Patent ID: 7421503

Claim:
A method of providing multiple authentication types within an authentication protocol that supports a single type of authentication for a client in communication with an authorization server over a network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: creating and sending to the client, a plurality of outer packets in compliance with an authentication protocol, wherein the plurality of outer packets is associated with an outer authentication conversation in compliance with the authentication protocol, wherein each of the outer packets contains, within a data field, a value that is also structured as an inner packet in compliance with the authentication protocol, wherein each of the inner packets is associated with one inner authentication conversation of a plurality of inner authentication conversations with the client, and wherein the plurality of inner authentication conversations is exclusively associated with the outer authentication conversation; receiving a plurality of responses from the client for each of the inner authentication conversations; based on the plurality of responses, determining a combination of results for the plurality of inner authentication conversations, wherein each result of the combination of results is for one inner authentication conversation of the plurality of inner authentication conversations; determining a result for the outer authentication conversation based on the combination of results for the plurality of inner authentication conversations; and performing a responsive action based on the result for the outer authentication conversation.