US Patent 7322043 Allowing an electronic device accessing a service to be authenticated

A method for allowing an electronic device accessing a service to be authenticated. A communications device is loaded with a first identifier. To gain access to the service, the communications device transmits the first identifier to an authentication device which contains a second identifier. In response to receiving the first identifier from the communications device, the authentication device provides the communications device with the second identifier. The communications device forwards the second identifier to the service to authenticate the user in order to gain access to that service.