Wireless communications system providing mobile device authentication bypass based upon user-wearable security device and related methods

• US 8,869,263 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Pasquero, Jerome, Walker, David Ryan, Griffin, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thiaw, Catherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHAO, DON GORDON
• Application Number:
  US12/713,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20110214158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 380/247, 713/1, 713/182, 726/9, 726/17, 726/2
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses
• 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

A wireless communications system may include a user-wearable device including a clasp having open and closed positions, a first wireless security circuit (WSC), and a first controller coupled to the clasp and the first WSC. The system may further include a mobile wireless communications device including a portable housing, an input device(s), a second WSC carried by the portable housing and configured to communicate with the first WSC when in close proximity therewith, and a second controller carried by the portable housing and coupled to the second WSC and the input device(s). The second controller may be configured to enable mobile wireless communications device(s) function based upon a manual entry of an authentication code via the input device(s), and bypass the manual entry and enable the mobile wireless communications device function(s) based upon a communication from the user-wearable device and a position of the clasp.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system comprising:

a user-wearable device comprising

a clasp having an open position and a closed position,

a first wireless security circuit, and

a first controller coupled to said clasp and said first wireless security circuit; and

a mobile wireless communications device comprising

a portable housing,

at least one input device,

a second wireless security circuit carried by said portable housing and configured to communicate with said first wireless security circuit at a distance of ten centimeters or less, and

a second controller carried by said portable housing, coupled to said second wireless security circuit and said at least one input device and configured to

initiate communications between the first and second wireless security circuits based upon a combination of proximity between the first and second wireless security circuits of ten centimeters or less and a manual input from a user received via the at least one input device,

when communications between the first and second wireless security circuits have been initiated upon a first occurrence, enable at least one mobile wireless communications device function based upon a manual entry of an authentication code via said at least one input device, and

bypass the manual entry and enable the at least one mobile wireless communications device function upon subsequent occurrences of communications between the first and second wireless security circuits based upon a communication from said user-wearable device and

said clasp remaining in a designated position;

said first and second wireless security circuits each comprising a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

2. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said first and second controllers are further configured to enter a paired state with one another authorizing communication therebetween.

3. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said second controller is configured to not bypass the manual entry upon a first communication from said user-wearable device after said clasp has been changed from the open position to the closed position.

4. The wireless communications system of claim 3 wherein said second controller is further configured to bypass manual entry upon a second communication and each subsequent communication from said user-wearable device while said clasp remains in the closed position.

5. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said second controller is further configured to disable the at least one mobile wireless communications device function after one of a time-out period and a time-out event.

6. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said clasp comprises first and second mating portions;

and wherein said user-wearable device further comprises a wrist band carrying the first and second mating portions.

7. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said clasp comprises first and second mating portions;

and wherein said user-wearable device further comprises a waist band having ends coupled to respective ones of the first and second mating portions.

8. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said clasp comprises first and second gripping portions to grip to a user'"'"'s garment;

and wherein said user-wearable device comprises a token body coupled to the first and second gripping portions.

9. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communications device further comprises a cellular transceiver carried by said portable housing and coupled to said second controller.

10. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said clasp comprises an electrical switch.

11. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said at least one input device comprises a keypad.

12. A mobile wireless communications device for use with a user-wearable device comprising a clasp having an open position and a closed position, a first wireless security circuit, and a first controller coupled to the clasp and the first wireless security circuit, the mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing;

at least one input device;

a second wireless security circuit carried by said portable housing and configured to communicate with the first wireless security circuit at a distance of ten centimeters or less, said first and second wireless security circuits each comprising a near field communication (NFC) circuit; and

a second controller carried by said portable housing, coupled to said second wireless security circuit and said at least one input device and configured to

initiate communications between the first and second wireless security circuits based upon a combination of proximity between the first and second wireless security circuits of ten centimeters or less and a manual input from a user received via the at least one input device,

when communications between the first and second wireless security circuits have been initiated upon a first occurrence, enable at least one mobile wireless communications device function based upon receipt of an authentication code entered via said at least one input device, and

bypass entry of the authentication code and enable the at least one mobile wireless communications device function upon subsequent occurrences of communications between the first and second wireless security circuits based upon a communication from the user-wearable device and the clasp remaining in a designated position.

13. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein the first controller and said second controller are further configured to enter a paired state with one another authorizing communication therebetween.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 12 wherein said second controller is configured to not bypass the entry upon a first communication from the user-wearable device after the clasp has been moved from the open position to the closed position.

15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 14 wherein said second controller is further configured to bypass the entry upon a second communication and each subsequent communication from the user-wearable device while the clasp remains in the closed position.

16. A method for using a mobile wireless communications device with a user-wearable device comprising a clasp having an open position and a closed position and a first wireless security circuit, the mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing, at least one input device, and a second wireless security circuit carried by the portable housing and configured to communicate with the first wireless security circuit at a distance of ten centimeters or less, the method comprising:

initiating communications between the first and second wireless security circuits based upon a combination of proximity between the first and second wireless security circuits of ten centimeters or less and a manual input from a user received via the at least one input device,

when communications between the first and second wireless security circuits have been initiated upon a first occurrence, enabling at least one mobile wireless communications device function based upon receipt of an authentication code entered via the at least one input device; and

bypassing entry of the authentication code and enabling the at least one mobile wireless communications device function upon subsequent occurrences of communications between the first and second wireless security circuits based upon a communication from the user-wearable device and the clasp remaining in a designated position;

wherein the first and second wireless security circuits each comprises a near field communication (NFC) circuit.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein bypassing further comprises not bypassing the entry upon a first communication from the user-wearable device after the clasp has been moved from the open position to the closed position.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein bypassing further comprises bypassing entry upon a second communication and each subsequent communication from the user-wearable device while the clasp remains in the closed position.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising disabling the at least one mobile wireless communications device function after one of a time-out period and a time-out event.