Home Realm Discovery for Flat-Name Username Sign-In
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flat-name usernames, while convenient, are not globally unique and cause difficulties in multi-realm implementations where a single service provider serves multiple organizations, requiring users to remember and input lengthy credentials or organization-specific addresses for authentication, leading to cumbersome sign-in processes and potential security vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
A system that automatically determines a user's home realm based on a device identifier, allowing users to input a flat-name username without specifying the realm, by providing an authentication UI that implicitly or explicitly indicates the correct organization, thus simplifying the sign-in process and reducing the need for manual input of organization names or specific login pages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If flat-name usernames are used for authentication, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of global uniqueness across multiple realms
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the username validation process by realm. Flat-name usernames are validated within the context of a specific realm (organization) rather than requiring global uniqueness across all realms. The authentication system divides the problem into realm-specific validation units, allowing the same flat-name username to exist in multiple realms without conflict.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (realm identifier or device identifier) that mediates between the flat-name username and the authentication system. This intermediary provides the context needed to resolve username ambiguity, allowing the system to determine which realm the user belongs to before validating the flat-name username, thus maintaining both ease of operation and reliability.
2Reliability
If globally unique usernames (email addresses) are required for multi-realm authentication, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to longer credentials and cumbersome input
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the username structure into two parts: a short flat-name component for user input and a realm identifier component for disambiguation. This segmentation allows users to input only the memorable flat-name while the system handles the realm context, combining the benefits of short usernames with global uniqueness through the realm segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by automatically determining the user's realm context through device identifiers or other automated mechanisms, eliminating the need for users to manually input their full email addresses or realm information. The system serves itself by resolving the realm ambiguity without user intervention, maintaining reliability while preserving ease of operation.
3Reliability
If organization-specific login pages are used for each realm, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen due to multiple webpages to remember
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal authentication interface that handles multiple realms through a single page. The system provides multi-functionality by enabling the same login page to authenticate users from different realms through automated realm detection and routing, eliminating the need for multiple organization-specific login pages while maintaining reliable realm-specific authentication.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary component is introduced that sits between the user and multiple realm-specific authentication systems. This intermediary automatically routes users to the appropriate realm based on device identifiers or other contextual information, providing a single unified entry point that maintains reliability of realm-specific authentication without requiring users to remember multiple webpages.
4Measurement precision
If users must manually input realm information, then measurement precision of user intent is improved, but loss of time increases due to additional input requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-determining the user's realm context using device identifiers, cookies, or other automated mechanisms before the user even attempts to sign in. This preliminary realm identification eliminates the need for users to manually input realm information during the sign-in process, reducing sign-in time while maintaining precision through automated context capture from previous interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from device identifiers, previous authentication attempts, and usage patterns to automatically infer and confirm the user's intended realm. This feedback mechanism allows the system to accurately determine user intent without requiring explicit manual input, reducing the time users spend on sign-in while maintaining measurement precision through iterative confirmation and correction.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for automatically determining a home realm. An authentication request receiver interface may receive a request to access a resource and a device identifier from a client device. An authenticator may be enacted in response to receiving the request to access the resource that includes a home realm discoverer and an authentication user interface (UI) provider. The home realm discoverer may determine, based at least on the device identifier, the home realm from a plurality of realms. The authentication UI provider may provide, to the client device, an authentication UI via which a flat-name username can be submitted. Based at least on a flat-name user name and the determined home realm, access to the resource may be granted. In this manner, a user may input a flat-name username during sign-in, rather than inputting a realm or an entire e-mail address.