Wireless mobile phone with authenticated mode of operation including heart beat profile based authentication

• US 8,380,247 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smart Skins LLC
• Original Assignee: Varia Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Engstrom, G. Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US13/205,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20120052841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556, 455/411, 455/556.1, 600/300, 600/310, 600/519, 600/443, 600/509, 600/523
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/021 using combined folding and rotation motions combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A wireless mobile phone is equipped to operate in an unauthenticated and an authenticated mode of operation, depending on whether a user has been authenticated. In one embodiment, the wireless mobile phone includes a number of sensors to enable a user'"'"'s heart beat profile to be captured and be used for authentication. In one embodiment, authentication is performed by comparing the real time captured heart beat profile against a reference heart beat profile. In one embodiment, the reference heart profit is retrieved from an identity card. The wireless mobile phone further includes a reader to retrieve the reference heart beat profile from the identity card.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a plurality of components coupled to each other to be operated by a user in a selective fashion based on authentication of the user by the mobile device;

a plurality of sensors to facilitate real time capturing of heart beat data of a first user; and

operating logic to;

collect heart beat data from the plurality of sensors over a predetermined period of time during usage of the mobile device by the first user;

generate a reference heart beat profile for authentication from the collected heart beat data;

save the generated reference heart beat profile of the first user for authentication;

collect real-time-captured heart beat data of a second user, the second user being one of the first user or an other user;

compare the collected real-time-captured heart beat data of the second user to the reference heart beat profile; and

selectively operate the components depending on whether the second user is successfully authenticated as the first user based on a result of the compare.

2. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the wireless mobile phone further comprises a reader to facilitate provision of the reference heart beat profile via an identity card.

3. The wireless mobile phone of claim 2, wherein the reference heart beat profile is stored on said identity card in a manner to be read by a reader selected from the reader group consisting of an electronic reader, an optical reader, and a magnetic reader, and the wireless mobile phone further comprises the selected reader.

4. The wireless mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the wireless mobile phone further comprises a reader to facilitate retrieval of the reference heart beat profile from a storage removably attached to the wireless mobile phone.

5. In a mobile device, a method of operation comprising:

collecting heart beat data over a predetermined period of time by a plurality of sensors during real-time usage of the mobile device by a first user;

generating a reference heart beat profile for authentication from the collected heart beat data;

saving the generated reference heart beat profile of the first user on the mobile device for authentication;

capturing, in real time, heart beat data of a second user, the second user being one of the first user or an other user;

comparing the collected real-time-captured heart beat data of the second user to the reference heart beat profile;

authenticating the second user based on a result of the comparing; and

operating a plurality of components of the wireless mobile phone to facilitate wireless telephony communication by the user, beyond a set of functions not requiring user authentication, if the second user is successfully authenticated via the real time captured heart beat profile of the user.

6. he method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises retrieving the reference heart beat profile from an identity card.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises retrieving the reference heart beat profile from a storage removably attached to the wireless mobile phone.

8. A mobile device comprising:

a plurality of components coupled to each other to be selectively operated by a user after the user is authenticated by the mobile device, with the components being equipped to operate in at least a selected one of a first mode and a second mode; and

operating logic to;

operate the components in said first mode without authentication of the user;

authenticate the user of the mobile device based on a comparison of real-time heart beat data collected by a plurality of sensors during usage of the of device by the user and a stored reference heart beat profile generated based on reference heart beat data collected during usage of the mobile device over a predetermined amount of time during configuration of the mobile device; and

operate the components in said second mode if the user is successfully authenticated.

9. The wireless mobile phone of claim 8, wherein the operating logic enables the components to provide first one or more functions, including a function to retrieve a bio-metric reference from a storage removably attached to the wireless mobile phone, while operating the components in said first mode, and further enables the components to provide second additional one or more functions, while operating the components in said second mode.

10. In a mobile device, a method of operation comprising:

operating a plurality of components coupled to each other to be operated in selective fashion by a user in one of a first mode and a second mode, the operating being done in the first mode prior to authenticating the user;

authenticating the user of the mobile device based on a comparison of real-time heart beat data collected by a plurality of sensors during usage of the of device by the user and a stored reference heart beat profile generated based on reference heart beat data collected during usage of the mobile device over a predetermined amount of time during configuration of the mobile device; and

operating the components in the second mode if the user is successfully authenticated.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said operating of the plurality of components in said first mode comprises enabling the components to provide first one or more functions, including retrieving a bio-metric reference from a storage device removably attached to the wireless mobile phone, and said operating of the plurality of components in said second mode comprises enabling the components to further provide second one or more functions.