User authentication using unique hidden identifiers

• US 9,967,245 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian A. Truong
• Original Assignee: Brian A. Truong
• Inventors: Truong, Brian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMITOSKI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US15/051,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0414 during transmission, i.e. party's identity is protected against eavesdropping, e.g. by using temporary identifiers, but is known to the other party or parties involved in the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for user authentication using hidden unique identifiers in networks. In some example embodiments these systems and methods only require a single human readable identifier be provided and minimize personal information exposure in the event of a network breach.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate a third-party platform by causing a processor of a first user device to perform a method including steps, comprising:

the user device creating a network account signified by a human readable identifier, wherein account creation includes a server assigning a unique device identifier to the user device and associating the unique device identifier with the human readable identifier in a database, where the unique device identifier is hidden from a first user of the first user device;

the user device prompting the first user to add contacts, where human readable identifiers are used to identify added contacts to the first user;

the user device selectively authenticating the third-party platform by;

selectively opening the third-party platform on a user device;

opening an authentication platform on the first user device, wherein on the authentication platform the human readable identifier is associated with the unique device identifier;

receiving, by the authentication platform, a first session identifier for a session on the third-party platform;

presenting a login request to the first user via a first user interface for the authentication platform to confirm the authenticated session on the third-party platform; and

upon confirmation by the first user via the first user interface, authenticating the third-party platform by;

sending, using the authentication platform, the session identifier and unique device identifier to the server; and

associating, at the server, the session identifier and the unique device identifier.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate the first user on the third-party platform by performing the method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing access to the third-party platform to interact with at least one contact stored in non-transitory computer-readable memory of the first user device.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate the first user by performing the method of claim 2, wherein receiving the first session identifier further comprises:

the first user device generating the first session identifier.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate the first user on the third-party platform by performing the method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first session identifier further comprises:

receiving the first session identifier in response to transmitting a request to a server associated with the authentication platform via a computer network, and

wherein the server generates the first session identifier.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate the first user by performing the method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first session identifier further comprises:

the first user device generating the first session identifier.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate the first user by performing the method of claim 1, wherein the third-party platform is a website, accessible via connection over a computer network.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate the first user by performing the method of claim 1, wherein the third-party platform is an application stored in non-transitory memory on the first user device.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate the first user by performing the method of claim 1, wherein the first session identifier is a barcode that the user can scan using a camera of the first user device.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that are configured to cause a computer system to add contacts and selectively authenticate the first user by performing the method of claim 1, further comprising:

discarding the first session identifier upon a user logging out of the third-party platform.