System and method for receiving requests for tasks from unregistered devices

• US 8,620,826 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coughlin, Chesley, Oates, Isaac, Gupta, Diwakar, Yuen, Philip, Yuen, Gerald, Huang, Chih-Jen, Butler, Lee, Gefen, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelagay, Shewaye
• Application Number:
  US12/056,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20090249459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• Field of Search: 705/75, 705/39, 705/44
• US Class Current: 705/75
• 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: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration

Abstract

Embodiments of a system and method for receiving task requests from unregistered devices are described. Embodiments may include a communication interface service configured to receive from a communication device a message indicative of a request to perform a task. The communication interface service may determine that the communication device is not registered with an existing account that provides information for performing said task. The communication interface service may obtain identification and authentication information for an existing account via a communication channel. The existing account may be an account for that is accessible via a network-based interface. The communication channel through which the identification and authentication information is received by the communication interface service may be any communication channel that does not include the network-based interface of the existing account. Additionally, the communication interface service may use the identification and authentication information for performance of the task using the existing account.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors coupled to said memory;

wherein said memory comprises program instructions executable by the processor to implement a communication interface service configured to;

receive a message from a communication device, the message indicating a request to purchase an item;

determine that said communication device is not registered with an existing account that includes billing information previously submitted by a user for performing purchases;

obtain from the unregistered communication device via a communication channel, identification and authentication information for the existing account that includes the previously-submitted billing information;

wherein said existing account is accessible through a network-based interface;

wherein said communication channel does not include said network-based interface; and

validate the identification and authentication information received from the unregistered communication device through said communication channel as being correct relative to identification and authentication information previously-submitted by said user through the network-based interface, and

in response to that validation;

complete the purchase of the item with the previously-submitted billing information of the existing account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface service is configured to:

receive an indication that the device is to be registered with the existing account; and

in response to said indication, initiate registration of the device with the existing account.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said obtained identification and authentication information comprises identification and authentication information for accessing said existing account via the network-based interface.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said identification and authentication information for accessing said existing account via the network-based interface comprises a username and a password.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said username comprises one or more of:

an email address, a user-selected alias, or an alias assigned by the communication interface service.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication channel is a voice communication channel or a text messaging communication channel.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface service is configured to provide an account provider of said existing account an indication of the request to purchase an item.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said request indicates a request to transfer funds to an entity, wherein the communication interface service is configured to provide an account provider of said existing account an indication of the request to transfer funds to the entity.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said message is a text message.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said text message adheres to the Short Message Service (SMS) protocol.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said message is an electronic mail message.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein to determine that said communication device is not registered the communication interface service is configured to access mapping information and determine that said mapping information does not contain a record of the communication device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein to determine that said communication device is not registered the communication interface service is configured to access a plurality of account configuration files and determine that said account configuration files do not contain a record of the communication device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication interface service is configured to determine an identifier of the communication device through caller ID, wherein to determine that said plurality of account configuration files do not contain a record of the communication device the communication interface service is configured to determine that said plurality of account configuration files do not contain said identifier.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication interface service is configured to access information previously registered via the network-based interface and use the accessed information for purchase of the item, wherein said information previously registered via the network-based interface comprises one or more of:

customer contact information, or shipping preferences.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication device is one or more of:

a mobile device configured to communicate via text messaging, a mobile device configured to communicate via a voice communication channel, and a cellular telephone.

17. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

performing, by one or more computers;

receiving a message from a communication device, the message indicating a request to purchase an item;

determining that said communication device is not registered with an existing account that includes billing information previously submitted by a user for performing purchases;

obtaining from the unregistered communication device via a communication channel, identification and authentication information for the existing account that includes the previously-stored billing information;

wherein said existing account is accessible through a network-based interface;

wherein said communication channel does not include said network-based interface;

validating the identification and authentication information from the unregistered communication device as being correct relative to identification and authentication information previously-submitted by said user through the network-based interface, and in response to that validation;

complete the purchase of the item with the previously-submitted billing information of the existing account; and

register the communication device for subsequent access to the existing account through the communication channel with new authentication information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method comprises providing an account provider of said existing account an indication of the request to purchase an item.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said request indicates a request to transfer funds to an entity, wherein the method comprises providing an account provider of said existing account an indication of the request to transfer funds to the entity.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining that said communication device is not registered comprises accessing mapping information and determining that said mapping information does not contain a record of the communication device.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein determining that said communication device is not registered comprises accessing a plurality of account configuration files and determining that said account configuration files do not contain a record of the communication device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining an identifier of the communication device through caller ID, wherein determining that said plurality of account configuration files do not contain a record of the communication device comprises determining that said plurality of account configuration files do not contain said identifier.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the method comprises accessing information previously registered via the network-based interface and using the accessed information for purchase of the item, wherein said information previously registered via the network-based interface comprises one or more of:

customer contact information, or shipping preferences.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions computer-executable to implement a communication interface service configured to:

receive a message from a communication device, the message indicating a request to purchase an item;

determine that said communication device is not registered with an existing account that includes billing information previously submitted by a user for performing purchases;

obtain from the unregistered communication device via a communication channel, identification and authentication information for the existing account that includes the previously-stored billing information;

wherein said existing account is accessible through a network-based interface;

wherein said communication channel does not include said network-based interface; and

validate the identification and authentication information from the unregistered communication device as being correct relative to identification and authentication information previously-submitted by said user through the network-based interface, and in response to that validation;

complete the purchase of the item with the previously-submitted billing information of the existing account.

25. The medium of claim 24, wherein the communication interface service is configured to:

receive an indication that the device is to be registered with the existing account; and

in response to said indication, initiate registration of the device with the existing account.

26. The medium of claim 24, wherein the communication interface service is configured to provide an account provider of said existing account an indication of the request to purchase an item.

27. The medium of claim 24, wherein said request indicates a request to transfer funds to an entity, wherein the communication interface service is configured to provide an account provider of said existing account an indication of the request to transfer funds to the entity.

28. The medium of claim 24, wherein to determine that said communication device is not registered the communication interface service is configured to access mapping information and determine that said mapping information does not contain a record of the communication device.

29. The medium of claim 24, wherein to determine that said communication device is not registered the communication interface service is configured to access a plurality of account configuration files and determine that said account configuration files do not contain a record of the communication device.

30. The medium of claim 29, wherein the communication interface service is configured to determine an identifier of the communication device through caller ID, wherein to determine that said plurality of account configuration files do not contain a record of the communication device the communication interface service is configured to determine that said plurality of account configuration files do not contain said identifier.

31. The medium of claim 24, wherein the communication interface service is configured to access information previously registered via the network-based interface and use the accessed information for purchase of the item, wherein said information previously registered via the network-based interface comprises one or more of:

customer contact information, or shipping preferences.