IP Library Granted Patent US 8,838,976
Granted Patent B2
US 8,838,976 · App. 12/703,470 · Granted Sep 16, 2014

Web content access using a client device identifier

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,838,976
App. No.
12/703,470
Granted
Sep 16, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling access to online services. For example, the system may include an application running on a user computer ( 130 ) that collects platform data (e.g. physical device parameters) and generates a machine fingerprint (stage 602 ). The computer ( 130 ) may send the machine fingerprint to the authentication server ( 110 ). The server ( 110 ) may associate the received machine fingerprint with the appropriate online account information received from a host server ( 120 ) or the like (stage 604 ). The authentication server ( 110 ) may send the appropriate registration status signal to the host server ( 120 ), which in turn may update the online profile information to include the user's registration status (stage 606 ).

Claims (38)

1. A computer-implemented method for authenticating a user of an online service, comprising:

retrieving, by a network device, data regarding an online profile of the user for the online service, the network device being used by the user to access the online service;

collecting, by the network device, machine information regarding the network device, the collected machine information comprising at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one physical non-user-configurable property of the network device, wherein the at least one physical non-user-configurable property comprises a carbon and/or silicon degradation characteristic of a network device component;

generating a device identifier based at least in part on the collected machine information;

storing the generated device identifier in a hidden file directory of the network device; and

transmitting the generated device identifier and the retrieved online profile data to an authentication server.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the generated device identifier matching a known identifier, receiving a registered user signal from the authentication server.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the registered user signal comprises instructions for an online service server to include a registered status indicator in the user's online profile information.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the registered status indicator is based at least in part on past behavior or reputation associated with the user.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable code for a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) to:

retrieve data regarding an online profile of a user for an online service;

collect machine information regarding a network device being used by the user to

access the online service, the collected machine information comprising at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one physical non-user-configurable property of the network device, wherein the at least one physical non-user-configurable property comprises a carbon and/or silicon degradation characteristic of a network device component;

generate a device identifier based at least in part on the collected machine information;

store the generated device identifier in a hidden file directory of the network device; and

transmit the generated device identifier and the retrieved online profile data to an authentication server.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5 , further comprising executable code for the JVM to, in response to the generated device identifier matching a known identifier, receive a registered user signal from the authentication server.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the registered user signal comprises instructions for an online service server to include a registered status indicator in the user's online profile information.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the registered status indicator is based at least in part on past behavior or reputation associated with the user.

9. A computer-implemented method for authenticating a user of an online service, comprising:

receiving, by an authentication server, a first device identifier from a network device being used by the user, the first device identifier being generated from at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one physical non-user-configurable property of the network device, wherein the at least one physical non-user-configurable property comprises a carbon and/or silicon degradation characteristic of a network device component;

receiving, by the authentication server, online profile information of the user for the online service;

associating the first device identifier with the received online profile information;

receiving an authentication request signal from the user, the request signal comprising a second device identifier; and

in response to the second device identifier matching the first device identifier, transmitting a registered user signal to a server hosting the online service, the registered user signal comprising instructions for the server to include a registered status indicator in the user's online profile information.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the registered status indicator is based at least in part on past behavior or reputation associated with the user.

11. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for:

receiving a first device identifier from a network device being used by a user, the first device identifier being generated from at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one physical non-user-configurable property of the network device, wherein the at least one physical non-user-configurable property comprises a carbon and/or silicon degradation characteristic of a network device component;

receiving online profile information of the user for the online service;

associating the first device identifier with the received online profile information;

receiving an authentication request signal from the user, the request signal comprising a second device identifier; and

in response to the second device identifier matching the first device identifier, transmitting a registered user signal to a server hosting an online service, the registered user signal comprising instructions for the server to include a registered status indicator in the user's online profile information.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the registered status indicator is based at least in part on past behavior or reputation associated with the user.

13. A computer-implemented method for authenticating a user of an online service, comprising:

retrieving, by a network device, machine information regarding the network device, the machine information comprising at least one user-configurable parameter and at least one physical non-user-configurable property of the network device, wherein the at least one physical non-user-configurable property comprises a carbon and/or silicon degradation characteristic of a network device component;

generating a device identifier based at least in part on the retrieved machine information; and

transmitting the generated device identifier to an authentication server.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2018
From: UNILOC LUXEMBOURG S.A.
To: UNILOC 2017 LLC
Reel/Frame 046532/0088 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2015
From: UNILOC LUXEMBOURG, S.A.; UNILOC CORPORATION PTY LIMITED; UNILOC USA, INC.
To: FORTRESS CREDIT CO LLC
Reel/Frame 034747/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2013
From: NETAUTHORITY, INC.
To: UNILOC LUXEMBOURG S. A.
Reel/Frame 031209/0010 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2013
From: UNILOC LUXEMBOURG S. A.
To: NETAUTHORITY, INC.
Reel/Frame 029879/0951 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2011
From: UNILOC USA, INC.
To: UNILOC LUXEMBOURG S. A.
Reel/Frame 026032/0862 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2010
From: ETCHEGOYEN, CRAIG S.
To: UNILOC USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 023921/0407 →