Networked device access control

• US 10,097,543 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Novack, Brian M., Andrews, Stephanie, Arora, Aditya, Jeffrey, Emlyn C., Smith, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Luu T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malinowski, Walter J
• Application Number:
  US15/147,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20160248770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 726 4- 7, 713 2, 713182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A computer apparatus is remotely initiated. Confirmation of a detected and authenticated presence of a user remote from the computer apparatus is detected and confirmed via a wireless network. Booting of the computer apparatus is initiated based on receiving confirmation of the detected and authenticated presence of the user remote from the computer apparatus. The computer apparatus is booted in a protected workstate that prevents access to the computer apparatus while the user is remote and until a local presence of the user is detected and authenticated. The computer apparatus is operable to be unprotected upon confirmation of the local presence of the user. The computer apparatus is also operable to be accessible to the user upon unprotecting the workstate of the computer apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of securely enabling remote computer logins, comprising:

receiving, via a wireless network, confirmation of a detected and authenticated presence of a user at a fixed remote location away from a computer apparatus;

initiating booting, based on receiving confirmation of the detected and authenticated presence of the user at the fixed remote location, of the computer apparatus in a protected workstate that prevents acceptance of a key input to the computer apparatus while the user is remote and until a local presence of the user is detected and authenticated;

receiving biometric information of the user;

authenticating the local presence of the user based on the biometric information of the user;

locally logging the user into the computer apparatus to place the computer apparatus in an unprotected workstate, in response to authenticating the local presence of the user;

accepting a key input, by the computer apparatus in the unprotected workstate;

making accessible the computer apparatus to the user upon unprotecting of the protected workstate of the computer apparatus;

initiating booting of a plurality of computer apparatuses in a protected workstate that prevents access to the plurality of computer apparatuses until a local presence of the user is confirmed;

placing each of the plurality of computer apparatuses in an unprotected workstate upon confirmation of the local presence of the user;

enabling the user to access, upon unprotecting of the protected workstate, each of the plurality of computer apparatuses; and

enabling another user to access the computer apparatus when the protected workstate of the computer apparatus is unprotected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging in, based on the receiving confirmation of the detected and authenticated presence of the user remote from the computer apparatus, to a dedicated user resource that will be implemented using the computer apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging in to an application on the computer apparatus in the protected workstate prior to the confirmation of the local presence of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

powering-up the computer apparatus for the initiating booting of the computer apparatus in the protected workstate.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the wireless network comprises a wide area cellular network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via an application installed on a smart phone used by the user, the detected and authenticated presence of the user remote from the computer apparatus.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the biometric input is a fingerprint.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein a security system confirms both the authenticated presence of the user remote from the computer apparatus and the local presence of the user at the computer apparatus.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving confirmation of the detected and authenticated presence of the user remote from the computer apparatus for automatically initiating booting of the computer apparatus in the protected workstate.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving confirmation from the user that the initiating booting should be performed for the initiating booting of the computer apparatus in the protected workstate.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing, the confirmation from the user, via an application installed on a mobile device used by the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

provisioning the computer apparatus from a cloud network in accordance with a profile for the user following and based on logging in to the computer apparatus in the protected workstate after the booting.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

confirming that no other user is logged into and using the computer apparatus prior to the initiating booting of the computer apparatus in the protected workstate.

14. The method of claim 1,

wherein the computer apparatus is used by multiple users.

15. The method of claim 1,

wherein the computer apparatus is provided in a call center.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores a computer program for securely enabling remote computer logins, the computer program, when executed by a processor, causing a computer apparatus to perform a process comprising:

receiving, via a wireless network, confirmation of a detected and authenticated presence of a user at a fixed remote location away from the computer apparatus;

initiating booting, based on receiving confirmation of the detected and authenticated presence of the user at the fixed remote location, of the computer apparatus in a protected workstate that prevents acceptance of a key input to the computer apparatus while the user is remote and until a local presence of the user is detected and authenticated;

receiving biometric information of the user;

authenticating the local presence of the user based on the biometric information of the user;

locally logging the user into the computer apparatus to place the computer apparatus in an unprotected workstate, in response to authenticating the local presence of the user;

accepting a key input, by the computer apparatus in the unprotected workstate;

making accessible the computer apparatus to the user upon unprotecting of the protected workstate of the computer apparatus;

initiating booting of a plurality of computer apparatuses in a protected workstate that prevents access to the plurality of computer apparatuses until a local presence of the user is confirmed;

placing each of the plurality of computer apparatuses in an unprotected workstate upon confirmation of the local presence of the user;

enabling the user to access, upon unprotecting of the protected workstate, each of the plurality of computer apparatuses; and

enabling another user to access the computer apparatus when the protected workstate of the computer apparatus is unprotected.

17. A computer apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores instructions for securely enabling remote computer logins, and

a processor that executes the instructions,

wherein, when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, via a wireless network, confirmation of a detected and authenticated presence of a user at a fixed remote location away from the computer apparatus;

initiating booting, based on receiving confirmation of the detected and authenticated presence of the user at the fixed remote location, of the computer apparatus in a protected workstate that prevents acceptance of a key input to the computer apparatus while the user is remote and until a local presence of the user is detected and authenticated;

receiving biometric information of the user;

authenticating the local presence of the user based on the biometric information of the user;

locally logging the user into the computer apparatus to place the computer apparatus in an unprotected workstate, in response to authenticating the local presence of the user;

accepting a key input, by the computer apparatus in the unprotected workstate;

making accessible the computer apparatus to the user upon unprotecting of the protected workstate of the computer apparatus;

initiating booting of a plurality of computer apparatuses in a protected workstate that prevents access to the plurality of computer apparatuses until a local presence of the user is confirmed;

placing each of the plurality of computer apparatuses in an unprotected workstate upon confirmation of the local presence of the user;

enabling the user to access, upon unprotecting of the protected workstate, each of the plurality of computer apparatuses; and

enabling another user to access the computer apparatus when the protected workstate of the computer apparatus is unprotected.