Portable electronic authorization system and method

Abstract

In one embodiment, an electronic device is used to authenticate an identity of a user to determine that the user is permitted to access restricted information on a server. In response to the electronic device authenticating the identity of the user, a software module on a computer operated by the user is permitted to access the restricted information. In another embodiment, an electronic device is used to authenticate an identity of a user. In response to the electronic device authenticating the identity of the user, the settings on a computer are altered to correspond to settings on the electronic device.

1 . A method for altering Internet settings on a computer to correspond to settings on an electronic device distinct from the computer, comprising steps of: 
 (A) with the electronic device, authenticating an identity of a user to determine that the user is authorized to use the electronic device; and    (B) after the electronic device has authenticated the identify of the user, altering the Internet settings on the computer to correspond to settings on the electronic device.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of: 
 (C) with the computer, accessing a server based upon the Internet settings on the computer.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a step of: 
 (D) establishing a connection between the electronic device and the server.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step (D) includes establishing the connection via a driver included in the computer.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step (B) includes, using the driver to update the Internet settings on the computer.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising steps of: 
 (E) altering the Internet settings on the computer in response to user input to the computer; and    (F) transferring at least some of the altered Internet settings on the computer to the electronic device before the connection is de-established.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising a step of: 
 (E) restoring the Internet settings on the computer to their original state when the connection is de-established.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (A) comprises comparing, with the electronic device, a measured bio-metric parameter of the user with a stored bio-metric parameter of the user.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the Internet settings comprise at least one of a bookmark list, a web site cookie, an encoding of a user password, and personal user data.  
     
     
         10 . A system for altering Internet settings on a computer to correspond to settings on an electronic device distinct from the computer, comprising: 
 a user authenticator included in the electronic device to authenticate an identity of a user to determine that the user is authorized to use the electronic device; and    means for altering the Internet settings on the computer to correspond to settings on the electronic device after the user authenticator has authenticated the identity of the user.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 means for accessing a server with the computer based upon the Internet settings on the computer.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 means for establishing a connection between the electronic device and the server.    
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 means for altering the Internet settings on the computer in response to user input to the computer; and    means for transferring at least some of the altered Internet settings on the computer to the electronic device before the connection is de-established.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 means for restoring the Internet settings on the computer to their original state when the connection is de-established.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user authenticator includes a bio-metric authenticator.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the Internet settings comprise at least one of a bookmark list, a web site cookie, an encoding of a user password, and personal user data.  
     
     
         17 . A system, comprising: 
 a computer configured to be operable by a user and including at least one first software module operable to access a server via the Internet based on particular Internet settings;    an electronic device, distinct from the computer, including a user authenticator configured to authenticate an identity of a user to determine that the user is authorized to use the electronic device; and    at least one second software module executable on the system, the at least one second software module being configured to, after the user authenticator has authenticated the identity of the user, cause the Internet settings used by the at least one first software module to correspond to settings on the electronic device.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a connection established between the electronic device and the server, and wherein the at least one second software module is further configured to transfer Internet settings used by the at least one first software module to the electronic device before the connection is de-established.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one second software module is further configured to restore the Internet settings used by the at least one first software module to their original state when the connection is de-established.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the Internet settings used by the at least one first software module comprise at least one of a bookmark list, a web site cookie, an encoding of a user password, and personal user data.  
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising: 
 an electronic device;    a computer, distinct from the electronic device, configured to be operable by a user, the computer comprising at least one first software module adapted to access a server via the Internet, and further comprising a driver through which a connection can be established between the electronic device and the server; and    at least one second software module executable on the system, the at least one second software module being configured to enable the at least one first software module, in response to commands input to the computer by the user, to communicate commands to the server that cause the server to communicate with the electronic device via the connection so as to cause new information to be added to a memory of the electronic device;    wherein the electronic device is configured to access the new information stored in the memory to perform at least one operation after the connection between the electronic device and the server has been de-established.    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one software module comprises a Web browser and the server comprises a Web server.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising the electronic device and the server, and wherein the connection is established between the electronic device and the server via the driver.