METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ACCESS TO SECURE RESOURCES

• US 20120075062A1
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Osman, Steven, Stafford, Jeffrey Roger, Zhu, Yunpeng
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/14 With a sequence of inputs of different identification information
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A system and method for accessing secured resources using a portable device. When a user with such a portable device is within close proximity to a locked door or other secured resource, a verification process can be automatically initiated on the device. The user verification could utilize all the input and sensor methods on the device. Once the identification process has successfully completed, an access code can be transmitted to the locked door or device via wired or wireless network. This allows for reduced electronics required at these locked doors and allows for more dynamic security measures.

Claims

1. A method for an external a device to gain access to a secure area of a resource, comprising:

transmitting a signal that identifies the device as capable of authentication;

receiving an initiation of communication with the resource;

responding to the initiation of communication by transmitting one or more authentication mechanisms of the device, the authentication mechanisms being hardware devices for identifying an attribute of a user of the device;

receiving a request for use of one or more of the authentication mechanisms;

transmitting a token for each of the requested authentication mechanisms; and

gaining access to the secure area in response to acceptance of the one or more of the tokens by the resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiation is a wireless communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a portable device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication mechanism is possession of the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication mechanism is a biometric.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein biometric includes retinal scan data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication mechanism is a passcode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device transmits an activation signal to the resource.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the device transmits an electrical power generation signal to the resource.

10. A method for a resource to grant access to a secure area of the resource to an external device, comprising:

receiving a signal from the external device that is capable of authentication;

initiating a communication with the external device;

receiving a list of one or more authentication tokens the external device is capable of providing, the authentication tokens being results of hardware devices for identifying an attribute of a user of the external device;

transmitting a request for one or more authentication tokens;

receiving one or more authentication tokens in response to the request; and

granting to the external device access to the secure area based upon acceptability of the one or more authentication tokens.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication is a wireless communication.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the authentication token is from a biometric device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the resource transmits an activation signal to the external device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the resource transmits electrical power to the external device.

15. A portable device for gaining access to a secure area of a resource, comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a signal that identifies the device as capable of authentication;

a receiver to receive an initiation of a communication with the resource;

a controller to respond to the initiation of the communication by transmitting one or more authentication mechanisms of the device;

wherein the receiver receives a request for use of one or more of the authentication mechanisms;

wherein the transmitter transmits a token for each of the requested authentication mechanisms; and

wherein the device gains access to the secure area in response to acceptance of the one or more of the tokens by the resource.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the communication is a wireless communication.

17. An authentication unit of a resource for granting access to a secure area of the resource to an external device, comprising:

a first receiver to receive a signal from the external device that is capable of authentication;

a communicator to initiate a communication with the external device;

wherein the receiver receives a list of one or more authentication tokens the external device is capable of providing, the authentication tokens being results of hardware devices for identifying an attribute of a user of the external device;

a transmitter to transmit a request for one or more authentication tokens;

wherein the receiver receives one or more authentication tokens in response to the request; and

an authenticator to grant the external device access to the secure area based upon acceptability of the one or more authentication tokens.

18. The authentication unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein the communication is wireless.