Mobile authentication using a wearable device

• US 9,213,820 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Farraro, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nalven, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): MALINOWSKI, WALTER J
• Application Number:
  US14/023,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20150074800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A method of providing a user with an option to access a protected system by satisfying a reduced security measure is disclosed. An attempt by the user to access the protected system is detected. It is detected that a first security token system is within a first proximity to the protected system. Based on the detecting of the attempt by the user to access the protected system and the detecting that the first security token system is within the first proximity, the user is provided with the option to access the protected system by satisfying the reduced security measure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating a first security token value with a first security token system;

associating a second security token value with a second security token system;

detecting an attempt by a user to access a protected system;

detecting that the first security token system is within a first proximity to the protected system;

detecting that the second security token system is within a second proximity to the protected system; and

providing the user with an option to access the protected system by satisfying a reduced security measure, the providing based on the detecting that the first security token system is within the first proximity, the detecting that the second security token system is within the second proximity, and a determining that a sum of the first security token value and the second security token value transgresses a threshold security token value, the providing of the user with the option to access the protected system by satisfying the reduced security measure being performed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the reduced security measure from a plurality of security measures based on a level of sensitivity of data on the protected system that is to be included in the access to the protected system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the first security token value based on a property of the first security token system, the property of the first security token system pertaining to a likelihood that the user is a rightful owner of the first security token system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting that the first security token system is within the first proximity to the protected system is based on a comparison of a first signal strength value to a second signal strength value, the first signal strength value representing a strength of a signal between the first security token system and the protected system during calibration, the second signal strength value representing a strength of a signal between the first security token system and the protected system during the attempt by the user to access the protected system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the calibration includes the user accessing the first security token system as an administrator of the security token system to cause a calibration notification to be sent to the protected system.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the first signal strength value based on information collected from a sensor of the first security token system and included in the calibration notification.

7. A system comprising:

at least one module implemented by at least one processor and configured to, at least;

associate a first security token value with a first security token system;

associate a second security token value with a second security token system;

detect an attempt by a user to access a protected system;

detect that the first security token system is within a first proximity to the protected system;

detect that the second security token system is within a second proximity to the protected system; and

provide the user with an option to access the protected system by satisfying a reduced security measure, the providing based on the detecting that the first security token system is within the first proximity, the detecting that the second security token system is within the second proximity, and a determining that a sum of the first security token value and the second security token value transgresses a threshold security token value.

8. The system of claim 7, the at least one module further configured to select the reduced security measure from a plurality of security measures based on a level of sensitivity of data on the protected system that is to be included in the access to the protected system.

9. The system of claim 7, the at least one module further configured to determine the first security token value based on a property of the first security token system, the property of the first security token system pertaining to a likelihood that the user is a rightful owner of the first security token system.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the detecting that the first security token system is within the first proximity to the protected system is based on a comparison of a first signal strength value to a second signal strength value, the first signal strength value representing a strength of a signal between the first security token system and the protected system during calibration, the second signal strength value representing a strength of a signal between the first security token system and the protected system during the attempt by the user to access the protected system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the calibration includes the user accessing the first security token system as an administrator of the security token system to cause a calibration notification to be sent to the protected system.

12. The system of claim 11, the at least one module further configured to determine the first signal strength value based on information collected from a sensor of the first security token system and included in the calibration notification.

13. A non-transitory machine readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

associating a first security token value with a first security token system;

associating a second security token value with a second security token system;

detecting an attempt by a user to access a protected system;

detecting that the first security token system is within a first proximity to the protected system;

detecting that the second security token system is within a second proximity to the protected system; and

providing the user with an option to access the protected system by satisfying a reduced security measure, the providing based on the detecting that the first security token system is within the first proximity, the detecting that the second security token system is within the second proximity, and a determining that a sum of the first security token value and the second security token value transgresses a threshold security token value.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, the operations further comprising selecting the reduced security measure from a plurality of security measures based on a level of sensitivity of data on the protected system that is to be included in the access to the protected system.

15. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, the operations further comprising determining the first security token value based on a property of the first security token system, the property of the first security token system pertaining to a likelihood that the user is a rightful owner of the first security token system.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the detecting that the first security token system is within the first proximity to the protected system is based on a comparison of a first signal strength value to a second signal strength value, the first signal strength value representing a strength of a signal between the first security token system and the protected system during calibration, the second signal strength value representing a strength of a signal between the first security token system and the protected system during the attempt by the user to access the protected system.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the calibration includes the user accessing the first security token system as an administrator of the security token system to cause a calibration notification to be sent to the protected system.