Master authenticator

• US 20030025603A1
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Edwin Derek
• Granted Patent: US 6,774,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A master authenticator (10) is worn by a user and wirelessly transmits information associated with the user to a remotely located electronic device. The master authenticator contains a sensor (12) to determine or sense whether or not the user is wearing the authenticator, along with a means to allow the user to log (22) in to the master authenticator by performing predefined physical action on the master authenticator. Once the sensor senses that the user is physically coupled to or wearing the device, the user logs in so as to uniquely associate the master authenticator with the user. Once the user is logged in, a transmitter is enabled so that the information can be transmitted to an electronic device in the proximity of the user. When the user ceases to wear the master authenticator by removing it, the log in means de-authorizes further transmissions by the master authenticator due to action of the sensor sensing that the authenticator is no longer on the user.

Claims

1. A master authenticator, worn by a user, for wireless transmission of information associated with the user, comprising:

a sensor for sensing whether the user is wearing the authenticator;

log in means, responsive to the sensor, to verify that the master authenticator is physically coupled to the user so as to uniquely associate the master authenticator with the user and authorize the master authenticator to transmit the information; and

transmitting means, responsive to the log in means, for wirelessly transmitting the information associated with the user to an electronic device in the proximity of the user.

2. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the log in means comprises a predefined physical action performed on the master authenticator.

3. The master authenticator as described in claim 2, wherein the user performs the predefined physical action remote from the master authenticator.

4. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the log in means de-authorizes the master authenticator when a second predefined physical action is performed on the master authenticator by the user.

5. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the log in means de-authorizes the master authenticator to transmit the information, responsive to the sensor sensing that the user is no longer wearing the authenticator.

6. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the transmitting means is infrared.

7. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the transmitting means is radio frequency.

8. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the master authenticator comprises a transponder.

9. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a skin sensor.

10. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the master authenticator comprises a wristband.

11. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the user is a human user.

12. The master authenticator as described in claim 1, wherein the user is an animal.

13. A master authenticator, worn by a user, for wireless transmission of information associated with the user, comprising:

a sensor for sensing whether the user is wearing the authenticator;

a transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting the information associated with the user to an electronic device in the proximity of the user; and

a locking means, responsive to the sensor sensing that the user is not wearing the authenticator, whereby the transmitting means is prevented from transmitting the information.

16. The master authenticator as described in claim 13, wherein the receiving means is infrared.

17. The master authenticator as described in claim 13, wherein the receiving means is radio frequency.

18. The master authenticator as described in claim 13, wherein the receiving means is a transponder.

20. The method of authenticating as described in claim 17, wherein the information is transmitted from the wireless electronic device to the master authenticator by signals in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

21. The method of authenticating as described in claim 17, wherein the information is transmitted from the wireless electronic device to the master authenticator by signals in the radio frequency region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

22. The method of authenticating as described in claim 17, wherein the step of authenticating comprises attaching a wristband to the user.

23. The method of authenticating as described in claim 17, wherein the master authenticator further comprises a sensor to sense the presence or absence of the user'"'"'s skin.

24. The method of authenticating as described in claim 17, further comprising a final step of de-authenticating the user by physically removing the master authenticator from the user so as to disable the master authenticator from transmitting or receiving information from the wireless electronic device.

14. A master authenticator, worn by a human user, for wireless transmission of information associated with the user, comprising:

a skin sensor for sensing whether the user is wearing the authenticator;

a log in means, responsive to the sensor sensing that the user is wearing the authenticator, whereby a physical action performed on the master authenticator by the user uniquely identifies the master authenticator with the user;

a transponder, responsive to the log in means, for wirelessly transmitting the information associated with the user to an electronic device in the proximity of the user; and

a locking means, responsive to the sensor sensing that the user is not wearing the authenticator, whereby the transponder is prevented from transmitting the information associated with the user.

15. A master authenticator, worn by a user, for wireless reception of information associated with the user, comprising:

a sensor for sensing whether the user is wearing the authenticator;

a log in means, responsive to the sensor, whereby a physical action performed on the master authenticator by the user uniquely identifies the master authenticator with the user; and

a receiving means, responsive to the log in means, for wirelessly receiving the information associated with the user from an electronic device in the proximity of the user.

19. A method of authenticating, comprising:

providing a master authenticator wearable by a user, wherein the user actively logs in to the master authenticator by performing a physical action such that the master authenticator becomes uniquely identified with the user;

providing a wireless electronic device capable of communicating with the master authenticator;

authenticating the user by physically attaching the master authenticator to the user and logging in so as to uniquely identify the user; and

transmitting information from the master authenticator to the wireless electronic device in response to the device being in proximity to the authenticated user.

25. A method of authenticating, comprising:

providing a master authenticator wearable by a user, wherein the user actively logs in to the master authenticator by performing a physical action such that the master authenticator becomes uniquely identified with the user;

providing a wireless electronic device capable of communicating with the master authenticator;

authenticating the user by physically attaching the master authenticator to the user and logging in so as to uniquely identify the user; and

transmitting information from the wireless electronic device to the master authenticator in response to the device being in proximity to the authenticated user.