Access using a mobile device with an accelerometer

• US 8,907,768 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Faith, Patrick, Carlson, Mark, Hammad, Ayman, Rewis, Ben, Koganti, Kris
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORTELL, JOHN F
• Application Number:
  US12/953,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems, apparatuses and methods for using a mobile device with an accelerometer to gain access into a secured or restricted area. A first device and a second device interact by making physical contact with each other thereby generating interaction data that is representative of the physical interaction between the first and second device. The first and second device may be mobile phones. The second device may be a point of sale terminal, access point device, or any other stationary (i.e., in a fixed position) device positioned at a line, door, gate, or entrance. A server computer determines, based on interaction data, that the first device and the second device made physical contact. After determining that the first device and the second device made contact, communications may be initiated between the devices. Communications may relate an access transaction comprising an exchange of information, such as credentials, between a prospective entrant (operating the first device) and a gatekeeper (operating the second device) to verify that the prospective entrant is permitted or is not permitted access to a particular area that is secured or restricted by the gatekeeper. Other embodiments are direct to confirmation transactions. Access transaction and confirmation transactions may be combined with a financial transaction using a payment processing network.

Claims

1. A method of conducting an access transaction, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server computer, first interaction data including first location data and first sensor data from a mobile device, wherein the first mobile device comprises a first processor and a first motion sensor coupled to the first processor, and wherein the first sensor data represents a first external force on the mobile device as measured by the first motion sensor and caused by physical contact during a physical interaction;

receiving, at the server computer, second interaction data including second location data and second sensor data from an access point device, wherein the access point device comprises a second motion sensor and a second processor coupled to the second motion sensor, and wherein the second sensor data represents a second external force on the access device as measured by the second motion sensor and caused by physical contact during the physical interaction;

determining, with the server computer, whether the mobile device physically interacted with the access point device by comparing the first interaction data and second interaction data, wherein the first sensor data is compared with the second sensor data after comparison of the first location data and the second location data indicates that the first location data corresponds to the second location data;

if the mobile device and the access point device physically interacted, initiating communications between the mobile device and the access point device; and

sending, with the server computer, an access permission message to one of the mobile device or the access point device, wherein the access permission message indicates whether or not a holder of the mobile device is permitted to access a secured area.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first sensor data comprises accelerometer data that represents an acceleration generated by the physical contact between the mobile device and the access point as measured by an accelerometer on the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second sensor data comprises accelerometer data that represents an acceleration generated by the physical contact between the mobile device and the access point as measured by an accelerometer on the access point.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending access information to one of the mobile device or the access point device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the access information comprises an alphanumeric representation of a location to which a user of the mobile device is permitted access.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the access point device further comprises a display screen.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the access point device is a handheld device operated by a person.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the server computer provides a session key for establishing a communication channel between the mobile device and the access point device after determining that the mobile device physically interacted with the access point device.

8. An access point device comprising:

a first sensor coupled to a first processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the first processor, the computer readable medium comprising code for implementing a method comprising;

generating first sensor data with the first sensor, wherein the first sensor is a motion or pressure sensor and measures an external force caused by physical contact during a physical interaction;

initiating comparison of first interaction data with second interaction data, the first interaction data including first location data of the access point device and the first sensor data, the second interaction data including second location data of a mobile device and second sensor data, wherein the second sensor data is generated by the mobile device comprising a second motion sensor coupled to a second processor, wherein the second sensor measures an external force caused by physical contact during the physical interaction;

wherein at least the first location data and the second location data are compared to determine whether the mobile device and the access point device physically interacted with each other, and wherein the first sensor data is compared with the second sensor data after comparison of the first location data and the second location data indicates that the first location data corresponds to the second location data;

receiving an access permission message if it is determined that the mobile device and access point device physically interacted with each other, wherein the access permission message indicates whether or not a holder of the mobile device is permitted to access a secured area.

9. The access point device of claim 8 further comprising a display screen.

10. The access point device of claim 9 comprising, if access to a secured area is permitted, displaying access information on the display screen.

11. The access point device of claim 9 comprising, if access to a secured area is denied, displaying access denial message on the display screen.

12. The access point device of claim 8 wherein the first and second interaction data further include time data.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising code that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform method including the following steps:

receiving first interaction data including first location data and first sensor data from a mobile device, wherein the first mobile device comprises a first processor and a first motion sensor coupled to the first processor, and wherein the first sensor data represents a first external force on the mobile device as measured by the first motion sensor;

receiving second interaction data including second location data and second sensor data from an access point device, wherein the access point device comprises a second motion sensor and a second processor coupled to the second motion sensor, and wherein the second sensor data represents a second external force on the access device as measured by the second motion sensor;

determining whether the mobile device made physical contact with the access point device by comparing the first interaction data and second interaction data, wherein the first sensor data is compared with the second sensor data after comparison of the first location data and the second location data indicates that the first location data corresponds to the second location data;

if the mobile device and the access point device made physical contact, initiating communications between the mobile device and the access point device; and

sending an access permission message to one of the mobile device or the access point device, wherein the access permission message indicates whether or not a holder of the mobile device is permitted to access a secured area.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein first sensor data comprises accelerometer data that represents an acceleration generated by the physical contact between the mobile device and the access point as measured by an accelerometer on the mobile device.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein second sensor data comprises accelerometer data that represents an acceleration generated by the physical contact between the mobile device and the access point as measured by an accelerometer on the access point.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

sending access information to one of the mobile device or the access point device.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the access information comprises an alphanumeric representation of a location to which a user of the mobile device is permitted access.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the access point device further comprises a display screen and the display screen displays the alphanumeric representation of a location to which a user of the mobile device is permitted access.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the access point device is a handheld device operated by a person.