TECHNIQUES FOR IDENTIFICATION AND VALUATION USING A MULTI-POINT RADIO FINGERPRINT

• US 20150119031A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Relay Inc. (Publicis Groupe SA)
• Original Assignee: Bandwidth Inc.
• Inventors: Brownworth, L. Anders
• Granted Patent: US 9,148,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02529 not involving signal parameters, i.e. only involving identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Examples are disclosed for radio fingerprinting and for device identification and valuation using a multi-point radio fingerprint. In some examples radio fingerprinting logic may be operative for execution on a processor component to receive a set of radio frequency signals from multiple mobile computing devices at a first time, store identification information for the set of radio frequency signals, receive a subset of the set of radio frequency signals from one of the multiple mobile computing devices at a second time, associate identification information for the subset of radio frequency signals to the one mobile computing device, and generate a multi-point radio fingerprint for the one mobile computing device based on the subset of radio frequency signals. In other embodiments, radio fingerprinting logic may be operative for execution on a processor component to generate a multi-point radio fingerprint for a mobile computing device, the multi-point radio fingerprint comprising a generic identifier associated with a set of radio frequency signals output by the mobile computing device, receive device information for the mobile computing device based on identification information contained in one or more of the set of radio frequency signals, assign a device value to the mobile computing device based on the device information, and correlate the device value to the multi-point radio fingerprint. Other examples are described and claimed.

Claims

1. At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that in response to being executed on a computing device cause the computing device to:

generate a multi-point radio fingerprint for a mobile computing device, the multi-point radio fingerprint comprising a generic identifier associated with a set of radio frequency signals output by the mobile computing device;

receive device information for the mobile computing device based on identification information contained in one or more of the set of radio frequency signals;

assign a device value to the mobile computing device based on the device information; and

correlate the device value and the multi-point radio fingerprint.

2. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 1, the device information comprising one or more of manufacturer information, model information or time of activation information for the mobile computing device determined based on the identification information.

3. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 2, the identification information comprising a media access control (MAC) address for the one or more radio frequency signals.

4. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 1, the set of radio frequency signals comprising two or more different radio frequency technologies or standards.

5. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 1, comprising instructions that in response to being executed on the computing device cause the computing device to:

compare the device value for the mobile computing device to device values for multiple other mobile computing devices; and

sort the mobile computing device and the multiple other mobile computing devices based on the device values.

6. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 1, comprising instructions that in response to being executed on the computing device cause the computing device to generate a graphical representation of the mobile computing device for display on a display device, the graphical representation including the device value.

7. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 1, comprising instructions that in response to being executed on the computing device cause the computing device to:

passively receive multiple radio frequency signals from multiple mobile computing devices at a first time;

store identification information for the multiple radio frequency signals and multiple mobile computing devices;

receive the set of radio frequency signals from the mobile computing device at a second time;

associate identification information for the set of radio frequency signals to the mobile computing device; and

generate the multi-point radio fingerprint for the mobile computing device based on the set of radio frequency signals.

8. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 1, comprising instructions that in response to being executed on the computing device cause the computing device to correlate temporary identification information for a first radio frequency signal of the set of radio frequency signals with permanent identification information for a second radio frequency signal of the subset of radio frequency signals to generate the multi-point radio fingerprint.

9. The at least one machine-readable medium of claim 8, the first radio frequency signal having a greater range than the second radio frequency signal.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor component;

at least one RF receiver component to passively receive a set of radio frequency signals from multiple mobile computing devices; and

radio fingerprinting logic to be executed by the processor component to generate a multi-point radio fingerprint for a mobile computing device, the multi-point radio fingerprint comprising a generic identifier associated with a set of radio frequency signals output by the mobile computing device, receive device information for the mobile computing device based on identification information contained in one or more of the set of radio frequency signals, assign a device value to the mobile computing device based on the device information, and correlate the device value and the multi-point radio fingerprint.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, the at least one RF receiver component comprising a Software Defined Radio (SDR).

12. The apparatus of claim 10, the device information comprising one or more of manufacturer information, model information or time of activation information for the mobile computing device determined based on the identification information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the identification information comprising a media access control (MAC) address for the one or more radio frequency signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, the set of radio frequency signals comprising two or more different radio frequency technologies or standards.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, the radio fingerprinting logic to compare the device value for the mobile computing device to device values for multiple other mobile computing devices and sort the mobile computing device and the multiple other mobile computing devices based on the device values.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, the radio fingerprinting logic to generate a graphical representation of the mobile computing device for display on a display device, the graphical representation including the device value.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, the radio fingerprinting logic to:

passively receive multiple radio frequency signals from multiple mobile computing devices at a first time;

store identification information for the multiple radio frequency signals and multiple mobile computing devices;

receive the set of radio frequency signals from the mobile computing device at a second time;

associate identification information for the set of radio frequency signals to the mobile computing device; and

generate the multi-point radio fingerprint for the mobile computing device based on the set of radio frequency signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, the radio fingerprinting logic to correlate temporary identification information for a first radio frequency signal of the set of radio frequency signals with permanent identification information for a second radio frequency signal of the subset of radio frequency signals to generate the multi-point radio fingerprint.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the first radio frequency signal having a greater range than the second radio frequency signal.

20. A system, comprising:

a processor component;

memory coupled to the processor component;

one or more passive radio receivers coupled to the processor component;

one or more antennas coupled to the one or more radios; and

radio fingerprinting logic to be executed by the processor component to generate a multi-point radio fingerprint for a mobile computing device, the multi-point radio fingerprint comprising a generic identifier associated with a set of radio frequency signals output by the mobile computing device, receive device information for the mobile computing device based on identification information contained in one or more of the set of radio frequency signals, assign a device value to the mobile computing device based on the device information, and correlate the device value and the multi-point radio fingerprint.

21. The system of claim 20, the one or more passive radio receivers comprising a Software Defined Radio (SDR).

22. The system of claim 20, the device information comprising one or more of manufacturer information, model information or time of activation information for the mobile computing device determined based on the identification information.

23. The system of claim 22, the identification information comprising a media access control (MAC) address for the one or more radio frequency signals.

24. The system of claim 20, the set of radio frequency signals comprising two or more different radio frequency technologies or standards.

25. The system of claim 20, the radio fingerprinting logic to compare the device value for the mobile computing device to device values for multiple other mobile computing devices and sort the mobile computing device and the multiple other mobile computing devices based on the device values.

26. The system of claim 20, the radio fingerprinting logic to generate a graphical representation of the mobile computing device for display on a display device, the graphical representation including the device value.

27. The system of claim 20, the radio fingerprinting logic to:

passively receive multiple radio frequency signals from multiple mobile computing devices at a first time;

store identification information for the multiple radio frequency signals and multiple mobile computing devices;

receive the set of radio frequency signals from the mobile computing device at a second time;

associate identification information for the set of radio frequency signals to the mobile computing device; and

generate the multi-point radio fingerprint for the mobile computing device based on the set of radio frequency signals.

28. The system of claim 20, the radio fingerprinting logic to correlate temporary identification information for a first radio frequency signal of the set of radio frequency signals with permanent identification information for a second radio frequency signal of the subset of radio frequency signals to generate the multi-point radio fingerprint.

29. The system of claim 28, the first radio frequency signal having a greater range than the second radio frequency signal.