Enhanced wireless network security using GPS

• US 7,783,257 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johanson, James A., Mooney, Philip D., Cannon, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US11/446,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20070281615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/410, 455/414.2, 455/456.3, 380/247, 380/270, 713/168
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A wireless piconet network device includes a GPS receiver to determine and provide earth coordinates to a gatekeeper of a wireless network so as to provide a level of security to wireless networks which requires accessing wireless devices to be within predefined boundary coordinates. The automatic restriction of access to a wireless network (e.g., a wireless local area network (LAN) such as a piconet network) by requiring a wireless network device to provide earth coordinates (e.g., GPS location information) as part of an establishment or maintenance of a connection to a wireless network, independent of a range of communication of any device in the wireless network. A wireless piconet network device outside of predetermined earth coordinates of a secured area (e.g., a building, a room in a building, a desk in a room in a building, etc.) may be denied access to resources on the wireless network, and/or required to provide additional authorization information so as to confirm authorized secured status of the entering wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of authorizing a wireless network device to gain access to a wireless network, comprising:

establishing a physical boundary defining an area of authorized access to the wireless network by performing the steps of i) traversing a perimeter of said area of authorized access with a first wireless network device, and ii) transmitting a plurality of boundary coordinates from said first wireless network device when said wireless network device is in each corresponding location on the perimeter of said area of authorized access;

receiving a set of earth coordinates from a second wireless network device, wherein the earth coordinates correspond to a location of the second wireless network device;

comparing said received set of earth coordinates to the established physical boundary of the area of authorized access to a wireless network;

determining, by an authorization module, if said received set of earth coordinates are within said boundary of said area of authorized access; and

authorizing said second wireless network device to gain access to said wireless network based on said received set of earth coordinates.

2. The method of authorizing a wireless network device to gain access to a wireless network according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by a password authorization module, an authority of said second wireless network device to gain access to said wireless network.

3. The method of authorizing a wireless network device to gain access to a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said earth coordinates are received from said wireless network device over said wireless network.