Personal communicator authentication
View Patent ↗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.
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.
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.
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.
22. A method according to claim 8 , wherein said audio transmission section is a wireless section.