SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING PRIVATE INFORMATION BY USING NFC TAGS

• US 20140120877A1
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHIN, Woo-seok, PARK, Jin
• Granted Patent: US 9,247,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• 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 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• 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 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system and method for protecting private information by using a near field communication (NFC) tag is provided. A method of making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag in a device includes: receiving from the NFC tag a telephone number and call limit information related to the telephone number according to an approach to the NFC tag; determining whether a call to a target device having the received telephone number is limited based on the call limit information; and limiting a call to the target device based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method of making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag, the method performed by a device and comprising:

receiving from the NFC tag a telephone number and call limit information related to the telephone number according to an approach to the NFC tag;

determining whether a call to a target device having the received telephone number is limited, based on the call limit information; and

limiting a call to the target device based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the call limit information includes information related to a time condition for a call to the target device, and

the determining comprises determining whether a call to the target device is limited, based on whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed from a time the device approached the NFC tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the call limit information includes information related to a position condition for a call to the target device,

the method further comprises checking a position of the device according to the approach to the NFC tag, and

the determining comprises determining whether a call to the target device is limited, based on the information related to the position condition and the checked position of the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call limit information includes information related to a count condition for a call to the target device,

the method further comprises checking the number of times the device was call-connected to the target device, and

the determining comprises determining whether a call to the target device is limited, based on the information related to the count condition and the checked number of times.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the limiting comprises blocking transmission of a call connection signal from the device to the telephone number of the target device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the limiting comprises deleting the telephone number from a call log.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a call connection signal to the target device in response to a call to the target device not being limited.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a random number value from the NFC tag according to the approach to the NFC tag,

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting to a server a value obtained by computing the telephone number and the random number value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the random number value is generated by the target device and provided to the NFC tag and the server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the random number value is updated by the target device, and

the updated random number value is provided from the target device to the NFC tag and the server.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a predetermined identification value which corresponds to the telephone number according to the approach of the device to the NFC tag,

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the identification value to the server, and

the telephone number is confirmed by the server based on the computed value and the identification value.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein program instructions, which when executed by a processor of a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

12. A portable terminal device comprising:

a memory configured to store at least one program; and

a processor configured to make a call using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag by executing the at least one program,

wherein the at least one program is configured to include for executing;

receiving from the NFC tag the telephone number and call limit information related to the telephone number according to an approach to the NFC tag;

determining whether a call to a target device having the received telephone number is limited, based on the call limit information; and

limiting a call to the target device based on the determination.

13. The portable terminal device of claim 12, wherein the call limit information includes information related to a time condition for a call to the target device, and

the determining comprises determining whether a call to the target device is limited, based on whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed from a time the portable terminal device approached the NFC tag.

14. The portable terminal device of claim 12, wherein the call limit information includes information related to a position condition for a call to the target device,

the at least one program further includes instructions for executing checking a position of the portable terminal device, according to the approach to the NFC tag, and

the determining comprises determining whether a call to the target device is limited, based on the information related to the position condition and the checked position of the portable terminal device.

15. The portable terminal device of claim 12, wherein the call limit information includes information related to a count condition for a call to the target device,

the at least one program further includes executable instructions configured to check the number of times the portable terminal device was call-connected to the target device, and

the determining comprises determining whether a call to the target device is limited, based on the information related to the count condition and the checked number of calls to the target device.

16. The portable terminal device of claim 12, wherein the limiting comprises blocking transmission of a call connection signal from the portable terminal device to the target device.

17. The portable terminal device of claim 12, wherein the limiting comprises deleting the telephone number from a call log.

18. The portable terminal device of claim 12, wherein the at least one program further includes executable instructions configured to transmit a call connection signal to the target device in response to a call to the target device not being limited.

19. The portable terminal device of claim 18, wherein the at least one program further includes executable instructions configured to receive a random number value from the NFC tag according to the approach to the NFC tag,

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting to a server a value obtained by computing the telephone number and the random number value.

20. The portable terminal device of claim 19, wherein the random number value is generated by the target device and provided to the NFC tag and the server.

21. The portable terminal device of claim 19, wherein the random number value is updated by the target device, and

the updated random number value is provided from the target device to the NFC tag and the server.

22. The portable terminal device of claim 19, wherein the at least one program further includes executable instructions configured to receive a predetermined identification value which corresponds to the telephone number according to the approach of the portable terminal device to the NFC tag,

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the identification value to the server, and

the telephone number is confirmed by the server based on the computed value and the identification value.

24. A system for making a call by using a telephone number and call limiting information received from a near field communication (NFC) tag, the system comprising:

a device configured to be in communication with the NFC tag; and

a target device configured to provide the NFC tag with the telephone number and call limit information related to the target device;

wherein, in response to the device coming in communication with the NFC tag, the device is configured to receive the telephone number and call limit information and determine whether a call to the target device is limited.

25. The system for making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag of claim 24, further comprising a server located between the device and the target device.

26. The system for making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag of claim 24, wherein the device limits a call to the target device based on the determination that the call is limited.

27. The system for making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag of claim 24, wherein the call limit information includes a current time.

28. The system for making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag of claim 24, wherein the call limit information includes whether the device is within a preset range of the NFC tag.

29. The system for making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag of claim 25, wherein the server is configured to receive a random number value from the NFC tag according to an approach to the NFC tag by the device.

30. The system for making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag of claim 29, wherein the target device transmits the random number to the NFC tag.

31. The system for making a call by using a telephone number received from a near field communication (NFC) tag of claim 24, wherein the target device updates the random number.