Patent Publication Number: US-2017366535-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for connecting to online service

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This application is a Continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/226,958, which was filed on Sep. 7, 2011, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to a Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0087663, which was filed on Sep. 7, 2010, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for connecting to online services, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for connecting to online services, whereby a user is capable of being automatically logged into a plurality of online services by using a single password. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Various services to which users can connect online at any time, place, or with any type of device have increased and the amount of information needed to use the services, e.g., an IDentification (ID) and a password, has also increased. The more services are used, the more IDs and passwords have to be remembered by the user. If a user owns a plurality of devices for connecting to services, the user will be inconvenienced even more by having to input log-in information each time any of the plurality of devices connects to a service. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide at least the advantages as described below. An aspect of the present invention provides methods and apparatuses for connecting to online services, whereby a user may log into internet online services via plurality of devices by simply inputting a single password without having to repeatedly perform a log-in operation by inputting IDs and passwords individually for the plurality of devices, and for performing data synchronization by using a communication network between devices or between a device and a server. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of connecting to an online service, including receiving first authentication information from a terminal, detecting at least one service available to the terminal by using the first authentication information, and automatically logging into the detected at least one service. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for connecting to an online service, including a receiver configured to receive first authentication information from a terminal, and a controller configured to detect at least one service available to the terminal by using the first authentication information and to automatically log into the detected at least one service. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for implementing a method of connecting to an online service, the method including receiving first authentication information from a terminal, detecting at least one service available to the terminal by using the first authentication information, and automatically logging into the detected at least one service. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a flowchart illustrating a method of registering a unity password, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of connecting to an online service, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of connecting to an online service, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram, which illustrates interface screens displaying a method of connecting to an online service, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of connecting to an online service, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a synchronization process for connecting to an online service, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a system for connecting to an online service, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which aspects of the present invention are illustrated. In the following description, same or similar drawing reference numerals are used for the same or similar elements throughout the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a flowchart illustrating a method of registering a unity password, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , in step  110 , a user generates first authentication information. The first authentication information may be a unity password. In an embodiment of the present invention, the unity password may be a password whereby a user may automatically log into a plurality of online services without having to input a plurality of pieces of authentication information corresponding to the online services. 
     In step  120 , the user selects an online service that may be supported by a terminal. 
     In step  130 , the user inputs second authentication information regarding the selected online service. The second authentication information may be an ID and a password for logging into the selected online service. The ID may be a user name or an email account according to the type of online service. If the user&#39;s ID and password have already been stored, the user may change the stored ID and password by inputting new second authentication information. 
     In step  140 , the input first authentication information and second authentication information are stored in the terminal in the form of a data field. 
     In step  150 , the terminal transmits the first authentication information, the second authentication information, and unique ID information thereof to a server. If the terminal is a mobile device, the unique ID information may be telephone numbers. Then, after the server completes authentication of the terminal, the first authentication information, the second authentication information, and the unique ID information are stored in a database of the server in the form of a data field. The authentication may be performed by using a Short Message Service (SMS) or e-mail. 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of connecting to an online service, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , in step  210 , a terminal receives an input signal containing information regarding a selected online service and first authentication information. The information regarding the selected online service may be a selection signal indicating that the online service is selected to be logged into. The first authentication information may be a unity password. 
     In step  220 , the terminal determines second authentication information detected based on the received information. Specifically, the terminal performs user authentication according to the first authentication information, and then determines second authentication information corresponding to the selected online service from among second authentication information regarding online services, which is stored therein. The second authentication information may be an ID and password for logging into the selected online service. 
     In step  230 , the terminal is automatically logged into the selected online service according to the determined second authentication information. 
     In the current embodiment, a user may be automatically logged into a plurality of online services by simply inputting a unity password only once without having to individually input IDs and passwords for the plurality of online services. For example, if the user selects an online service B from among online services A, B, and C to which the terminal is allowed to be connected and inputs the unity password to log into the online service B, then the user is automatically logged into the online service B. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of connecting to an online service, according to another embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , a terminal is automatically logged into an online service by receiving second authentication information from a server, unlike in  FIG. 2  in which the terminal itself determines the second authentication information. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in step  310 , the terminal transmits information regarding a selected online service and first authentication information to an external device, e.g., the server. The information regarding the selected online service may be a selection signal indicating that the online service is selected to be logged into. The first authentication information may be a unity password. Also, the terminal may further transmit unique ID information thereof, e.g., telephone numbers, for performing user authentication, to the server. 
