LOCATION-BASED SYSTEM PERMISSIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS AT AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20100175116A1
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gum, Arnold Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,961,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Securing access to a portable electronic device (PED), securing e-commerce transactions at an electronic device (ED) and dynamically adjusting system settings at a PED are disclosed. In an example, usage or mobility characteristics of the PED or ED (e.g., a location of the ED or PED, etc.) are compared with current parameters of the PED or ED. A determination as to whether to permit an operation (e.g., access, e-commerce transaction, etc.) at the ED or PED can be based at least in part upon a degree to which the current parameters conform with the usage or mobility characteristics. In another example, at least a current location of a PED can be used to determine which system settings to load at the PED.

Claims

1. A method of managing permission and authorization for actions and information access on a portable electronic device, comprising:

detecting an attempt to access the portable electronic device;

determining whether usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt conform with a usage profile of the portable electronic device, the usage profile including one or more pre-defined usages of the portable electronic device, each pre-defined usage associated with a location characteristic of the portable electronic device; and

permitting access to the portable electronic device if the usage characteristics are determined to conform with the usage profile.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering a learn mode, the learn mode permitting access to the portable electronic device and bypassing the determining and permitting steps; and

adding usage characteristics of the portable electronic device to the usage profile while the portable electronic device remains in the learn mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

exiting the learn mode; and

repeating the detecting, determining and permitting steps for a subsequent access attempt.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the exiting step exits the learn mode after a given amount of time that is either based on user input or defaulted at the portable electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the attempt to access the portable electronic device includes at least one of powering-up the portable electronic device, accessing information on the portable electronic device and requesting that the portable electronic device perform a given action.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the usage characteristics conform with the usage profile includes:

determining a security level associated with the detected access attempt based at least in part on the location characteristic; and

selecting one of a plurality of usage profiles based on the determined security level, the selected usage profile compared with the usage characteristics to determine conformity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the security level is further based on at least one non-location characteristic in addition to the location characteristic.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the permitting step includes:

prompting a user of the portable electronic device for authentication if the determining step indicates that the usage characteristics conform with the usage profile.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a first level of authentication associated with the user prompt is lower than a second level of authentication that would be required if the determining step indicates that the usage characteristics do not conform with the usage profile.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the permitting step permits access to the portable electronic device if the user provides adequate authentication in response to the prompting step.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

updating the usage profile with the usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt if (i) the determining step determines that the usage characteristics do not conform with the usage profile and (ii) the user provides adequate authentication in response to the prompting step.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user of the portable electronic device for authentication if the determining step indicates that the usage characteristics do not conform with the usage profile.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a first level of authentication associated with the user prompt is higher than a second level of authentication that would be required if the determining step indicates that the usage characteristics conform with the usage profile.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

if the user fails to provide adequate authentication in response to the user prompt, performing one or more of locking the portable electronic device, sending a notification indicating an access violation of the portable electronic device, encrypting information on the portable electronic device and deleting information on the portable electronic device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the determining step indicates that the usage characteristics do not conform with the usage profile, performing one or more of locking the portable electronic device, sending a notification indicating an access violation of the portable electronic device, encrypting information on the portable electronic device and deleting information on the portable electronic device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage characteristics of the portable electronic device used in the comparison include a current location of the portable electronic device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the usage characteristics further includes environmental information that describes an operating environment of the portable electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the environmental information includes one or more of detectable wireless signals or received sound.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the environmental information includes signals received at the portable electronic device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the received signals include one or more of cellular signals, WiFi signals and satellite positioning system (SPS) signals.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the location characteristic corresponds to at least one of a geographic location of the portable electronic device, whether the portable electronic device resides in a given geographic range and signals received at the portable electronic device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the received signals include one or more of cellular signals, WiFi signals and satellite positioning system (SPS) signals.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

updating the e-commerce usage profile such that, for future e-commerce transactions, the usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt indicate conformity with the e-commerce usage profile.

