Mobile computing device and wearable computing device having automatic access mode control

• US 8,976,965 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Aminzade, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCKNOR, OLANREWAJU J
• Application Number:
  US14/044,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 380/258
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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: H04M 1/724094 Interfacing with a device worn on the user's body to provide access to telephonic functionalities, e.g. accepting a call, reading or composing a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724095 Worn on the wrist, hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A system can include a mobile computing device and a wearable computing device. The wearable computing device can include a sensor that outputs an indication that the wearable computing device is being worn. In some examples, one or both of the devices can be operable to determine that the devices are within a threshold distance of each other. Responsive to receiving the indications that the wearable computing device is being worn and the devices are within the threshold distance of each other, one or both of the devices can be operable to change an access mode of computing environment provided by the respective device from a reduced access mode to an increased access mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a wearable computing device, an indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by a user;

changing, by the processor of the wearable computing device, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn and on an indication that a distance between the wearable computing device and a mobile computing device is less than a threshold distance, an access mode of a computing environment of the wearable computing device from a reduced access security mode to an increased access security mode in which the user is permitted access to a larger set of functionality provided by the wearable computing device than when in the reduced access security mode; and

responsive to at least the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn and the indication that a distance is less than the threshold distance, transmitting, by the wearable computing device, to the mobile computing device, a signal configured to cause the mobile computing device to change an access mode of a computing environment of the mobile computing device from a reduced access security mode to an increased access security mode in which the user is permitted access to a larger set of functionality provided by the mobile computing device than when in the reduced access security mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor of the wearable computing device generates the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance is generated by:

receiving, by the processor of the wearable computing device, an indication of a wireless communication link between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device;

responsive to receiving the indication of the wireless communication link, determining, based on a signal strength of the wireless communication link, an approximate distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device; and

determining that the approximate distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance is generated by:

receiving, by the processor of the wearable computing device, an indication of a wireless communication link between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor of the wearable computing device, from the mobile computing device, the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor of the wearable computing device receives the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user from a sensor, and wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a proximity sensor, an infrared sensor, a camera, a physical contact on a connecting structure of the wearable computing device, an electrical contact on a connecting structure of the wearable computing device, and a pressure sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and based at least in part on the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than a threshold distance, outputting, by the processor of the wearable computing device, a security challenge;

receiving, by the processor of the wearable computing device, an indication of a response to the security challenge, and

wherein changing, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn and the indication that the distance is less than the threshold distance, the access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode comprises changing, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn, the indication that the distance is less than the threshold distance, and an indication of the response to the security challenge, the access security mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after changing the access security mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device, receiving, by the processor of the wearable computing device, an indication that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device exceeds the threshold distance; and

responsive to receiving the indication that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device exceeds the threshold distance, transmitting, by the processor of the wearable computing device, to the mobile computing device, an instruction to change the access security mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising outputting, by the processor of the wearable computing device, an alert that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device has exceeded the threshold distance.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after changing the access security mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device, receiving, by the processor of the wearable computing device, an indication that the wearable computing device is not being worn by the user of the wearable computing device; and

responsive to receiving the indication that the wearable computing device is not being worn by the user, changing, by the processor of the wearable computing device, the access security mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode, and transmitting, by the processor of the wearable computing device, to the mobile computing device, an instruction to change the access security mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode.

11. A system comprising:

a mobile computing device comprising one or more mobile computing device processors;

a wearable computing device comprising one or more wearable computing device processors and a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to generate an indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by a user;

a mobile computing device access mode module operable by the one or more mobile computing device processors to receive the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and change, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and an indication that a distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than a threshold distance, an access mode of a computing environment of the mobile computing device from a reduced access security mode to an increased access security mode in which the user is permitted access to a larger set of functionality provided by the mobile computing device than when in the reduced access security mode; and

a wearable computing device access mode module operable by the one or more wearable computing device processors to receive the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and change, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, an access mode of a computing environment of the wearable computing device from a reduced access security mode to an increased access security mode in which the user is permitted access to a larger set of functionality provided by the wearable computing device than when in the reduced access security mode.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a vicinity module operable by at least one processor of the one or more wearable computing device processors or the one or more mobile computing device processors to determine that a distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than a threshold distance and generate the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the vicinity module is operable by the at least one processor of the one or more wearable computing device processors or the one or more mobile computing device processors to:

