Location based security modification system and method

• US 20030140246A1
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kammer, David, Combs, Ray
• Granted Patent: US 7,591,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• 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

Abstract

A method or system for providing a level of data security dependent on the location of the user of a wireless device is disclosed. One exemplary embodiment relates to a method of adjusting security for a network user node in communication with a network based upon the location of the node. The method is performed by determining the location of a network user node, selecting a single level of security from a group of more than two security levels based on the determined location, and modifying the security protection for the network user node based upon the selected level of security.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting security for a network user node in communication with a network based upon the location of the node, comprising:

determining the location of a network user node;

selecting a single level of security from a group of more than two security levels based on the determined location; and

modifying the security protection for the network user node based upon the selected level of security.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network user node is a portable, handheld device having a display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network user node'"'"'s location is determined using a location sensing system

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location sensing system is a global positioning satellite (GPS) system.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the location sensing system uses nearby access points to determine location.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the location sensing system uses signal bouncing and triangulation to determine network user node location.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the network user node is in direct communication with the location sensing system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending a data signal includes transmitting the data signal using a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the WLAN protocol includes the IEEE 802.11 protocol.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the WLAN protocol includes the Bluetooth wireless network protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step is carried out by reference to a table of desired security modifications based upon the location of the network user node.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the security levels are provided by the user of the network user node for a variety of locations.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the selected security level is based on the type of location determined for the network user node.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the security protection for the network user node includes restricting access to information unless a password is properly entered.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the security protection for the network user node includes a complete denial of access to information using the network user node.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the security protection for the network user node includes a denial to a subset of the information accessible using the node.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the security protection for the network user node includes modifying data encryption parameters to change the strength of encryption on data transmitted by the network user node.

18. A computer system for modifying security settings for a network user node based on the location of the node comprising:

an input device having a communicative coupling with a system for determining the location of a network user node;

a storage device for storing a table of security modifications to be performed based on a plurality of locations for the network user node, the security modifications including more than two levels;

a processor coupled to a storage device for processing information, storing on a storage device, and generating a security modification instruction;

and a communication device capable of transmitting a data signal to the network user node containing instructions to modify the security protection for the node.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the network user node is a portable, handheld device having a display.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the system for determining the location of a network user node accesses and interprets global positioning satellite (GPS) signals.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the system for determining the location of a network user node uses nearby access points to determine the location.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the system for determining the location of a network user node uses signal bouncing and triangulation to determine location.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the communication device transmits the data signal using a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the WLAN protocol includes the IEEE 802.11 protocol.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the WLAN protocol includes the Bluetooth wireless network protocol.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the table stored on the storage device includes user defined protection settings for a plurality of locations.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the table stored on the storage device includes security levels customized based upon the type of location received from the system providing the location of the network user node.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the system sends a signal modifying information access restrictions on the network user node.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the system sends a signal modifying the data encryption parameters to change the strength of encryption on data transmitted by the network user node.

30. A method of adjusting security for a network user node having a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, a wireless transceiver, and a location determining device in communication with a network based upon the location of the node, comprising:

receiving location information using a network user node; and

using a network user node to modify security protection for data to a single level from a group of more than two levels, based upon the location information.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the network user node is a portable, handheld device having a display.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the network user node is used to access a table of security levels and location associations.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the table of security levels are stored in the memory of the network user node.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the network user node encrypts data based on the selected security level.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the network user node sends and receives data over a wireless local area network (WLAN).

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the WLAN protocol includes the IEEE 802.11 protocol.

37. The method of claim 35, where the WLAN protocol includes the Bluetooth wireless network protocol.

38. A system implemented on a network user node for modifying security settings based on the location of the node comprising:

a system for determining the location of the network user node coupled to the network user node;

a processor for processing information, storing information on a storage device, and accessing a table of security modification instructions, the table including more than two unique security modifications; and

a storage device coupled to the network user node for storing a table of security modifications to be performed based on a plurality of locations for the network user node.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the network user node is a portable, handheld device having a display.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the system for determining the location of the network user node accesses and interprets global positioning satellite (GPS) signals.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the system for determining the location of the network user node uses nearby access points to determine location.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein the system for determining the location of the network user node uses signal bouncing and triangulation to determine location.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein the network user node can transmit and receive data signals using a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the WLAN protocol includes the IEEE 802.11 protocol.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the WLAN protocol includes the Bluetooth wireless network protocol.

46. The system of claim 38, wherein the table stored on the storage device includes user defined protection settings at least one location.

47. The system of claim 38, wherein the table stored on the storage device includes protection settings customized based upon the type of location of the network user node.

48. The system of claim 38, wherein the network user node system modifies information access restrictions based upon a security modification associated with the location of the network user node.

49. The system of claim 38, wherein the network user node modifies the data encryption parameters to change the strength of encryption on data based on a security modification associated with the location of the network user node.