Position and authenticate Wi-Fi users to enhance Wi-Fi security control and management

• US 10,327,145 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fan, Si Bin, Gu, Yu, Liu, Su, Xu, Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maniwang, Joseph R
• Application Number:
  US15/421,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20180131701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 709225
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

An approach is provided that receives, from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag included with a device, at least three different charge times. Each of the charge times corresponds to a different RFID reader that separately charges the RFID tag with each of the RFID readers being at a different geographic location. A distance between each of the RFID readers and the RFID tag is approximated based on the respective charge times and these approximate distances are used to identify a geographic position of the RFID tag using trilateration. The geographic position of the RFID tag is then used to determine whether to allow the device wireless access to a computer network.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an information handling system that includes a processor and a memory accessible by the processor, the method comprising:

receiving, from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag included with a device, at least three different charge times, each of the charge times corresponding to a different RFID reader, and wherein each of the RFID readers is at a different geographic location;

approximating a distance between each of the RFID readers and the RFID tag based on the respective charge times;

calculating a geographic position of the RFID tag using trilateration based on the approximate distances to each of the three RFID readers at the different geographic locations; and

determining whether to allow the device wireless access to a computer network based on the geographic position of the RFID tag.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

mapping the geographic position of the RFID tag, wherein the mapping includes a map of an area of interest and the geographic location of each of the RFID readers, wherein the determination of whether to allow the device wireless access is based on whether the geographic position of the RFID tag is within the area of interest.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

in response to the geographic position of the RFID tag being within the area of interest, including a device identifier corresponding to the device in an access control list that allows the device wireless access to the computer network; and

in response to the geographic position of the RFID tag being outside the area of interest, including a device identifier corresponding to the device in an access control list that disallows the device wireless access to the computer network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least three RFID readers include a first RFID reader, a second RFID reader, and a third RFID reader, and wherein the method further comprises:

charging the RFID tag from the first RFID reader during a first period during which the second and third RFID readers are not sending out charges;

receiving, from the RFID tag, an identifier corresponding to the RFID tag and a first charge time indicating a first amount of time taken to charge the RFID tag from the first RFID reader;

charging the RFID tag from the second RFID reader during a second period during which the first and third RFID readers are not sending out charges;

receiving, from the RFID tag, the identifier corresponding to the RFID tag and a second charge time indicating a second amount of time taken to charge the RFID tag from the second RFID reader;

charging the RFID tag from the third RFID reader during a third period during which the first and second RFID readers are not sending out charges; and

receiving, from the RFID tag, the identifier corresponding to the RFID tag and a third charge time indicating a third amount of time taken to charge the RFID tag from the third RFID reader.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

approximating a first distance between the RFID tag and the first RFID reader based on the first charge time, a second distance between the RFID tag and the second RFID reader based on the second charge time, and a third distance between the RFID tag and the third RFID reader based on the third charge time.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

storing an entry in a memory area corresponding to each of the first, second, and third charge times; and

performing the calculating step in response to detecting, by a controller, that at least three entries from different RFID readers have been stored in the memory corresponding to the RFID identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining to allow the device wireless access to the computer network in response to a first determination that the RFID tag is within an area of interest;

after a period of time, re-performing the receiving, approximating, and calculating steps a second geographic position of the RFID tag;

determining that the second geographic position is outside the area of interest; and

inhibiting the device wireless access to the computer network in response to the determination that the second geographic position of the RFID tag is outside the area of interest.