Time in Patent Office: 2,835 Days
• Field of Search: 713/161, 713/169, 713/170, 713/176, 713/182, 713/184, 713/183, 713/168, 380/258, 380/247
• US Class Current: 380/247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/43 wireless channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2155 Acoustic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A method of authentication using an electronic device (20), comprising: providing a computer (22, 24, 26, 28, 140) having a sound receiving (28) and generating sub-system including a microphone (26); providing a personal communicator (30, 144) which utilizes a communication network (148); initiating a connection by the computer (22, 24, 26, 28, 140), over the communications network (148), to the personal communicator (30, 144) and identifying the personal communicator (30, 144) responsive to an audio response of the personal communicator (30, 144) to the connection initiation. Preferably, the personal communicator (30, 144) is a cellular telephone.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with an electronic device, comprising:

providing a computer having a sound sub-system;

providing a personal communicator which utilizes a communication network;

initiating a connection by said computer, over said communication network, to said personal communicator;

transmitting a distinct acoustic wave from the personal communicator to the computer, in response to the connection initiation;

receiving the acoustic wave via the sound sub-system; and

identifying said personal communicator, by the computer, responsive to the received acoustic wave.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein initiating a connection comprises directly accessing said communication network from said computer using dedicated hardware.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said hardware comprises a dialer card.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein initiating a connection comprises accessing a non-computer data network other than said communication network directly from said computer using dedicated hardware and utilizing a link between said non-computer network and said communication network.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein initiating a connection comprises requesting a second computer to create such connection, which request is made over a computer network.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connection initiation indicates a distinctive audio response that the personal communicator is to transmit.

7. A method according to claim 1 and comprising transmitting data signal to said personal communicator to be acoustically sounded and received by said computer.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein said personal communicator comprises a cellular telephone.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein said personal communicator comprises a programmable cellular telephone.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein said personal communicator comprises a beeper.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said personal communicator comprises a wireless telephone.

8. A method of authentication, comprising:

providing a computer having a sound receiving and generating sub-system including a microphone;

providing a personal communicator which utilizes a communication network;

opening a connection, over said communication network, between said computer and said personal communicator; and

transmitting authentication signals over a closed loop between the computer and the personal communicator including an audio transmission section in a first direction between the sound receiving and generating sub-system of the computer and the personal communicator and a section over the communication network in an opposite direction,

wherein the authentication signals include a distinct signal.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said computer initiates opening said connection.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein said personal communicator initiates opening said connection.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein said authentication signals comprise sound waves generated by said computer and transmitted by audio to said personal communicator.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said authentication signals comprise sound waves generated by a remote computer and transmitted by said communication network to said personal communicator.

13. A method to claim 12, wherein said remote computer initiates said connection.

14. A method according to claim 13, comprising, said remote computer causing said personal communicator to generate a sound and detecting said sound by said computer as an indication of a request for authentication.

15. A method according to claim 8, wherein said authentication signals comprise at least mostly sonic frequencies.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said signals are encoded using a DTMF-like encoding scheme.

17. A method according to claim 8, wherein said authentication signals comprise ultrasonic frequencies.

22. A method according to claim 8, wherein said audio transmission section is a wireless section.