System and method for providing access to mobile devices based on positional data

• US 6,778,837 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Slingshot IOT LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bade, Steven A., McLaughlin, Mark-David J., LeGrand, Robert H. III
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/815,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20020137524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/456.1, 375/200, 342/457, 380/258, 370/349, 370/338, 370/346
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention includes as one embodiment a method for automatically controlling access to a mobile computing device with pertinent data. The method includes predefining access parameters of the mobile computing device, determining an actual location of the mobile computing device and using the actual location of the mobile computing device to automatically control access to the mobile computing device based on the predefined access parameters. Also, the method includes storing the predefined access parameters in a private Internet networked location, accessing and updating the predefined access parameters and sending the updated access parameters to the mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A method for automatically controlling access to a mobile computing device with pertinent data, comprising:

predefining access parameters of the mobile computing device;

determining an actual location of the mobile computing device;

using the actual location of the mobile computing device to automatically control access to the mobile computing device based on the predefined access parameters;

storing the predefined access parameters in a private Internet networked location;

accessing and updating the predefined access parameters; and

sending the updated access parameters to the mobile computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling access to certain operational interfaces of the mobile computing device based on its actual location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual location of the mobile computing device is determined by a global positioning satellite system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is one of a portable notebook computer or a wireless telephone.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising using three dimensional triangulation to provide latitudinal, longitudinal and elevational data to the mobile computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is a portable electronic personal data assistant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the mobile computing device moves from position to position, access to the mobile computing device is automatically and dynamically provided or denied, depending on the predefined access parameters and the location of the mobile computing device at the time access is requested.

19. The electronic tracking system of claim 6, wherein access to the portable notebook computer is automatically controlled as the portable notebook computer moves from one location to another, depending on the predefined access parameters and the location of the portable notebook computer at the time access is requested.

8. An electronic tracking system for automatically controlling access to a mobile computing device with predefined access parameters, comprising:

a positioning device electronically coupled to the mobile computing device that determines an actual location of the mobile computing device;

a control module coupled to the mobile computing device that uses the location of the mobile computing device to automatically control access to the mobile computing device based on the predefined access parameters; and

a storage area located in a private Internet networked location and configured to hold the predefined access parameters and allow access for real-time updating of the predefined access parameters, wherein the undated access parameters are sent to the mobile computing device immediately after the access parameters are updated.

9. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the control module automatically prevents unauthorized access of the mobile computing device based on locations where access is not likely to occur in case of theft or misplacement of the mobile computing device.

10. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the control module controls access to certain operational interfaces of the mobile computing device based on its actual location.

11. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the actual location of the mobile computing device is determined by a global positioning satellite system.

12. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the positioning device receives data from a transmitter system that uses triangulation to determine the actual location of the mobile computing device.

13. The tracking system of claim 12, wherein the transmitter system uses three dimensional triangulation to provide latitudinal, longitudinal and elevational data to the mobile computing device.

14. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein the mobile computing device is a portable electronic personal data assistant.

15. The tracking system of claim 8, wherein when the mobile computing device moves from position to position, access to the mobile computing device is automatically and dynamically provided or denied, depending on the predefined access parameters and the location of the mobile computing device at the time access is requested.

16. An electronic tracking system for automatically providing access to a portable notebook computer based on predefined access parameters and a location of the portable notebook computer, comprising:

a receiver positional access module configured to receive data from a global positioning satellite system to accurately locate and define data as positional data of the portable notebook computer;

an authentication module configured to access and process the positional data with a receiver collector and a positional authenticator that controls and authenticates access rights to the mobile device based on predefined access parameters manually set by a user of the portable notebook computer; and

a storage area located in a private Internet networked location and configured to hold the predefined access parameters and allow access for real-time updating of the predefined access parameters by the user, wherein the updated access parameters are sent to the portable notebook computer immediately after the access parameters are updated by the user.

17. The electronic tracking system of claim 16, wherein the authentication module controls access to certain operational interfaces of the portable notebook computer based on its actual location.

18. The electronic tracking system of claim 16, wherein the actual location of the portable notebook computer is determined by a global positioning satellite system that uses three dimensional triangulation to provide latitudinal, longitudinal and elevational data to the receiver positional access module.

20. The electronic tracking system of claim 16, wherein the authentication module automatically prevents unauthorized access of the portable notebook computer based on locations where access is not likely to occur.