Patent ID: 7945950
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method implemented within a distributed system including a challenger message processor that is communicatively coupled to one or more other message processors including a challengee message processor such that the challenger message processor and the one or more other message processors can communicate by transferring electronic messages, the distributed system comprising at least one processing unit and a memory having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processing unit, implement the method for the challenge message processor to challenge a challengee message processor, the method comprising: an act of a challenge message processor receiving an electronic request from one of the one or more message processors, the challenge message processor implemented within a distributed system that includes least one processing unit; in response to receiving the electronic request, an act of the challenge message processor identifying one or more types of interactive challenges from among a plurality of different types of interactive challenges, wherein each different type of interactive challenge requests a different form of information from a user; an act of the challenge message processor generating a hierarchically structured challenge message that includes one or more challenge instances for each of the identified one or more types of interactive challenges, wherein each challenge instance is represented as a node in the challenge message, each node including: 1) a unique identifier for said challenge instance, 2) an identification of a type of interactive challenge for said challenge instance, and 3) challenge data from which said challenge instance may be presented to the user; an act of the challenge message processor issuing the challenge message to a challengee message processor; an act of the challenge message processor receiving, from the challengee message processor, a hierarchically structured challenge response that that includes information comprising a response to each of the one or more challenge instance of the challenge message; and an act of the challenge message processor validating the challenge response at least based in part upon the information provided in the challenge response.