IP Library Granted Patent US 8,413,219
Granted Patent B2
US 8,413,219 · App. 13/154,386 · Granted Apr 2, 2013

Verifying access rights to a network account having multiple passwords

Inventors: Brandon A. Downey (Mountain View, CA); Amit J. Patel (Mountain View, CA); Chris Yu (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Google Inc.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,413,219
App. No.
13/154,386
Granted
Apr 2, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for verifying access to a network account are provided. A first user communication portal is associated with a user network account. A request to access the user network account is received from a second user communication portal. Security criteria related to the second user communication portal is determined. Access to the user network account is enabled upon receipt of a communication associated with the first user communication portal when the security criteria is of a predetermined value.

Claims (70)

1. A computer-implemented method for granting access rights for network accounts, performed by a server system, comprising:

at the server system:

receiving, from a client device, a request to access a network account associated with multiple passwords, wherein the request includes a received password;

in response to the request, determining whether the received password is one of the multiple passwords associated with the network account;

in accordance with a determination that the received password is a first password of the multiple passwords associated with the network account, granting to the client device a first set of access rights for the network account, the first set of access rights excluding a respective access right selected from the set consisting of: access to contact information for contacts in an online address book, access to personal notes, access to document folders; and

in accordance with a determination that the received password is a second password of the multiple passwords associated with the network account that is distinct from the first password, granting to the client device a second set of access rights for the network account, wherein the second set of access rights includes one or more access rights that are not included in the first set of access rights, the second set of access rights including the respective access right.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the network account is associated with a user identifier; and

the request includes the user identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a same user identifier is associated with each of the passwords of the multiple passwords.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first set of access rights includes read-only access rights; and

the second set of access rights includes read and write access rights.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first set of access rights excludes administrative access to change security settings for the network account; and

the second set of access rights includes administrative access to change security settings for the network account.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first set of access rights excludes an ability to request deletion of content associated with the network account; and

the second set of access rights includes the ability to request deletion of content associated with the network account.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the network account is an email account;

the first set of access rights excludes an ability to view more than a predetermined number of emails; and

the second set of access rights includes the ability to view more than the predetermined number of emails.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the network account is an email account;

the first set of access rights excludes a respective access right selected from the set consisting of: access to email from specific entities, access to emails that have a predefined security status, access to emails marked important, access to emails from a priority sender, access to emails located in a user-specified folder, access to emails containing predefined words, access to emails containing attachments, and access to emails containing images; and

the second set of access rights includes the respective access right.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple passwords include one or more one-time use passwords in addition to the first password and the second password.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of access rights includes a respective access right, the method further comprising excluding the respective access right from the second set of access rights for a user-specified time period.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the received password is a third password of the multiple passwords associated with the network account that is distinct from the first password and the second password, granting to the client device a third set of access rights for the network account, wherein the third set of access rights includes one or more access rights that are not included in the first set of access rights or the second set of access rights.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the first set of access rights excludes administrative access to change security settings for the network account;

the second set of access rights excludes administrative access to change security settings for the network account; and

the third set of access rights includes administrative access to change security settings for the network account.

13. A server system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

one or more modules for:

receiving, from a client device, a request to access a network account associated with multiple passwords, wherein the request includes a received password; and

in response to the request, determining whether the received password is one of the multiple passwords associated with the network account;

in accordance with a determination that the received password is a first password of the multiple passwords associated with the network account, granting to the client device a first set of access rights for the network account, the first set of access rights excluding a respective access right selected from the set consisting of: access to contact information for contacts in an online address book, access to personal notes, access to document folders; and

in accordance with a determination that the received password is a second password of the multiple passwords associated with the network account that is distinct from the first password, granting to the client device a second set of access rights for the network account, wherein the second set of access rights includes one or more access rights that are not included in the first set of access rights, the second set of access rights including the respective access right.

14. The server system of claim 13 , wherein:

the network account is associated with a user identifier; and

the request includes the user identifier.

15. The server system of claim 13 , wherein a same user identifier is associated with each of the passwords of the multiple passwords.

16. The server system of claim 13 , wherein:

the first set of access rights includes read-only access rights; and

the second set of access rights includes read and write access rights.

17. The server system of claim 13 , wherein:

the first set of access rights excludes administrative access to change security settings for the network account; and

the second set of access rights includes administrative access to change security settings for the network account.

18. The server system of claim 13 , wherein:

the first set of access rights excludes an ability to request deletion of content associated with the network account; and

the second set of access rights includes the ability to request deletion of content associated with the network account.

19. The server system of claim 13 , wherein:

the network account is an email account;

the first set of access rights excludes an ability to view more than a predetermined number of emails; and

the second set of access rights includes the ability to view more than the predetermined number of emails.

20. The server system of claim 13 , wherein:

the network account is an email account;

the first set of access rights excludes a respective access right selected from the set consisting of: access to email from specific entities, access to emails that have a predefined security status, access to emails marked important, access to emails from a priority sender, access to emails located in a user-specified folder, access to emails containing predefined words, access to emails containing attachments, and access to emails containing images; and

the second set of access rights includes the respective access right.

21. The server system of claim 13 , wherein the multiple passwords include one or more one-time use passwords in addition to the first password and the second password.

22. The server system of claim 13 , wherein the second set of access rights includes a respective access right, and the one or more modules include at least one module for excluding the respective access right from the second set of access rights for a user-specified time period.

23. The server system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more modules include at least one module for granting to the client device a third set of access rights for the network account, in accordance with a determination that the received password is a third password of the multiple passwords associated with the network account that is distinct from the first password and the second password, wherein the third set of access rights includes one or more access rights that are not included in the first set of access rights or the second set of access rights.

24. The server system of claim 23 , wherein:

the first set of access rights excludes administrative access to change security settings for the network account;

the second set of access rights excludes administrative access to change security settings for the network account; and

the third set of access rights includes administrative access to change security settings for the network account.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 5, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044695/0115 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 11074007 · Mar 8, 2005
Related Publication 20110239278A1 · Sep 29, 2011