Devices, systems, and methods for security using magnetic field based identification

• US 10,523,670 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Varshavsky, Alexander, Li, Kevin Ansia
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Venkat
• Application Number:
  US15/707,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• 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 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/79 Radio fingerprint

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for determining an electromagnetic signature for authenticating a device, a user, and/or a location. In exemplary embodiments, a magnetometer captures an electromagnetic signature which is then compared with one or more authorized electromagnetic signatures. If the electromagnetic signature matches an authorized electromagnetic signature, then access is granted. The magnetometer is integrated into a communication device having a processor and a logic. The magnetometer captures an electromagnetic signature of a surrounding environment and detects motion of the communication device through the captured electromagnetic signature. The logic on the communication device locks or unlocks features of the device based upon the captured electromagnetic signature. In further embodiments of the subject disclosure, the magnetometer is in communication with a server which authenticates a user or communication device to provide access to a remote location.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving, in response to the communication device being positioned proximate a portion of a human body of a user, an electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user,

providing, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, access to a feature of a plurality of features of the communication device,

receiving, in response to the communication device being repositioned proximate a different portion of the human body of the user, a different electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by the different portion of the human body of the user, and

providing, based on the different electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the different portion of the human body of the user, access to a different feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein providing, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, access to the feature of the plurality of features of the communication device comprises unlocking the feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein providing, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, access to the feature of the plurality of features of the communication device comprises loading the feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein providing, based on the different electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the different portion of the human body of the user, access to the different feature of the plurality of features of the communication device comprises loading the different feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise activating, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by at least the portion of the human body of the user, a persona associated with the communication device.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the persona comprises at least one of contacts for the user, applications for the user, or settings for the user.

7. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by at least a portion of a human body of a different user; and

activating, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by at least the portion of the human body of the different user, a different persona associated with the communication device.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, based on the electromagnetic signature, that the communication device is positioned proximate to the portion of the human body of the user, wherein the feature of the plurality of features is associated with the communication device being positioned proximate to the portion of the human body; and

determining, based on the different electromagnetic signature, that the communication device is repositioned proximate to the different portion of the human body of the user, wherein the different feature of the plurality of features is associated with the communication device being repositioned proximate to the different portion of the human body of the user.

9. A memory storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a communication device, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, in response to the communication device being positioned proximate a portion of a human body of a user, an electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user;

providing, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, access to a feature of a plurality of features of the communication device;

receiving, in response to the communication device being repositioned proximate a different portion of the human body of the user, a different electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by the different portion of the human body of the user; and

providing, based on the different electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the different portion of the human body of the user, access to a different feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

10. The memory of claim 9, wherein providing, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, access to the feature of the plurality of features of the communication device comprises unlocking the feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

11. The memory of claim 9, wherein providing, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, access to the feature of the plurality of features of the communication device comprises loading the feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

12. The memory of claim 9, wherein providing, based on the different electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the different portion of the human body of the user, access to the different feature of the plurality of features of the communication device comprises loading the different feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

13. The memory of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise activating, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, a persona associated with the communication device.

14. The memory of claim 13, wherein the persona comprises at least one of contacts for the user, applications for the user, or settings for the user.

15. The memory of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by at least a portion of a human body of a different user; and

activating, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by at least the portion of the human body of the different user, a different persona associated with the communication device.

16. The memory of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, based on the electromagnetic signature, that the communication device is positioned proximate to the portion of the human body of the user, wherein the feature of the plurality of features is associated with the communication device being positioned proximate to the portion of the human body; and

determining, based on the different electromagnetic signature, that the communication device is repositioned proximate to the different portion of the human body of the user, wherein the different feature of the plurality of features is associated with the communication device being repositioned proximate to the different portion of the human body of the user.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, by a communication device comprising a processor in response to the communication device being positioned proximate a portion of a human body of a user, an electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user;

providing, by the communication device, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, access to a feature of a plurality of features of the communication device;

receiving, by the communication device in response to the communication device being repositioned proximate a different portion of the human body of the user, a different electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by a different portion of the human body of the user; and

providing, by the communication device, based on the different electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the different portion of the human body of the user, access to a different feature of the plurality of features of the communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising activating, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by the portion of the human body of the user, a persona associated with the communication device, wherein the persona comprises at least one of contacts for the user, applications for the user, or settings for the user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an electromagnetic signature of an electromagnetic field produced by at least a portion of a human body of a different user; and

activating, based on the electromagnetic signature of the electromagnetic field produced by at least the portion of the human body of the different user, a different persona associated with the communication device, wherein the different person comprises at least one of contacts for the different user, applications for the different user, or settings for the different user.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining, by the communication device based on the electromagnetic signature, that the communication device is positioned proximate to the portion of the human body of the user, wherein the feature of the plurality of features is associated with the communication device being positioned proximate to the portion of the human body; and

determining, by the communication device based on the different electromagnetic signature, that the communication device is repositioned proximate to the different portion of the human body of the user, wherein the different feature of the plurality of features is associated with the communication device being repositioned proximate to the different portion of the human body of the user.