Device-Pairing by Reading an Address Provided in Device-Readable Form

Abstract

A system is described for allowing a user, operating a trusted device, to remotely log into a server via a potentially untrustworthy client. A first secure connection is established between the client and the server. A second secure connection is established between the device and the server through the client. The user then remotely logs into the server over the second secure connection using the device. The second secure connection is tunneled within the first secure connection, preventing the untrustworthy client from discovering personal information associated with the user. According to one feature, prior to forming the second secure connection, the user establishes a pairing relationship with the client by reading an address of the client using a reading mechanism. According to another feature, the device can receive marketing information in the course of a transaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for pairing an electronic object with a client, comprising:
 providing an identifier of the client in a device-readable form;   establishing a first secure connection between the client and a server, the client communicating with the server over a network;   establishing a pairing relationship between the client and the electronic object in response to reading of the identifier by the electronic object; and   establishing a second secure connection between the electronic object and the server through the client, based on the pairing relationship established between the electronic object and the client, the second secure connection being tunneled within the first secure connection.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic object comprises one or more portable computing devices. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic object comprises one or more stationary computing devices. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic object comprises one or more embedded computing devices. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic object comprises one or more embedded computing objects. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic object comprises one or more non-stationary computing objects. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the device-readable form comprises an encoding of an address using an electromagnetic transponder. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the device-readable form comprises a label placed in proximity to the client. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the label is provided on a housing of the client or on an article associated with the client. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein the label is displayed on a display interface of the client. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic object communicates with the client via a wireless communication channel. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the client is a terminal. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving user credentials and an electronic object identification code over the second secure connection. 
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 providing an address of a client in a device-readable form;   establishing a first secure connection between the client and a server, the client communicating with the server over a network;   establishing a pairing relationship between the client and a computing object in response to reading of the address by the computing object;   establishing a second secure connection between the computing object and the server through the client, based on the pairing relationship established between the computing object and the client, the second secure connection being tunneled within the first secure connection; and   conducting a transaction over the second secure connection,   the client representing an untrustworthy entity and the computing object representing a trusted entity.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving user credentials and a computing object identification code over the second secure connection. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , further comprising sending information to the computing object via the second secure connection in a course of the transaction. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , wherein the computing object is an embedded computing object. 
     
     
         18 . A system comprising:
 a client computing object that establishes a first secure connection between the client computing object and a server, the client computing object communicating with the server over a network, and   the client computing object configured to enable communication between a portable device and the server via a second secure connection that is established between the portable device and the server, the second secure connection being tunneled within the first secure connection, based on obtaining an address of the client computing object in a device-readable form, establishing a pairing relationship between the client computing object and the portable device in response to reading of the address by the portable device, the second secure connection established based on the pairing relationship.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the client computing object is configured to send information to the portable device via the second secure connection in a course of a transaction conducted between the portable device and the server. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the portable device is a special-purpose portable device manufactured to interact with the system.