Authentication Federation Emulator for Legacy Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Authentication federation is hindered when the target application does not support it, requiring users to input credentials multiple times across different domains, which is cumbersome and insecure.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an Authentication Federation Emulator that translates a Request Acceptance Token into user credentials, allowing seamless access by emulating federative authentication even when the target application only accepts traditional credentials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If authentication federation is implemented, then user convenience is improved (credentials input only once), but compatibility deteriorates (target application must support federation)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidcompatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an authentication federation emulator as an intermediary component between the user and the target application. This emulator translates federative authentication requests into traditional credential-based authentication, allowing users to access applications without knowing whether federation is supported. The emulator acts as a mediator that handles the complexity of translation automatically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The emulator creates a virtual copy of the authentication process. Instead of requiring the target application to implement federation directly, the system copies the federation authentication flow and translates it into the application's expected credential format. This allows federation functionality to be emulated without modifying the target application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional credential authentication is used, then compatibility is improved (works with all applications), but user convenience deteriorates (credentials input multiple times)

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecompatibilityVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication federation emulator serves as a mediator that translates federative authentication into traditional credential authentication. Users interact with the emulator which handles the translation automatically, so they experience single-sign-on convenience while the target application receives traditional credentials it can process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the authentication process into two independent parts: the user interaction layer (where federation is implemented for convenience) and the application layer (where traditional credentials are used for compatibility). The emulator handles the translation between these segmented parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If federation is emulated, then compatibility is improved (works with non-federation applications), but device complexity increases (emulator translation table)

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecompatibilityVSAvoidemulator complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The emulator maintains a translation table that copies and stores the mapping between federative authentication tokens and traditional credentials. This translation table is pre-configured with the necessary mappings, allowing the emulator to translate authentication requests without complex real-time calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters in the authentication process by translating between different credential formats. The emulator modifies authentication parameters (tokens, credentials, timestamps) according to the translation table, transforming federative authentication into traditional credential-based authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11146544B2Emulation of federative authentication

Publication Date: 2021.10.12 AUTHASAS

AI summary

In some examples, a user device receives, from a source federation site of the source domain, an authentication token for use at a target federation site of the target domain, the authentication token from a user memory that correlates the authentication token to first user credentials useable in the source domain. The user device sends, to the target federation site, the authentication token, and receives, from the target federation site, a request authentication token from a second memory that correlates the authentication token to the request authentication token. The user device sends the request authentication token to an authentication federation emulator that comprises an emulator memory correlating the request authentication token and second user credentials useable in the target domain, and receives the second user credentials from the emulator memory of the authentication federation emulator.