Patent ID: 7676829

Claim:
In a system including a service that is accessed by a user from one or more devices with varying input capabilities, a method for associating multiple credentials with a single user account such that the user may be authenticated with any one of the multiple credentials, the method comprising an authentication system performing acts of: receiving an authentication request at the authentication system from a desktop computer, wherein the authentication request includes a first set of credentials of the user, the first set of credentials comprising a username and a password; determining based on the first set of credentials being a username and password that a first credential store is to be accessed to validate the authentication request from the desktop computer, the first credential store storing sets of credentials that each comprise a username and password; validating the first set of credentials provided by the user by accessing the first credential store to determine whether the username and password are associated with a single unique user identifier, wherein each set of credentials in the first credential store is associated with a single unique user identifier of a user, a single unique user account, and a single unique user profile such that upon determining that the first set of credentials is associated with a unique user identifier, the unique user identifier is returned to the desktop computer such that the desktop computer may use the unique user identifier to access a service; receiving a second authentication request at the authentication system from a cellular phone, wherein the authentication request includes a second set of credentials of the user, the second set of credentials comprising a numeric username and a numeric pin, wherein the numeric username is distinct from the username; determining based on the second set of credentials being a numeric username and a numeric pin that a second credential store is to be accessed to validate the authentication request from the cellular phone, the second credential store storing sets of credentials that each comprise a numeric username and a numeric pin; and validating the second set of credentials provided by the user by accessing the second credential store to determine whether the numeric username and numeric pin are associated with a single unique user identifier, wherein each set of credentials in the second credential store is also associated with a single unique user identifier of a user, a single unique user account, and a single unique user profile such that upon determining that the second set of credentials is associated with the same unique user identifier as the first set of credentials, the unique user identifier is returned to the cellular phone such that the cellular phone may use the unique user identifier to access the service.