GPS-BASED PROVISIONING FOR MOBILE TERMINALS

• US 20110004756A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Caballero, Aldo, Yeakley, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1013 to locations

Abstract

A computing device to enable a feature thereof according to a current location and a control method thereof, the computing device including: a location unit to determine the current location of the computing device; and a licensing unit to determine whether the current location corresponds to a predetermined authorized location, and to enable the feature if the current location corresponds to the authorized location. Accordingly, a permission to use a software feature or a hardware feature of the computing device can be controlled according to the current location of the computing device.

Claims

1. A computing device to enable a feature thereof according to a current location, the computing device comprising:

a location unit to determine the current location of the computing device; and

a licensing unit to determine whether the current location corresponds to a predetermined authorized location, and to enable the feature if the current location corresponds to the authorized location.

2. The computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the location unit generates location information including a coordinate pair according to the current location; and

the licensing unit determines if the coordinate pair corresponds to a predetermined authorized coordinate pair, and enables the feature if the coordinate pair corresponds to the authorized coordinate pair.

3. The computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, if the licensing unit enables the feature, the location unit periodically determines a new current location of the computing device according to a predetermined time interval, and the licensing unit disables the feature if the new current location does not correspond to the authorized location.

4. The computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the licensing unit enables the feature if the current location corresponds to a predetermined authorized location embedded in a license key of the feature.

5. The computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the licensing unit enables the feature with a license key that is encrypted with a coordinate pair of the authorized location, such that the licensing unit determines that the current location corresponds to the authorized location if the licensing unit decrypts the license key with a coordinate pair of the current location.

6. The computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the authorized location is an area including N number of area cells, each having a predetermined size;

the location unit converts the current location of the computing device to a coordinate pair of a reference point of an area cell including the current location, the area cell having the predetermined size; and

the licensing unit determines whether the converted coordinate pair is the reference point of any of the N number of area cells of the authorized location, and enables the feature if the converted coordinate pair is the reference point of any of the N number of area cells.

7. The computing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reference point is a center of the corresponding area cell.

8. The computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the authorized location is an area including N number of area cells, each having a predetermined size, and a first coordinate pair of a reference point of a center area cell, among the N number of area cells;

the location unit converts the current location of the computing device to a second coordinate pair of the reference point of an area cell including the current location, the area cell having the predetermined size, and determines the first coordinate pair, and a length of at least one edge of the authorized location, a radius or a diameter of the authorized location, a shape of the authorized location, and/or an area of the authorized location;

the licensing unit determines whether a third coordinate pair matches the first coordinate pair and enables the feature if the third coordinate pair matches the first coordinate pair; and

the third coordinate pair is of the reference point of any of N number of area cells in an area having the shape and the area of the authorized location, determined according to the determined length of the at least one edge of the authorized location, the radius or the diameter of the authorized location, the shape of the authorized location, and/or the area of the authorized location, and having, as a center, the area cell including the current location.

9. The computing device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first coordinate pair, and the length of the at least one edge of the authorized location, the radius or the diameter of the authorized location, the shape of the authorized location, and/or the area of the authorized location are embedded in a non-encrypted portion of a license key of the feature, or embedded in a portion of the license key that is encrypted with a public encryption key.

10. A method of enabling a feature of a computing device according to a current location of the computing device, the method comprising:

determining the current location of the computing device;

determining whether the current location corresponds to a predetermined authorized location; and

enabling the feature if the current location corresponds to the authorized location.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

if the feature is enabled, periodically determining a new current location of the computing device according to a predetermined time interval, and disabling the feature if the new current location does not correspond to the authorized location.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the determining of whether the current location corresponds to the authorized location comprises determining whether the current location corresponds to a predetermined authorized location embedded in a license key of the feature.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the enabling of the feature comprises enabling the feature with a license key that is encrypted with a coordinate pair of the authorized location; and

the determining of whether the current location corresponds to the authorized location comprises determining that the current location corresponds to the authorized location if the license key is decrypted with a coordinate pair of the current location.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the authorized location is an area including N number of area cells, each having a predetermined size;

the determining of the current location comprises converting the current location of the computing device to a coordinate pair of a reference point of an area cell including the current location of the computing device, the area cell having the predetermined size;

the determining of whether the current location corresponds to the authorized location comprises determining whether the converted coordinate pair is the reference point of any of the N number of cells of the authorized location; and

the enabling of the feature comprises enabling the feature if the converted coordinate pair is the reference point of any of the N number of area cells.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the reference point is a center of the corresponding area cell.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the authorized location is an area including N number of area cells, each having a predetermined size, and a first coordinate pair of a reference point of a center area cell, among the N number of area cells;

the determining of the current location comprises converting the current location of the computing device to a second coordinate pair of the reference point of an area cell including the current location, the area cell having the predetermined size, and determining the first coordinate pair, and a length of at least one edge of the authorized location, a radius or a diameter of the authorized location, a shape of the authorized location, and/or an area of the authorized location;

the determining of whether the current location corresponds to the authorized location comprises determining whether a third coordinate pair matches the first coordinate pair, wherein the third coordinate pair is of the reference point of any of N number of area cells in an area having the shape and the area of the authorized location, determined according to the determined length of the at least one edge of the authorized location, the radius or the diameter of the authorized location, the shape of the authorized location, and/or the area of the authorized location, and having, as a center, the area cell including the current location; and

the enabling of the feature comprises enabling the feature if the third coordinate pair matches the first coordinate pair.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first coordinate pair, and the length of the at least one edge of the authorized location, the radius or the diameter of the authorized location, the shape of the authorized location, and/or the area of the authorized location are embedded in a non-encrypted portion of a license key of the feature, or embedded in a portion of the license key that is encrypted with a public encryption key.

18. A portable data terminal (PDT) to enable a feature thereof according to a current location, the PDT comprising:

a Global Positioning System receiver to determine the current location of the PDT;

at least one memory unit to store at least one software feature;

at least one data input device to receive a user input;

a display unit to display data generated by the PDT;

at least one communication unit to transmit and/or to receive data to/from an outside source;

at least one data collection subsystem to generate data according to a received waveform or collected light; and

at least one processing unit to determine whether the current location corresponds to a predetermined authorized location, and to enable one or more of the at least one data input device, the display unit, the at least one communication unit, the at least one data collection subsystem, and/or the at least one software feature if the current location corresponds to the authorized location.

19. The PDT as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one processing unit enables the feature if the current location corresponds to a predetermined authorized location embedded in a license key of the feature.

20. The PDT as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one processing unit enables the feature with a license key that is encrypted with a coordinate pair of the authorized location, such that the at least one processing unit determines that the current location corresponds to the authorized location if the at least one processing unit decrypts the license key with a coordinate pair of the current location.