Validating digital content presented on a mobile device

Abstract

A computer system includes a content delivery system that delivers digital content from a source to a mobile device, which in turn presents the digital content to a recipient computer system. The recipient computer system can validate that the digital content presented by the mobile device is authorized by the source of that digital content without the recipient computer system communicating with the content delivery system for such validation. Digital content presented on a mobile phone can be validated by a recipient as being authorized by a source, without a connection to a centralized database. To perform such validation, the computer system uses i) a transaction location determined at the time of a transaction based on information received from the mobile device, and ii) a time-varying, non-predictable code associated with the transaction location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented process, comprising:
 storing, by a server computer, information in computer readable storage, the stored information associating each of a plurality of transaction locations with different tokens that generate different time-varying, non-predictable codes, wherein each time-varying, non-predictable code of a token is a sequence of token values generated according to secret information, shared between the token and the server computer, and a time-varying value, wherein a current token value at a current time is a function of the secret information and the time-varying value based on the current time;   receiving, at a time, by the server computer, a request from a mobile device for digital content associated with a source;   in response to the request, determining, by the server computer, a transaction location, based on a geographic location of the mobile device at the time of the request;   using the stored information, identifying, by the server computer, a token associated with the determined transaction location;   the server computer-generating a current token value for the identified token associated with the transaction location, based on the time-varying non-predictable code for the identified token, using the secret information for the identified token stored at the server computer and a current time accessible to the server computer;   the server computer transmitting the requested digital content and the server-generated current token value to the mobile device;   the mobile device receiving, from the server computer, and presenting, on an output of the mobile device, the digital content and the server-generated current token value;   a token at the transaction location generating a current token value based on the time-varying, non-predictable code of the token, using secret information stored in the token and a current time accessible to the token;   the token presenting the token-generated current token value on an output device associated with the token;   receiving, by a computing device, an input indicating whether the token-generated current token value as presented on the output device matches the server-generated current token value as presented on the output of the mobile device thereby indicating the digital content presented on the mobile device originates from the source;   wherein the computing device does not have a computer network connection to a centralized database to validate that the digital content presented on the mobile device originates from the source;   processing, by the computing device, a transaction associated with the digital content presented on the mobile device based on at least the input indicating that the token-generated current token value as presented on the output device matches the server-generated current token value as presented on the output of the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented process of  claim 1 , wherein the server computer comprises a token server that stores the stored information associating transaction locations with tokens and a content delivery system that provides digital content, and wherein, the process comprises:
 the content delivery system receiving the request from the mobile device;   the content delivery system providing the requested digital content to the mobile device;   the content delivery system determining the transaction location;   the content delivery system requesting the server-generated current token value for the transaction location from the token server; and   the token server generating the server-generated current token value.   
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented process of  claim 1 , wherein the token generates a token value at fixed intervals of time using a built-in clock and a random key associated with and unique to the token. 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented process of  claim 1 , wherein the stored information comprises, for each token, a token identifier, a location, and an identifier of an entity at the location. 
     
