Location-based security system for portable electronic device

• US 8,302,152 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hewinson, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): Pich, Ponnoreay
• Application Number:
  US13/398,949
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A portable electronic device implements a location-dependent security protocol. Without requiring that the user enter any location information, the device determines one or more familiar areas. When a user attempts to access the device or an application of the device. The device will implement a first authentication process if the device is in one of the familiar areas, or a different authentication process if the device is not in one of the familiar areas. The second security rule may be more complex, or require more time, than the first security rule.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, via an input of a portable electronic device, a request to access the electronic device;

automatically determining, by a processor without a requirement for user entry of location information, a familiar area for the electronic device;

implementing, on the electronic device, a first security rule requiring a first authentication process when the electronic device is physically located in the familiar area and a second security rule requiring a second authentication process when the electronic device is located outside of the familiar area;

receiving, via an input of the portable electronic device, a plurality of successful user authentication entries;

determining a location of the device corresponding to each of the successful user authentication entries;

saving, in a computer-readable memory, data representative of each of the entries and each entry'"'"'s corresponding location,

wherein;

determining the familiar area comprises determining the familiar area based on the data representative of each of the entries and each entry'"'"'s corresponding location;

determining the location of the device comprises one or more of;

receiving global positioning system data and determining the location based on the global positioning system data, and

receiving a network address corresponding to a wireless communications network that the device has detected, and determining the location based on the network address; and

determining the familiar area comprises;

determining a set of successful user authentication entries that were received during a time period,

grouping the entries from the set into a plurality of location-dependent subgroups,

determining a size of the set and a size of each subgroup,

identifying each subgroup having a size that at least equals a size threshold, wherein the size threshold corresponds to a portion of the set size, and

for each subgroup having a size that at least equals the size threshold, classifying the location for that subgroup'"'"'s entries as the familiar area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the entries from the set into a plurality of location-dependent subgroups comprises:

identifying entries having locations that are within a threshold distance from each other; and

grouping the identified entries into one of the subgroups.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the familiar area comprises:

automatically and periodically gathering location information for the device;

saving the location information in a memory;

accessing, by the processor, the saved location information and automatically determining a location for which the location information is saved in the memory in at least a threshold amount; and

setting the determined location as the familiar area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the familiar area comprises:

automatically and periodically gathering location information for the device, wherein the location information includes global positioning system data and wireless network data;

identifying, by the processor, a position where the device transitions from a global positioning system to a single wireless network;

setting the determined position as the familiar area.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current location of the device;

determining that the current location is within the familiar area; and

presenting, on a display of the device, a user prompt to perform the first authentication process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor and the computer-readable memory comprise elements of the portable electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the portable electronic device is in wireless communication with a server; and

the processor and the computer-readable memory comprise elements of the server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically determining, by the processor without a requirement for user entry of location information, a second familiar area based on the data;

implementing, on the electronic device, a security rule requiring a third authentication process when the device is located in the second familiar area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first authentication process comprises entry of a first password, and the second authentication process comprises entry of a second passcode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first authentication process comprises receiving a touch input, and the second authentication process comprises entry of a second passcode.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor,

a user interface, and

a memory having programming instructions that, when executed, instruct the processor to;

receive, via the user interface, a user request to access the electronic device;

automatically determine, without a requirement for user entry of location information, a familiar area for the electronic device;

determine a current location for the electronic device;

implement a first authentication process if the current location corresponds to the familiar area and a second authentication process if the current location does not correspond to the familiar area;

receive a plurality of successful user authentication entries;

determine a location of the device corresponding to each of the successful user authentication entries;

save data representative of each of the entries and each entry'"'"'s corresponding location; and

output, via the user interface, a prompt to perform the implemented authentication process;

wherein;

determining the familiar area comprises determining the familiar area based on the data representative of each of the entries and each entry'"'"'s corresponding location;

determining the location of the device comprises one or more of;

receiving global positioning system data and determining the location based on the global positioning system data, and

receiving a network address corresponding to a wireless communications network that the device has detected, and determining the location based on the network address; and

determining the familiar area comprises;

determining a set of successful user authentication entries that were received during a time period,

grouping the entries from the set into a plurality of location-dependent subgroups,

determining a size of the set and a size of each subgroup,

identifying each subgroup having a size that at least equals a size threshold, wherein the size threshold corresponds to a portion of the set size, and

for each subgroup having a size that at least equals the size threshold, classifying the location for that subgroup'"'"'s entries as the familiar area.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first authentication process and the second authentication process differ from each other in at least one of the following ways:

length of timeout periods;

number of authentication actions required; and

types of authentication actions required.