Enhanced security for devices enabled for wireless communications

• US 8,726,371 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Toebes, John A., Burton, Joseph B., Baker, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abyaneh, Ali
• Application Number:
  US13/185,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 726/9, 726/19, 726/2, 713/183, 713/182
• US Class Current: 726/19
• 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 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes determining a location of a device relative to a reference, and identifying a first password from a plurality of passwords for use to unlock the device based on the location of the device relative to the reference. The plurality of passwords includes at least one complex password and at least one simple password. The method also includes prompting for input arranged to unlock the device, obtaining the input, and determining when the input matches the first password. When it is determined that the input matches the first password, the device is unlocked.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a location of a device relative to a reference;

identifying a first password from a plurality of passwords for use to unlock the device based on the location of the device relative to the reference, the plurality of passwords including at least one complex password and at least a first simple password;

prompting for input arranged to unlock the device;

obtaining the input;

determining when the input matches the first password;

completely unlocking the device when it is determined that the input matches the first password;

when it is determined that the input does not match the first password, determining when the input matches a second password; and

when it is determined that the input matches the second password, unlocking the device to provide access to a subset of features of the device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the location of the device relative to the reference includes determining when the location of the device relative to the reference is within a first range, and wherein the first password is the at least first simple password when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is within the first range and the first password is the at least one complex password when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is not within the first range.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is within the first range and when it is determined that the input matches the first password, completely unlocking the device includes providing access to all features of the device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is not within the first range and when it is determined that the input matches the first password, completely unlocking the device includes providing access to all features of the device.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is not within the first range and when it is determined that the input does not match the first password, determining when the input matches the second password includes determining when the input matches the at least a second simple password.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference and the device are paired.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the reference is a Bluetooth-enabled token and the device is a Bluetooth-enabled device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the Bluetooth-enabled token is a Bluetooth-enabled headset and the Bluetooth-enabled device is a Bluetooth-enabled phone.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein prompting for the input to unlock the device includes providing an interface to request the input.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least first simple password includes a first number of characters and the at least one complex password includes a second number of characters, the first number of characters being less than the second number of characters.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference is an environment.

12. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code, the computer program code, when executed, configured to:

determine a location of a device relative to a reference;

identify a first password from a plurality of passwords for use to unlock the device based on the location of the device relative to the reference, the plurality of passwords including at least one complex password and at least a first simple password;

prompt for input arranged to unlock the device;

obtain the input;

determine when the input matches the first password; and

completely unlock the device when it is determined that the input matches the first password;

when it is determined that the input does not match the first password, determine when the input matches a second password; and

when it is determined that the input matches the second password, unlock the device to provide access to a subset of features of the device.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code of claim 12 wherein the computer code configured to determine the location of the device relative to the reference is further configured to determine when the location of the device relative to the reference is within a first range, and wherein the first password is the at least first simple password when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is within the first range and the first password is the at least one complex password when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is not within the first range.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code of claim 13 wherein when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is within the first range and when it is determined that the input matches the first password, the computer code configured to completely unlock the device is further configured to provide access to all features of the device.

15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code of claim 14 wherein when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is not within the first range and when it is determined that the input matches the first password, the computer code configured to completely unlock the device is further configured to provide access to all features of the device.

16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code of claim 14 wherein when it is determined that the location of the device relative to the reference is not within the first range and when it is determined that the input does not match the first password, the computer program code is further configured to determine when the input matches the at least a second simple password.

17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code of claim 12 wherein the reference and the device are paired.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a sensing arrangement, the sensing arrangement being arranged to determine a location relative to a reference;

a first arrangement, the first arrangement embodied on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, the first arrangement being arranged to cooperate with the processor to identify a selected password from a plurality of passwords to use to enable access to at least one feature associated with the apparatus based on the location relative to the reference, the plurality of passwords including at least a complex password and a simple password;

an input interface, the input interface being arranged to obtain an input; and

a second arrangement, the second arrangement being arranged to cooperate with the processor to determine when the input matches the selected password, the second arrangement further being arranged to provide access to the at least one feature when it is determined that the input matches the selected password, wherein the second arrangement is still further configured to provide access to all features when the input matches the complex password and to provide access to less than all features when the input matches the simple password.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the location is associated with a third arrangement, the third arrangement being paired to the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the third arrangement is a Bluetooth-enabled headset and the apparatus is a Bluetooth-enabled phone.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first arrangement is arranged to identify the simple password as the selected password when the location relative to the reference is within a first range of the reference, and wherein the first arrangement is arranged to identify the complex password as the selected password when the location relative to the reference is not within the first range.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the second arrangement is further arranged to provide access to a set of features associated with the apparatus when the simple password is identified as the selected password and the second arrangement determines that the input matches the selected password.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the second arrangement is further arranged to provide access to a subset of the set of features when the complex password is identified as the selected password and the second arrangement determines that the input does not match the selected password but matches the simple password.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the reference is an environment.

25. A method comprising:

determining a location of a device relative to a reference;

identifying a complex password from a plurality of passwords for use to unlock the device based on the location of the device relative to the reference, the plurality of passwords including the complex password and a simple password, wherein the complex password and the simple password are each configured to unlock the device;

prompting for input arranged to unlock the device;

obtaining the input;

determining when the input matches the complex password;

completely unlocking the device when it is determined that the input matches the complex password, wherein completely unlocking the device provides access to a full set of features associated with the device;

determining when the input matches the simple password when it is determined that the input does not match the complex password; and

partially unlocking the device when it is determined that the input matches the simple password, wherein partially unlocking the device provides access to a partial set of the features associated with the device.