Method and system for controlling selective wireless communication access

• US 7,149,529 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Parry, Travis
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehrpour, Melody
• Application Number:
  US09/850,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20020164997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/458, 455/422.1, 455/33.1, 455/33.4, 455/421, 455/419, 455/413, 455/411, 455/410, 455/404.2, 455/440, 455/443, 455/444, 455/448, 455/456.6, 455/408, 455/435, 455/445, 455/450, 455/555, 455/405, 455/554, 455/438, 455/436, 455/426, 709/225, 709/228, 709/214, 709/249, 380/258
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A method controls wireless communication access by defining a zone with at least one first computing device and then selectively permitting wireless communication access for a second computing device to the first computing device based on a position of the second computing device relative to the zone. A wireless communication access control system comprises at least one first computing device and a second computing device. The first and second computing device each include a controller and a wireless communication transceiver for communicating with each other. The first computing device is configured for controlling an access zone adjacent the first computing device wherein the first computing device is configured for permitting selective wireless communication access to the first computing device for the second computing device based on a position of the second computing device relative to the zone.

Claims

1. A method of controlling wireless computing access comprising:

defining an access zone via a plurality of first computing devices spaced from each other in a pattern and in proximity close enough to enable direct wireless non-networked communication with each other to define a boundary encompassing the access zone; and

authorizing wireless computing access for a second mobile computing device to at least one of the first computing devices based on a position of the second mobile computing device relative to the access zone as determined via direct wireless non-networked communication between at least one of the first computing devices and the second mobile computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

determining the position of the first computing devices and second mobile computing device as an absolute position via an absolute position locator.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein authorizing wireless computing access comprises:

authorizing computing access for the second mobile computing device when the position of the second mobile computing device is within the access zone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein authorizing wireless computing access comprises:

denying computing access for the second mobile computing device when the position of the second mobile computing device is within the access zone.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein authorizing wireless computing access comprises:

identifying at least one authorized first computing device of the plurality of first computing devices within the access zone for which wireless computing access by the second computing device is authorized; and

detecting and mapping a position of the at least one authorized first computing device and the second computing device within the access zone.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein authorizing wireless computing access comprises:

authorizing wireless computing access to the first computing device when only both the second mobile computing device and a third mobile computing device are within the access zone and when only both the second and third mobile computing devices have authorized identities.

7. The method of claim 1 authorizing wireless computing access comprises:

defining the at least one first computing device as an access point to enable wireless computing access by the second mobile computing device to computer resources accessible via at least one of a computer system in communication with at least one of the first computing devices.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the direct wireless non-networked communication is performed independent of a wireless telephone network.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein defining an access zone comprises:

wirelessly communicating among the plurality of first computing devices, and between the first computing devices and the second mobile computing device, according to at least one of a Bluetooth communication protocol, an UltraWideBand communication protocol, and an 802.11 communication protocol.

18. The method of claim 7 wherein defining the at least one first computing devices comprises:

defining the computer resources to include at least one of an electronic mail resource and an internet browser resource.

8. A method of controlling wireless computing access comprising:

defining an electronic access zone via a plurality of first computing devices spaced from each other in a pattern and in direct non-networked wireless communication with each other to define a boundary encompassing the access zone;

enabling wireless computing access within the electronic access zone, via at least one of the first computing devices, to a software application accessible via at least one of a network communication link in communication with at least one of the first computing devices, a computer in communication with at least one of the first computing devices, and the first computing devices;

determining whether a second mobile computing device is within the electronic access zone via direct non-networked wireless communication between the second mobile computing device and at least one of the first computing devices; and

maintaining activation of the software application, based upon an identity of the second mobile computing device when the second mobile computing device is outside the electronic access zone and deactivating the software application, based on the identify of the second mobile computing device, when the second mobile computing device is within the electronic access zone.

