Managing access to secured data

• US 8,739,264 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Ecklund, Terry Robert, Eddings, Justin Clay, Canton, Sergio Gustavo, Stark, Linda Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): LANIER, BENJAMIN E
• Application Number:
  US13/339,584
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• 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

Abstract

The invention is directed to methods and systems for managing access to secured data. In particular, the invention provides a three-fold security layer to manage access to a virtual application by verifying a user device, user credentials, and a physical identifier. Each of the user device, user credentials, and the physical identifier is associated with a user and identification of each is required to grant access to the virtual application. A user may enter, from an authorized user device, user credentials, such as a user name and password. The user may then physically contact the physical identifier and the user device in order to automatically generate a unique token required to automatically gain access to the virtual application.

Claims

1. Non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, enable a computing device to perform a method of managing access to secured data, the method comprising:

identifying a user device associated with a user, wherein the user device includes a Near-Field Communication (NFC) chip;

receiving a user input of a user name and password at the user device;

detecting a close proximity between the user device and a physical identifier that wirelessly communicates credentials to the NFC chip of the user device when the close proximity is detected;

subsequent to (1) receiving the user name and the password and (2) receiving the credentials from the physical identifier,

(1) automatically generating a unique token for the user to access secured data through a virtual application requiring the unique token, and

(2) automatically communicating the unique token to the virtual application that is to be accessed such that no user intervention is required; and

granting the user device access to the secured data through the virtual application.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein the user device is a telecommunications device.

3. The media of claim 2, wherein the telecommunications device is a mobile phone.

4. The media of claim 1, wherein the user device is a personal computer.

5. The media of claim 1, wherein the physical identifier is a badge.

6. The media of claim 1, wherein the physical identifier is capable of wirelessly communicating with the user device using one or more of Bluetooth technology, magnetic technology, or radio frequency identification technology.

7. The media of claim 1, further comprising validating the close proximity between the user device and the physical identifier.

8. The media of claim 1, wherein the unique token is automatically communicated such that a user input of the unique token is not required upon validating the close proximity between the user device and the physical identifier.

9. A system for managing access to secured data, the system comprising:

a user device for receiving and processing credentials that are communicated from one or more physical identifiers, wherein the user device is associated with a user and includes a Near-Field Communication (NFC) chip;

one or more physical identifiers for wirelessly communicating the credentials to the NFC chip of the user device when a close proximity is detected between one of the one or more physical identifiers and the user device; and

a manager for managing access to secured data through a virtual application by validating the credentials, wherein the user device is registered with the manager and provides the manager with a user name and password for a user and the credentials received from the one or more physical identifiers, the manager performing the steps of;

(1) validating the close proximity between the user device and the one of the one or more physical identifiers;

(2) subsequent to the manager receiving the user name and password for the user, receiving the credentials from the one or more physical identifiers, and validating the close proximity between the user device and the one of the one or more physical identifiers, automatically generating a unique token to access the virtual application;

(3) automatically communicating the unique token to the virtual application such that no user intervention is required; and

(4) granting access to the virtual application.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the user device includes a processor and a memory.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the user device is a mobile phone.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the physical identifier is an employee badge.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more physical identifiers is capable of communicating with the user device using one or more of Bluetooth technology, magnetic technology, or radio frequency identification technology.

14. Non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, enable a computing device to perform a method of managing access to secured data, the method comprising:

identifying a user device associated with a user, wherein the user device is a mobile phone that includes a Near-Field Communication (NFC) chip;

receiving an indication that the NFC chip is activated;

receiving a request to access secured data through a virtual application;

receiving a user input of a user name and password at the user device;

detecting a close proximity between the user device and a physical identifier that wirelessly communicates credentials to the NFC chip of the user device when the close proximity is detected, wherein the physical identifier is a badge; and

subsequent to (1) receiving the user name and the password and (2) receiving the credentials from the badge,

(1) automatically generating a unique token for the user to access the virtual application, and

(2) automatically communicating the unique token to the virtual application such that access to the virtual application is granted.

15. The media of claim 14, wherein upon automatically communicated the unique token to the virtual application, access to the virtual application is automatically granted to the user without user intervention.

16. The media of claim 14, wherein the physical identifier wirelessly communicates with the user device using Bluetooth technology or magnetic technology.

17. The media of claim 14, wherein the physical identifier wirelessly communicates with the user device using radio frequency identification technology.

18. The media of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the physical identifier and the user device are associated with the user.