Location-based authentication of wireless terminal

• US 20060111125A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.200
• 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 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A wireless terminal receives an operation request from a user and accesses a plurality of location based access rules based upon the operation request, each location based access rules including a location parameter and corresponding authentication requirements. A location of the wireless terminal is determined. A location based access rule from the plurality of location based access rules is selected based upon the location. The wireless terminal prompts the user to meet the corresponding authentication requirements. When the user meets the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule, the wireless terminal satisfies the operation request. When the user does not meet the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule, the operation request is denied. In an alternate embodiment, access to the requested operation is either granted or denied based upon the location of the wireless terminal.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless terminal comprising:

receiving an operation request from a user;

accessing a plurality of location based access rules based upon the operation request, each location based access rule of the plurality of location based access rules including a location parameter and corresponding authentication requirements;

determining a location of the wireless terminal;

selecting a location based access rule of the plurality of location based access rules based upon the location;

prompting the user to meet the corresponding authentication requirements;

when the user meets the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule, satisfying the operation request; and

when the user does not meet the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule, denying the operation request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation request comprises at least one of:

a request to access to a feature provided by the wireless terminal;

a request to access to a servicing network via the wireless terminal;

a request to access to a remote device via the wireless terminal; and

a request to access functions provided by the wireless terminal including at least address directory functions, calendar functions, and application program functions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless terminal comprises one of a cellular telephone, a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) terminal, and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of wireless terminal comprises accessing a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver of the wireless terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of wireless terminal comprises:

accessing a servicing wireless network;

sending a location determination request message to the servicing wireless network; and

receiving a location determination response message from the servicing wireless network that includes the location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising interacting with the user to establish the plurality of location based access rules.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

the user establishing the plurality of location based access rules via interaction with a server computer communicatively coupled to the wireless terminal; and

the server computer downloading the plurality of location based access rules to the wireless terminal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the user has previously met the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule; and

prompting the user to meet the corresponding authentication requirements only when the user has not previously met the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule.

9. A method for operating a wireless terminal comprising:

receiving an operation request from a user;

accessing a plurality of location based access rules based upon the operation request, each location based access rule of the plurality of location based access rules including a location parameter and an access flag;

determining a location of the wireless terminal;

selecting a location based access rule of the plurality of location based access rules based upon the location, the location based access rule having a selected access flag;

when the selected access flag compares favorably to an access flag rule, satisfying the operation request; and

when the selected access flag does not compare favorably to the access flag rule, denying the operation request.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the operation request comprises at least one of:

a request to access to a feature provided by the wireless terminal;

a request to access to a servicing network via the wireless terminal;

a request to access to a remote device via the wireless terminal; and

a request to access functions provided by the wireless terminal including at least address directory functions, calendar functions, and application program functions.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless terminal comprises one of a cellular telephone, a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) terminal, and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) terminal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the location of wireless terminal comprises accessing a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver of the wireless terminal.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the location of wireless terminal comprises:

accessing a servicing wireless network;

sending a location determination request message to the servicing wireless network; and

receiving a location determination response message from the servicing wireless network that includes the location.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising interacting with the user to establish the plurality of location based access rules.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the user establishing the plurality of location based access rules via interaction with a server computer communicatively coupled to the wireless terminal; and

the servicing wireless network server downloading the plurality of location based access rules to the wireless terminal.

16. A wireless terminal comprising:

a wireless interface;

a user interface; and

a processing unit communicatively coupled to the wireless interface and to the user interface, wherein the processing unit is operable to;

receive an operation request from a user via the user interface;

accessing a plurality of location based access rules based upon the operation request, each location based access rule of the plurality of location based access rules including a location parameter and corresponding authentication requirements;

determine a location of the wireless terminal;

select a location based access rule of the plurality of location based access rules based upon the location;

prompt the user, via the user interface, to meet the corresponding authentication requirements;

when the user meets the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule, satisfy the operation request; and

when the user does not meet the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule, deny the operation request.

17. The wireless terminal of claim 16, wherein the operation request comprises at least one of:

a request to access to a feature provided by the wireless terminal;

a request to access to a servicing network via the wireless terminal;

a request to access to a remote device via the wireless terminal; and

a request to access functions provided by the wireless terminal including at least address directory functions, calendar functions, and application program functions.

18. The wireless terminal of claim 16, wherein the wireless terminal comprises one of a cellular telephone, a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) terminal, and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) terminal.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 16, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver communicatively coupled to the processor that the processor accesses to determine the location of the wireless terminal.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 16, wherein determining the location of wireless terminal comprises:

accessing a servicing wireless network;

sending a location determination request message to the servicing wireless network; and

receiving a location determination response message from the servicing wireless network that includes the location.

21. The wireless terminal of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is further operable to interact with the user to establish the plurality of location based access rules.

22. The wireless terminal of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is further operable to download the plurality of location based access rules to the wireless terminal via the wireless interface.

23. The wireless terminal of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is further operable to:

determine whether the user has previously met the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule; and

prompt the user to meet the corresponding authentication requirements only when the user has not previously met the corresponding authentication requirements of the selected location based access rule.

24. A wireless terminal comprising:

a wireless interface;

a user interface; and

a processing unit communicatively coupled to the wireless interface and to the user interface, wherein the processing unit is operable to;

receive an operation request from a user via the user interface;

access a plurality of location based access rules based upon the operation request, each location based access rule of the plurality of location based access rules including a location parameter and an access flag;

determine a location of the wireless terminal;

select a location based access rule of the plurality of location based access rules based upon the location, the location based access rule having a selected access flag;

satisfy the operation request when the selected access flag compares favorably to an access flag rule; and

deny the operation request when the selected access flag does not compare favorably to the access flag rule.

25. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein the operation request comprises at least one of:

a request to access to a feature provided by the wireless terminal;

a request to access to a servicing network via the wireless terminal;

a request to access to a remote device via the wireless terminal; and

a request to access functions provided by the wireless terminal including at least address directory functions, calendar functions, and application program functions.

26. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein the wireless terminal comprises one of a cellular telephone, a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) terminal, and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) terminal.

27. The wireless terminal of claim 24, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver communicatively coupled to the processor that the processor accesses to determine the location of the wireless terminal.

28. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein determining the location of wireless terminal comprises:

accessing a servicing wireless network;

sending a location determination request message to the servicing wireless network; and

receiving a location determination response message from the servicing wireless network that includes the location.

29. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein the processing unit is further operable to interact with the user to establish the plurality of location based access rules.

30. The wireless terminal of claim 24, wherein the processing unit is further operable to download the plurality of location based access rules to the wireless terminal via the wireless interface.