Mobile device security

• US 9,386,507 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• 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, Carr, Michael, Walsh, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Application Number:
  US14/821,337
• Time in Patent Office: 333 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 computer-implemented method for initiating a security event in response to a current geolocation varying from a geolocation signature by more than a threshold amount, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by one or more computing systems, at a plurality of different times and different locations, a geolocation of a mobile device and a timestamp associated with the geolocation to create geolocation data;

creating, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, the geolocation signature for the mobile device based at least in part on the geolocation data;

comparing, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, a current geolocation with the geolocation signature to determine if the current geolocation varies from the geolocation signature by more than a threshold amount; and

initiating, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, a security event in response to the current geolocation varying from the geolocation signature by more than the threshold amount.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, the plurality of different times using a predetermined interval.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a first mobile device, and wherein the comparing comprises comparing a first current geolocation of the first mobile device at a particular time with a second current geolocation of a second mobile device at the particular time;

and determining that the first current geolocation of the first mobile device exceeds a threshold distance from the second current geolocation of the second mobile device at the particular time.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 3, wherein the initiating comprises initiating the security event in response to the first current geolocation of the first mobile device not being within the threshold distance of the second current geolocation of the second mobile device at the particular time.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

determining, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, at a plurality of different times and different locations, a geolocation of the second mobile device and a timestamp associated with the geolocation of the second mobile device to create geolocation data associated with the second mobile device; and

creating, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, a geolocation signature for the second mobile device based at least in part on the geolocation data associated with the second mobile device.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein the comparing comprises comparing the first current geolocation of the first mobile device at a particular time stored in the geolocation signature of the first mobile device with the second current geolocation of the second mobile device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signature of the second mobile device to determine if the first current geolocation of the first mobile device is within the threshold distance of the second current geolocation of the second mobile device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signatures of the first and second mobile devices.

7. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6, wherein the initiating comprises initiating the security event in response to the first current geolocation of the first mobile device not being within the threshold distance of the second current geolocation of the second mobile device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signatures of the first and second mobile devices.

8. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 3, wherein the security event comprises one or more of:

shutting down the first mobile device, the second mobile device, or both the first and second mobile devices, sending an automatic communication from the first mobile device, the second mobile device, or both the first and second mobile devices, or requiring input of a password at the first mobile device, the second mobile device, or both the first and second mobile devices.

9. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 3, wherein the threshold distance is determined at least in part from user input received at the first mobile device or the second mobile device.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

comparing, by at least one of one or more computing systems, a first current geolocation of a first device at a particular time with a second current geolocation of a second device at the particular time;

determining, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, that the first current geolocation of the first device exceeds a threshold distance from the second current geolocation of the second device at the particular time; and

initiating, by at least one of the one or more computing systems in response to the determining, a security event.

11. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 10, wherein the threshold distance is determined at least in part from user input received at the first device or the second device.

12. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 10, wherein the security event comprises one or more of:

shutting down the first device, the second device, or both the first and second devices, sending an automatic communication from the first device, the second device, or both the first and second devices, or requiring input of a password at the first device, the second device, or both the first and second devices.

13. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

determining, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, multiple different geolocations of the first device and the second device over time; and

storing, by at least one of the one or more computing systems, 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 first device and a geolocation signature for the second device.

14. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13, wherein the comparing comprises comparing the first geolocation of the first device at a particular time stored in the geolocation signature of the first device with the second current geolocation of the second device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signature of the second device to determine if the first current geolocation of the first device is within the threshold distance of the second current geolocation of the second device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signatures of the first and second devices;

and

wherein the initiating comprises initiating the security event in response to the first current geolocation of the first device not being within the threshold distance of the second current geolocation of the second device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signatures of the first and second devices.

15. A system for initiating a security event in response to a first current geolocation of a first device exceeding a threshold distance from a second current geolocation of a second device, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing computer readable instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

compare a first current geolocation of a first device with a second current geolocation of a second device;

determine that the first current geolocation of the first device exceeds a threshold distance of the second current geolocation of the second device; and

initiate, in response to the determining, a security event.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the comparing of the first current geolocation of the first device with the second current geolocation of the second device occurs at a regular frequency.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine multiple different geolocations of the first device and the second device over time;

and

store 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 first device and a geolocation signature for the second device.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the comparing comprises comparing the first geolocation of the first device at a particular time stored in the geolocation signature of the first device with the second current geolocation of the second device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signature of the second device to determine if the first current geolocation of the first device is within the threshold distance of the second current geolocation of the second device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signatures of the first and second devices;

and

wherein the initiating comprises initiating the security event in response to the first current geolocation of the first device not being within the threshold distance of the second current geolocation of the second device at the particular time stored in the geolocation signatures of the first and second devices.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the threshold distance is determined at least in part from user input received at the first device or the second device.

20. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the security event comprises at least one of:

shutting down the first device, the second device, or both the first and second devices,

sending an automatic communication from the first device, the second device, or both the first and second devices, or

requiring input of a password at the first device, the second device, or both the first and second devices.