Mobile device security

• US 9,107,064 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramalingam, Harsha, Walsh, Paul, Carr, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Application Number:
  US13/973,870
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 4554561-457, 4554141-4144, 4554041-4042
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/2295 Parent-child type, e.g. where parent has control on child rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/34 using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• 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 20/409 Device specific authentication in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 : based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 : User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 : based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 : based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 : Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 : Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 : Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 : Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• 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: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 : according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 : by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 : Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 : Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Techniques for providing friction-free transactions using geolocation and user identifiers are described herein. These techniques may ascertain a user'"'"'s location based on a location of a mobile device. A transaction between the user and a merchant may be completed with zero or minimal input from the user based on the geolocation of the mobile device and the user identifiers. In some implementations, a transaction initiated earlier is completed when the mobile device arrives at the merchant. Additionally, a parent-child or similar relationship may be established between multiple devices. Security on the mobile device based may be provided by biometric identification and calculation of variance from regular movement patterns. Advertisements may be sent to the mobile device based on bids from merchants near to the mobile device. Promotions may be sent to the mobile device when more than a threshold number of mobile devices are located at the same merchant.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions, determining multiple different geolocations of a mobile device over time;

storing individual ones of the geolocations in association with a time at which the individual ones of the geolocations were detected to create a geolocation signature for the mobile device;

comparing a current geolocation of the mobile device at a particular time with a geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature to determine if the current geolocation varies from the geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature by more than a threshold amount; and

initiating a security event in response to the current geolocation varying from the geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature by more than the threshold amount.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determining multiple different geolocations occurs at a regular frequency.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the regular frequency depends on a memory capacity of the mobile device or a velocity at which the mobile device is traveling.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the threshold amount is determined at least in part by a user of the mobile device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the threshold amount is determined at least in part by a presence of another mobile device within a threshold distance of the mobile device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the security event comprises shutting down the mobile device, sending an automatic communication from the mobile device, or requiring input of a password.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising creating a map from the geolocation signature.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the map is a multidimensional map comprising at least latitude, longitude, and time.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining the threshold amount by analyzing the geolocation signature using artificial intelligence, heuristics, or fuzzy logic.

10. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

a wireless network interface operatively associated with the one or more processors;

a memory operatively associated with the one or more processors and comprising;

a security module configured to;

create a geolocation signature of the mobile device over time by storing a series of geolocations with a series of time points;

compare a current geolocation of the mobile device at a particular time with a geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature to determine if the current geolocation varies from the geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature by more than a threshold amount; and

initiate a security event in response to the current geolocation varying from the geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature by more than the threshold amount.

11. The mobile device as recited in claim 10, further comprising a clock in communication with the one or more processors configured to determine each time point of the series of time points, and wherein the security module is further configured to create the geolocation signature by storing a series of geolocations detected by a location sensor with the series of time points as calculated by the clock.

12. The mobile device as recited in claim 10, further comprising a location sensor operatively associated with the one or more processors and configured to determine a geolocation of the mobile device.

13. The mobile device as recited in claim 12, wherein the location sensor comprises a global positioning system receiver.

14. The mobile device as recited in claim 10, wherein the security module is further configured to compare the current geolocation of the mobile device at the particular time with a route for the particular time associated with the geolocation signature to determine if the current geolocation varies from the route for the particular time associated with the geolocation signature by more amount than the threshold amount.

15. The mobile device as recited in claim 14, wherein the security module is further configured to initiate the security event when the current geolocation of the mobile device varies from the route for the particular time associated with the geolocation signature by more than the threshold amount.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, instruct a mobile device to perform acts comprising:

storing a series of geolocations in association with a series of time points to create a geolocation signature for the mobile device;

comparing a current geolocation of the mobile device at a particular time with a geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature to determine if the current geolocation varies from the geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature by more than a threshold amount; and

initiating a security event in response to the current geolocation varying from the geolocation for the particular time stored in the geolocation signature by more than the threshold amount.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 16, wherein the storing further comprises storing a series of geolocations in association with a series of time points to create a geolocation signature of routes for the mobile device.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 17,

wherein the comparing further comprises comparing the current geolocation of the mobile device at the particular time with a route for the particular time associated with the geolocation signature to determine if the current geolocation varies from the route for the particular time associated with the geolocation signature by more than the threshold amount.

19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 18,

wherein the initiating of the security event further comprises initiating the security event when the current geolocation of the mobile device varies from the route for the particular time associated with the geolocation signature by more than the threshold amount.

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 16, further comprising creating a map from the routes.