Authentication of users for securing remote controlled devices

• US 10,560,844 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2017
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Amisano, Michael A., Behnken, John F., Linton, Jeb R., Melchionne, John, Wright, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martinez Borrero, Luis A
• Application Number:
  US15/460,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20180270657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes a processing circuit and logic integrated with the processing circuit, executable by the processing circuit, or integrated with and executable by the processing circuit. The logic is configured to cause the processing circuit to limit functionality of a remote controlled device during periods of time that a user of the remote controlled device is not authenticated, and to receive identity information of the user of the remote controlled device via an authentication process, with the identity information establishing an identity of the user. Also, the logic is configured to cause the processing circuit to authenticate the user prior to allowing full functionality of the remote controlled device, send an indication of the identity of the user to the remote controlled device, and provide full functionality of the remote controlled device to the user in response to successfully authenticating the user.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processing circuit; and

logic integrated with the processing circuit, executable by the processing circuit, or integrated with and executable by the processing circuit, the logic being configured to cause the processing circuit to;

limit functionality of a remote controlled device during a first period of time where a user of the remote controlled device is not authenticated, including;

setting a rotations per minute (RPM) limiter on one or more propellers of the remote controlled device,

disabling one or more cameras of the remote controlled device, and

disabling audio recording and transmission of the remote controlled device;

receive, from a separate authentication device, identity information of the user of the remote controlled device and information of the remote controlled device via an authentication process, wherein the identity information establishes an identity of the user and the remote controlled device, and includes a unique code provided to the user by an authorizing agency of the remote controlled device as well as a registration number for the remote controlled device;

authenticate the user prior to allowing full functionality of the remote controlled device, including;

communicating with a database that includes records of authorized users for the remote controlled device,

comparing the identity information of the user with the records of the database, and

verifying the identity of the user, based on the comparing;

send an indication of the identity of the user to the remote controlled device;

provide full functionality of the remote controlled device to the user during a second period of time in response to the authenticating;

maintain a wireless link to the separate authentication device during operation of the remote controlled device;

detect a disruption in the wireless link for greater than a predetermined amount of time during the operation of the remote controlled device; and

restrict the functionality of the remote controlled device, in response to detecting the disruption, including terminating a provision of operation commands to the remote controlled device.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the identity information further comprises:

a fingerprint of the user;

a voice sample of the user;

an optical scan of an eye of the user;

facial recognition of the user; and

a secure link with an electronic device of the user.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to cause the processing circuit to, in response to determining during the authenticating that the user is verified as a trainee for the remote controlled device, enable a trainer/trainee setting that allows a trainer to provide control of the remote controlled device to the trainee without functionality of the remote controlled device being limited.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to cause the processing circuit to, during operation of the remote controlled device:

periodically read a fingerprint of the user to ensure that the user is still controlling the remote controlled device,

request a spoken password from the user, and

perform a re-authentication of the user, based on the spoken password.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the indication of the identity of the user includes:

a name of the user,

a physical address of the user,

an internet protocol (IP) address of a remote controller and the authentication device,

a media access control (MAC) address of the remote controller and the authentication device,

an image depicting at least a face of the user,

a registration code unique to the user, and

the unique code provided to the user by the authorizing agency of the remote controlled device.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to cause the processing circuit to restrict the full functionality of the remote controlled device to the user to a predetermined level of functionality, based on a class of the user.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to cause the processing circuit to:

in response to determining during the authenticating that the user is verified as a trainee for the remote controlled device, enable a trainer/trainee setting that allows a trainer to provide control of the remote controlled device to the trainee without functionality of the remote controlled device being limited; and

during operation of the remote controlled device;

periodically read a fingerprint of the user to ensure that the user is still controlling the remote controlled device,

request a spoken password from the user, and

perform a re-authentication of the user, based on the spoken password;

wherein the identity information further comprises;

a fingerprint of the user,

a voice sample of the user,

an optical scan of an eye of the user,

facial recognition of the user, and

a secure link with an electronic device of the user;

wherein the indication of the identity of the user includes;

a name of the user,

a physical address of the user,

an internet protocol (IP) address of a remote controller and the authentication device,

a media access control (MAC) address of the remote controller and the authentication device,

an image depicting at least a face of the user,

a registration code unique to the user, and

the unique code provided to the user by the authorizing agency of the remote controlled device.

8. A method, comprising:

limiting functionality of a remote controlled device during a first period of time where a user of the remote controlled device is not authenticated, including;

setting a rotations per minute (RPM) limiter on one or more propellers of the remote controlled device,

disabling one or more cameras of the remote controlled device, and

disabling audio recording and transmission of the remote controlled device;

receiving, from a separate authentication device, identity information of the user of the remote controlled device and information of the remote controlled device via an authentication process, wherein the identity information establishes an identity of the user and the remote controlled device, and includes a unique code provided to the user by an authorizing agency of the remote controlled device as well as a registration number for the remote controlled device;

authenticating the user prior to allowing full functionality of the remote controlled device, including;

communicating with a database that includes records of authorized users for the remote controlled device,

comparing the identity information of the user with the records of the database, and