9. A method of controlling multi-zone wireless computing access comprising:

providing a computing system including computer resources;

defining a plurality of sub-zones within a master zone of selective wireless computing access to the computer resources of the computing system via a plurality of first stationary computing devices spaced from each other and in direct non-networked wireless communication with each other; and

authorizing wireless computing access to the computing resources of the computing system for a second mobile computing device based on a position of the second mobile computing device relative to each of the sub-zones as determined via direct non-networked wireless communication between at least one of the first stationary computing devices and the second mobile computing device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein defining a plurality of sub-zones comprises:

defining the sub-zones to include a first access sub-zone nested within a second access sub-zone with a boundary of the first access sub-zone defined by a first group of the first stationary computing devices and a second access sub-zone including an inner boundary defined by the boundary of the first access zone and an outer boundary defined by a second group of first stationary computing devices; and

selectively activating wireless computing access to the computing system for the second mobile computing device within at least one of the first access zone and the second access zone based on a position of the second mobile computing device relative to the first access zone and the second access zone.

11. A method of controlling wireless computing access comprising:

defining a computing access zone via a plurality of first mobile computing devices of a mobile computing system with the first mobile computing devices spaced from each other by a generally uniform distance between adjacent first computing devices, and in proximity close enough to each other to enable a radius of wireless transmission from each first computing device to generally exceed a distance between the adjacent first mobile computing devices to enable direct non-networked wireless communication among adjacent first mobile computing devices;

moving the access zone by moving the plurality of first mobile computing devices in a synchronized manner in generally the same direction to maintain the generally uniform distance between adjacent first mobile computing devices; and

authorizing wireless computing access to the mobile computing system for a second mobile computing device via at least one of the first mobile computing devices of the mobile computing system based on a position of the second mobile computing device relative to the moving access zone as determined via direct non-networked wireless communication between at least one of the first mobile computing devices and the second mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 11 and further comprising:

selectively altering at least one of a shape and size of the access zone while the access zone is moving by altering a relative position between at least two adjacent first mobile computing devices.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein defining the access zone comprises at least one of:

arranging the first mobile computing devices into at least one of an elliptical pattern to define a generally elliptically shaped access zone, a circular pattern to define a generally circular shaped access zone, and a generally rectilinear pattern to define a generally rectangular access zone.

13. A wireless access determination system comprising:

a first computing device and a second mobile computing device, each of the first computing devices and the second mobile computing device including a wireless communication module with a position locator configured for direct wireless non-networked communication among adjacent first computing devices to determine a position of each of the first computing devices and direct wireless non-networked communication between the first computing devices and the second mobile computing device to determine a position of the second mobile computing device;

wherein the array of first computing device is configured for establishing an access zone adjacent the first computing device in which wireless computing access via the first computing devices is authorized for the second mobile computing device based on a position of the second mobile computing device relative to the access zone.

14. The system of claim 13 and further comprising:

a third computing device including a wireless communication module with a position locator, wherein the third computing device is configured for assisting the first computing device in establishing the access zone and determining the position of the second mobile computing device,

wherein the wireless communication module of each of the first computing devices, the second mobile computing device, and the third computing device is configured to transmit a signal having a radius that is at least equal to a distance of separation between the respective computing devices.

15. A wireless computing access control system comprising:

a computing system including;

a plurality of first stationary computing devices configured for arrangement as a first boundary, with each first stationary computing device including a wireless transceiver with a position locator and in direct, non-networked wireless communication with each other;

a plurality of second stationary computing devices configured for arrangement as a second boundary nested within the first boundary, with each first stationary computing device including a wireless transceiver with a position locator and in direct, non-networked wireless communication with each other and at least some of the first computing devices;

wherein the second boundary defines a first wireless computing access zone and an area between the first and second boundaries defines a second wireless computing access zone;

at least one third mobile computing device capable of direct non-networked wireless communication with the first stationary computing devices and the second stationary computing devices;

wherein each of the first stationary computing devices and the second stationary computing devices include a controller configured for authorizing wireless computing access to the computing system only when the at least one third mobile computing device is within at least one of the first wireless computing access zone and the second wireless computing access zone.

20. A method of controlling wireless computing access, the method comprising:

defining an electronic access zone via a plurality of first computing devices spaced from each other in a pattern and in proximity close enough to enable direct wireless non-networked communication with each other to define a boundary encompassing the electronic access zone;

arranging the plurality of first computing devices to substantially correspond with a physical boundary including at least one of a walled room and a building so that a perimeter of the electronic access zone substantially corresponds to the physical boundary; and

authorizing wireless computing access for a second mobile computing device to at least one of the first computing devices only when the second mobile computing device is located within the physical boundary and within the electronic access zone, as determined via direct non-networked wireless communication between at least one of the first computing devices and the second mobile computing device.