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AppleGranted patentSecurity & privacyInterest 6/10

Apple patents secure way to share passwords across different devices

This patent describes a method for sharing access credentials between devices running different operating systems. It works by converting the shared credential into a secure token, storing it on a relay server, and sending a unique link to the recipient.

Why it mattersIt could make it easier to share Wi-Fi passwords or app logins between iPhone and Android users without manually typing them in.

In the filing’s own words

The present application relates to devices and components including apparatus, systems, and methods to share a credential for accessing a secured entity between an origination device and a recipient device. In some embodiments, the sharing may be cross platform where the recipient device executes a different platform than the origination device.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an origination device, cause the origination device to: detect a user indication of an access credential to be shared with a recipient device, the access credential to provide access to a secured entity; identify one or more limitations, comprising an indication of the access credential, that define a particular access point that is usable by the recipient device with the access credential; provide an indication of the one or more limitations to a credential manager; obtain a token corresponding to the access credential from the credential manager, wherein the token is generated based at least in part on the one or more limitations; generate a password for protection of the token; provide the token and the password to a relay server for storage, the recipient device configured to retrieve the token from the relay server with the password; receive a uniform resource locator (URL) for retrieving the token from the relay server; and provide, via a communication application executed by the origination device, the uniform resource locator to the recipient device for retrieval of the token.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Cross platform credential sharing
Patent number
US12750664B2
Application number
17952091
Filed
Sep 23, 2022
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Inventors
8
Claims
20

Classified under

H04W 12/06 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/08 Electricity & electronicsH04L 63/0428 Electricity & electronicsH04L 63/08 Electricity & electronicsH04L 63/0884 Electricity & electronicsH04L 63/10 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.