System and method for trusted communication

• US 7,996,890 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: King, Paul, O'Neill, Rosie, Buse, Carrie, Sucher, Steve, Burns, Joy, Goff, Christopher L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lipman; Jacob
• Application Number:
  US12/037,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 726/9
• US Class Current: 726/9
• 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 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0243 for decorative purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0278 of USB type details relating to connectors H01R27/00

Abstract

A trusted communication system and methods of ensuring trusted communications are provided. A portable memory device is configured to resemble a character, and a client is configurable to operate specifically with that portable memory device. The client may allow a user to access network resources related to other clients belonging to other users having portable memory devices. Each portable memory device may have stored therein a unique token. A token from one portable memory device may be associated with a token of another portable memory device, e.g., by operating the first portable memory device with a client configured to operate with the second portable memory device. When two tokens are associated, the client configured to operate with a portable memory device having one of those tokens may access network resources related to another of those tokens.

Claims

1. A trusted communication system residing on a computer network and comprising:

a first portable memory device identified by a first token;

a first client configured to operate with the first portable memory device;

a first network resource related to the first client;

a second portable memory device identified by a second token;

a second client configured to operate with the second portable memory device;

a database configured to store tokens and associations therebetween; and

a trusted communication server configured to receive a request from the second client to access the first network resource, the request including the second token, and query the database to determine whether there is an association between the second token and the first token;

wherein upon a determination that the database server contains an association between second token and the first token, the trusted communication server permits the second client access to the first network resource.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first client is a computer program executing on a first computer connected to a docking station to which portable memory devices are configured to connect, and the first client is configured to temporarily operate with the second portable memory device when the second portable memory device is connected to the docking station to communicate the first and second tokens to the database, and the database is configured to store an association between the first token and the second token.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second client is configured to temporarily operate with the first portable memory device to communicate the first and second tokens to the database, and the database is configured to store an association between the first token and the second token.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first network resource is an instant messaging application through which the first and second clients exchange instant messages.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first network resource is a first portion of a personal webpage created by a user of the first client, wherein the first portion of the personal webpage includes personal information about the user of the first client.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first client is configured to temporarily operate with the second portable memory device to communicate the first and second tokens to the database, and the database is configured to store an association between the first token and the second token.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the first client is configured to store a flag on the second portable memory device, the flag indicating that there is an association between the first token and the second token.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the second client is configured to, upon operating with the second portable memory device and detecting the flag stored therein, prompt a user of the second client to access the first network resource related to the first client.

9. A trusted communication system residing on a computer network and comprising:

a first token identifying a first portable memory device;

a second token identifying a second portable memory device;

a database configured to store tokens and associations therebetween; and

a trusted communication server configured to (i) receive a request from a second client, the second client configured to operate with the second portable memory device, to allow the second client to access a first network resource, the first network resource related to a first client configured to operate with the first portable memory device, the request including the second token, and (ii) query the database to determine whether there is an association between the second token and the first token;

wherein upon a determination that the database server contains an association between second token and the first token, the trusted communication server permits the second client access to the first network resource.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first client is a computer program executing on a first computer connected to a docking station to which portable memory devices are configured to connect, and the first client is configured to temporarily operate with the second portable memory device when the second portable memory device is connected to the docking station to communicate the first and second tokens to the database, and the database is configured to store an association between the first token and the second token.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the second client is configured to temporarily operate with the first portable memory device to communicate the first and second tokens to the database, and the database is configured to store an association between the first token and the second token.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the first network resource is an instant messaging application through which the first and second clients exchange instant messages.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the first network resource is a first portion of a personal webpage created by a user of the first client, wherein the first portion of the personal webpage includes personal information about the user of the first client.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the first client is configured to temporarily operate with the second portable memory device to communicate the first and second tokens to the database, and the database is configured to store an association between the first token and the second token.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the first client is configured to store a flag on the second portable memory device, the flag indicating that there is an association between the first token and the second token.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the second client is configured to, upon operating with the second portable memory device and detecting the flag stored therein, prompt a user of the second client to access the first network resource related to the first client.