Access management using electronic images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10270780-B2
Application number	US-201414585039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Aug 18, 2014
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

Techniques are described for an access management system to manage access to a service (e.g., a message management service). A client can receive a message including an electronic image from a messaging service. The electronic image can include access information for obtaining access to a message management service. Input is received that indicates interaction with the electronic image in an interface. The client can send, to the access management system, the electronic image to request access to the message management service based on the access information. Authorization is received from the access management system indicating that the account can access the message management service. The client displays an interface to provide access to the message management service. The access to the message management service can be based on the authorization.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining, by a computer system from a messaging service, an electronic image after the electronic image was generated by a message management service the electronic image configured to grant access to at least two or more users, wherein the electronic image includes access information for accessing the message management service and wherein the electronic image is a dynamic image that changes appearance when displayed;
receiving, by the computer system, input corresponding to an interaction with the electronic image in a first graphical interface associated with the message management service, wherein the interaction is between the electronic image and a graphic element presented in the first graphical interface;
in response to receiving the input, initiating, by the computer system, authentication of the access information in the electronic image;
sending, by the computer system, to a computing device associated with the message management service, the electronic image to request access to the message management service, wherein authorization to access the message management service is determined using the access information in the electronic image, wherein the access information included in the electronic image is used to determine whether the electronic image was previously used to access the message management service;
receiving, by the computer system, authorization information granting authorization to access the message management service;
displaying, by the computer system, based on the received authorization information, a second graphical interface that provides access to the message management service;
determining, by the computer system, the electronic image has been previously used to access the message management service; and
based on the determination that the electronic image has been used, changing, by the computer system, and appearance of the electronic image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic image is sent to request access to the message management service from the computer system by an account provided by the message management service, and wherein the authorization information indicates authorization for the account to access the message management service.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the account provides access to an online content management service.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the messaging service, a message associated with a messaging account provided by the messaging service, wherein the message includes the electronic image.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, using the electronic image, a status corresponding to use of the access information to access the message management service, wherein the electronic image is displayed in the first graphical interface with an appearance that indicates the status.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access information includes a security key that is generated using a hash operation.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access information is included in metadata of the electronic image.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authorization information grants authorization to access a feature of the message management service, and wherein the second graphical interface provides access to the feature based on the received authorization information.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second graphical interface includes one or more interactive elements to install an application to access message management service.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving input corresponding to an interaction with the second graphical interface, wherein the interaction corresponds to a request to the message management service;
sending, to the message management service, data indicating the request; and
receiving, from the message management service, an additional electronic image including additional access information for obtaining access to a feature provided by the message management service.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
sending, to the message management service, a request to access the feature, wherein the request includes the additional electronic image;
receiving, from the message management service, additional authorization information granting authorization of the account to access the feature using the computer system; and
displaying, based on the received additional authorization information, a third graphical interface that provides access to the feature of the message management service.

12. A computer system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory accessible to the one or more processors, the memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to:
obtain, by a computer system from a messaging service, an electronic image after the electronic image was generated by a message management service, the electronic image configured to grant access to at least two or more users, wherein the electronic image includes access information for accessing a message management service and wherein the electronic image is a dynamic image that changes appearance when displayed;
receive input corresponding to an interaction with the electronic image in a first graphical interface associated with the message management service, wherein the interaction is between the electronic image and a graphic element presented in the first graphical interface;
in response to receiving the input, initiating, by the computer system, authentication of the access information in the electronic image;
send, to a computing device associated with the message management service, the electronic image to request access to the message management service, wherein authorization to access the message management service is determined using the access information in the electronic image, wherein the access information included in the electronic image is used to determine whether the electronic image was previously used to access the message management service;
receive authorization information granting authorization to access the message management service; and
display, based on the received authorization information, a second graphical interface that provides access to the message management service;
determining, by the computer system, the electronic image has been previously used to access the message management service; and
based on the determination that the electronic image has been used, changing, by the computer system, an appearance of the electronic image.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the access information includes a security key that is generated using a hash operation.

14. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:
receive input corresponding to an interaction with the second graphical interface, wherein the interaction corresponds to a request to the message management service;
send, to the message management service, data indicating the request; and
receive, from the message management service, an additional electronic image including additional access information for obtaining access to a feature provided by the message management service.

15. A method comprising:
obtaining, by a computer system from a messaging service, an electronic image after the electronic image was generated by a message management service, the electronic image configured to grant access to at least two or more users, wherein the electronic image includes access information for accessing the message ma

Assignees

• Dropbox Inc

Inventors

• Barshow David
• Preno Belinda
• Underwood Iv George Milton
• Eliasen Linda
• Devincenzi Anthony

Classifications

• G06F21/36 Primary

  by graphic or iconic representation · CPC title

• G06F3/0484

  for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range · CPC title

• G06Q10/107

  Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] · CPC title

• H04L63/102 Primary

  Entity profiles · CPC title

• H04L51/22

  Electricity · mapped topic