receive an indication of a wireless communication link between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device;

responsive to receiving the indication of the wireless communication link, determine, based on a signal strength of the wireless communication link, an approximate distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device; and

determine that the approximate distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile computing device access mode module is further operable by the one or more mobile computing device processors to:

responsive to receiving the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, output a security challenge;

receive an indication of a response to the security challenge;

verify the response to the security challenge against a saved security challenge response;

change, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user, the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, and the indication of the response to the security challenge, the access mode of the computing environment provided by of the mobile computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode; and

transmit, responsive to receiving the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user, the indication that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, and the indication of the response to the security challenge, to the wearable computing device, a signal configured to cause the wearable computing device to change the access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a proximity sensor, an infrared sensor, a camera, a physical contact on a connecting structure of the wearable computing device, an electrical contact on a connecting structure of the wearable computing device, and a pressure sensor.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a telemetry module operable by at least one of the one or more mobile computing device processors and the one or more mobile computing device processors to, prior to the vicinity module determining that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, establish a wireless communication link between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile computing device access mode module is operable by the one or more mobile computing device processors to:

receive an indication that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device exceeds the threshold distance, and

responsive to receiving the indication that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device exceeds the threshold distance, change the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the wearable computing device access mode module is further operable by the one or more wearable computing device processors to output an alert that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device has exceeded the threshold distance.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the mobile computing device access mode module is further operable by the one or more mobile computing device processors to:

after changing the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode, receive an indication that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device is less than the threshold distance; and

responsive to receiving the indication that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device is less than the threshold distance, change the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein

the sensor generates, after the access modes of the computing environments provided by the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device have been changed, an indication that the wearable computing device is not being worn by the user,

the mobile computing device access mode module is further operable by the one or more mobile computing device processors to, responsive to receiving the indication that the wearable computing device is not being worn by the user, change the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode, and

the wearable computing device access mode module is further operable by the one or more wearable mobile computing device processors to, responsive to receiving the indication that the wearable computing device is not being worn by the user, change the access mode of the computing environment of the wearable computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode.

21. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of a mobile computing device to:

receive, from a wearable computing device, an indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by a user;

determine that a distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than a threshold distance;

change, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and the determination that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, an access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from a reduced access security mode to an increased access security mode in which the user is permitted access to a larger set of functionality provided by the mobile computing device than when in the reduced access security mode; and

transmit, to the wearable computing device, a signal configured to cause the wearable computing device to change an access mode of a computing environment of the wearable computing device from a reduced access security mode to an increased access security mode in which the user is permitted access to a larger set of functionality provided by the wearable computing device than when in the reduced access security mode.

22. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to:

responsive to receiving the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and determining that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, output a security challenge, and

wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to change, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user and the determination that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to change, based at least in part on the indication that the wearable computing device is being worn by the user, the determination that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance, and an indication of a response to the security challenge, the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode.

23. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to determine that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to:

receive an indication of a wireless communication link between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device;

responsive to receiving the indication of the wireless communication link, determine, based on a signal strength of the wireless communication link, an approximate distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device; and

determine that the approximate distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance.

24. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to determine that the distance between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device is less than the threshold distance cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to receive an indication of a wireless communication link between the wearable computing device and the mobile computing device.

25. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to:

after changing the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode, determine that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device exceeds the threshold distance;

change, based at least in part on determining that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device exceeds the threshold distance, the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode; and

transmit, to the wearable computing device, an indication that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device exceeds the threshold distance.

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

after changing the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode, determine that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device is less than the threshold distance; and

responsive to determining that the distance between the mobile computing device and the wearable computing device is less than the threshold distance, change the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode.

27. The computer-readable storage device of claim 21, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor of the mobile computing device to:

after changing the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the reduced access security mode to the increased access security mode, receive, from the wearable computing device, an indication that the wearable computing device is not being worn by the user; and

responsive to receiving the indication that the wearable computing device is not being worn by the user, change the access mode of the computing environment of the mobile computing device from the increased access security mode to the reduced access security mode.