VALIDATION IN SECURE SHORT-DISTANCE-BASED COMMUNICATION AND ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM ACCORDING TO VISUAL OBJECTS

• US 20160055693A1
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• 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: SOMANI, Avishek, RAINA, Sunil, BUTLER, Scott Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,009,745 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 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

Abstract

A secure short-distance-based communication and enforcement system validates users in a validation and enforcement area and can check if users in the validation and enforcement area have been validated. A visual object can be displayed on an enforcement computer and a mobile device of a user in the in the validation and enforcement area to determine if a user is validated. The visual object may be periodically changed.

Claims

1. An enforcement computer deployable in a short-distance-based communication and enforcement system, the enforcement computer comprising:

a short-distance communication interface;

a processor to determine a first set of visual objects associated with a validated user and a non-validated user in a validation and enforcement area, wherein at least one of the visual objects are replaced or modified based at least on user input received via an input/output device of the enforcement computer; and

the processor is to determine a first enforcement variable for the first set of visual objects; and

a display to display at least one visual object from the first set of visual objects, wherein the displayed visual object includes a visual object representing a valid user for a current time period associated with the first enforcement variable,

wherein the processor is to broadcast an inspection signal including the first enforcement variable via the short-distance communication interface, and

in response to a mobile device receiving the inspection signal, the mobile device is to determine a visual object to display, wherein the visual object is determined based on the first enforcement variable and a determination of whether a user associated with the mobile device is validated for the validation and enforcement area; and

the mobile device is to display the determined visual object on a display of the mobile device,

wherein the visual object displayed on the display of the enforcement computer and representing a valid user for the current time period is the same as the visual object displayed on the mobile device if the user associated with the mobile device is determined to be validated for the validation and enforcement area.

2. The enforcement computer of claim 1, wherein the at least one replaced or modified visual object is replaced or modified based on the user input received via the input/output device of the enforcement computer, and the processor is to determine a second enforcement variable for a second set of visual objects including the at least one replaced or modified visual object;

broadcast an inspection signal including the second enforcement variable; and

display at least one visual object from the second set of visual objects representing a valid user for a current time period associated with the broadcasting of the inspection signal including the second enforcement variable,

wherein a mobile device within a vicinity of the broadcasted inspection signal is to receive the inspection signal including the second enforcement variable;

determine a visual object to display based on the second enforcement variable and a determination of whether a user associated with the mobile device within the vicinity is validated for the validation and enforcement area; and

display the determined visual object on a display of the mobile device,

wherein the visual object from the second set of visual objects that is displayed on the display of the enforcement computer is the same as the visual object displayed on the mobile device within the vicinity if the user associated with the mobile device within the vicinity is determined to be validated for the validation and enforcement area.

3. The enforcement computer of claim 2, wherein the user input to replace or modify at least one of the visual objects comprises a selection of a new visual object or an indication of a modification to at least one of the visual objects.

4. The enforcement computer of claim 1, wherein the processor is to replace or modify at least one of the visual objects in response to at least one trigger condition associated with time, location, and measured movement of the enforcement computer.

5. The enforcement computer of claim 1, wherein the processor is to receive user input via the input/output device of the enforcement computer to trigger the broadcasting of the inspection signal.

6. The enforcement computer of claim 1, wherein the processor is to trigger the broadcasting of the inspection signal in response to detecting a predetermined movement of the enforcement computer or detecting a predetermined location of the enforcement computer.

7. The enforcement computer of claim 1, wherein the first set of visual objects include visual objects representing different categories of validated users in the validation and enforcement area.

8. The enforcement computer of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is to calculate a function output value based on a function, the first enforcement variable and the determination of whether the user associated with the mobile device is validated for the validation and enforcement area or is not validated for the validation and enforcement area;

and determine the visual object to display on the display of the mobile device from the function output value.

9. A mobile device deployable in a short-distance-based communication and enforcement system, the mobile device comprising:

at least one short-distance communication interface to receive an inspection signal including an enforcement variable from an enforcement computer in a validation and enforcement area;

a display;

a data storage storing a validation and enforcement application; and

a processor executing the validation and enforcement application to extract the enforcement variable from the inspection signal;

determine a visual object to display based on the first enforcement variable and a determination of whether a user associated with the mobile device is validated for the validation and enforcement area; and

display the determined visual object on the display of the mobile device,

wherein a visual object representing a validated user is displayed on the display of the enforcement computer and the visual object displayed on the enforcement computer is the same as the visual object displayed on the mobile device if the user associated with the mobile device is determined to be validated for the validation and enforcement area.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the at least one short-distance communication interface is to receive a second inspection signal including a second enforcement variable from the enforcement computer;

and

the processor executing the validation and enforcement application is to extract the second enforcement variable from the inspection signal;

determine a visual object to display based on the second enforcement variable and a determination of whether the user associated with the mobile device is validated for the validation and enforcement area; and

display the determined visual object on the display of the mobile device.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the processor is to calculate a function output value based on a function, the enforcement variable and the determination of whether the user associated with the mobile device is validated for the validation and enforcement area or is not validated for the validation and enforcement area;

and determine the visual object to display on the display of the mobile device from the function output value.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the data storage is to store a library of visual objects and the processor is to perform a lookup with the function output value on the library to determine the visual object to display.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the library of visual objects is updated with new visual objects.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the processor is to determine the visual object to display based on a modification to a stored visual object determined according to the enforcement variable.

15. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the processor is to determine the visual object to display based on a bit array determined according to the enforcement variable, wherein the bit array represents points of the visual object.

16. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the visual object displayed on the mobile device indicates a category of the user associated with the mobile device.

17. A method for validation enforcement comprising:

determining at an enforcement computer a first set of visual objects associated with a validated user and a non-validated user in a validation and enforcement area;

determining an enforcement variable for the first set of visual objects;

displaying on a display of the enforcement computer at least one visual object from the first set of visual objects, wherein the displayed visual object includes a visual object representing a valid user for a current time period associated with the enforcement variable;

transmitting an inspection signal from an inspection beacon of the enforcement computer, wherein the inspection signal includes the enforcement variable, wherein a mobile device within a vicinity of the broadcasted inspection signal is to receive the inspection signal including the enforcement variable;

determine a visual object to display based on the second enforcement variable and a determination of whether a user associated with the mobile device within the vicinity is validated for the validation and enforcement area; and

display the determined visual object on a display of the mobile device, and

wherein the visual object displayed on the display of the enforcement computer is the same as the visual object displayed on the mobile device if the user associated with the mobile device is determined to be validated for the validation and enforcement area; and

changing the visual object to represent a validated user in the validation and enforcement area based on user input received at the enforcement computer.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

determining a second enforcement variable based on the changed visual object; and

transmitting an inspection signal including the second enforcement variable from the enforcement computer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the user input a selection of a new visual object or an indication of a modification to a stored visual object.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising:

replacing or modifying at least one of the visual objects in response to at least one trigger condition associated with time, location, and measured movement of the enforcement computer.