WEARABLE DEVICE WITH USER AUTHENTICATION INTERFACE

• US 20160125677A1
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Megan Marie, Hwang, Michael, Serrano, Michelle
• Granted Patent: US 10,546,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/26 the radio signal being a near-field communication signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A wearable device is used to authenticate a user into a user account at a user device of the user. In particular, the wearable device may include a sensor configured to detect whether the wearable device is worn by or is with the user. If so, the wearable device may send a signal to the user device and the user device may authenticate the user based on the signal received from the wearable device. For example, when the sensor detects that the wearable device is worn by the user, the wearable device may send a unique signal periodically, such as every five seconds or every 10 seconds. Based on whether the unique signal from the wearable device is received, the user device may authenticate the user.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a user;

a communication device coupled to the sensor and configured to receive signals from the sensor and to communicate with a user device of the user; and

a controller configured to;

determine whether the wearable device is with the user; and

control the communication device to emit a wireless signal for user authentication at the user device when the wearable device is with the user.

2. The wearable device of claim 1,

wherein the wearable device comprises a watch comprising:

a watch case; and

a fastening portion configured to fasten the watch case to the user;

wherein the sensor is disposed on an inner surface of the watch case contacting the user when the wearable device is worn by the user.

3. The wearable device of claim 1,

wherein the wearable device comprises a watch comprising:

a watch case; and

a fastening portion configured to fasten the watch case to the user;

wherein the sensor is a connector type sensor disposed at the fastening portion and configured to detect a connection and a disconnection of the fastening portion.

4. The wearable device of claim 1,

wherein the wearable device comprises a band;

and

wherein the sensor is disposed on an inner surface of the band contacting the user when the wearable device is worn by the user.

5. The wearable device of claim 1,

wherein the wearable device comprises a ring comprising:

a ring body; and

a setting; and

wherein the sensor is disposed on an inner surface of the setting contacting the user when the wearable device is worn by the user.

6. The wearable device of claim 1,

wherein the wearable device comprises a pair of eye glasses comprising:

a glass frame; and

temple portions connected to the glass frame via hinges; and

wherein the sensor is disposed on an inner surface of the glass frame contacting the user when the wearable device is worn by the user.

7. The wearable device of claim 1,

wherein the wearable device comprises a pair of eye glasses comprising:

a glass frame; and

temple portions connected to the glass frame via hinges; and

wherein the sensor comprises a tension sensor disposed at the hinges and configured to detect a tension exerted from the user on the hinges.

8. The wearable device of claim 1,

wherein the wearable device comprises a belt comprising:

a belt buckle; and

a belt,

wherein the sensor is disposed on an inner surface of the belt buckle contacting the user when the wearable device is worn by the user.

9. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises one or more of a touch sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a proximity sensor, a mechanical actuator, a connection type sensor, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer.

10. The wearable device of claim 1 further comprising an output device configured to communicate with the user regarding a status of the wearable device.

11. The wearable device of claim 10, wherein the output device comprises one or more of an audio output device, a light emitting device, and a vibration device.

12. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises one or more of a Bluetooth communication device, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication device, a Near-Field Communication (NFC) device, and a WiFi communication device.

13. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal comprises information related to one or more of a name, an ID, a type, and a description of the wearable device.

14. A device comprising:

a memory storing an account of a user;

a communication device configured to communicate with a wearable device of the user; and

one or more processors in communication with the memory and adapted to;

detect whether the communication device receives an user authentication signal from the wearable device;

determine whether the user authentication signal is associated with the account of the user; and

authenticate the user for the account of the user based on whether the user authentication signal from the wearable device is received.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the user is automatically authenticated into the account without requiring user credentials when the user authentication signal from the wearable device is received.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the user continues to be authenticated for the account as long as the user authentication signal from the wearable device continues to be received.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the user is automatically logged out of the account when the device stops receiving the user authentication signal from the wearable device.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the user is authenticated with less user credentials when the user authentication signal from the wearable device is received than when the user authentication signal from the wearable device is not received.

19. A system comprising:

a wearable device configured to emit an user authentication signal when the wearable device is worn by a user; and

a communication device configured to authenticate the user based on whether the user authentication signal from the wearable device is received at the communication device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the wearable device is configured to stop emitting the user authentication signal when the wearable device is separated from the user.