System and method for authenticating a user to provide a web service

A system for authenticating a user for a web service comprising:

• a web service provider comprising a hardware computer processor coupled to a computer memory at a first device, the web service provider having an input coupled to a second device over a network, the web service provider input for receiving a request from the second device to authenticate the user for the web service, the web service provider for providing a signal at an output responsive to the request;
• and
• an image/audio generator comprising the hardware computer processor coupled to the computer memory having an input coupled to the web service provider output for receiving the signal, the image/audio generator for providing at an output, in response to the signal, a set of information containing an encoded code that will be rendered by the second device in a human perceptible way with the code encoded in such rendering;
• and
• wherein the web service provider input is additionally coupled to the image/audio generator output for receiving the set of information, the web service provider output is additionally coupled to the second device, and the web service provider is additionally for providing at the web service provider output, the set of information, to the second device in response to the request;
• a device account authorization manager at a third device, separate from the first device and the second device, and having an input for receiving authentication information, the device account authorization manager for authenticating the user responsive to the authentication information, and for providing at an output a token identifying the user in response to the authenticating;
• the system further comprising an element selected from a group comprising A and B:
• A. an image/audio processing manager, at the third device, having an input coupled to the device account authorization manager output for receiving the token and to a camera or microphone of the third device, the image/audio processing manager for capturing via the camera or microphone a human perceptible rendering of the set of information performed by the second device where said rendering has the code encoded therein, the image/audio processing manager for identifying the code from the human-perceptible rendering captured and providing the code and the token at an output;
• and
• a server processing manager having an input coupled to the image/audio processing manager output for receiving the code and token for providing the code and the token at an output;
• and
• B. an image/audio processing manager, at the third device, having an input coupled to the device account authorization manager output for receiving the token and to a camera or microphone of the third device, the image/audio processing manager for capturing via the camera or microphone a human perceptible rendering of the set of information performed by the second device where said rendering has the code encoded therein, the image/audio processing manager for providing at an output at least some of the human-perceptible rendering captured and the token;
• and
• a server processing manager having an input coupled to the image/audio processing manager output for receiving the at least some of the human-perceptible rendering captured and the token, the server processing manager for identifying the code from the at least some of the human-perceptible rendering received and providing the code and the token at an output;
• and
• wherein the web service provider input is additionally coupled to the server processing manager output for receiving the code and token and the web service provider is additionally for authorizing via the web service provider output the providing of the web service responsive to the code and the token.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for authenticating a user for a web service the computer program product comprising computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer system to:

• receive at a first device a request from a second device to authenticate the user for the web service;
• in response to the request, return a code from the first device to the second device, in a form that, when rendered by the second device is rendered by the second device in a human perceptible way, with the code encoded in such rendering;
• by a third device, different from the first device and the second device, capture a human perceptible rendering performed by the second device of the encoded code and providing an identifier of the user after the third device has authenticated the user;
• identify the code from the human-perceptible rendering captured;
• and
• grant access to the web service, responsive to the code identified and the identifier of the user.