Accessing a Primary Device Using a Wearable Device and a Wireless Link

• US 20150058942A1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dermu, Francois M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• 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: 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of operation includes detecting that a wearable device is being worn, receiving a certificate from a primary device over a secure wireless link where the wearable device is paired to the primary device using the secure wireless link, storing the certificate in memory of the wearable device, and sending the certificate, over the secure wireless link, to the primary device to unlock the primary device. The method may further include detecting that the wearable device is no longer being worn, and eradicating the certificate from memory of the wearable device in response to detecting that the wearable device is no longer being worn. In some embodiments, the method may also include detecting that the secure wireless link is disconnected, and eradicating the certificate from memory of the wearable device in response to detecting that the secure wireless link is disconnected. The present disclosure also provides a wearable device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a wearable device, that the wearable device is being worn;

receiving, by the wearable device, a certificate from a primary device over a secure wireless link, the wearable device being paired to the primary device using the secure wireless link;

storing the certificate in memory of the wearable device; and

sending the certificate, over the secure wireless link, to the primary device to unlock the primary device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the wearable device is no longer being worn; and

eradicating the certificate from memory of the wearable device in response to detecting that the wearable device is no longer being worn.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the secure wireless link between the wearable device and the primary device is disconnected; and

eradicating the certificate from memory of the wearable device in response to detecting that the secure wireless link between the wearable device and the primary device is disconnected.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

unlocking the primary device in response to the primary device receiving the certificate from the wearable device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to unlock the primary device over the secure wireless link; and

sending the certificate, over the secure wireless link, to the primary device to unlock the primary device in response to the request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the certificate by the primary device in response to establishing the secure wireless link with the wearable device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a certificate by the primary device from the wearable device via the secure wireless link;

authenticating the certificate by the primary device; and

unlocking the primary device in response to authenticating the certificate.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the primary device is in proximity to the wearable device; and

sending the certificate to the primary device, to unlock the primary device, in response to detecting that the primary device is in proximity to the wearable device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the wearable device is in proximity to the primary device; and

sending a request to the wearable device, requesting the certificate, in response to detecting that the wearable device is in proximity to the primary device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting that the primary device is in proximity to the wearable device using near field communication technology.

11. A wearable device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver, operative to pair with a primary device to establish a secure wireless link therewith;

a wear sensor;

wear detection logic, operatively coupled to the wear sensor, the wear detection logic operative to detect that the wearable device is being worn by using the wear sensor;

a certificate handler, operatively coupled to the wear detection logic, the certificate handler operative to receive a certificate from a primary device over a secure wireless link when the wearable device being is paired to the primary device using the secure wireless link and to send the certificate, over the secure wireless link, to the primary device to unlock the primary device

memory, operatively coupled to the certificate handler and operative to store the certificate.

12. The wearable device of claim 11, wherein the wear detection logic is further operative to detect that the wearable device is no longer being worn;

and wherein the certificate handler is further operative to eradicate the certificate from the memory of the wearable device in response to detecting that the wearable device is no longer being worn.

13. The wearable device of claim 11, wherein the certificate handler is further operative to:

communicate with the wireless transceiver by way of a wireless protocol stack and to detect that the secure wireless link between the wearable device and the primary device is disconnected; and

eradicate the certificate from memory of the wearable device in response to detecting that the secure wireless link between the wearable device and the primary device is disconnected.

14. The wearable device of claim 11, wherein the certificate handler is further operative to receive a request to unlock the primary device over the secure wireless link;

and send the certificate, over the secure wireless link, to the primary device to unlock the primary device in response to the request.

15. The wearable device of claim 11, further comprising:

a proximity detector, operative to detect that the primary device is in proximity to the wearable device; and

wherein the certificate handler is further operative to send the certificate to the primary device, to unlock the primary device, in response to detecting that the primary device is in proximity to the wearable device.

16. The wearable device of claim 15, wherein the proximity detector is a near field communication proximity detector.

17. A system comprising the wearable device of claim 11, and further comprising:

a primary device, comprising;

a primary device wireless transceiver, operative to communicate with the wearable device wireless transceiver to establish the secure wireless link therewith;

a certificate generator, operatively coupled to the primary device wireless transceiver; and

primary device lock logic, operatively coupled to the primary device wireless transceiver, the primary device lock logic operative to unlock the primary device in response to receiving the certificate from the wearable device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the certificate generator is operative to generate the certificate in response to the primary device wireless transceiver establishing the secure wireless link with the wearable device wireless transceiver.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the primary device lock logic is further operative to:

receive a certificate from the wearable device via the secure wireless link;

authenticate the certificate; and

unlock the primary device in response to authenticating the certificate.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the primary device further comprises:

a proximity detector, operatively coupled to the primary device lock logic, the proximity detector operative to detect that the wearable device is in proximity to the primary device; and

wherein the certificate generator is further operative to send a request to the wearable device, requesting the certificate, in response to detecting that the wearable device is in proximity to the primary device.