23. A method of establishing dynamic system settings at a portable electronic device, comprising:

determining current location information of the portable electronic device;

determining whether the current location information satisfies one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics, each of the pre-defined mobility characteristics including at least one location criterion; and

loading at least one system setting at the portable electronic device based on whether the current location information satisfies the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the loading step loads one or more security settings at the portable electronic device, the one or more security settings corresponding to a security level for the portable electronic device at a current location of the portable electronic device as indicated by the current location information.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of usage profiles based on the current location of the portable electronic device; and

determining whether to permit access to the portable electronic device based on whether usage characteristics of the portable electronic device conform with the selected usage profile.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the loading step loads one of a plurality of contexts at the portable electronic device based on whether the current location information satisfies the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics, each of the plurality of contexts being a set of system settings associated with one of the pre-defined mobility characteristics.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the loaded context includes at least one of a desktop screensaver, a desktop background, favorites links in a web browser, speed-dial settings, security settings and firewall settings.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the pre-defined mobility characteristics include a first location criterion that is related to a home of an expected user of the portable electronic device and a second location criterion that is related to a workplace of the expected user.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the loading step loads a default context if the determining step determines that the current location information does not satisfy the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the loading step loads a pre-defined context associated with a given pre-defined mobility characteristic if the current location information matches the given pre-defined mobility characteristics.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

determining whether to load a new context at the portable electronic device if the portable electronic device moves to a new location.

32. A method of securing e-commerce transactions to an electronic device, comprising:

detecting an attempt to conduct an e-commerce transaction at the electronic device;

determining whether usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt conform with an e-commerce usage profile associated with the electronic device or a user of the electronic device, the e-commerce usage profile including one or more pre-defined usages of the portable electronic device, each usage associated with a location characteristic of the portable electronic device; and

determining whether to permit the e-commerce transaction at the electronic device based on whether the usage characteristics conform with the e-commerce usage profile.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the usage characteristics include at least one of a location of the electronic device, a Web Site associated with the e-commerce transaction, types of items being purchased in the e-commerce transaction and a total transaction amount of the e-commerce transaction.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the e-commerce usage profile includes at least one of a list of locations or location ranges, a list of Web Sites, a list of item types and one or more transaction amount thresholds.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

prompting a user of the electronic device for authentication information,

wherein an authentication level associated with the user prompt is based on a degree to which the usage characteristics conform with the e-commerce usage profile.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

denying the electronic device permission to conduct the e-commerce transaction if the user does not provide adequate authentication in response to the user prompt.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

prompting the user for manual authentication in response to the denying step.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

permitting the electronic device permission to conduct the e-commerce transaction if the user provides adequate authentication in response to the user prompt.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the location characteristic corresponds to at least one of a geographic location of the electronic device, whether the electronic device resides in a given geographic range and signals received at the portable electronic device.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the received signals include one or more of cellular signals, WiFi signals and satellite positioning system (SPS) signals.

42. A method of managing settings on an electronic device, comprising:

determining a location of the electronic device;

determining a confidence level that indicates an expected accuracy of the determined location;

retrieving one or more operation level values that are associated with one or more operations from a lookup table based on the determined location and confidence level, different operation level values corresponding to different settings for an associated operation; and

executing a given operation based on an associated operation level value among the retrieved one or more operation level values.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the confidence level is based on the manner in which the location is determined.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the given operation is one of an access attempt authorization operation, a context loading operation and an e-commerce transaction operation.

45. A portable electronic device, comprising:

means for detecting an attempt to access the portable electronic device;

means for determining whether usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt conform with a usage profile of the portable electronic device, the usage profile including one or more pre-defined usages of the portable electronic device, each pre-defined usage associated with a location characteristic of the portable electronic device; and

means for permitting access to the portable electronic device if the usage characteristics are determined by the means for determining conform with the usage profile.

46. The portable electronic device of claim 45, wherein the means for determining whether the usage characteristics conform with the usage profile includes:

means for determining a security level associated with the detected access attempt based at least in part on the location characteristic; and

means for selecting one of a plurality of usage profiles based on the determined security level, the selected usage profile compared with the usage characteristics to determine conformity.

47. The portable electronic device of claim 46, further comprising:

means for performing, if the means for determining indicates that the usage characteristics do not conform with the usage profile, one or more of locking the portable electronic device, sending a notification indicating an access violation of the portable electronic device, encrypting information on the portable electronic device and deleting information on the portable electronic device.

48. The portable electronic device of claim 45, wherein the location characteristic corresponds to at least one of a geographic location of the portable electronic device, whether the portable electronic device resides in a given geographic range and signals received at the portable electronic device.

49. A portable electronic device, comprising:

means for determining current location information of the portable electronic device;

means for determining whether the current location information satisfies one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics, each of the pre-defined mobility characteristics including at least one location criterion; and

means for loading at least one system setting at the portable electronic device based on whether the current location information satisfies the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics.

50. The portable electronic device of claim 49, wherein the means for loading loads one or more security settings at the portable electronic device, the one or more security settings corresponding to a security level for the portable electronic device at a current location of the portable electronic device as indicated by the current location information.

