IDENTITY VERIFICATION USING LOCATION OVER TIME INFORMATION

• US 20080033637A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuhlman, Douglas A., Puhl, Larry C., Li, Yi Q.
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The identity of a user of a mobile device is verified by the mobile device accessing the location of the mobile device over recent time to obtain a current route, comparing a feature of the current route to characteristic features of previous routes stored on the mobile device. The user is verified if the feature of the current route matches a characteristic feature of previous routes. The previous routes may be obtained by tracking the location of the mobile device over time to obtain a number of routes, identifying characteristic features of the routes, and storing the characteristic features of the routes.

Claims

1. A method for verifying the identity of a user of a mobile device, the method comprising:

determining the location of the mobile device over recent time to obtain a current route;

comparing a feature of the current route to characteristic features of previous routes; and

verifying the user if the feature of the current route matches a characteristic feature of the previous routes.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring the location of the mobile device over time to obtain a plurality of routes;

identifying characteristic features of the plurality of routes; and

storing the characteristic features of the plurality of routes.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising assigning weightings to the characteristic features.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising the user controlling whether routes are stored.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein determining the location of the mobile device over time comprises recording location coordinates and times.

6. A mobile device operable to perform the method of claim 1

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the user entering location and time information to the mobile device.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising limiting operation of the mobile device if a new route is detected, until the user'"'"'s identity is verified by another method.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the characteristic features of previous routes are stored on the mobile device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the characteristic features of previous routes are stored on a remote device that is accessible to the mobile device.

11. A computer readable medium containing programming instructions that, when executed on a processor, perform the method of claim 1.

12. A mobile device comprising:

a positioning unit for identifying the location of the mobile device at a plurality of times to obtain a current route and a plurality of previous routes;

a processor operable to receive routes from the positioning unit and to identify characteristic features of the plurality of previous routes and to identity a feature of the current route; and

a memory, coupled to the processor and operable to store the characteristic features of the plurality of previous routes,

wherein the processor is further operable to compare the feature of the current route with the characteristic features of previous routes and wherein the identity of a user of the mobile device is verified if the feature of the current route matches a characteristic feature of the plurality of previous routes.

13. A mobile device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the positioning unit comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS).

14. A mobile device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the positioning unit comprises a radio frequency positioning unit.

15. A mobile device in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a wireless communication circuit operable to access a remote device, wherein the processor is operable to verify the identity of a user if the user attempts to access the remote device.

16. A mobile device operable to verify the identity of a user of the mobile device, the mobile device comprising:

a means for determining the location of the mobile device over recent time to obtain a current route; and

a means for comparing a feature of the current route to characteristic features of previous routes stored on the mobile device,

wherein the identity of the user is verified if the feature of the current route matches a characteristic feature of previous routes.

17. A mobile device in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

a means for acquiring the location of the mobile device over time to obtain a plurality of routes;

a means for identifying characteristic features of the plurality of routes; and

a memory means for storing the characteristic features of the plurality of routes in the mobile device.

18. A mobile device in accordance with claim 17, further comprising an interface means for enabling the user to activate and deactivate the means for tracking the location of the mobile device over time.

19. A method for generating information to facilitate verification of the identity of a user of a mobile device, the method comprising:

determining the location of the mobile device over recent time to obtain a current route;

quantifying the degree of match between the current route and a previous route stored on the mobile device to generate a match score; and

outputting the match score to facilitate verification of the identity of a user of a mobile device.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, further comprising:

acquiring the location of the mobile device over time to obtain a plurality of previous routes;

storing the plurality of previous routes in the mobile device.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, further comprising applying weightings to the plurality of previous routes, wherein the match score is at least partially dependent on the weighting.

22. A mobile device operable to perform the method of claim 21.