IP Library Granted Patent US 8,954,730
Granted Patent B2
US 8,954,730 · App. 14/051,221 · Granted Feb 10, 2015

Establishing historical usage-based hardware trust

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 8,954,730
App. No.
14/051,221
Granted
Feb 10, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Establishing trust according to historical usage of selected hardware involves providing a usage history for a selected client device; and extending trust to a selected user based on the user's usage history of the client device. The usage history is embodied as signed statements issued by a third party or an authentication server. The issued statement is stored either on the client device, or on an authentication server. The usage history is updated every time a user is authenticated from the selected client device. By combining the usage history with conventional user authentication, an enhanced trust level is readily established. The enhanced, hardware-based trust provided by logging on from a trusted client may eliminate the necessity of requiring secondary authentication for e-commerce and financial services transactions, and may also be used to facilitate password recovery and conflict resolution in the case of stolen passwords.

Claims (70)

1. One or more computer-readable storage memory devices comprising processor-executable instructions which, responsive to execution by at least one processor, are configured to:

write a token into any of a memory or a disk that is associated with a selected client device of one or more client devices;

confirm that the token exists on the selected client device during each log in of the selected client device through one or more access points across a network; and

extend an increase in trust to the selected client device at a level that is based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a frequency of the confirmed log ins; or

a number of the confirmed log ins.

2. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 1 , wherein the token comprises at least one of:

a cookie; or

a tag.

3. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 1 , the processor-instructions further configured to:

perform an authentication of a selected user of the selected client device, wherein the authentication is based on a combination of the extended trust and at least one other form of authentication.

4. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 1 , wherein the token comprises a statement that is created by an issuer, wherein the statement corresponds with one or more of the log ins for a selected user of the selected client device.

5. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 4 , the processor-executable instructions further configured to:

provide the statement by the selected client device with a request for any of service and access.

6. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

determine a level of trust according to a selected user's frequency of use of the selected client device that corresponds with one or more of the log ins for the selected user, wherein a frequent user is granted enhanced trust over an infrequent user.

7. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

establish a pattern of use based at least on tracked information for any of a selected user or the selected client device, wherein the tracked information corresponds with one or more of the log ins for the selected user,

wherein a determination to extend trust is based, at least in part, on a level of conformance to the established pattern of use.

8. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 7 , wherein, wherein the tracked information comprises at least one of:

information indicating where the selected user dials in from;

information indicating a device type;

information indicating a device operating system;

information indicating an Internet Protocol (IP) address;

information indicating a subnet; or

information indicating the token on the selected client device.

9. One or more computer-readable storage memory devices comprising processor-executable instructions which, responsive to execution by at least one processor, are configured to:

track information unique to each log-in for a selected user through one or more access points associated with a network; and

extend an increase in trust to the selected user at a level based, at least in part, on at least one of:

a frequency of said tracked log-ins; and

a number of said tracked log-ins through said access points for said selected user.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

perform an authentication of said selected user, wherein said authentication is based, at least in part, on a combination of said extended trust and at least one other form of authentication.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

store said tracked information at any of a remote location or a selected device of one or more devices that corresponds with one or more of said log ins for said selected user.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions to track information are further configured to:

create a statement by an issuer;

download said statement from said issuer; and

store said downloaded statement on a selected device of one or more devices that corresponds with one or more of said log ins for said selected user.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 12 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

provide said stored tracked information by said selected device with a request for any of service and access or access.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions to extend an increase in trust are further configured to:

determine a level of trust according to said selected user's frequency of use of a selected device of one or more devices that corresponds with one or more of said log ins for said selected user, wherein a frequent user is granted enhanced trust over an infrequent user.

15. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to:

establish a pattern of use based at least on said tracked information for any of said selected user or a selected device of one or more devices that corresponds with one or more of said log ins for said selected user,

wherein a determination to extend trust is based, at least in part, on a level of conformance to said established pattern of use.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 15 , wherein said tracked information comprises any of:

a location associated with where said selected user connects in from;

a device type;

a device operating system;

an IP address or subnet; or

one or more cookies or tags stored on said selected device.

17. One or more computer-readable storage memory devices comprising processor-executable instructions which, responsive to execution by at least one processor, are configured to:

track information unique to each log-in for a selected user through one or more access points associated with a network;

extend an increase in trust to the selected user at a level based, at least in part, on a frequency of said tracked log-ins or a number of said tracked log-ins through said access points for said selected user;

identify a new access point associated with the network that the selected user logs-in from; and

request authentication information from the selected user instead of extending an increase in trust, to the selected user, for the log-in associated with the new access point.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 17 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further configured to:

receive the requested authentication information;

verify the requested authentication information; and

responsive to verifying the requested information, extent an increase in trust to the selected user for future log-ins associated with the new access point.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices of claim 17 , wherein the tracked information comprises at least one of:

a device type;

a device operating system;

an IP address or subnet;

a cookie stored on an associated access point;

a tag stored on an associated access point; or

a location associated with where the selected user connects in from.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage memory devices claim 17 , the processor-executable instructions further configured to:

enable the selected user to change an associated password based, at least in part, on the extended increased trust.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034544/0541 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 30, 2014
From: AOL INC.; AOL ADVERTISING INC; MAPQUEST, INC
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034113/0557 →