51. The portable electronic device of claim 50, further comprising:

means for selecting one of a plurality of usage profiles based on the current location of the portable electronic device; and

means for determining whether to permit access to the portable electronic device based on whether usage characteristics of the portable electronic device conform with the selected usage profile.

52. The portable electronic device of claim 49, wherein the means for loading loads one of a plurality of contexts at the portable electronic device based on whether the current location information satisfies the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics, each of the plurality of contexts being a set of system settings associated with one of the pre-defined mobility characteristics.

53. An electronic device, comprising:

means for detecting an attempt to conduct an e-commerce transaction at the electronic device;

means for determining whether usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt conform with an e-commerce usage profile associated with the electronic device or a user of the electronic device, the e-commerce usage profile including one or more pre-defined usages of the portable electronic device, each usage associated with a location characteristic of the portable electronic device; and

means for determining whether to permit the e-commerce transaction at the electronic device based on whether the usage characteristics conform with the e-commerce usage profile.

54. The electronic device of claim 53, wherein the usage characteristics include at least one of a location of the electronic device, a Web Site associated with the e-commerce transaction, types of items being purchased in the e-commerce transaction and a total transaction amount of the e-commerce transaction.

55. The electronic device of claim 53, further comprising:

means for prompting a user of the electronic device for authentication information,

wherein an authentication level associated with the user prompt is based on a degree to which the usage characteristics conform with the e-commerce usage profile.

56. An electronic device, comprising:

means for determining a location of the electronic device;

means for determining a confidence level that indicates an expected accuracy of the determined location;

means for retrieving one or more operation level values that are associated with one or more operations from a lookup table based on the determined location and confidence level, different operation level values corresponding to different settings for an associated operation; and

means for executing a given operation based on an associated operation level value among the retrieved one or more operation level values.

57. A portable electronic device, comprising:

logic configured to detect an attempt to access the portable electronic device;

logic configured to determine whether usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt conform with a usage profile of the portable electronic device, the usage profile including one or more pre-defined usages of the portable electronic device, each pre-defined usage associated with a location characteristic of the portable electronic device; and

logic configured to permit access to the portable electronic device if the usage characteristics are determined, by the logic configured to determine, to conform with the usage profile.

58. The portable electronic device of claim 57, wherein the logic configured to determine whether the usage characteristics conform with the usage profile includes:

logic configured to determine a security level associated with the detected access attempt based at least in part on the location characteristic; and

logic configured to select one of a plurality of usage profiles based on the determined security level, the selected usage profile compared with the usage characteristics to determine conformity.

59. The portable electronic device of claim 57, further comprising:

logic configured to perform, if the logic configured to determine indicates that the usage characteristics do not conform with the usage profile, one or more of locking the portable electronic device, sending a notification indicating an access violation of the portable electronic device, encrypting information on the portable electronic device and deleting information on the portable electronic device.

60. The portable electronic device of claim 57, wherein the location characteristic corresponds to at least one of a geographic location of the portable electronic device, whether the portable electronic device resides in a given geographic range and signals received at the portable electronic device.

61. A portable electronic device, comprising:

logic configured to determine current location information of the portable electronic device;

logic configured to determine whether the current location information satisfies one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics, each of the pre-defined mobility characteristics including at least one location criterion; and

logic configured to load at least one system setting at the portable electronic device based on whether the current location information satisfies the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics.

62. The portable electronic device of claim 61, wherein the logic configured to load loads one or more security settings at the portable electronic device, the one or more security settings corresponding to a security level for the portable electronic device at a current location of the portable electronic device as indicated by the current location information.

63. The portable electronic device of claim 62, further comprising:

logic configured to select one of a plurality of usage profiles based on the current location of the portable electronic device; and

logic configured to determine whether to permit access to the portable electronic device based on whether usage characteristics of the portable electronic device conform with the selected usage profile.

64. The portable electronic device of claim 61, wherein the logic configured to load loads one of a plurality of contexts at the portable electronic device based on whether the current location information satisfies the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics, each of the plurality of contexts being a set of system settings associated with one of the pre-defined mobility characteristics.

65. An electronic device, comprising:

logic configured to detect an attempt to conduct an e-commerce transaction at the electronic device;

logic configured to determine whether usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt conform with an e-commerce usage profile associated with the electronic device or a user of the electronic device, the e-commerce usage profile including one or more pre-defined usages of the portable electronic device, each usage associated with a location characteristic of the portable electronic device; and

logic configured to determine whether to permit the e-commerce transaction at the electronic device based on whether the usage characteristics conform with the e-commerce usage profile.

