Enabling authentication of OpenID user when requested identity provider is unavailable

A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium, wherein the medium does not include a propagating signal, for enabling authentication of an OpenID user when a requested identity provider is unavailable, the computer program product comprising the programming instructions for:

• receiving a login request from said OpenID user, wherein said login request comprises a username;
• reading a list of identity providers associated with said username;
• identifying a first available identity provider from said list of identity providers;
• generating a first OpenID identifier using an identification of said first identified identity provider and said username;
• and
• transmitting a request to said first identified identity provider to authenticate said OpenID user using said first OpenID identifier.

A method for obtaining attribute information for an OpenID user during an authentication phase, the method comprising:

• receiving a login request from said OpenID user, wherein said login request comprises a username;
• determining user profile attributes to be requested from one or more identity providers;
• reading a list of identity providers associated with said username;
• identifying a first available identity provider from said list of identity providers;
• generating a first OpenID identifier using an identification of said first identified identity provider and said username;
• and
• transmitting, by a computer processor of a relying party, an authentication request to said first identified identity provider to authenticate said OpenID user using said first OpenID identifier.

A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium, wherein the medium does not include a propagating signal, for obtaining attribute information for an OpenID user during an authentication phase, the computer program product comprising the programming instructions for:

• receiving a login request from said OpenID user, wherein said login request comprises a username;
• determining user profile attributes to be requested from one or more identity providers;
• reading a list of identity providers associated with said username;
• identifying a first available identity provider from said list of identity providers;
• generating a first OpenID identifier using an identification of said first identified identity provider and said username;
• and
• transmitting an authentication request to said first identified identity provider to authenticate said OpenID user using said first OpenID identifier.