Data and application access combined with communication services

• US 8,407,773 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayter, Mark, Redman, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODCHILD, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US12/695,003
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

An apparatus conveniently provides a user with access to applications and data that the user accesses on other devices in a secure and authenticated manner. The apparatus detects the presence of a second device, such as a mobile phone. The apparatus authenticates a user based at least on identifying information provided by the second device. The apparatus locates one or more applications based on resource access information provided by a server based on the identifying information. While the second device remains present, upon authenticating the user, and further upon successfully locating the application(s), the apparatus provides the user with access to the one or more applications. User data for the one or more applications is made available from the second device and/or a server. The data is synchronized across all sources. The data is encrypted at the apparatus, and rendered unreadable when the second device is no longer present.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a presence detection component configured to detect the presence of a second device;

an authentication component configured to authenticate a user based at least on device identifying information provided by the second device;

a resource location component configured to (a) transmit the device identifying information provided by the second device to a third device, (b) retrieve resource access information from the third device using at least the device identifying information, and (c) locate one or more applications based at least on the resource access information;

an application component configured to cause the one or more processors to provide the user with access to the one or more applications, while the second device remains in the presence of the apparatus, in response to the authentication component successfully authenticating the user and the resource location component successfully locating the one or more applications;

one or more memories configured to store, in encrypted form, data related to the user'"'"'s use of the one or more applications; and

an encryption component for encrypting the encrypted data;

wherein the one or more memories are further configured to store a key for reading the encrypted data;

wherein the encryption component is configured to erase the key upon the occurrence of a certain condition;

wherein the condition is one of the failure of the presence detection component to detect the particular device after a certain period of time;

the receipt of signal information indicating that the strength of the second device'"'"'s connection to a certain network has fallen below a certain threshold;

the failure of the encryption component to receive, from the second device, a copy of the key after a predetermined period of time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resource location component is further configured to store user data at the apparatus;

wherein the user data is retrieved based on at least a lookup operation at the apparatus or the third device involving at least a portion of the resource access information;

wherein the application component is configured to cause the one or more processors to provide the user with access to the one or more applications using the user data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a synchronization component configured to synchronize the user data, upon modification at the apparatus, with the third device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the application component is configured to render the user data unreadable upon the occurrence of a certain condition;

wherein the condition is one of the failure of the presence detection component to detect the particular device after a certain period of time, or the receipt of signal information indicating that the strength of the second device'"'"'s connection to a certain network has fallen below a certain threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the user data includes one or more of:

application preferences, contact information, calendaring information, email account information, messages, call histories, bookmark information, browsing histories, or cookies.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resource location component is further configured to locate the one or more applications based on at least access instructions for a particular application of the one or more applications;

wherein the access instructions are included in the resource access information.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the access instructions specify a location of code for the particular application;

wherein the application component is configured to cause the one or more processors to provide the user with access to the particular application by causing the one or more processors to execute the code for the particular application.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the third device hosts the particular application, and the access instructions specify a location of the third device;

wherein the application component is configured to cause the one or more processors to provide the user with access to the particular application by causing the one or more processors to (1) execute a client for interfacing with the particular application at the third device; and

(2) direct the client to the particular application.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifying information uniquely identifies the second device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resource access information includes credentials for the user, wherein the application component is further configured to provide the credentials to the one or more applications.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the authentication component is further configured to authenticate the user by requesting additional credentials from the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifying information is one of a Media Access Control (MAC) address or a Bluetooth device identifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the one or more applications are one or more applications that rely on particular user data;

wherein the particular user data is also relied upon by a second set of one or more applications the user has accessed through the second device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presence detection component is configured to detect the presence of the second device based on at least one or more of the strength of a communication link between a first communication interface at the apparatus and a second communication interface at the second device, wherein the communication link is wired or wireless;

a proximity calculation based at least upon physical location information provided by the second device;

or an analysis of information gathered from one or more sensors coupled to the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device is a device that provides the user with additional functionality unrelated to any functionality provided by the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device is a device that is uniquely associated with the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device is a wireless headset.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device is a wireless input device.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device is a mobile phone.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third device is a server.

21. A method comprising:

detecting, at a first device, the presence of a second device;

while the first device remains in the presence of the second device;

the first device authenticating a user based at least on device identifying information provided by the second device;

the first device transmitting the device identifying information provided by the second device to a third device;

the first device retrieving resource access information from the third device based on the device identifying information provided by the second device;

based at least on the resource access information provided by the third device, the first device locating one or more applications;

upon

successfully authenticating the user and locating the one or more applications, the first device providing the user with access to the one or more applications;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices;

wherein the first device includes;

one or more memories configured to store, in encrypted form, data related to the user'"'"'s use of the one or more applications; and

an encryption component for encrypting the encrypted data;

wherein the one or more memories are further configured to store a key for reading the encrypted data;

wherein the encryption component is configured to erase the key upon the occurrence of a certain condition;

wherein the condition is one of the failure of the presence detection component to detect the particular device after a certain period of time;

the receipt of signal information indicating that the strength of the second device'"'"'s connection to a certain network has fallen below a certain threshold;

the failure of the encryption component to receive, from the second device, a copy of the key after a predetermined period of time.

22. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of:

detecting, at a first device, the presence of a second device;

while the first device remains in the presence of the second device;

the first device authenticating a user based at least on device identifying information provided by the second device;

the first device transmitting the device identifying information provided by the second device to a third device;

the first device retrieving resource access information from the third device based on the device identifying information provided by the second device;

based at least on the resource access information provided by the third device, the first device locating one or more applications;

upon successfully authenticating the user and locating the one or more applications, the first device providing the user with access to the one or more applications;

wherein the first device includes;

one or more memories configured to store, in encrypted form, data related to the user'"'"'s use of the one or more applications; and

an encryption component for encrypting the encrypted data;

wherein the one or more memories are further configured to store a key for reading the encrypted data;

wherein the encryption component is configured to erase the key upon the occurrence of a certain condition;

wherein the condition is one of the failure of the presence detection component to detect the particular device after a certain period of time;

the receipt of signal information indicating that the strength of the second device'"'"'s connection to a certain network has fallen below a certain threshold;

the failure of the encryption component to receive, from the second device, a copy of the key after a predetermined period of time.