SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATION-BASED CREDENTIALING

• US 20170093860A1
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hafernik, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 11,122,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Credentialing systems, methods, and mediums. A method includes receiving, by a credentialing system, an access code and a device location from a mobile device. The device location indicates the current geographic location of the mobile device. The method includes comparing the received access code to a stored site code. The method includes, when the received access code matches a stored site code, determining whether the device location corresponds to a site location of a target system associated with the site code, and determining whether the access code is received during a valid access period associated with the site code. The method includes, when the received access code matches the stored site code, the device location corresponds to the site location, and the access code is received during the valid access period, then granting access for the mobile device to the target system.

Claims

1. A method performed by a credentialing system, comprising:

receiving, by the credentialing system, an access code and a device location from a mobile device, wherein the device location indicates the current geographic location of the mobile device;

comparing the received access code to a stored site code;

when the received access code matches a stored site code;

determining whether the device location corresponds to a site location of a target system associated with the site code, and

determining whether the access code is received during a valid access period associated with the site code; and

when the received access code matches the stored site code, the device location corresponds to the site location, and the access code is received during the valid access period, then granting access for the mobile device to the target system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the credentialing system, a request for a location-based credential for access the target system at a target site, wherein the request includes an identification of the target system, an identification of the target site, a level of access required on the target system, and the valid access period;

generating and storing the site code by the credentialing system; and

transmitting the site code to a user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the site location corresponding to the target site, wherein the site location identifies the geographic location of a target site corresponding to the target system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device location corresponds to the site location if the device location is within a predetermined distance threshold of the site location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the granted access corresponds to a level of access specified in a request for a location-based credential for access to the target system at a target site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the credentialing system revokes the granted access at an expiration of the valid access period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the credentialing system does not receive a username or password with the received access code.

8. A credentialing system, comprising:

a storage device comprising a credentialing application;

an accessible memory comprising instructions of the credentialing application; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions of the credentialing application to;

receive an access code and a device location from a mobile device, wherein the device location indicates the current geographic location of the mobile device;

compare the received access code to a stored site code;

when the received access code matches a stored site code;

determine whether the device location corresponds to a site location of a target system associated with the site code, and

determine whether the access code is received during a valid access period associated with the site code; and

when the received access code matches the stored site code, the device location corresponds to the site location, and the access code is received during the valid access period, then grant access for the mobile device to the target system.

9. The credentialing system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions of the credentialing application to:

Receive a request for a location-based credential for access the target system at a target site, wherein the request includes an identification of the target system, an identification of the target site, a level of access required on the target system, and the valid access period;

generate and store the site code by the credentialing system; and

transmit the site code to a user.

10. The credentialing system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions of the credentialing application to determine the site location corresponding to the target site, wherein the site location identifies the geographic location of a target site corresponding to the target system.

11. The credentialing system of claim 8, wherein the device location corresponds to the site location if the device location is within a predetermined distance threshold of the site location.

12. The credentialing system of claim 8, wherein the granted access corresponds to a level of access specified in a request for a location-based credential for access to the target system at a target site.

13. The credentialing system of claim 8, wherein the credentialing system revokes the granted access at an expiration of the valid access period.

14. The credentialing system of claim 8, wherein the credentialing system does not receive a username or password with the received access code.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more data processing systems to:

receive an access code and a device location from a mobile device, wherein the device location indicates the current geographic location of the mobile device;

compare the received access code to a stored site code;

when the received access code matches a stored site code;

determine whether the device location corresponds to a site location of a target system associated with the site code, and

determine whether the access code is received during a valid access period associated with the site code; and

when the received access code matches the stored site code, the device location corresponds to the site location, and the access code is received during the valid access period, then grant access for the mobile device to the target system.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable medium is further encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more data processing systems to:

receive a request for a location-based credential for access the target system at a target site, wherein the request includes an identification of the target system, an identification of the target site, a level of access required on the target system, and the valid access period;

generate and store the site code by the credentialing system; and

transmit the site code to a user.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable medium is further encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more data processing systems to determine the site location corresponding to the target site, wherein the site location identifies the geographic location of a target site corresponding to the target system.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the device location corresponds to the site location if the device location is within a predetermined distance threshold of the site location.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the granted access corresponds to a level of access specified in a request for a location-based credential for access to the target system at a target site.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the credentialing system revokes the granted access at an expiration of the valid access period.