Providing Secure Execution of Mobile Device Workflows

• US 20130171967A1
• Filed: 01/04/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Identive Group Incorporated, NEC Laboratories America Inc (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Laboratories America Inc (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Ashour, Ayman S., Tassone, Joseph, Libin, Philip
• Application Number:
  US13/343,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20130171967A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for providing secure execution of mobile device workflows. A mobile device receives a request to launch a function on the mobile device. The mobile device displays a keypad associated with the launched function, the keypad having randomly-arranged alphanumeric characters. The mobile device receives entry of a passcode via the keypad and activates a short-range frequency interface on the mobile device upon validation of the entered passcode. The mobile device establishes a communication link with a second device using the short-range frequency interface, and executes a workflow based on data transmitted between the mobile device and the second device via the communication link.

Claims

1. A method for providing secure execution of mobile device workflows, the method comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, a request to launch a function on the mobile device;

displaying, by the mobile device, a keypad associated with the launched function, the keypad having randomly-arranged alphanumeric characters;

receiving, by the mobile device, entry of a passcode via the keypad;

activating, by the mobile device, a short-range frequency interface on the mobile device upon validation of the entered passcode;

establishing, by the mobile device, a communication link with a second device using the short-range frequency interface; and

executing, by the mobile device, a workflow based on data transmitted between the mobile device and the second device via the communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device includes a data-encoded tag, a short-range frequency reader device, or another mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the short-range frequency includes RFID, NFC, or Bluetooth.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication link includes card emulation or peer-to-peer communication link capability.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

receiving, by the mobile device from the second device, a request for authentication data;

transmitting, by the mobile device to the second device, authentication data including the entered passcode; and

providing, by the second device, access to a secure area upon validation of the authentication data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

transmitting, by the mobile device to the second device, authentication data including the entered passcode;

unlocking, by the second device, secure data stored on the second device upon validation of the authentication data; and

receiving, by the mobile device from the second device, the secure data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

transmitting, by the mobile device to the second device, authentication data including the entered passcode; and

exchanging, between the mobile device and the second device, shared content upon validation of the authentication data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

broadcasting, by the mobile device, a connection request including the entered passcode;

detecting, by the mobile device, additional devices in proximity to the mobile device by receiving responses to the connection request; and

establishing communication links between the mobile device and one or more of the additional devices upon validation of the authentication data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

enabling, by the mobile device, access to an application installed on the mobile device upon validation of the entered passcode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

automatically transmitting, by the mobile device, a message upon validation of the entered passcode.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

transmitting, by the mobile device, a request for content to a server; and

receiving, by the mobile device, the requested content from the server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the requested content includes audio content, video content, web browser content, or any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

reading, by the mobile device, a barcode based on instructions received from the second device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a workflow includes:

transmitting, by the mobile device to the second device, authentication data including the entered passcode and payment processing data;

executing, by the second device, a purchase transaction based on the payment processing data and upon validation of the authentication data; and

receiving, by the mobile device from the second device, confirmation of the executed purchase transaction.

15. The method of claim 1, activating a short-range frequency interface includes:

detecting, by the mobile device, a short-range frequency card in proximity to the mobile device;

reading, by the mobile device, data from the short-range frequency card; and

maintaining, by the mobile device, activation of the short-range frequency interface upon validation of the data read from the short-range frequency card.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the short-range frequency interface on the mobile device includes a card emulator configured to enable the mobile device to communicate with a card reader device.

17. A system for providing secure execution of mobile device workflows, the system comprising:

a mobile device configured to;

receive a request to launch a function on the mobile device;

display a keypad associated with the launched function, the keypad having randomly-arranged alphanumeric characters;

receive entry of a passcode via the keypad;

activate a short-range frequency interface on the mobile device upon validation of the entered passcode;

establish a communication link with a second device using the short-range frequency interface; and

execute a workflow based on data transmitted between the mobile device and the second device via the communication link.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second device includes a data-encoded tag, a short-range frequency reader device, or another mobile device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the short-range frequency includes RFID, NFC, or Bluetooth.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication link includes card emulation or peer-to-peer communication link capability.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

receiving, by the mobile device from the second device, a request for authentication data;

transmitting, by the mobile device to the second device, authentication data including the entered passcode; and

providing, by the second device, access to a secure area upon validation of the authentication data.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

transmitting, by the mobile device to the second device, authentication data including the entered passcode;

unlocking, by the second device, secure data stored on the second device upon validation of the authentication data; and

receiving, by the mobile device from the second device, the secure data.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

transmitting, by the mobile device to the second device, authentication data including the entered passcode;

exchanging, between the mobile device and the second device, shared content upon validation of the authentication data.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

broadcasting, by the mobile device, a connection request including the entered passcode;

detecting, by the mobile device, additional devices in proximity to the mobile device by receiving responses to the connection request; and

establishing communication links between the mobile device and one or more of the additional devices upon validation of the authentication data.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

enabling, by the mobile device, access to an application installed on the mobile device upon validation of the entered passcode.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

automatically transmitting, by the mobile device, a message upon validation of the entered passcode.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

transmitting, by the mobile device, a request for content to a server; and

receiving, by the mobile device, the requested content from the server.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the requested content includes audio content, video content, web browser content, or any combination thereof.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

reading, by the mobile device, a barcode based on instructions received from the second device.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein executing a workflow includes:

transmitting, by the mobile device to the second device, authentication data including the entered passcode and payment processing data;

executing, by the second device, a purchase transaction based on the payment processing data and upon validation of the authentication data; and

receiving, by the mobile device from the second device, confirmation of the executed purchase transaction.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein activating a short-range frequency interface includes:

detecting, by the mobile device, a short-range frequency card in proximity to the mobile device;

reading, by the mobile device, data from the short-range frequency card; and

maintaining, by the mobile device, activation of the short-range frequency interface upon validation of the data read from the short-range frequency card.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the short-range frequency interface on the mobile device includes a card emulator configured to enable the mobile device to communicate with a card reader device.

33. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage device, for providing secure execution of mobile device workflows, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a mobile device to:

receive a request to launch a function on the mobile device;

display a keypad associated with the launched function, the keypad having randomly-arranged alphanumeric characters;

receive entry of a passcode via the keypad;

activate a short-range frequency interface on the mobile device upon validation of the entered passcode;

establish a communication link with a second device using the short-range frequency interface; and

execute a workflow based on data transmitted between the mobile device and the second device via the communication link.