SECURING A MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20120015629A1
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Olsen, Eric K., Pelly, Nicholas Julian
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• 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 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724634 With partially locked states, e.g. when some telephonic functional locked states or applications remain accessible in the locked states
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

In general, this disclosure describes techniques for unlocking certain functionality of a mobile computing device upon wirelessly detecting that an external device is in relatively close proximity to the mobile computing device. One example method comprises: providing a phone application and a second, different application; initiating a first mode of operation when the mobile computing device becomes locked; prohibiting user access to the second application during the first mode of operation when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect a presence of an external device; and initiating a second mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying an access password, wherein the mobile computing device allows complete user access to both the phone application and the second application during the second mode of operation.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a mobile computing device to:

provide a phone application and a second, different application on the mobile computing device, wherein the phone application is executable to process phone calls using the mobile computing device, and wherein the second application is executable to perform one or more tasks not related to processing phone calls using the mobile computing device;

initiate a first mode of operation when the mobile computing device becomes locked;

prohibit user access to the second application during the first mode of operation when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect a presence of an external device; and

initiate a second mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying an access password, wherein the mobile computing device allows complete user access to both the phone application and the second application during the second mode of operation.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the second application is executable to provide access to select content stored on the mobile computing device.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to initiate the second mode of operation comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

perform a first unlock operation for both the phone application and the second application when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device; and

perform a second unlock operation for both the phone application and the second application when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying the access password.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

when the mobile computing device is locked, allow only partial user access to process phone calls using the phone application during the first mode of operation.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to allow only partial user access to the phone application comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

configure the phone application during the first mode of operation to perform at least one of receiving an incoming phone call and making an outgoing emergency call using the mobile computing device.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the phone application is executable to process phone calls by performing at least one of receiving incoming phone calls and making outgoing phone calls, and wherein the second application is executable to perform one or more tasks not related to receiving incoming phone calls or making outgoing phone calls.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

initiate a third mode of operation when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying the access password and when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect the presence of the external device, wherein the mobile computing device allows complete user access to process phone calls using the phone application during the third mode of operation.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

initiate a third mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has not received user input specifying the access password, wherein the mobile computing device allows complete user access to process phone calls using the phone application during the third mode of operation.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has not received user input specifying the access password, the phone application is executable to receive incoming calls but not make any outgoing calls other than outgoing emergency calls.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

wirelessly detect the presence of the external device responsive to identifying a wireless communication signal transmitted by the external device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to wirelessly detect the presence of the external device comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

determine that a signal strength of the wireless communication signal exceeds a defined threshold.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to wirelessly detect the presence of the external device further comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

confirm an identity of the external device responsive to receiving an address of the external device; and

authenticate the external device.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to authenticate the external device comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

validate an encryption operation that is performed by the external device.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors of the mobile computing device to:

lock the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect the presence of the external device.

15. A method comprising:

providing, by a mobile computing device, a phone application and a second, different application, wherein the phone application is executable to process phone calls using the mobile computing device, and wherein the second application is executable to perform one or more tasks not related to processing phone calls using the mobile computing device;

initiating, by the mobile computing device, a first mode of operation when the mobile computing device becomes locked;

prohibiting, by the mobile computing device, user access to the second application during the first mode of operation when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect a presence of an external device; and

initiating, by the mobile computing device, a second mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying an access password, wherein the mobile computing device allows complete user access to both the phone application and the second application during the second mode of operation.

16. A mobile computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

a phone application operable by the one or more processors to process phone calls using the mobile computing device;

a second, different application operable by the one or more processors to perform one or more tasks not related to processing phone calls using the mobile computing device;

an operation mode module operable by the one or more processors to initiate a first mode of operation when the mobile computing device becomes locked; and

means for prohibiting user access to the second application during the first mode of operation when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect a presence of an external device,

wherein the operation mode module is operable to initiate a second mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying an access password, and

wherein the mobile computing device further comprises means for allowing complete user access to both the phone application and the second application during the second mode of operation.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the second application is operable to provide access to select content stored on the mobile computing device.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the means for prohibiting and the means for allowing comprise a user access module operable by the one or more processors, and wherein:

the user access module is operable to perform a lock operation to prohibit user access to the second application during the first mode of operation when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect a presence of an external device;

the user access module is operable to perform a first unlock operation for both the phone application and the second application when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device; and

the user access module is operable to perform a second unlock operation for both the phone application and the second application when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying the access password.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 18, wherein when the mobile computing device is locked, the user access module is operable by the one or more processors to allow only partial user access to process phone calls using the phone application during the first mode of operation.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the phone application is executable to process phone calls by performing at least one of receiving incoming phone calls and making outgoing phone calls, and wherein the second application is executable to perform one or more tasks not related to receiving incoming phone calls or making outgoing phone calls.

21. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the operation mode module is operable by the one or more processors to initiate a third mode of operation when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying the access password and when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect the presence of the external device, and wherein the operation mode module is operable by the one or more processors to initiate the third mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has not received user input specifying the access password, such that the mobile computing device allows complete user access to process phone calls using the phone application during the third mode of operation.

22. The mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has not received user input specifying the access password, the phone application is executable to receive incoming calls but not make any outgoing calls other than outgoing emergency calls.

23. The mobile computing device of claim 16, further comprising a signal detector operable to wirelessly detect the presence of the external device responsive to identifying a wireless communication signal transmitted by the external device.

24. The mobile computing device of claim 23, wherein the signal detector is operable to determine that a signal strength of the wireless communication signal exceeds a defined threshold.

25. The mobile computing device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are configured to confirm an identity of the external device responsive to receiving an address of the external device.

26. The mobile computing device of claim 23, further comprising an authentication module that is operable by the one or more processors to authenticate the external device at least by validating an encryption operation that is performed by the external device.