Authentication method and device in a telecommunication network using a portable device

1. A method of authenticating the user of a terminal connected to an Internet network, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

setting up a communications channel in a secure mobile telephony network between mobile equipment of said user situated close to the terminal and an authentication unit connected to said Internet network;

the terminal downloading via said Internet network a digital code from said authentication unit;

said mobile equipment sending a sound signal to said authentication unit, the sound signal being generated by the terminal on the basis of said downloaded digital code; and

authenticating said user on the basis of the sound signal received by the authentication unit via said mobile communications channel and of an identifier of said mobile equipment.

2. The authentication method according to claim 1 , wherein said mobile equipment is a mobile telephone and said identifier of said mobile equipment is its telephone number.

3. The authentication method according to claim 1 , wherein said mobile equipment complies with the GSM standard, and said identifier of said mobile equipment is its IMEI code.

4. The authentication method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of creating a digital audio file (.WAV) from said digital code, said digital audio file being adapted to run automatically on the terminal in order to generate said sound signal.

5. The authentication method according to claim 1 , wherein in order to proceed with said authentication, said authentication unit:

samples the received sound signal; and

compares the result of said sampling with a copy of said digital code stored by said authentication unit.

6. The authentication method according to claim 5 , wherein after said authentication the method further comprises:

sending, by the authentication unit, an SMS to said mobile equipment, said SMS comprising the date and the result of said comparison step.

7. The authentication method according to claim 1 , wherein said sound signal is a DTMF code sequence.

8. The authentication method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

randomly generating said digital code prior to said downloading step; and

destroying said digital code after said authentication step or after a predetermined time period.

9. An authentication system connected to an Internet network, wherein the system comprises:

means for establishing a communications channel with mobile equipment via a secure mobile telephone network;

send means for sending a digital code to a terminal connected to said Internet network;

receive means for receiving via said mobile communications channel a sound signal from said mobile equipment, the sound signal being generated by the terminal on the basis of said sent digital code; and

authentication means for authenticating a user of said mobile equipment as a function:

of said sound signal received via said mobile communications channel; and of an identifier of said mobile equipment.

10. The authentication system according to claim 9 , wherein said mobile equipment is a mobile telephone and said authentication means take account of the identifier of said mobile equipment as constituted by its telephone number.

11. The authentication system according to claim 9 , wherein said mobile equipment complies with the GSM standard, and said authentication means are adapted to authorize or refuse access by taking account of the identifier of said mobile equipment as constituted by its IMEI code.

12. The authentication system according to claim 9 , wherein the system further comprises means for creating a digital audio file on the basis of said digital code, said digital audio file being adapted to run automatically on the terminal to generate said sound signal.

13. The authentication system according to claim 9 , wherein the system further comprises:

means for sampling said sound signal; and

identification means suitable for comparing the result of said sampling with a copy of said digital code stored by said authentication unit.

14. The authentication system according to claim 13 , wherein the system further comprises means for sending an SMS to said mobile equipment, said SMS comprising the date and the result obtained by the identification means.

15. An authentication system according to claim 9 , wherein said sound signal is a DTMF code sequence.

16. The authentication system according to claim 9 , wherein the system further comprises:

means for randomly generating said digital code; and

destruction means adapted to destroy said digital code on receiving an order from said identification means or after a predetermined time period has elapsed.