Systems and methods for authenticating mobile devices at an incident via collaboration

• US 9,094,827 B1
• Filed: 01/22/2015
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Klein, David E., Blanco, Alejandro G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Suhail
• Application Number:
  US14/602,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 187 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A mobile device collaboration method includes provisioning a first mobile device with unique user identification related to a role and skill set of an associated user of the first mobile device, detecting a second mobile device responsive to a condition at the first mobile device, communicating the unique user identification to the second mobile device, authenticating the first mobile device through the second mobile device communicating the unique user identification to an external database, and providing access for the first mobile device through the second mobile device if the authenticating is successful. A mobile device collaboration system and a mobile device are also described.

Claims

1. A mobile device collaboration system, comprising:

a first mobile device utilizing a first wireless network;

a second mobile device utilizing a second wireless network;

an external database communicatively coupled to the second mobile device;

wherein the first mobile device comprises software comprising instructions executable by the first mobile device and, in response to such execution, cause the first mobile device to;

store unique user identification related to a role and skill set of an associated user of the first mobile device;

detect the second mobile device responsive to an inability to connect to the first wireless network;

communicate the unique user identification to the second mobile device; and

establish a collaborative connection with the second mobile device responsive to the second mobile device successfully verifying the first mobile device using the unique user identification and the external database.

2. The mobile device collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the second mobile device comprises software comprising instructions executable by the second mobile device and, in response to such execution, cause the second mobile device to:

advertise availability for collaboration using beacons;

receive the unique user identification from the first mobile device;

communicate the unique user identification to the external database;

establish the collaborative connection with the first mobile device responsive to the successfully verifying the first mobile device using the unique user identification and the external database.

3. The mobile device collaboration system of claim 2, wherein the software comprising instructions executable by the second mobile device and, in response to such execution, further causes the second mobile device to:

set the beacons to be advertised continuously or in response to a request from the first mobile device or a location server.

4. The mobile device collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the software comprising instructions executable by the second mobile device and, in response to such execution, further causes the second mobile device to:

send additional beacons requesting roles and skills of available users in range of the second mobile device, wherein the roles and skills of available users are determined by receiving user identification for each of the available users and communicating the user identification to the external database.

5. A mobile device, comprising:

a first radio configured to operate on a broadband wireless network;

a second radio configured to operate on a personal area network;

a processor communicatively coupled to the first radio and the second radio; and

software stored in memory and comprising instructions executable by the processor and, in response to such execution, cause the processor to;

store unique user identification related to a role and skill set of an associated user of the mobile device at the mobile device;

detect a second mobile device responsive to an inability to connect to the broadband wireless network, wherein the second mobile device is communicatively coupled to an external database and operates on a different network than the mobile device;

communicate the unique user identification to the second mobile device; and

establish a collaborative connection with the second mobile device responsive to the second mobile device successfully verifying the mobile device using the unique user identification and the external database.

6. A method for authenticating mobile devices at an incident via collaboration, the method comprising:

storing unique user identification related to a role and skill set of an associated user of a first mobile device at the first mobile device, wherein the first mobile device utilizes a first wireless network;

detecting a second mobile device responsive to an inability of the first mobile device to connect to a broadband wireless network, wherein the second mobile device is communicatively coupled to an external database and utilizes a different network than the first mobile device;

communicating by the first mobile device the unique user identification to the second mobile device;

and

establishing a collaborative connection between the first mobile device and the second mobile device responsive to the second mobile device successfully verifying the first mobile device using the unique user identification and the external database.