Authenticating a mobile device based on geolocation and user credential

• US 8,839,453 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2010
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Sanjeev, Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US12/758,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20110252464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 726/27, 726/28, 726/29, 713/182, 713/183, 713/184
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas

Abstract

Mobile devices provide security based on geographic location. With such a technique, a mobile device may automatically check its current location against geographic information as to the location(s) in which it is permitted to operate. When the user attempts access to the device, the mobile device will prompt the user for his/her credential only if the geographic location matches an allowed location. The user gains access then by inputting information corresponding to the credential, e.g. username and password, of a valid user. In the examples, if the geographic location does not match an allowed location, the mobile device provides a warning to the user, and the user is not allowed to enter any credential information. Optionally, the mobile device may send an alert message about the device being taken outside a specified boundary, e.g. to report the situation to other personnel.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a user to operate a mobile device, comprising steps of:

(a) determining a geographic location of the mobile device;

(b) comparing the determined geographic location to information defining a location of permitted operation of the mobile device which is bounded, stored in the mobile device, to determine whether or not the mobile device is at the location of permitted operation,

wherein the information defining the location of permitted operation of the mobile device includes at least one time period of permitted operation associated with the location of permitted operation of the mobile device;

(c) permitting user access to the mobile device, only upon determining;

1) that the mobile device is within the location of permitted operation,

2) a time during which the mobile device is in the location of permitted operation is within the associated time period of permitted operation, and

3) that the mobile device is not at a location at which operation is not permitted regardless of the associated time period of permitted operation,

wherein the step of permitting user access to the mobile device includes;

generating a prompt to the user for entering credential information into the mobile device;

receiving input of credential information into the mobile device from the user; and

permitting user access to the mobile device only upon a match of the input credential information to credential information of a valid user, stored in the mobile device; and

(d) blocking user access to the mobile device, upon determining that the mobile device is at a location at which operation is not permitted; and

(e) blocking user access to the mobile device upon determining that the mobile device is at the location of permitted operation at a time that is not within the time period of permitted operation associated with the location of permitted operation of the mobile device, even if user access to the mobile device is located at the location of permitted operation at the time period wherein step (d) comprises generating a warning for the user that the mobile device is not at the location of permitted operation, and restricting generating the prompt to the user for entering credential information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises interrupting any operation of the mobile device by the user started prior to the determination that the mobile device is not at the location of permitted operation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message from the mobile device to an enterprise associated with the mobile device advising the enterprise that the mobile device is not at the location of permitted operation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving programming and/or information defining a location of permitted operation of the mobile device; and

storing the received programming and/or information in the mobile device, to configure the mobile device to perform steps (a) through (d).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the programming and/or information in the mobile device via a wireless network communication.

6. A mobile device, comprising:

a user interface for outputting information to a user of the mobile device and for receiving inputs from the user of the mobile device;

a programmable processor coupled to the user interface;

at least one storage device accessible by the processor, for storing programming for execution by the processor and data for processing by the processor, wherein at least some of the programming configures the processor to enable the mobile device to perform functions for authenticating the user to operate the mobile device, comprising functions to;

(a) determine a geographic location of the mobile device;

(b) compare the determined geographic location to information defining a location of permitted operation of the mobile device which is bounded, stored in the at least one storage device, to determine whether or not the mobile device is at the location of permitted operation,

wherein the information defining the location of permitted operation of the mobile device includes at least one time period of permitted operation associated with the location of permitted operation of the mobile device;

(c) permit user access to the mobile device, only upon determining;

1) that the mobile device is within the location of permitted operation,

2) a time during which the mobile device is in the location of permitted operation is within the associated time period of permitted operation, and

3) that the mobile device is not at the location of permitted operation, regardless of the associated time period of permitted operation,

wherein the function of permitting user access to the mobile device includes functions to;

generate a prompt via the user interface to the user prompting the user to enter credential information;

receive input of credential information from the user via the user interface; and

permit user access to the mobile device only upon a match of the input credential information to credential information of a valid user, stored in the at least one storage device;

(d) block user access to the mobile device, upon determining that the mobile device is at a location at which operation is not permitted; and

(e) block user access to the mobile device upon determining that the mobile device is at the location of permitted operation at a time that is not within the one time period of permitted operation associated with the location of permitted operation of the mobile device, even if user access to the mobile device is permitted at the location of permitted operation during the one time period wherein the function (d) comprises generating a warning for the user that the mobile device is not at the location of permitted operation, via the user interface, and restricting generating the prompt to the user prompting the user to enter credential information.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the function (d) comprises interrupting any operation of the mobile device by the user started prior to the determination that the mobile device is not at the location of permitted operation.

8. The mobile device of claim 6, further comprising:

a transceiver for communication via a wireless network, controlled by the processor,

wherein at least some of the programming configures the processor to enable the mobile device to perform further functions to;

receive programming and/or information defining a location of permitted operation of the mobile device; and

store the received programming and/or information in the at least one storage device, to configure the mobile device to perform functions (a) through (d).

9. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

programming stored on the medium for execution by a programmable processor of a mobile device, wherein execution of the programming configures the processor to enable the mobile device to perform functions for authenticating a user to operate the mobile device, comprising functions to;

(a) determine a geographic location of the mobile device;

(b) compare the determined geographic location to information defining the location of permitted operation of the mobile device that is bounded, stored in at least one storage of the mobile device, to determine whether or not the mobile device is at the location of permitted operation,

wherein the information defining the location of permitted operation of the mobile device includes at least one time period of permitted operation associated with the location of permitted operation of the mobile device;

(c) permit user access to the mobile device, only upon determining;

1) that the mobile device is within the location of permitted operation,

2) a time during which the mobile device is in the location of permitted operation is within the associated time period of permitted operation, and

3) that the mobile device is not at a location at which operation is not permitted, regardless of the associated time period of permitted operation,

wherein the function of permitting user access to the mobile device includes functions to;

generate a prompt via a user interface of the mobile device to the user prompting the user to enter credential information;

receive input of credential information from the user via the user interface; and

permit user access to the mobile device only upon a match of the input credential information to credential information of a valid user, stored in the at least one storage;

(d) block user access to the mobile device, upon determining that the mobile device is at a location at which operation is not permitted, and

(e) block user access to the mobile device upon determining that the mobile device is at the location of permitted operation at a time that is not within the one time period of permitted operation associated with the location of permitted operation of the mobile device, even if user access to the mobile device is permitted at the location of permitted operation during the one time period wherein the function (d) comprises generating a warning for the user that the mobile device is not at the location of permitted operation, via the user interface, and restricting generating the prompt to the user prompting the user to enter credential information.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the function (d) comprises interrupting any operation of the mobile device by the user started prior to the determination that the mobile device is not at the location of permitted operation.

11. The article of claim 9, wherein at least some of the programming configures the processor to enable the mobile device to perform further functions to:

receive programming and/or information defining the location of permitted operation of the mobile device, via a transceiver of the mobile device for communication via a wireless network; and

store the received programming and/or information in the at least one storage device, to configure the mobile device to perform functions (a) through (d).