SECURE SHORT-DISTANCE-BASED COMMUNICATION AND VALIDATION SYSTEM FOR ZONE-BASED VALIDATION

• US 20160055690A1
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: RAINA, Sunil, Cuddihey, Alden, Somani, Avishek, Butler, Scott Thomas, Archibald, Douglas Arthur Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,633,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00325 and the lock having only one limited data transmission range
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• 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 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing

Abstract

A secure short-distance-based communication and validation system validates users in a validation area. The system may include multiple zones in the validation area and beacons in each zone. A run-time mobile device identifier and keys that may be location-specific, device-specific and time-specific are generated and utilized for secure communication between mobile devices and a zone computer in a zone. The validation area may be in a vehicle, and validation may include deducting a fare.

Claims

1. A secure short-distance-based communication and validation system to validate users in a validation area, the system comprising:

a plurality of beacons in each zone of a plurality of zones in a validation area; and

a plurality of zone computers, wherein each zone computer is associated with a different zone and each zone computer comprises;

a short-distance communication interface to communicate with a mobile device if the mobile device is in a zone of the zone computer and if the mobile device is determined to be in a settled state based on sensor measurements measuring motion of the mobile device; and

a processor to determine whether the mobile device is in the zone of the zone computer and determine whether a mobile device unique identifier is received from the mobile device via the short-distance communication interface, wherein the mobile device unique identifier is determined based on the broadcasted signals received from the beacons for the zone of the zone computer,

in response to determining the mobile device is in the zone of the zone computer and in response to determining the mobile device unique identifier is received, the processor determines whether a user associated with the mobile device is validated, and

in response to determining the user is validated, sending a signal to the mobile device indicating the user is validated.

2. The secure short-distance-based communication and validation system of claim 1, wherein the validation area is mobile, and the mobile device is determined to be in the settled state in the validation area if the mobile device is determined to be stationary for a predetermined period of time while the validation area is moving.

3. The secure short-distance-based communication and validation system of claim 1, wherein the validation area is a vehicle, and to validate the user, a fare for riding in the vehicle is deducted from an account of the user.

4. The secure short-distance-based communication and validation system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device unique identifier is unique to the mobile device and a current location of the mobile device when it transmits the mobile device unique identifier to the zone computer of the zone where the mobile device is located.

5. The secure short-distance-based communication and validation system of claim 1, wherein the processor uses one or more encryption keys to securely transmit messages to the mobile device in response to determining the mobile device is in the sub-location of the zone computer.

6. The secure short-distance-based communication and validation system of claim 5, wherein to securely transmit the messages to the mobile device, the processor encrypts the messages with the one or more encryption keys.

7. The a secure short-distance-based communication and validation system of claim 1, wherein the zone computer comprises a network interface, and the zone computer communicates with a backend server via the network interface to validate the user.

8. A mobile device comprising:

at least one short-distance communication interface to receive a beacon identifier (ID) from at least one beacon in a validation area;

a data storage storing an operating system and a validation application; and

a motion sensor measuring the motion of the mobile device;

a processor executing the operating system, wherein the operating system determines whether the received beacon ID is a registered beacon ID, and in response to determining the beacon ID is a registered beacon ID, launching the validation application stored on the mobile device, wherein

the validation application, in response to being launched, is executed by the processor, and the validation application determines whether the mobile device is in a zone of a validation area, wherein the validation area includes a plurality of zones, and determines whether the mobile device is in a settled state based on measurements from the motion sensor;

in response to determining the mobile device is in the zone and the mobile device is in the settled state, calculating a mobile device unique identifier for the mobile device based on the beacon ID, wherein the mobile device unique identifier is only valid for the mobile device and the zone where the mobile device is currently located,

wherein the validation application engages in secure communication with a zone computer for the zone using the mobile device unique identifier via the at least one short-distance communication interface to validate a user associated with the mobile device.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the validation area is mobile, and the mobile device is determined to be in the settled state in the validation area if the mobile device is determined to be stationary for a predetermined period of time while the validation area is moving.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the validation area is a vehicle, and to validate the user, a fare for riding in the vehicle is deducted from an account of the user.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the mobile device unique identifier is calculated based on at least one of a signal strength of a received signal from the at least one beacon, a major ID of the beacon ID, and a minor ID of the beacon ID.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the mobile device includes an input/output (I/O) device, and the validation application receives a message from the zone computer indicating whether the user is validated, and generates an indication of whether the user is validated through the I/O device.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein to determine whether the mobile device is at the zone, the validation application executing tap-based detection by sending a near-field signal to the zone computer and determining whether a near-field response signal is received from the zone computer.

14. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein to determine whether the mobile device is at the zone, the validation application executing triangulation-based detection by receiving signals from at three beacons associated with the zone and determining from the received signals whether the mobile device is in the zone.

15. A mobile device validation method comprising:

receiving signals from beacons via at least one short-distance communication interface of a mobile device;

determining whether the mobile device is in a validation area based on the received signals;

determining whether the mobile device is in a settled state based on measurements from a motion sensor of the mobile device; and

in response to determining the mobile device is in the validation area and in a settled state, exchanging messages with a zone computer for the validation area via the at least one short-distance communication interface to validate a user associated with the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the validation area is mobile, and determining whether the mobile device is in a settled state in the validation area comprises:

determining whether the mobile device is stationary while the validation area is moving.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining whether the mobile device is stationary while the validation area is moving comprises:

determining whether the mobile device is stationary for a predetermined period of time while the validation area is moving.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving an indication from the zone computer that the user is validated, wherein the user is validated for a zone of the validation area;

storing an indication of the validation for the zone;

receiving a second signal from at least one of the beacons in the zone; and

ignoring the second signal based on the stored indication if the mobile device did not leave the zone since the validation.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving an indication from the zone computer that the user is validated, wherein the user is validated for a zone of the validation area;

storing an indication of the validation for the zone;

receiving a second signal from at least one of beacons in a second zone in the validation area;

ignoring the second signal based on the stored indication if the validation for the mobile device is applicable to the second zone; and

validating the user for the second zone if the validation for the mobile device is not applicable to the second zone.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein validating the user associated with the mobile device comprises:

exchanging the messages to deduct a fare payment from an account of the user according to fare payment rules.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the validation area is in a vehicle and the fare payment is for riding in the vehicle to a destination, the method comprising:

receiving a second signal via the at least one short-distance communication interface of the mobile device from a second beacon associated with a second computer indicating the mobile device is leaving the vehicle or the station, wherein an amount of the fare payment is determined from a location where the mobile device exited the vehicle or the station.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the validation area is in a vehicle and the fare payment is for riding in the vehicle to a destination, and a predetermined fare is deducted from an account of the user in response to receiving a validation message from the mobile device.

23. A method performed by a zone computer in a secure short-distance-based communication and validation system to validate users in a validation area including a plurality of zones and each zone includes a plurality of beacons, the method comprising:

determining whether a mobile device is in a zone associated with the zone computer;

determining whether a mobile device unique identifier is received from the mobile device via a short-distance communication interface of the zone computer, wherein the mobile device unique identifier is derived from broadcasted signals received at the mobile device from the beacons in the zone, and the mobile device unique identifier is generated by the mobile device if the mobile device is in the zone of the zone computer and if the mobile device is determined to be in a settled state based on sensor measurements measuring motion of the mobile device;

in response to determining the mobile device is in the zone of the zone computer and in response to determining the mobile device unique identifier is received, determining whether a user associated with the mobile device is validated; and

communicating a result of the validation determination to the mobile device via the short distance interface, wherein determining whether the user is validated and communicating the result of the validation comprises securely exchanging messages with the mobile device using the mobile device unique identifier, and the mobile device unique identifier is unique to the mobile device and a current location of the mobile device at the zone.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the validation area is in a vehicle, and to validate the user, a fare for riding in the vehicle is deducted from an account of the user, and determining whether the user is validated comprises:

determining whether the fare was deducted from the user account or determining the user account is enabled for automatically debiting the fare.