APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING LOCATION BASED SECURITY FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A REMOTE DEVICE

• US 20100109835A1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: HUNTZICKER, FRED W., ALRABADY, ANSAF I., RACKLYEFT, DAVID
• Granted Patent: US 9,356,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• 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 for providing location based security for communication between a remote device and a mobile device having a global positioning system receiver for determining its current position. The method comprises receiving geographic data from the remote device, determining if the mobile device is within a predetermined geographic region based on the geographic data and the current position, and enabling subsequent communication with the remote device when the current position is within the predetermined geographic region.

Claims

1. A method for providing location based security for communication between a remote device and a mobile device having a global positioning system receiver for determining its current position, the method comprising:

receiving geographic data from the remote device;

determining if the mobile device is within a predetermined geographic region based on the geographic data and the current position; and

enabling subsequent communication with the remote device when the current position is within the predetermined geographic region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a digital signature, wherein a trusted entity generates the digital signature by digitally signing a message that comprises the geographic data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising verifying that the digital signature was generated by the trusted entity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving a digital certificate from the remote device, the digital certificate comprising the geographic data and the digital signature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving the digital certificate as part of a handshake procedure for establishing a secure connection between the remote device and the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving the digital certificate as part of a Transport Layer Security handshake procedure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic data comprises coordinates of a location and the step of determining further comprises determining if the distance between the location and the current position of the mobile device is less than a predetermined threshold distance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic data comprises coordinates of a location and the step of determining further comprises determining if the current position of the mobile device is within a predetermined geographic region having a predetermined shape and size and that is positioned based on the coordinates of the location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic data comprises coordinates for a plurality of points that define a boundary for the predetermined geographic region and the step of determining comprises determining if the current position of the mobile device is within the bounded geographic region.

10. An apparatus for providing location based security for communication between a vehicle and a remote device, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless transceiver coupled to the vehicle;

a global positioning system receiver coupled to the vehicle for determining a current position of the vehicle; and

a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver and the global positioning system receiver, the processor configured to;

receive a digital certificate comprising geographic data and a corresponding digital signature from the remote device via the wireless transceiver;

verify that the digital certificate was issued by a trusted certificate authority; and

determine if the vehicle is positioned within a predetermined geographic region based on the geographic data and the current position of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the digital certificate during a handshake procedure for establishing a secure connection with the remote device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the digital certificate during a Transport Layer Security handshake procedure.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the geographic data comprises coordinates of a location.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine if the distance between the location and the current position of the vehicle is less than a predetermined threshold distance.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor determines if the current position of the vehicle is within a predetermined geographic region that has a predetermined shape and size and that is positioned based on the coordinates of the location.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the geographic data comprises coordinates of a plurality of points that define a boundary for the predetermined geographic region and the processor is further configured to determine if the current position of the vehicle is within the bounded geographic region.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to enable subsequent communication with the remote device regarding the vehicle when the vehicle is within the predetermined geographic region.

18. An apparatus for establishing a secure connection with a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface for communicating with the vehicle;

a processor coupled to the network interface and configured to;

transmit geographic data and an associated digital signature to the vehicle, wherein the geographic data corresponds to a predetermined geographic region;

receive data regarding the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned within the predetermined geographic region.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a digital certificate issued by a trusted certificate authority to the vehicle, the digital certificate comprising geographic data and the associated digital signature.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the digital certificate to the vehicle during a Transport Layer Security handshake procedure.