Web Extension Token Authentication for Legacy Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy applications often lack standardized interfaces for integrating external tools, leading to custom, costly, and inflexible solutions, and user authentication schemes frequently require duplicate credentials across external tools and legacy applications, complicating user productivity.
Innovation Solution
A web extension uses a token-based authentication scheme to authenticate users by retrieving a token from a client application, validating it with a server component, and mapping the user for seamless access to protected resources, allowing single sign-on across devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom developed third party tool solutions are used to integrate external tools with legacy applications, then integration functionality is achieved, but cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal authentication mechanism using OAuth 2.0 tokens that enables any external tool to integrate with legacy applications through a standardized interface. The authentication server provides a generic token validation service that works across different external tools and legacy applications, eliminating the need for custom authentication implementations for each integration scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an authentication server as an intermediary component that mediates between external tools and legacy applications. This server issues and validates authentication tokens, acting as a middle layer that enables integration without requiring direct custom connections between external tools and legacy applications, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If separate authentication processes are implemented for external tools and legacy applications, then security is maintained, but user productivity decreases due to multiple logins
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the authentication processes of external tools and legacy applications into a unified OAuth 2.0 based system. Users authenticate once with the authentication server, which then validates the same token for both external tool access and legacy application access, combining multiple authentication requirements into a single process while maintaining security through token validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary authentication through the authentication server that issues tokens before users access either external tools or legacy applications. This preliminary authentication step establishes user credentials in advance, allowing seamless access to both system components without requiring repeated authentication, thereby improving productivity while maintaining security through pre-validated tokens.
3Adaptability or versatility
If legacy applications use non-standardized interfaces for external tool integration, then specific integration requirements are met, but portability and upgradeability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a universal authentication interface based on OAuth 2.0 standards that enables external tools to integrate with legacy applications in a standardized manner. The authentication server provides consistent token issuance and validation capabilities that work across different legacy applications and external tools, improving portability and upgradeability while maintaining integration capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A web extension authenticates a user using a token based authentication scheme. A token is retrieved from a client application to authenticate the user. The web extension transmits the token to a server component to have the server component authenticate the user. The server component validates the token using a validation library. The user is mapped to the token and authenticated upon validating the token.