66. The electronic device of claim 65, wherein the usage characteristics include at least one of a location of the electronic device, a Web Site associated with the e-commerce transaction, types of items being purchased in the e-commerce transaction and a total transaction amount of the e-commerce transaction.

67. The electronic device of claim 65, further comprising:

logic configured to prompt a user of the electronic device for authentication information,

wherein an authentication level associated with the user prompt is based on a degree to which the usage characteristics conform with the e-commerce usage profile.

68. An electronic device, comprising:

logic configured to determine a location of the electronic device;

logic configured to determine a confidence level that indicates an expected accuracy of the determined location;

logic configured to retrieve one or more operation level values that are associated with one or more operations from a lookup table based on the determined location and confidence level, different operation level values corresponding to different settings for an associated operation; and

logic configured to execute a given operation based on an associated operation level value among the retrieved one or more operation level values.

69. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a portable electronic device, cause the portable electronic device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to detect an attempt to access the portable electronic device;

program code to determine whether usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt conform with a usage profile of the portable electronic device, the usage profile including one or more pre-defined usages of the portable electronic device, each pre-defined usage associated with a location characteristic of the portable electronic device; and

program code to permit access to the portable electronic device if the usage characteristics are determined, by the program code to determine, to conform with the usage profile.

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 69, wherein the program code to determine whether the usage characteristics conform with the usage profile includes:

program code to determine a security level associated with the detected access attempt based at least in part on the location characteristic; and

program code to select one of a plurality of usage profiles based on the determined security level, the selected usage profile compared with the usage characteristics to determine conformity.

71. The computer-readable medium of claim 69, further comprising:

program code to perform, if the program code to determine indicates that the usage characteristics do not conform with the usage profile, one or more of locking the portable electronic device, sending a notification indicating an access violation of the portable electronic device, encrypting information on the portable electronic device and deleting information on the portable electronic device.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 69, wherein the location characteristic corresponds to at least one of a geographic location of the portable electronic device, whether the portable electronic device resides in a given geographic range and signals received at the portable electronic device.

73. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a portable electronic device, cause the portable electronic device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to determine current location information of the portable electronic device;

program code to determine whether the current location information satisfies one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics, each of the pre-defined mobility characteristics including at least one location criterion; and

program code to load at least one system setting at the portable electronic device based on whether the current location information satisfies the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 73, wherein the program code to load loads one or more security settings at the portable electronic device, the one or more security settings corresponding to a security level for the portable electronic device at a current location of the portable electronic device as indicated by the current location information.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 74, further comprising:

program code to select one of a plurality of usage profiles based on the current location of the portable electronic device; and

program code to determine whether to permit access to the portable electronic device based on whether usage characteristics of the portable electronic device conform with the selected usage profile.

76. The computer-readable medium of claim 73, wherein the program code to load loads one of a plurality of contexts at the portable electronic device based on whether the current location information satisfies the one or more pre-defined mobility characteristics, each of the plurality of contexts being a set of system settings associated with one of the pre-defined mobility characteristics.

77. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to detect an attempt to conduct an e-commerce transaction at the electronic device;

program code to determine whether usage characteristics associated with the detected attempt conform with an e-commerce usage profile associated with the electronic device or a user of the electronic device, the e-commerce usage profile including one or more pre-defined usages of the portable electronic device, each usage associated with a location characteristic of the portable electronic device; and

program code to determine whether to permit the e-commerce transaction at the electronic device based on whether the usage characteristics conform with the e-commerce usage profile.

78. The computer-readable medium of claim 77, wherein the usage characteristics include at least one of a location of the electronic device, a Web Site associated with the e-commerce transaction, types of items being purchased in the e-commerce transaction and a total transaction amount of the e-commerce transaction.

79. The computer-readable medium of claim 77, further comprising:

program code to prompt a user of the electronic device for authentication information,

wherein an authentication level associated with the user prompt is based on a degree to which the usage characteristics conform with the e-commerce usage profile.

80. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to determine a location of the electronic device;

program code to determine a confidence level that indicates an expected accuracy of the determined location;

program code to retrieve one or more operation level values that are associated with one or more operations from a lookup table based on the determined location and confidence level, different operation level values corresponding to different settings for an associated operation; and

program code to execute a given operation based on an associated operation level value among the retrieved one or more operation level values.