     
         5 . A computer system, comprising:
 a plurality of different tokens, each token located at a different transaction location among a plurality of transaction locations;   a plurality of computing devices, each computing device located at a different transaction location among the plurality of transaction locations and operative to process transactions at the transaction location;   a server computer, comprising at least computer readable storage storing information associating each of the plurality of different transaction locations with the different tokens;   wherein the different tokens generate different time-varying, non-predictable codes, wherein each time-varying, non-predictable code of a token is a sequence of token values generated based on at least secret information, shared between the token and the server computer, and a time-varying value, wherein a current token value at a current time is a function of the secret information and the time-varying value based on the current time;   a plurality of mobile devices configured to communicate with the server computer and configured to request digital content from the server computer;   wherein the server computer is operative to:
 receive, at a time, a request from a mobile device, from among the plurality of mobile devices, for digital content associated with a source; 
 in response to the request, determine a transaction location, based on a geographic location of the mobile device at the time of the request; 
 using the stored information, identify a token associated with the determined transaction location; 
 generate a current token value for the identified token associated with the transaction location, based on the time-varying non-predictable code for the identified token, using the secret information for the identified token stored at the server computer and a current time accessible to the server computer; 
 transmit the requested digital content and the server-generated current token value to the mobile device; 
   wherein the mobile device requesting the digital content is operative to receive, from the server computer, and present, on an output of the mobile device, the digital content and the server-generated current token value;   wherein the token at the transaction location is operative to generate a current token value based on the time-varying, non-predictable code of the token, using secret information stored in the token and a current time accessible to the token;   wherein the token at the transaction location is operative to output the token-generated current token value on an output device associated with the token;   thereby allowing an individual to compare the token-generated current token value as presented on the output device to the server-generated current token value as presented through the output of the mobile device to determine whether the token-generated current token value as presented on the output device matches the server-generated current token value as presented through the output of the mobile device thereby indicating the digital content presented on the mobile device originates from the source;   wherein the computing device at the transaction location is operative to receive an input indicating whether the token-generated current token value as presented on the output device matches the server-generated current token value as presented on the output of the mobile device thereby indicating the digital content presented on the mobile device originates from the source;   wherein the computing device at the transaction location is operative to process a transaction associated with the digital content presented on the mobile device based on at least the input indicating that the token-generated current token value as presented on the output device matches the server-generated current token value as presented on the output of the mobile device; and   wherein the plurality of computing devices do not have a computer network connection to a centralized database to validate that digital content presented on the plurality of mobile devices originates from a source.   
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 5 , wherein the server computer comprises:
 a token server that stores the stored information associating transaction locations with tokens and operative to generate a current token value for a token associated with a transaction location; and   a content delivery system operative to receive the request from the mobile device, to provide the requested digital content, and to determine the transaction location, and to request the server-generated current token value for the transaction location from the token server.   
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 5 , wherein each token in the plurality of tokens generates a token value at fixed intervals of time using a built-in clock and a random key associated with and unique to the token. 
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 5 , wherein the stored information comprises, for each token, a token identifier, a location, and an identifier of an entity at the location. 
     
     
         9 . A computer system, comprising:
 a plurality of different tokens, each token located at a different transaction location among a plurality of transaction locations;   a plurality of computing devices, each computing device located at a different transaction location among the plurality of transaction locations and operative to process transactions at the transaction location;   a server computer, comprising at least computer readable storage storing information associating each of the plurality of different transaction locations with the different tokens;   wherein the different tokens generate different time-varying, non-predictable codes, wherein each time-varying, non-predictable code of a token is a sequence of token values generated based on at least secret information, shared between the token and the server computer, and a time-varying value, wherein a current token value at a current time is a function of the secret information and the time-varying value based on the current time;   a plurality of mobile devices configured to communicate with the server computer and configured to request digital content from the server computer;   wherein the server computer is operative to:
 receive, at a time, a request from a mobile device, from among the plurality of mobile devices, for digital content associated with a source; 
 in response to the request, determine a transaction location, based on a geographic location of the mobile device at the time of the request; 
 using the stored information, identify a token associated with the determined transaction location; 
 generate a current token value for the identified token associated with the transaction location, based on the time-varying non-predictable code for the identified token, using the secret information for the identified token stored at the server computer and a current time accessible to the server computer; 
 transmit the requested digital content and the server-generated current token value to the mobile device; 
   wherein the mobile device requesting the digital content is operative to receive, from the server computer, and present, to an individual through an output of the mobile device, the digital content and the server-generated current token value;   wherein the token at the transaction location is operative to generate a current token value based on the time-varying, non-predictable code of the token, using secret information stored in the token and a current time accessible to the token;   wherein the token at the transaction location is operative to present, to the individual, the token-generated current token value on an output device associated with the token thereby allowing an individual to compare the token-generated current token value as presented on the output device to the server-generated current token value as presented through the output of the mobile device to determine whether the token-generated current token value as presented on the output device matches the server-generated current token value as presented through the output of the mobile device thereby indicating the digital content presented on the mobile device originates from the source;   wherein the computing device at the transaction location is operative to process a transaction associated with the digital content presented on the mobile device in response to an input from the individual after the token-generated current token value and to the server-generated current token value are presented to the individual; and   wherein the plurality of computing devices do not have a computer network connection to a centralized database to validate that digital content presented on the plurality of mobile devices originates from a source.   
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the server computer comprises:
 a token server that stores the stored information associating transaction locations with tokens and operative to generate a current token value for a token associated with a transaction location; and   a content delivery system operative to receive the request from the mobile device, to provide the requested digital content, and to determine the transaction location, and to request the server-generated current token value for the transaction location from the token server.   
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein each token in the plurality of tokens generates a token value at fixed intervals of time using a built-in clock and a random key associated with and unique to the token. 
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the stored information comprises, for each token, a token identifier, a location, and an identifier of an entity at the location.