Geospatial Cryptography

• US 20140112472A1
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saife Inc.
• Original Assignee: Saife Inc.
• Inventors: Lindteigen, Ty Brendan, Jones, James Chester
• Granted Patent: US 9,055,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• 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 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The invention includes methods for cryptographically authenticating access between devices when the devices are within a geospatial boundary comprising the first step of keeping track of the physical position of the devices using both low and, or high fidelity geospatial positioning techniques. Next, a first device determines whether any nearby mobile devices have entered the geospatial boundary. Next, the first device determines if any of the mobile devices are peers eligible for cryptographic authentication. After the first device authenticates that the other device within the geospatial boundary is a trusted peer, the devices may perform various data and, or dynamic policy operations.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating access between a fixed device and any number of mobile devices within a geospatial boundary for secure communication comprising:

keeping track of the physical position of the mobile devices using geospatial positioning techniques;

enabling the fixed device to determine whether any nearby mobile devices have entered a geospatial boundary surrounding the fixed device;

wherein the fixed device determines if any of the mobile devices are peers eligible for authentication; and

upon authenticating mobile devices within the geospatial boundary, the fixed and mobile devices perform operations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication process comprises:

a mobile device sending an encrypted signal to the fixed device;

wherein the encrypted signal includes information including the absolute or relative position of the mobile device, as well as unique identification information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the geospatial positioning technique includes high fidelity positioning such as provided by GPS, or any other geospatial positioning system capable of transmitting the absolute position of a device with a similar high degree of accuracy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geospatial position technique includes low fidelity techniques such as the use of Internet protocol (“

IP”

) addresses used to calculate the relative position of the devices or signal triangulation with cell phone triangulation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fixed device determines that a mobile device is within the geospatial boundary when the fixed and mobile device are using a common resource, such as a Wi-Fi network, or a common beacon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fixed device determines that a mobile device is within the geospatial boundary when the devices can each detect a common sensory feature;

wherein the devices are equipped with a sensory detection system based on senses such as visual, olfactory, palate, audible, tactile, or spectral.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the shape or size of the geospatial boundary is changed based on various parameters such as date, duration, frequency, temperature, or detection of malicious activity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the operations comprise electronically gathering, storing, processing, transferring, and purging data.

9. A method for authenticating access between any number of mobile devices within a fixed geospatial boundary for secure communications comprising:

keeping track of the physical position of each of the mobile devices using geospatial positioning techniques;

enabling a first mobile device to determine whether it is within a fixed geospatial boundary;

enabling said first mobile device to determine if there are any other mobile devices that are peers eligible for cryptographic authentication within the fixed geospatial boundary;

upon the first mobile device authenticating another mobile device within the geospatial boundary, the mobile devices perform operations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the authentication process comprises:

the mobile devices sending an encrypted signal to the said first mobile device;

wherein the encrypted signal includes information including the absolute or relative position of the mobile electronic device, as well as unique identification information.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the geospatial positioning technique includes high fidelity positioning such as provided by GPS, or any other geospatial positioning system capable of transmitting the absolute position of a device with a similar high degree of accuracy.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the geospatial position technique includes low fidelity techniques such as the use of Internet protocol (“

IP”

) addresses used to calculate the relative position of the devices or signal triangulation with cell phone triangulation.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first mobile device determines that a mobile device is within the geospatial boundary when the devices are using a common resource, such as a Wi-Fi network, or a common beacon.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first mobile device determines that another mobile device is within the geospatial boundary when the devices can each detect a common sensory feature;

wherein the devices are equipped with a sensory detection system based on senses such as visual, olfactory, palate, audible, tactile, or spectral.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the shape or size of the geospatial boundary is changed based on various parameters such as date, duration, frequency, temperature, or detection of malicious activity.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the operations comprise electronically gathering, storing, processing, transferring, and purging data.

17. A method for authenticating access between any number of mobile devices within a relative geospatial boundary of a first mobile device comprising:

keeping track of the physical position of the mobile devices using geospatial positioning techniques;

enabling the first mobile device to determine if any other mobile devices are within a geospatial boundary relative to the first mobile device;

enabling the first mobile device to determine if any of the other mobile devices within its relative geospatial boundary are peers eligible for authentication; and

upon the first mobile device authenticating another mobile device within its relative geospatial boundary, the mobile devices perform operations.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the authentication process comprises:

a mobile device sending an encrypted signal to the said first mobile device;

wherein the encrypted signal includes information including the absolute or relative position of the mobile electronic device, as well as unique identification information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the geospatial positioning technique includes high fidelity positioning such as provided by GPS, or any other geospatial positioning system capable of transmitting the absolute position of a device with a similar high degree of accuracy.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the geospatial position technique includes low fidelity techniques such as the use of Internet protocol (“

IP”

) addresses used to calculate the relative position of the devices or signal triangulation with cell phone triangulation.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first mobile device determines that a mobile device is within its relative geospatial boundary when the devices are using a common resource, such as a Wi-Fi network, or a common beacon.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the first mobile device determines that another mobile device is within its relative geospatial boundary when the devices can each detect a common sensory feature;

wherein the devices are equipped with a sensory detection system based on senses such as visual, olfactory, palate, audible, tactile, or spectral.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the shape or size geospatial boundary is changed based on various parameters such as date, duration, frequency, temperature, or detection of malicious activity.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the operations comprise electronically gathering, storing, processing, transferring, and purging data.