Patent ID: 7373499

Claim:
A method for use in a device associated with a first party, performed in association with a device associated with a second party, for delegating authorization to perform a function from the second party device to a device associated with a third party, the method comprising the steps of: generating in the first party device a request for a partial assistance of the second party device in delegating authorization of the function to the third party device, wherein the request generated in the first party device comprises cryptographic information; transmitting the request from the first party device to the second party device; receiving results in the first party device generated by the second party device based on the partial assistance provided by the second party device; and using at least a portion of the received results in the first party device to delegate authorization, such that the first party device communicates directly with the third party to perform the function; wherein at least a portion of data stored on the first party device was constructed by generating a first share, a second share and a third share of a value associated with the first party device, wherein the first share is constructed so that the share can be generated from a piece of secret information associated with the first party and information stored on the first party device, wherein the data stored on the first party device comprises an encryption of at least a portion of the third share of the value in accordance with a public key associated with the second party device so as to generate cryptographic information; wherein the share in the request is split at the second party device such that a portion of a third party share is generated at the second party device.