EFFICIENT AUTHENTICATION OF A USER FOR CONDUCT OF A TRANSACTION INITIATED VIA MOBILE TELEPHONE

1 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . A method of authenticating a user for conduct of a transaction initiated by the user via a data-enabled telephone, such data-enabled telephone capable of initiating communications over a telephone network and of engaging in two-way data communication with a data server in a network, such server enabling conduct of the transaction, the method comprising:

receiving at a server, caller identification data associated with the data-enabled telephone's user via the telephone network, such caller identification data providing a basis for authentication of the user; and

the server using the caller identification data to generate and address a message to the user;

including in such message a logon key for use by the user in accomplishing the transaction; and sending such message to the data-enabled telephone;

so that on receipt of the message at the data enabled telephone, the message enables a user to use the logon key to enter into data communication with the server for conduct of the transaction; and the method further comprises obtaining additional verification information at the server from the data-enabled telephone via a two-way data communication network as a condition to conduct the transaction.

19 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein the logon key has a lifetime, for purposes of accomplishing the transaction, of less than a specified amount of time.

20 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein the logon key for use by the user can be used a limited number of times for purposes of accomplishing the transaction.

21 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein the caller identifying data includes a telephone number of the mobile telephone.

22 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein the call-identification data is generated at a time a phone call is generated by the data-enabled telephone.

23 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein the call-identification data is sent from the data-enabled telephone to the server via a two-way data communication network.

24 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein sending the message includes sending the message to the user's data-enabled telephone via a two-way data communication network and, on receipt of the message, the message enables a user to use the logon key to cause the mobile telephone to enter into data communication with the server.

25 . A system for authenticating a user for conduct of a transaction initiated by the user via a data-enabled telephone, such data-enabled telephone capable of initiating telephone calls over a telephone network and of engaging in two-way data communication with a data server in a network, such server enabling conduct of the transaction, the system comprising:

a first server, associated with a service telephone number, for receiving caller identification data generated by the data-enabled telephone to the service telephone number, such caller identification providing a basis for authentication of the user; such server using the caller identification data to generate and address a message to the user concerning the transaction, wherein such message includes a logon key for accomplishing the transaction, and to send such message;

a data server for data communication with the data-enabled telephone, accessible to the user upon use of the logon key by the user wherein the logon key serves to identify the user and wherein the first server obtains an additional verification of the user as a condition to conduct the transaction.

26 . A system according to claim 25 , wherein the logon key has a lifetime, for purposes of accomplishing the transaction, of less than a specified amount of time.

27 . A system according to claim 25 , wherein the logon key for use by the user can be used a limited number of times for purposes of accomplishing the transaction.

28 . A system according to claim 25 , wherein the caller identifying data includes a telephone number of the mobile telephone.