Patent ID: 12197548

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows an exemplary system100comprising a set of processors or devices comprising processors103configured to operate over a network102, a first (“local”) user device104, a second (“remote”) user device106, a set of input devices108,110, a first (“local”) set of primary programs111, a second (“remote”) set of primary programs112, a first (“local”) smart pass program114, a second (“remote”) smart pass program116, and a user101. In normal usage, only the user operates the local and remote user devices. The local smart pass program is installed on and operates on the local user device and the remote smart pass program is installed on and operates on the remote user device. The local smart pass program may be configured to create and store a plurality of local cryptographic keys on the local user device and the remote smart pass program may be configured to create and store a plurality of “remote” cryptographic keys on the remote user device. The terms “local” and “remote” are use, first, when there is a plurality of user devices, and one of the user devices is treated by the system as closer to the user, and therefore more secure. However, the designation of which user device is the more secure of a set may changed based on context. For example, the first user device engaged by the user or the primary program may be considered “remote” in that the second user device, as a backup, provides greater security to the process of accessing the primary program. If a party other than the user is attempting to access a remote primary program without access to the local user device, then the system will prevent access to the remote primary program.

Each primary program may be a software application, a browser, a website, an online platform, or a combination thereof. The smart pass programs may be installed on user devices and configured to communicate with each other as well as primary programs.

FIG.2shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a user device from a user to access a primary program through the user device200, the primary program may transmit a request to a smart pass program operating on the user device for a dedicated cryptographic key202. The smart pass program may first determine whether it is installed on an origin device204, which is the device on which the smart pass program was initially installed, and upon receiving approval from the user206, transmit the cryptographic key to the primary program208. In this process, since the user is requesting access directly of the primary program, the smart pass program may need the user's permission to transmit the cryptographic key.

FIG.3shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote user device from a user to access a primary program through the remote user device300, the primary program may transmit a request to a smart pass program operating on a local user device for a dedicated cryptographic key302. The smart pass program may first determine whether it is installed on an origin device304, which is the device on which the smart pass program was initially installed, and upon receiving approval from the user306, transmit the cryptographic key to the primary program308. In this process, since the user is requesting access via a remote user device on which the smart pass program is not operating, the smart pass program may need the user's permission to transmit the cryptographic key.

FIG.4shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a smart pass program on a user device from a user to access a primary program through the user device400, a smart pass program may determine whether it is installed on an origin device402, and if so, transmit to the primary program a cryptographic key dedicated to that primary program404. In this process, since the user is requesting access to the primary program via the smart pass program, the smart pass program does not need additional permission from the user to transmit the cryptographic key to the primary program.

FIG.5shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote user device, such as a computer, to access a primary program through the remote user device500, the primary program may request a cryptographic key from a remote smart pass program operating on the remote user device502. The remote smart pass program may then request the cryptographic key from a local smart pass program, operating on a local user device, such as a phone504. The local smart pass program may first determine whether it is installed on an origin device506, and upon receiving approval from the user508, transmit to the primary program a cryptographic key dedicated to that primary program510. In this process, since the user is a. requesting access directly of the primary program and b. via the remote user device, the local smart pass program may need the user's permission to transmit the cryptographic key.

FIG.6shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote user device to access a primary program through a remote user device600, the primary program may request a cryptographic key from a remote smart pass program operating on the remote user device602. The remote smart pass program may then request the cryptographic key from a local smart pass program, operating on a local user device, such as a phone604. The local smart pass program may first determine whether it is installed on an origin device606, and upon receiving approval from the user608, transmit to the remote smart pass program a cryptographic key dedicated to that primary program610. The remote smart pass program may then transmit the cryptographic key to the primary program612. As in the process described byFIG.5, since the user is a. requesting access directly of the primary program and b. via the remote user device, the local smart pass program may need the user's permission to transmit the cryptographic key to the remote smart pass program. However, the remote smart pass program does not need additional permission from the user to transmit the cryptographic key received by the local smart pass program to the primary program.

FIG.7shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote smart pass program operating on a remote user device to access a primary program through the remote user device700, the remote smart pass program may request a cryptographic key from a local smart pass program, operating on a local user device, such as a phone702. The local smart pass program may first determine whether it is installed on an origin device704, and upon receiving approval from the user706, transmit to the primary program a cryptographic key dedicated to that primary program708.

FIG.8shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote smart pass program operating on a remote user device to access a primary program through the remote user device800, the remote smart pass program may request a cryptographic key from a local smart pass program, operating on a local user device, such as a phone802. The local smart pass program may first determine whether it is installed on an origin device804, and upon receiving approval from the user706, transmit to the remote smart pass program a cryptographic key dedicated to that primary program708. Then the remote smart pass program may then transmit the cryptographic key to the primary program710.