verifying the identity of the user, based on the comparing;

sending an indication of the identity of the user to the remote controlled device;

providing full functionality of the remote controlled device to the user during a second period of time in response to the authenticating;

maintaining a wireless link to the separate authentication device during operation of the remote controlled device;

detecting a disruption in the wireless link for greater than a predetermined amount of time during the operation of the remote controlled device; and

restricting the functionality of the remote controlled device, in response to detecting the disruption, including terminating a provision of operation commands to the remote controlled device.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the identity information further comprises:

a fingerprint of the user;

a voice sample of the user;

an optical scan of an eye of the user;

facial recognition of the user; and

a secure link with an electronic device of the user.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising, in response to determining during the authenticating that the user is verified as a trainee for the remote controlled device, enabling a trainer/trainee setting that allows a trainer to provide control of the remote controlled device to the trainee without functionality of the remote controlled device being limited.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising, during operation of the remote controlled device:

periodically reading a fingerprint of the user to ensure that the user is still controlling the remote controlled device,

requesting a spoken password from the user, and

performing a re-authentication of the user, based on the spoken password.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the indication of the identity of the user includes:

a name of the user,

a physical address of the user,

an internet protocol (IP) address of a remote controller and the authentication device,

a media access control (MAC) address of the remote controller and the authentication device,

an image depicting at least a face of the user,

a registration code unique to the user, and

the unique code provided to the user by the authorizing agency of the remote controlled device.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising restricting the full functionality of the remote controlled device to the user to a predetermined level of functionality, based on a class of the user.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

in response to determining during the authenticating that the user is verified as a trainee for the remote controlled device, enabling a trainer/trainee setting that allows a trainer to provide control of the remote controlled device to the trainee without functionality of the remote controlled device being limited; and

during operation of the remote controlled device;

periodically reading a fingerprint of the user to ensure that the user is still controlling the remote controlled device,

requesting a spoken password from the user, and

performing a re-authentication of the user, based on the spoken password;

wherein the identity information further comprises;

a fingerprint of the user,

a voice sample of the user,

an optical scan of an eye of the user,

facial recognition of the user, and

a secure link with an electronic device of the user;

wherein the indication of the identity of the user includes;

a name of the user,

a physical address of the user,

an internet protocol (IP) address of a remote controller and the authentication device,

a media access control (MAC) address of the remote controller and the authentication device,

an image depicting at least a face of the user,

a registration code unique to the user, and

the unique code provided to the user by the authorizing agency of the remote controlled device.

15. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the embodied program instructions being executable by a processing circuit to cause the processing circuit to:

limit, by the processing circuit, functionality of a remote controlled device during a first period of time where a user of the remote controlled device is not authenticated, including;

setting a rotations per minute (RPM) limiter on one or more propellers of the remote controlled device,

disabling one or more cameras of the remote controlled device, and

disabling audio recording and transmission of the remote controlled device;

receive, by the processing circuit, from a separate authentication device, identity information of the user of the remote controlled device and information of the remote controlled device via an authentication process, wherein the identity information establishes an identity of the user and the remote controlled device, and includes a unique code provided to the user by an authorizing agency of the remote controlled device as well as a registration number for the remote controlled device;

authenticate, by the processing circuit, the user prior to allowing full functionality of the remote controlled device, including;

communicating with a database that includes records of authorized users for the remote controlled device,

comparing the identity information of the user with the records of the database, and

verifying the identity of the user, based on the comparing;

send, by the processing circuit, an indication of the identity of the user to the remote controlled device;

provide, by the processing circuit, full functionality of the remote controlled device to the user during a second period of time in response to the authenticating;

maintain, by the processing circuit, a wireless link to the separate authentication device during operation of the remote controlled device;

detect, by the processing circuit, a disruption in the wireless link for greater than a predetermined amount of time during the operation of the remote controlled device; and

restrict, by the processing circuit, the functionality of the remote controlled device, in response to detecting the disruption, including terminating a provision of operation commands to the remote controlled device.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the identity information further comprises:

a fingerprint of the user;

a voice sample of the user;

an optical scan of an eye of the user;

facial recognition of the user; and

a secure link with an electronic device of the user.

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processing circuit to cause the processing circuit to, in response to determining during the authenticating that the user is verified as a trainee for the remote controlled device, enable, by the processing circuit, a trainer/trainee setting that allows a trainer to provide control of the remote controlled device to the trainee without functionality of the remote controlled device being limited.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processing circuit to cause the processing circuit to, during operation of the remote controlled device:

periodically read, by the processing circuit, a fingerprint of the user to ensure that the user is still controlling the remote controlled device,

request, by the processing circuit, a spoken password from the user, and

perform, by the processing circuit, a re-authentication of the user, based on the spoken password.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the indication of the identity of the user includes:

a name of the user,

a physical address of the user,

an internet protocol (IP) address of a remote controller and the authentication device,

a media access control (MAC) address of the remote controller and the authentication device,

an image depicting at least a face of the user,

a registration code unique to the user, and

the unique code provided to the user by the authorizing agency of the remote controlled device.