Position based enhanced security of wireless communications

• US 8,208,634 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2005
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hughes, John M., Shoemake, Matthew Brendan, Schrum, Sidney Brower Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason
• Application Number:
  US11/108,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20050232425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,626 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 726/2
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

The convenience of a wireless network is tempered by the concern that a rogue device can listen in on the wireless communications. Determining the position of the home device and other devices within range allows the user of the home device to choose the specific wireless devices with which to communicate. The distance to the other devices within wireless communications range is helpful and allows the user to sort between safe and unsafe or rogue devices. Distance can be determined by a variety of methods including use of trusted references, signal strength, and error rate. Once the safe device is selected, the system will then establish a communications path with that device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a first device of a plurality of devices operable to communicate with a wireless device;

determining a relative position of the first device with respect to the wireless device;

creating a log entry associated with the first device in a log including a plurality of log entries, wherein each log entry of the plurality of log entries is associated with a device and includes identification data and position data;

querying the wireless device for a distance threshold subsequent to creating the log entry;

prior to establishing a communication path between the wireless device and the first device, determining whether a distance associated with the relative position satisfies the distance threshold of the wireless device;

in response to a determination that the distance satisfies the distance threshold, generating a list including a list entry associated with the first device; and

establishing the communication path between the wireless device and the first device in response to a selection of the list entry.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying the first device for position information and device type information, wherein the relative position is based at least in part on the position information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the relative position of the first device is determined based at least in part on a signal strength associated with the first device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the relative position of the first device is determined based at least in part on a plurality of positions corresponding to at least two trusted references and wherein the relative position includes the distance and a particular orientation relative to the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the relative position includes an indication whether the first device is positioned in a particular orientation relative to the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the particular orientation indicates whether the first device is orientated in front of a designated front portion of the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the log entry is created in response to identifying the first device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising subsequent to creating the entry in the log, querying a user associated with the wireless device to input the distance threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the list at a display of the wireless device in response to determining that the relative position satisfies the distance threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising sorting a plurality of list entries of the list according to a device type.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the device type is one of a printer, a projector, a laptop computer, and a desktop computer.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sorting each of a plurality of list entries of the list based on a time stamp associated with a corresponding log entry; and

displaying a map representing the relative position of the first device in response to receiving a user selection.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the relative position of the first device is determined based at least in part on a plurality of positions corresponding to at least three trusted references.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing the communication path from being established between the wireless device and the first device in response to determining that the distance does not satisfy the distance threshold.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance threshold is a value associated with a cubicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the distance threshold is a default value.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relative position of the first device with respect to the wireless device includes determining whether the first device is in motion, wherein the list entry associated with the first device is prohibited from being displayed at the wireless device in response to a determination that the first device is in motion.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

identify a first device capable of communication with a wireless device;

determine a relative position of the first device with respect to the wireless device;

create a log entry associated with the first device in a log including a plurality of log entries;

prior to establishing a communication path between the wireless device and the first device, determine whether a distance associated with the relative position satisfies a distance threshold;

in response to a determination that the distance satisfies the distance threshold, generating a list including a list entry associated with the first device; and

establish the communication path with the first device in response to a selection of the list entry.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the distance threshold is based on an area associated with a building boundary.

20. The apparatus of claim 18,wherein the relative position of the first device is determined based at least in part on a plurality of positions corresponding to at least two trusted references.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a display coupled to the processor, wherein the display is configured to display a list in response to determining that the relative position satisfies the distance threshold, wherein the displayed list includes a plurality of list entries that are sorted based on whether a device corresponding to each list entry is in motion.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to query a user to input the distance threshold.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to sort a plurality of entries of the list based on a distance criterion.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to provide an output to a display, the output comprising position information associated with the relative position of the first device.

25. A laptop computer comprising:

a memory;

an antenna; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the antenna, wherein the processor is configured to;

identify, via the antenna, a first device capable of communication;

determine a relative position of the first device with respect to the laptop computer;

create a log entry associated with the first device in a log including a plurality of log entries;

prior to establishing a communication path between the laptop computer and the first device, determine whether a distance associated with the relative position satisfies a distance threshold associated with the laptop computer; and

establish the communication path between the first deivce and the laptop computer in response to a determination that the distance satisfies the distance threshold.

26. An apparatus comprising:

means for identifying a first device capable of communication;

means for determining a relative position of the first device;

means for creating a log entry associated with the first device in a log including a plurality of log entries, wherein each log entry of the plurality of log entries is associated with a device and includes identification data and position data;

means for determining whether a distance associated with the relative position satisfies a distance threshold prior to establishing a communication path with the first device;

and means for establishing the communication path with the first device in response to determining that the relative position satisfies the distance threshold.

27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

identify a first device operable to communicate with a wireless device;

query the first device for position information and device type information;

determine a relative position of the first device with respect to the wireless device based at least in part on the position information;

create a log entry associated with the first device in a log including a plurality of log entries, wherein each log entry of the plurality of log entries includes corresponding identification data and corresponding position data;

query the wireless device for a distance threshold of the wireless device subsequent to creating the log entry;

prior to establishing a communication path between the wireless device and the first device, determine whether a distance associated with the relative position satisfies the distance threshold of the wireless device;

in response to a determination that the distance satisfies the distance threshold, generate a list including a list entry associated with the first device, wherein the distance satisfies the distance threshold when the distance is less than the distance threshold;

query a user associated with the wireless device for a sorting criterion;

display the list, wherein the displayed list is sorted based on the sorting criterion;

prompt the user associated with the wireless device to select at least one of a plurality of list entries of the list; and

establish a communication path with the first device in response to a selection of the list entry associated with the first device.