FIG.9shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote smart pass program operating on a remote user device to access a primary program through the remote user device900, the remote smart pass program may request a cryptographic key from a local smart pass program, operating on a local user device, such as a phone902. The local smart pass program may first determine whether the remote smart pass program is associated with the same user as the local smart pass program904, then determine whether it is installed on an origin device906, and upon receiving approval from the user908, transmit to the primary program a cryptographic key dedicated to that primary program910.

FIG.10shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote smart pass program operating on a remote user device to access a primary program through the remote user device1000, the remote smart pass program may request a cryptographic key from a local smart pass program, operating on a local user device, such as a phone1002. The local smart pass program may first determine whether the remote smart pass program is associated with the same user as the local smart pass program1004, then determine whether it is installed on an origin device1006, and upon receiving approval from the user1008, transmit to the remote smart pass program a cryptographic key dedicated to that primary program1010. Then the remote smart pass program may then transmit the cryptographic key from the local smart pass program as well as its own cryptographic key to the primary program1012.

FIG.11shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote smart pass program operating on a remote user device to access a primary program through the remote user device1100, the remote smart pass program may request a local cryptographic key from a local smart pass program, operating on a local user device, such as a phone1102. The local smart pass program may first determine whether the remote smart pass program is associated with the same user as the local smart pass program1104, then determine whether it is installed on an origin device1106, and upon receiving approval from the user1108, transmit to the local remote smart pass program a local cryptographic key dedicated to that primary program1110. Then the remote smart pass program may then combine the cryptographic key from the local smart pass program with its own remote cryptographic key1112. The remote smart pass program may then transmit the combined cryptographic key to the primary program1114.

FIG.12shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote smart pass program operating on a remote user device to access a primary program through the remote user device1200, the remote smart pass program may send a remote dedicated cryptographic key to the local smart pass program operating on a local user device1202. The local smart pass program may first determine whether the remote smart pass program is associated with the same user as the local smart pass program or that the remote dedicated cryptographic key is authentic1204, then determine whether it (the local smart pass program) is installed on an origin device1206, and upon receiving approval from the user1208, combine the remote dedicated cryptographic key with a first (“local”) cryptographic key,1210, with the local cryptographic key being created or managed by the local smart pass program, and then transmit to the remote smart pass program the combined cryptographic1212. Then the remote smart pass program may then transmit the combined cryptographic key to the primary program1214.

FIG.13shows an exemplary system process. Upon receiving a request via a remote smart pass program operating on a remote user device to access a primary program through the remote user device1300, the remote smart pass program may send a remote dedicated cryptographic key to the local smart pass program operating on a local user device1302. The local smart pass program may first determine whether the remote smart pass program is associated with the same user as the local smart pass program or that the remote dedicated cryptographic key is authentic1304, then determine whether it (the local smart pass program) is installed on an origin device1306, and upon receiving approval from the user1308, combine the remote dedicated cryptographic key with a local cryptographic key1310, with the local cryptographic key being created or managed by the local smart pass program, and then transmit to the combined cryptographic key to the primary program1312.

As variations, the system process described inFIGS.2-13can be modified such that instead of or in addition to recognizing the device as an origin device, the smart pass program may also confirm that the phone number associated with the user device was the origin number, the user account associated with the user device has been verified, the user account associated with the device is also associated with the user account on the primary program from which access is being requested, input data received by the user device on which the smart pass program is installed matches identification data associated with the user requesting access to the primary program (such as visual eye, fingerprint, and/or face data, username, password, and/or pin data).

In one embodiment, a local user operates a local user device and a remote user operates a remote user device. A local smart pass program may be installed on the local user device and a remote smart pass program may be installed on the remote user device. Both the local and remote user may have access to a common primary program, but the local user has a local user account and the remote user has a remote user account. Access to the local user account by the remote user may be predicated on transmission of a local cryptographic key by the remote pass program to the local pass program, either directly or via the common primary program. In one variation, the primary program is an electronic mail platform, and the remote user cannot send an email to the local user unless the remote user is able to transmit, via the remote smart pass program, the local cryptographic key. Thus, if the local user wishes to receive an email from the remote user, the local user must first transmit the local cryptographic key to the remote user.

In one variation of the above embodiment, cryptographic keys contain hashes that, when analyzed by a smart pass program, define the remote user's scope of access to the local user account permitted by the local smart pass program. Further, this scope can be defined by the local user. For example, if the local user intends to permit the remote user to send emails to the local user for a set period of time and/or for a set number of emails, that set period of time and/or set number of emails may be incorporated into the hash. In one variation, the hash may designate the remote user and the remote smart pass program, but not other users or other smart pass programs, and would therefore be unusable by any such other users or other smart pass programs.