METHOD OF USING A SENDER-SELECTED AUDIO SECURITY FEATURE FOR AUTHENTICATING ACCESS OVER A NETWORK

Abstract

The present invention include systems, equipment, software, and protocols that enable a sender to select an audible sound, such as an audio security feature or ringtone to be played by a target recipient for the purpose of identifying and/or authenticating the sender, or to enable access to a secured network, or to play a user selected audible sound on a target device. The target recipient can identify the sender by listening to the audible sound, or by analyzing the audible sound with software. This can either allow the target recipient for authenticating access to a controlled area such as a secured network controlled by the target recipient.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To describe embodiments, advantages, and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of an operating environment for sender-selected audio-identification;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of a computer system that is operable with the operating environment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram that illustrates an embodiment of a mobile phone that is operable with the operating environment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a protocol for using a sender-selected audio-identification feature;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a protocol for using a sender-selected audio-identification feature;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a protocol for using a sender-selected audio-identification feature;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a protocol for using a sender-selected audio-identification feature;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a protocol for using a sender-selected ringtone identification feature;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a protocol for using a sender-selected ringtone identification feature;

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a protocol for using a sender-selected ringtone identification feature; and

FIGS. 11A and 11B are flow diagrams illustrating different embodiments of protocols for accessing a sender-selected ringtone from a ringtone server.

Claims

1. A system for using an audio feature to authenticate access to a secured network, the system comprising: a sending device configured to communicate with a receiving device over at least one network;an audio feature, wherein the audio feature is selected by the sending device, and wherein the audio feature identifies the sending device to the receiving device; anda security manager, wherein the security manager is configured to function with the receiving device and a secured network, wherein the security manager processes the audio feature such that at least one of a person or audio recognition logic determines whether the sending device is authorized to remotely access the secured network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio feature is embedded in an audio file, the audio file being configured to be played such that it is audible a person, wherein the audio feature is inaudible to a person.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a server that stores the audio feature, wherein the sending device accesses the server to select the audio feature that is delivered to the security manager.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the security manager processes the audio feature by playing the audio feature when the person determines whether the sending device is authorized.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the sending device communicates with the server over the network and wherein the server stores a plurality of audio features from which the sending device selects the audio feature.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the sending device and the receiving device comprises a mobile phone.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the sending device accesses the server and wherein the server transmits the audio feature to the receiving device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the security manage compares the audio feature to a reference audio feature to authenticate the sending device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio recognition logic monitors the audio feature and compares the audio feature to authorized data, wherein the security manager connects the sending device with the receiving device if the audio feature is recognized and authorized.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of: the audio feature comprises an audio recognition feature that is selected by the sending device and that identifies the sending device to the receiving device;the audio feature comprises an audio security feature that is selected by the sending device and that authenticates the sending device to the receiving device; orthe audio feature comprises a sender selected ringtone that identifies the sending device to a recipient.

11. A method for using an audio security feature to authenticate access into a secured network, the method comprising: selecting an audio security feature, at a sending device, to be processed at a security manager for a secured network;sending the audio security feature from the sending device to the security manager over a network; andprocessing the audio security feature at the security manager in a manner so as to enable at least one of a person or audio recognition logic to determine whether the remote computer is authorized to remotely access the secured network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the selecting an audio security feature includes: accessing a server, wherein the server stores a plurality of audio security features; andselecting, by the sending device, the audio security feature from the plurality of audio security features.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the audio security feature selected by the sending device is selected based on an identity of a receiving device and wherein the sending device comprises one of mobile phone, a personal computer or a wireless device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein sending the audio security feature from the sending device to the security manager further comprises: storing the audio security feature at a server; andtransmitting the audio security feature to the security manager after the audio security feature is selected by the sending device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the server receiving the audio security feature from the sending device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio security feature comprises a ringtone and processing the audio security feature at the security manager comprises playing the ringtone for a recipient such that a sender is recognized by the recipient.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein processing the audio security feature at the security manager further comprises at least one of: playing at least a portion of the audio security feature to the person; andcomparing, by the audio recognition logic, the audio security feature to authorized audio security features.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the selecting an audio security feature is performed by a sender, wherein the sender selects the audio security feature to identify the sender to the server security manager.

19. A method for a sender to select and send a ringtone to a recipient, the method comprising: selecting a ringtone, by a sender using a sending communication device, wherein the ringtone is configured to be audibly played on a receiving communication device;sending the ringtone to the receiving communication device, wherein the receiving communication device is configured to audibly play the ringtone; andplaying the selected ringtone on a speaker of the receiving communication device, wherein the ringtone is associated with an identity of the sender.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, sending data from the sending communication device to a ringtone server that instructs the ringtone server to identify the selected ringtone and transmit the selected ringtone to the receiving communication device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the ringtone is stored on the ringtone server and wherein the sending the ringtone is performed by the ringtone server.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising: receiving the ringtone on the receiving communication device;identifying the data associated with a security protocol;determining the validity of the data associated with a security protocol; andallowing access, based on the validity of the data, by the sending communication device to secured information accessible through the receiving communication device.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein selecting a ringtone further comprises accessing a server, wherein the server stores a plurality of ringtones and wherein at least some of the ringtones have been authorized.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein selecting a ringtone further comprises: the server receiving the ringtone from the sending communication device; andtransmitting the ringtone to the receiving communication device if the receiving communication devices accepts the ringtone.