     In step  320 , the terminal receives second authentication information, which is detected based on the transmitted information, from the server. The server transmits second authentication information corresponding to the selected online service to the terminal, based on the information received from the terminal. The second authentication information may be an ID and password for logging into the online service. 
     In step  330 , the terminal is automatically logged into the selected online service, based on the second authentication information. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram which illustrates interface screens displaying a method of connecting to an online service, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 4 , a service request interface screen  400  displays ‘tumblr’  401 , ‘facebook’  402 , and ‘twitter’  403  as selectable online services. If a user selects ‘twitter’  403  to log into, then the service request interface screen  400  is switched to a unity password input interface screen  410 . In this case, the user is automatically logged into ‘twitter’  403  and unity password input interface screen  410  is switched to a twitter service screen  420  by simply inputting a unity password only once. Similarly, if the user selects ‘tumblr’  401  or ‘facebook’  402  to log into, the service request interface screen  400  is also switched to the unity password input interface screen  410 . Thus, the user may be automatically logged into ‘tumblr’  401 , ‘facebook’  402 , and ‘twitter’  403  by simply inputting the unity password once without having to individually input IDs and passwords corresponding to ‘tumblr’  401 , ‘facebook’  402 , and ‘twitter’  403 . 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of connecting to an online service, according to another embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , a terminal performs connecting to an online service, whereas, in  FIG. 5 , a server performs connecting to an online service. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , in step  510 , the server receives information regarding a selected online service and first authentication information from the terminal. The information regarding the selected online service may be a selection signal indicating that the online service is selected to be logged into, and the first authentication information may be a unity password. The server may further receive unique ID information of the terminal, e.g., telephone numbers, for performing user authentication from the terminal. 
     In step  520 , the server detects second authentication information for logging into the selected online service, based on the received information. Specifically, the server performs user authentication according to the first authentication information, and detects second authentication information for logging into the selected online service, based on the information regarding the selected online service. The server may use the first authentication information and the unique ID information regarding the terminal to perform user authentication. The second authentication information may be an ID and password for logging into the online service. 
     In step  530 , the server transmits the detected second authentication information to the terminal. 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a synchronization process for connecting to an online service, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 6 , in step  610 , a first terminal or a server receives first authentication information from a second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal, or the server and the second terminal are connected via wireless network, e.g., Wi-Fi or Bluetooth®, or via predetermined wired/wireless communication network, e.g., the Internet. The first terminal authenticates a user of the second terminal based on first authentication information received from the second terminal. The server also authenticates the user of the second terminal based on first authentication information received from the second terminal. The server may further receive unique ID information regarding the second terminal from the second terminal. In this case, the server authenticates the user of the second terminal, based on both the first authentication information and the unique ID information. 
     In step  620 , the first terminal or the server transmits information and second authentication information regarding at least one online service, which are stored in a storage unit or database therein, to the second terminal. The second authentication information may be an ID and password for logging into the online service. 
       FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a system for connecting to an online service, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 7 , the system includes an online service connecting apparatus  710 , a server  720 , and an external terminal  730 . The online service connecting apparatus  710  includes a receiver  711 , a storage unit  712 , a controller  713 , a transmitter  714 , and a display unit  715 . The server  720  includes a receiver  721 , a database  722 , a controller  723 , and a transmitter  724 . Here, first authentication information may be a unity password, whereby a user may log into a plurality of online services without having to individually input authentication information corresponding to the plurality of online services, and the second authentication information may be, for example, an ID and password for logging into at least one online service. The ID may be a user name or email account according to a type of online service. 
     A method of registering the first authentication information and the second authentication information with the online service connecting apparatus  710  and the server  720 , according to an embodiment of the present invention, is described below. 
