Third-Party Authentication Mediator for Single Sign-On
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face cumbersome and frustrating experiences managing multiple login credentials across different websites and cloud-based applications, as most websites lack true single sign-on (SSO) functionality, leading to inefficient authentication processes.
Innovation Solution
A framework that enables single sign-on (SSO) by utilizing the OAuth authorization protocol to allow users to log into a host system using credentials from third-party services like Facebook or Twitter, with automated user creation and secure data mapping, enabling seamless access across multiple platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users maintain multiple login credentials for different websites and cloud-based applications, then access to various services is enabled, but user experience deteriorates due to cumbersome authentication processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a third-party authentication service as an intermediary that enables users to authenticate to multiple cloud-based applications through a single login. The service acts as a mediator between the user and multiple applications, managing credential mapping and authorization without requiring users to remember multiple passwords. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining versatility in accessing multiple services while dramatically improving ease of operation through single sign-on capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication service is designed with universal functionality to support multiple cloud-based applications and websites through a single unified login mechanism. The system can map user credentials from one service to multiple other services, enabling a single authentication action to serve multiple functions and access points. This multi-functionality allows users to maintain access to diverse services while using the same authentication process, directly resolving the technical contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If websites implement true single sign-on functionality, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases due to authentication framework requirements
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the authentication service as a separate third-party intermediary, the patent externalizes the complexity from individual websites. The mediator handles the sophisticated credential mapping, token generation, and authorization logic centrally, while participating websites only need to implement standard authentication endpoints. This architecture improves ease of operation for users while containing device complexity in a dedicated service rather than distributed across multiple applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication service automatically handles credential mapping, user profile retrieval, and authorization decisions without requiring manual configuration at each website. The system self-manages the complexity of integrating with multiple services through automated protocols and standardized interfaces. This self-service capability simplifies the login process for users while managing system complexity through automation rather than manual intervention.
3Productivity
If automated user creation and data mapping are implemented, then productivity improves, but reliability challenges arise from data synchronization across systems
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication service performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing user profiles, mapping relationships between services, and preparing authorization tokens before actual authentication occurs. User data is pre-synchronized and mapped across services during initialization, so that when authentication happens, the infrastructure is already in place to handle the data transfer. This preliminary preparation enables automated user creation and data mapping to proceed rapidly while maintaining reliability through pre-validated data structures and established mapping protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor data synchronization between the authentication service and participating cloud-based applications. When data changes occur, the system receives feedback about status changes and automatically updates mappings and profiles to maintain consistency. This feedback loop ensures that automated user creation and data mapping operations maintain high reliability by detecting and correcting synchronization issues in real-time, balancing productivity with data consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for logging a user into an online host system begins by receiving a login request from a web browser application of a client device, wherein the login request identifies the online host system. The method continues by initiating a single sign-on routine that involves an online third party system and by obtaining third party user data from the online third party system, wherein the obtained third party user data is associated with the user and is maintained by the online third party system. Host system records maintained by the online host system are modified in accordance with the obtained third party user data. Thereafter, the user is automatically logged into the online host system.