Personal Digital Identity Device for Secure Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Password-based cloud service authentication in mobile devices is vulnerable to hacking, as hackers can gain access to user accounts by obtaining password files, compromising sensitive user information.

Innovation Solution

A personal digital identity device that communicates with mobile devices and cloud services using radio links, requiring user interaction through hardware-based methods such as button presses, fingerprint sensors, or motion sensors to authenticate, making security hardware available only after user interaction, thereby enhancing security beyond password-only authentication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If password-based authentication is used, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of authenticationVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a personal digital identity device as an intermediary authentication component between the user and cloud services. This device generates and manages digital identifiers separately from passwords, acting as a mediator that enhances security without significantly impacting user convenience. The device communicates with both the mobile device and cloud service, providing an additional layer of authentication that is resistant to password-based attacks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If hardware-based authentication is required, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidauthentication system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the authentication system into distinct functional components: a personal digital identity device for generating and managing digital identifiers, a mobile device for user interaction, and a cloud service for verification. This segmentation allows each component to have a specialized function, reducing the complexity burden on any single device while collectively providing robust security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If user interaction is required for authentication, then security is improved, but productivity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidauthentication speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The personal digital identity device performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and storing multiple digital identifiers before authentication is needed. When authentication is required, the device can quickly provide these pre-prepared identifiers without requiring complex real-time computation or user interaction beyond simple selection or confirmation, thus maintaining security while improving authentication speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9215592B2Configurable personal digital identity device responsive to user interaction
Publication Date: 2015.12.15 SIDEASSURE INC
  • US9215592B2 patent drawing
  • US9215592B2 patent drawing
  • US9215592B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A personal digital ID device provides a digital identifier to a service for a predetermined duration in response to user interaction. The user interaction may include a button press. The personal digital ID device may be in the form of a bracelet, a key fob, or other form factor. The service may be provided by a mobile device, in the cloud, or elsewhere.