{
  "patent_number": "US 7404202",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How External Hardware Keys Secure Digital Purchases and Downloads",
  "original_title": "System, device, and method for providing secure electronic commerce transactions",
  "summary": "A system using a physical hardware device to prove your identity to a server, allowing you to securely download and decrypt digital assets.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a hardware-based security system where a physical device, like a USB dongle, connects to a computer to authenticate a user. When the computer tries to access a server, the server asks the hardware device for a unique serial number. If the serial number is recognized, the server sends a digital challenge to the device. The device uses a secret key stored in its secure memory to solve the challenge and sends the answer back. If the answer is correct, the server confirms the user's identity and can send encrypted digital assets that only that specific hardware device can help decrypt.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover software-only authentication methods like passwords or two-factor authentication codes sent via SMS.",
    "Does not cover authentication methods that do not use a physical, separate hardware device connected via an I/O connector.",
    "Does not cover biometric authentication such as fingerprint or facial recognition systems."
  ],
  "filed": "2002-01-16",
  "granted": "2008-07-22",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Line 6 Inc",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/line-6-inc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "John Longawa",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/john-longawa"
    },
    {
      "name": "Marcus Ryle",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/marcus-ryle"
    },
    {
      "name": "Rob Rampley",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/rob-rampley"
    },
    {
      "name": "John Brinkman",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/john-brinkman"
    },
    {
      "name": "Charles Corris Randall",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/charles-corris-randall"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dave Hamilton",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/dave-hamilton"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 16,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "software",
    "telecommunications"
  ],
  "abstract": "Disclosed is a security device coupled to a computing device, which is, in turn, coupled to a server through a computer network. The security device stores a serial number associated with the security device and a user key associated with the serial number. When the computing device attempts to log onto the server over the computer network, the server requests a serial number from the security device. If the serial number is stored within a user information database, the server obtains an associated user key and computes a challenge. Further, the server computes an expected response for the security device based on the associated user key. The server then sends the challenge to the security device over the computer network. If the server receives a response back from the security device that matches the expected response, the server will allow the computing device to log onto the server.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7404202/netflix-dvd-by-mail-queue",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7404202/netflix-dvd-by-mail-queue/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US7404202",
  "relatedPatents": []
}