Controlling a current access mode of a computing device based on a state of an attachment mechanism

• US 8,972,722 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Faaborg, Alexander, Powell, Adam William
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Mahfuzur
• Application Number:
  US14/095,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20150040210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 713/164
• US Class Current: 713/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS

Abstract

A computing device can receive an indication of a change in the proximity state of a first structure of an attachment mechanism and a second structure of the attachment mechanism. Responsive to receiving the indication, the computing device can be operable to change, based at least in part on the indication, a current access mode provided by the computing device. In some examples, both the computing device and the attachment mechanism may be part of a wearable computing device. In other examples, the computing device may be or be part of a physically separate device from the attachment mechanism.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors of a wearable computing device, an indication that a first structure of a physical attachment mechanism of the wearable computing device is proximate to a second structure of the physical attachment mechanism;

responsive to receiving the indication that the first structure of the physical attachment mechanism of the wearable computing device is proximate to the second structure of the physical attachment mechanism, outputting, by the one or more processors and for display by the wearable computing device, a security challenge;

receiving, by the one or more processors, an indication of a response to the security challenge; and

responsive to receiving the indication of the response to the security challenge, changing, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on the indication that the first structure of the physical attachment mechanism of the wearable computing device is proximate to the second structure of the physical attachment mechanism, and the indication of the response to the security challenge, a current access mode of a computing environment of the wearable computing device from a reduced access mode to an increased access mode in which a user is permitted access to a larger set of functionality provided by the one or more processors of the wearable computing device than when in the reduced access security mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, an indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure; and

responsive to receiving the indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure, changing the current access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the increased access mode to the reduced access mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure comprises an indication that the physical attachment mechanism is no longer physically intact.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first structure comprises a first electrical circuit element and wherein the second structure comprises a second electrical circuit element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first structure comprises a pin and the second structure comprises a pin contact.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, device context information relating to at least one of a geographic location of the wearable computing device, motion of the physical attachment mechanism, and a time at which the one or more processors received the indication that the first structure of the physical attachment mechanism is proximate to the second structure of the physical attachment mechanism, and

wherein changing the current access mode provided by the one or more processors comprises changing, based at least in part on the indication that the first structure of the physical attachment mechanism is proximate to the second structure of the physical attachment mechanism, the indication of the response to the security challenge, and the device context information, the current access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, device context information relating to motion of the computing device; and

changing, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on the device context information, the current access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the increased access mode to the reduced access mode.

23. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

remaining, by the computing device, in the increased access mode until receiving the indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure.

8. A wearable computing device comprising:

a physical attachment mechanism comprising a first structure and a second structure;

one or more processors; and

an access mode module operable by the one or more processors to;

receive an indication that the first structure is proximate to the second structure,

responsive to receiving the indication that the first structure is proximate to the second structure, output a security challenge,

receive an indication of a response to the security challenge, and

change, based at least in part on the indication that the first structure is proximate to the second structure and the indication of the response to the security challenge, a current access mode of a computing environment of the wearable computing device from a reduced access mode to an increased access mode in which a user is permitted access to a larger set of functionality provided by the one or more processors of the wearable computing device than when in the reduced access security mode.

9. The wearable computing device of claim 8, wherein the access mode module is further operable by the one or more processors to:

receive an indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure, and

responsive to receiving the indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure, change the current access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the increased access mode to the reduced access mode.

10. The wearable computing device of claim 9, wherein receiving the indication that the first structure of the physical attachment mechanism is no longer proximate to the second structure of the physical attachment mechanism comprises receiving an indication that the physical attachment mechanism is no longer physically intact.

11. The wearable computing device of claim 8, wherein the first structure comprises a first electrical circuit element and wherein the second structure comprises a second electrical circuit element.

12. The wearable computing device of claim 8, wherein the first structure comprises a pin and the second structure comprises a pin contact.

13. The wearable computing device of claim 8, wherein the access mode module is further operable to:

receive device context information relating to at least one of a geographic location of the wearable computing device, motion of the wearable computing device, and a time at which the access mode module received the indication of the change in the proximity state between the first structure and the second structure from a non-proximate state to a proximate state, and

change, based at least in part on the indication that the first structure is proximate to the second structure, the indication of the response to the security challenge, and the device context information, the current access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the reduced access mode to the increased access mode.

14. The wearable computing device of claim 13, wherein the wearable computing device further comprises an accelerometer, and wherein the device context information comprises an indication, based at least in part on an output of the accelerometer, that the device is moving.

15. The wearable computing device of claim 8, wherein the access mode module is further operable to:

receive device context information relating to motion of the wearable computing device, and

change, based at least in part on the device context information, the current access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the increased access mode to the reduced access mode.

24. The wearable computing device of claim 9, wherein the access mode module is further operable by the one or more processors to:

cause the wearable computing device to remain in the increased access mode until receiving the indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure.

16. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to:

receive an indication that a first structure of a physical attachment mechanism is proximate to a second structure of the physical attachment mechanism;

responsive to receiving the indication that the first structure of the physical attachment mechanism is proximate to the second structure of the physical attachment mechanism, output a security challenge;

receive an indication of a response to the security challenge;

receive device context information relating to at least one of a geographic location of the physical attachment mechanism, motion of the physical attachment mechanism, and a time at which the at least one processor received the indication that the first structure of the physical attachment mechanism is proximate to the second structure of the physical attachment mechanism; and

change, based at least in part on the indication the indication that the first structure of the physical attachment mechanism is proximate to the second structure of the physical attachment mechanism, the indication of the response to the security challenge, and the device context information, a current access mode of a computing environment associated with the at least one processor from a reduced access mode to an increased access mode.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the device context information comprises first device context information, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

receive second device context information relating to motion of the physical attachment mechanism, and

change, based at least in part on the second device context information, the current access mode of the computing environment associated with the at least one processor from the increased access mode to the reduced access mode.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

receive an indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure; and

change, based at least in part on the indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure, the current access mode of the computing environment associated with the at least one processor from an increased access mode to a reduced access mode.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the indication comprises an indication that the physical attachment mechanism is no longer physically intact.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the first structure comprises a first electrical circuit element and wherein the second structure comprises a second electrical circuit element.

21. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the first structure comprises a pin and the second structure comprises a pin contact.

22. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein a wearable computing device comprises the at least one processor and the physical attachment mechanism.

25. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

remain in the increased access mode until receiving the indication that the first structure is no longer proximate to the second structure.