Third-Party Credential Authorization via Server Mediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack an efficient method for user credential management and validation, particularly in scenarios requiring third-party authorization, where credentials are conditionally accessible and need to be validated through various representation forms such as alphanumeric codes, optical machine-readable representations, sound signals, and NFC signals.
Innovation Solution
A client device receives requests to output user credentials, obtains and validates third-party representations using decoding and server validation requests, ensuring credentials are only accessible when authorized by designated third-parties within specified time periods or conditions, employing various data formats like alphanumeric codes, optical machine-readable codes, sound signals, and NFC signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If credentials are made conditionally accessible with third-party authorization requirements, then security is improved, but device complexity and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that manages the complex authorization logic and credential validation. The server receives validation requests from client devices, verifies third-party credentials, and determines whether to grant access to user credentials. This mediator approach centralizes the complexity in a dedicated system rather than distributing it across multiple client devices, improving security while managing complexity through specialized infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the credential management process into distinct components: user credentials stored on client devices, third-party credentials for authorization, and server-based validation logic. This segmentation allows each component to have a specific function - user credentials provide access rights, third-party credentials provide authorization capability, and the server provides validation - reducing operational complexity by making the system modular and easier to manage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple validation methods are implemented (optical scanning, sound signals, NFC), then adaptability and ease of operation are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The server is designed as a universal validation system that can handle multiple types of credential representations through a single interface. Whether the credential is transmitted via optical scan, sound signal, or NFC communication, the server receives the data in a standardized format and performs validation using the same core logic. This multi-functionality approach allows the system to support diverse validation methods without proportionally increasing complexity, as the server handles different input types through a unified processing framework.
3Reliability
If time-based validation is implemented for credentials, then security is improved, but loss of time in validation processes occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-validating third-party credentials and pre-determining authorization status before the actual credential access is needed. The server maintains validation states and authorization decisions in advance, so when a user presents a credential, the validation process can quickly retrieve pre-computed results rather than performing full validation from scratch. This preliminary action reduces the time loss during actual validation while maintaining time-based security through pre-established expiration checks.
Data Source
AI summary
In one implementation, a client device receives a request from a user to output a representation for a credential of the user. In response to receiving the request from the user to output the representation for the credential of the user, the client device obtains data identifying a third-party having authority to grant the user access to the credential of the user. The client device then obtains a representation of a credential associated with the third-party and validates the representation of the credential associated with the third-party. In response to validating the representation of the credential associated with the third-party, the client device outputs the representation for the credential of the user.