     A user selects one from among several online services that may be supported by the online service connecting apparatus  710 , displayed on the display unit  715  of the online service connecting apparatus  710 , and then inputs second authentication information regarding the selected online service. If an ID and password for the selected online service have already been stored, they may be changed by inputting new second authentication information. In the online service connecting apparatus  710 , the controller  713  stores first authentication information and the second authentication information input from a user in the storage unit  712  in the form of a data field. Then, the transmitter  714  transmits the first authentication information and second authentication information to the server  720 . The transmitter  714  may further transmit unique ID information for the online service connecting apparatus  710  for authenticating a user of the online service connecting apparatus  710 , to the server  720 . If the online service connecting apparatus  710  is a mobile device, the unique ID information may be telephone numbers. Thereafter, the controller  723  of the server  720  completes authentication of the user of the online service connecting apparatus  710 , and stores the received first authentication information, second authentication information, and unique ID information in the database  722  of the server  720  in the form of a data field. The authentication may be performed by using an SMS or email. 
     First and second methods of connecting to an online service, performed by the online service connecting apparatus  710 , according to embodiments of the present invention, are described below. 
     In the first method, an online service is connected to, based on information stored in the online service connecting apparatus  710 . In the online service connecting apparatus  710 , the receiver  711  receives information regarding an online service selected by a user and first authentication information. The information regarding the selected online service may be a selection signal indicating that the online service is selected to be logged into. 
     The controller  713  compares the received first authentication information with first authentication information stored in the storage unit  712 . If the received first authentication information and the stored first authentication information are the same, the controller  713  performs user authentication. After the user authentication, the controller  713  determines second authentication information corresponding to the selected online service, stored in the storage unit  712 . Then, the controller  713  is automatically logged into the selected online service, based on the determined second authentication information. 
     In the second method, an online service is connected to, based on second authentication information stored in the server  720 . In the online service connecting apparatus  710 , the transmitter  711  transmits information regarding an online service selected by a user and first authentication information to the receiver  721  of the server  720 . The transmitter  711  may further transmit unique ID information regarding the online service connecting apparatus  710 , e.g., telephone numbers, for authenticating a user of the online service connecting apparatus  710 , to the receiver  721 . 
     The controller  723  of the server  720  detects second authentication information for logging into the selected online service, based on the received information. Specifically, the controller  723  performs user authentication by comparing the received first authentication information with first authentication information stored in the database  722  of the server  720 , and detects second authentication information for logging into the selected online service, which is stored in the database  722 , based on the information regarding the selected online service. The controller  723  may perform user authentication by using the received first authentication information and unique ID information. Then, the transmitter  724  of the server  720  transmits the detected second authentication information to the online service connecting apparatus  710 . 
     The receiver  711  of the online service connecting apparatus  710  receives the second authentication information from the server  720 , and the controller  713  is automatically logged into the selected online service, based on the second authentication information. 
     A synchronization process performed between either the online service connecting apparatus  710  or the server  720  and the external terminal  730  according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below. 
     The online service connecting apparatus  710  and the external terminal  730  may be connected via wireless network, such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth®. In the online service connecting apparatus  710 , the receiver  711  receives first authentication information from the external terminal  730 . If the received first authentication information is the same as first authentication information stored in the storage unit  712 , the controller  713  authenticates a user of the external terminal  730 . Then, the transmitter  724  transmits information and second authentication information regarding at least one online service, which are stored in the storage unit  712 , to the external terminal  730 . 
     The server  720  and the external terminal  730  may be connected via predetermined wired/wireless communication network, such as the Internet. In the server  720 , the receiver  721  receives first authentication information from the external terminal  730 . The receiver  721  may further include unique ID information regarding the external terminal  730  to perform user authentication. 
     The controller  723  performs user authentication by comparing the received first authentication information with first authentication information stored in the database  722 . Otherwise, the controller  723  may perform user authentication based on the received first authentication information and unique ID information. Then, the transmitter  724  transmits information and second authentication information regarding at least one online service, which are stored in the database  724 , to the external terminal  730 . 
     The methods for connecting to an online service according to the above embodiments can be implemented as computer readable codes in a non-transitory computer readable medium where the computer readable medium may be any recording apparatus capable of storing data that is read by a computer system, e.g., a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Compact Disc (CD)-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, and so on. The computer readable medium can be distributed among computer systems that are interconnected through a network, and the present invention may be stored and implemented as computer readable code in the distributed system. Also, functional programs, codes, and code segments for performing the above methods may be easily derived by programmers in the technical field of the present invention. 
     While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.